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Audience: MOVEMENT

editors, community, staff

Brand is values

Change is disruptive. Effective change requires inclusive review of needs, benefits, and risks.

Entity naming (WMF, affiliates, Wikimedia projects) should be considered in comprehensive, consultative brand strategy.

Audience: PUBLIC

readers, donors, new users

Brand is promise

Users already know us as Wikipedia. Our work should support that trust.

New WMF efforts and products should be developed under the Wikipedia name.

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Branding

Discovery process findings

The Wikipedia brand is one of the most valuable assets of the Wikimedia movement: both goodwill and financial valuation.
For readers and casual users, Wikipedia is already our global brand.
Although the WMF owns the Wikipedia trademark, the community is the brand: they are the value that people get from Wikipedia.
Wikimedia is a strongly-held community identity. Name changes have implications for community cohesion and participation.
Projected name change costs are substantial. WMF, affiliate, or project name changes are estimated at $2.5m+ based on scope.

Recommendation: Move forward with alignment around Wikipedia name in principle

Future product development should occur under Wikipedia name, effective now
Further entity naming (WMF, affiliates, other Wikimedia projects) to be considered through comprehensive brand strategy

Next steps

Continue brand work in Q3/Q4 focused on product brand alignment and preparation for brand strategy work
Finalize cost estimates and proposed brand strategy process to take place in FY16-17
Present the proposed budget and brand strategy process at the next full-length Board meeting in April
Board updates via email on major milestones with requests for feedback as appropriate between now and April
Brand strategy, with Board feedback, will be integrated into proposed Annual Plan