Case Study : JGS Lifecare

Jewish Geriatric Services had been caring for the elderly of Western Massachusetts for over one hundred years, and the tell tale signs of age were beginning to show. With facility upgrades and a $11.4 million Rehabilitation Center in the works, they needed a brand refresh that would highlight and elevate their efforts to change with the times.

The Challenge

The challenge for BRIGADE was to revitalize an aging brand and introduce its legacy of excellence to a new generation of consumers. On top of that, we needed to develop an “umbrella” brand to unify the many, diverse programs and services the institution had launched over the years but never integrated. It was also critical for us to position the brand as inclusive and approachable to all denominations while embracing the brand’s Jewish heritage. Finally, we decided we wanted to inject a sense of lightness, hope and vitality in the new identity.

The Solution

The transformation of “Jewish Geriatric Services” began with a new name: ‘JGS Lifecare.’ Using the term Lifecare created a tone of optimism, continuity, and authority while the retention of the ‘JGS’ acronym meant the brand could still leverage its legacy and credibility. ‘JGS Lifecare’ was a wildly successful umbrella brand for what we called the ‘JGS Lifecare Family of Services,’ creating a feeling of intimacy and invoking the brand’s reputation for family-style, home-like care.

To support the rebrand, BRIGADE created a beautiful evolution of the original JGS logo that marries a tree signifier (growth, vitality, community) with a nod to the traditional Jewish menorah (cultural shorthand for the spirit of resilience). Along with additional brand language developed by BRIGADE, the new logo beautifully and succinctly achieved the brand’s desire to remain accessible while embracing Jewish values.

The tree metaphor in the logo was extended in BRIGADE’s design for JGS Lifecare’s new, user-friendly website with colorful, fluttering leaves animating the screen like a breath of fresh air. Front and center we chose to feature a powerful headline that encapsulates the spirit of the rebrand with humor and accessibility: “At 103 Years Old, We Have More Laugh Lines than Wrinkles.”

The rebrand campaign was generously supported with billboards, print ads, email marketing, and on-property materials all developed by BRIGADE. Today, JGS Lifecare is known for excellence and resilience: a tradition cultivated since 1912.

Learn more about our work here.