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    Proven Talent Behind New Firm, Fort, Help Organizations Create Brands

    A strong brand and inspiring culture can propel a company’s success – as demonstrated by the founders behind new branding firm, Fort.

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    Fort combines two creatives with proven talent – Tom Lennox, founder of Pelotonia, and Terry Rohrbach, founder of award-winning brand visualization company, and Pelotonia’s brand partner, Base Art Co.

    “This is a really good opportunity to leverage talents of two people that have a common mindset,” Lennox says. Both have experienced enormous success through their respective organizations and are coming together to build something bigger that will help other companies achieve their own success through branding.

    Fort is all about brands. Lennox and Rohrbach will help companies to not only develop their brand, but retain it – the principle behind the company’s moniker.

    “Whenever you’re working with a brand, the number one thing is building it, and the harder part is protecting  it,” Lennox says. “You’ve got to stand out from a crowded marketplace,” Rorhbach reiterates. Keeping a brand protected leads to growth – a cornerstone of Fort’s mission they emphasize with each client.

    Fort’s offerings are full-service in two ways – through their extensive list of specialties, and in how they acknowledge a brand’s appeal from inside and outside of an organization.

    To build inspired brands, Fort asks the questions, “Who are the organization’s people? What are their values? What does the organization look and feel like? What are its objectives? What is its spirit?” Answering theses questions creates brands that people are excited to be a part of and associates are motivated to work for and constantly build.

    The company’s list of services is extensive. Fort offers brand strategy and development including design and messaging strategy, identity and name development, and comprehensive campaigns. This equates to making sure a brand is carried through an entire organization, while also focusing on collateral development through events and other opportunities. Rounding out their offerings, Fort provides design and writing services, as well as web and interactive development.

    If any proof is needed of what a solid brand message can do for an organization, look no further than Pelotonia. In just five years, Pelotonia has raised over $62 million for cancer research.

    “One of the reasons Pelotonia has been so incredibly successful is we approached it so differently,” Lennox says. The organization created and established a brand.

    “If the brand was successful we could turn it into a movement,” he continues. Lennox knew a strong movement would be more valuable than an ordinary charity walk, run or ride.

    When creating the Pelotonia name, “The objective was to create something that had no preconceived notions,” Lennox says. In doing so, everything had to reflect the values of the organization. The brand was built from the ground up through Base Art Co.

    “Pelotonia’s success was based on our ability to market it,” Lennox says. And, that principle applies to all different kinds of businesses and causes.

    Fort will brand a variety of businesses, but also use Lennox’s background to create a niche with cancer programs and organizations.

    For smaller organizations, “We’ll teach them how to create a brand, inspire people and raise money that goes directly to cancer research,” Lennox says. Large-scale, Fort will create a foundation that will help more sizable organizations start a branded ride. If an organization is interested in a ride, Lennox will use his skills to help them get everything set up.

    “We think we can help cancer programs generate a ton of money,” he says.

    Base Art Co. will be enveloped into Fort as the team moves forward and looks to expand.

    “We have the ability and tools to make this really special,” Lennox says. “I think we can drive results.”

    Learn more at visitfort.com.

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    Susan Post
    Susan Post
    Susan is the editor of The Metropreneur and associate editor of Columbus Underground, and also covers small business and entrepreneurial news and the food scene in Central Ohio.Susan holds a degree in Communication with a minor in Professional Writing from The Ohio State University. She sits on the board of the Central Ohio Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and loves coffee, whiskey, cooking and spending time with friends and family.
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