Later this year, Girl Scouts in the fourth grade and older will adopt a new uniform that will consist of a sash or vest that displays achievement badges, that can be worn over a white shirt and khaki pants or skirt.
As part of a national movement to change the Girl Scout’s image, Girl Scouts of the USA has hired Laurel Richie as the Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. She will be in charge of branding, communications, publishing, marketing, and Web-based initiatives.
According to Lesley Searcy, CEO, having a Chief Marketing Officer on the national level will help ensure the Girl Scouts can get across the messages of leadership and learning in a trendy, new way.
“Many people think of the Girl Scouts as an old-fashioned, arts and crafts oriented group,” said Searcy. “That’s simply isn’t the case. Girl Scouts have opportunities to participate in science, math and technology activities, as well as leadership activities that give them the ability to make a difference in their communities.”
Perry also notes that reinventing a brand is always a challenge. “We have 96 years invested in our brand. In our local, 36-county area, we are creating awareness of our new image by changing our overall look from the inside out which means reaching out to different demographics, specifically Asians and Hispanics. We have also formed a young professionals group that can take our message to a younger demographic.”
“We have a challenging task ahead,” Searcy said, “Our staff is committed to creating a vibrant, relative leadership development opportunity that’s fun for girls and has tremendous value for their parents. Our new program year is full of new opportunities that reinforce an exciting image for girls ages 5-17. This is an exciting time to be a Girl Scout.”