May 20, 2025 —Brand is more than just a logo or tagline; it’s a reflection of our values, commitment, and unique identity. That’s why, in 2024, we embarked on an extensive research and analysis initiative to work towards strengthening the Kendal brand. This process has been an enlightening and collaborative effort, providing valuable insights and setting the stage for an intentional refresh that aligns with our future vision to establish Kendal as a continued leader in the field of aging.
By investing in this process, Kendal is committed to ensuring that we communicate our values authentically and effectively, remaining connected to our legacy while investing in contemporary storytelling that aligns with our goals related to expanded growth and meaningful impact. It’s about consistency, trust, and staying future-focused in an evolving market and the needs of our current and future residents and members.
What We Found Out
Kendal is widely recognized for what BrandMETTLE (now called METTLE5) describes as a type of “romantic allure”, drawing prospective residents and members early in their decision-making process thanks to palpable energy, culture, and reputation. Attempting to define this allure, Matt Brown from METTLE5 compared the Kendal brand to the iconic “green light” in The Great Gatsby. Kendal captures attention effortlessly, standing out from other communities and services that often take years to attract the same level of recognition and trust.
Through an in-depth brand audit, we’ve been able to uncover what makes Kendal continue to stand out while identifying areas for improvement in the ways we tell the Kendal story and expand the reach of the Kendal brand. By speaking directly with staff, current residents, and Kendal at Home members, we’ve gained a well-rounded understanding of how Kendal is perceived. These insights are helping us define the core strengths of the Kendal brand and ensure we stay true to our values while evolving for the future.
Strengths That Define Kendal
Kendal has established itself as a trusted name in the national marketplace with a strong foundation in financial stability and strong leadership. Its attractions extend beyond business metrics to align with personal values, offering a unique blend of attributes:
- Magnetic: Kendal entices prospective residents to communities with its charm, before they have completed extensive research.
- Stable: Known for proven financial security, instilling confidence.
- Friendly & Approachable: Welcoming staff, residents and members enhance the sense of community.
- Autonomy: A resident-driven lifestyle and the Kendal at Home model foster independence.
- Legacy: Generations of both staff, residents and members reinforce the enduring appeal of Kendal.
Potential Challenges for Kendal
Despite its many strengths, a few adverse factors may be impacting the brand.
- Kendal’s limited awareness in broader markets leaves room for improvement in visibility, and the brand occasionally appears outdated with new audiences.
- Some stakeholders perceive that employee sentiment around the brand is low, unclear, or not in line with high resident and member satisfaction.
- There is an opportunity to connect each Affiliate’s unique market brand in a more supportive and sustaining way to the overall Kendal brand and to clarify brand architecture.
What’s Next? A Brand Workshop and New Comprehensive Brand Guide
Our next step is important and exciting: a collaborative Brand Workshop. This session will bring together key stakeholders to build consensus on Kendal’s core values, personality traits, and the unique benefits we want our brand to communicate. The workshop will guide us in defining Kendal’s Brand Promise, sharpening our vision, and identifying the emotional connections that will resonate most with our audience.
From there, we’ll be launching into the development of a new comprehensive Brand Guide. This guide will establish a unified framework for Affiliates to implement Kendal’s brand consistently and confidently. From visual elements like logos, design, color, and fonts to messaging, taglines and storytelling strategies, the guide will be a toolkit for Kendal to elevate marketing and communication efforts. The renewed and contemporary Brand Guide will not only aim to enhance the collective Kendal brand but also empower Affiliates to continue to meaningfully tailor and adapt messaging and storytelling that is unique to their communities, regions, members, and residents, focused on expanded appeal and engagement for the long term, while still connecting to the larger brand identity.
Kendal’s established reputation for stability, diverse housing, services, and care offerings, in addition to community warmth gives it a competitive edge. Addressing awareness gaps and ensuring alignment across stakeholder groups will only bolster a strong legacy brand position across the national field of aging.
We will soon announce the structure of the Brand Workshop. Your voices, along with those of residents and members, have been vital in getting us to this stage and continue to influence the work to refresh the Kendal brand.