Hot Topic: Rebranding with Purpose: An Update on the AAM Rebrand
In early 2025, the Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM) embarked on a bold rebranding journey in partnership with GRAPHEK, a strategic design agency with deep expertise in working with associations. The initiative, driven by a commitment to modernizing AAM’s identity, aligning with its evolving visions and better reflect its growing and diverse membership, began with Phase 1: Research and Brand Assessment. This foundational phase laid the groundwork for the entire project and delivered valuable insights into the brand’s current position and untapped opportunities. In fact, if you are considering a rebrand or brand refresh for your accounting firm, this is a critical step as it provides a clear assessment of where your brand stands today and identifies your growth opportunities.
What Is Phase 1?
Phase 1 of the AAM rebrand was a comprehensive research and discovery process designed to assess the current brand’s strengths and opportunities. Spanning approximately 3–4 months, this phase included:
- A kickoff meeting and stakeholder questionnaire
- A review of existing research and marketing materials
- A communications and visual brand audit
- A competitive analysis of peer organizations
- 12 in-depth interviews with a cross-section of AAM members
- A quantitative brand survey distributed to over 800 AAM members
The goal was to understand how AAM is perceived today, uncover what its members value most and explore how the brand can evolve to better engage and serve a broader community of growth professionals in accounting firms.
Key Findings from the Communications Audit
AAM’s communications already demonstrate a solid foundation, with high-performing email campaigns, engaging social media content and a clear emphasis on member benefits like community, resources and professional development. These strengths reflect a deep understanding of member needs and a commitment to delivering value across channels.
The audit uncovered opportunities to elevate AAM’s brand. By unifying our brand voice and messaging, ensuring consistency in our creative assets across all platforms and simplifying content for clarity, AAM can further strengthen its identity and impact. These refinements will help ensure that every touchpoint reinforces the association’s mission and resonates with both current and prospective members.
Insights from the Brand Survey
We had a strong response to our brand survey, with 27% of members participating. The brand survey provided a rich dataset for understanding member perceptions. Several key themes emerged:
- AAM’s Core Value: Community
Across all segments, “community” and “educational” were the top descriptors of AAM. Members consistently cited the organization’s ability to foster connection, collaboration and professional growth as its greatest value.
- Broadening the Reach
A significant majority (80%) of respondents agreed that AAM should expand its programming to also include professionals in business development and growth while continuing to support those in marketing. This reflects a shift in the industry where firm growth is increasingly a multidisciplinary effort.
- Exploring the Name
While 63% of respondents found the current name—Association for Accounting Marketing—effective, only 28% said it was important in their decision to join. Many noted that the name may not fully reflect the breadth of AAM’s offerings or its evolving audience. The term “growth” emerged as the most frequently suggested keyword for a potential name change.
- Risks and Rewards of Rebranding
Members saw potential benefits in a name change, including increased membership, greater authority in the industry and enhanced visibility. However, like the true marketers they are, they also expressed concerns about losing brand recognition, diluting the focus on marketing and the logistical challenges of communicating the change.
Lessons for Marketers in Accounting Firms
The AAM rebrand offers several takeaways for marketers navigating similar transformations:
- Start with Research
AAM’s methodical approach—combining qualitative interviews, quantitative surveys and a communications audit—ensures that decisions are grounded in data. For accounting firms, this means going beyond gut instinct and gathering input from a diverse range of stakeholders before making branding decisions.
- Clarify Your Audience
One of AAM’s biggest challenges was defining “who belongs.” The audit revealed a patchwork of audience definitions across platforms. For firms, this underscores the importance of clearly articulating who your brand serves and ensuring that message is consistent across all touchpoints.
- Align Messaging with Member Value
The survey showed that members value community, resources and professional development, yet these benefits were not always front and center in AAM’s communications. Firms should ensure that their most valued offerings are prominently featured in their messaging—and that those messages are tailored to different audience segments.
- Consider Evolution, Not Revolution
While some members supported a complete name change, others favored a more incremental approach—such as updating the tagline or expanding the acronym. This reflects a broader truth: rebranding doesn’t always mean starting from scratch. Sometimes, evolving an existing brand can preserve equity while signaling growth.
- Plan for Change Management
Rebranding is as much about internal alignment as it is about external perception. AAM’s members expressed concerns about how a name change would be communicated and whether it would alienate core audiences. Firms should develop a robust change management plan that includes stakeholder engagement, clear messaging and a phased rollout.
What’s Next for AAM?
With Phase 1 complete, AAM is now moving into Phase 2: Naming and Brand Foundation. This stage will involve refining the brand’s positioning, exploring potential naming options and developing a messaging framework that reflects the organization’s expanded vision.
As AAM continues its rebranding journey, it serves as a case study in how to approach change with intention, empathy and strategic clarity. For marketers in accounting firms, the process offers a practical roadmap for navigating the complexities of brand evolution—one that balances tradition with transformation.
About Rachael McGrew
Rachael McGrew is the Marketing Director for Landmark CPAs, one of Arkansas’ largest accounting firms. In her role, she wears many hats, including overseeing the firm’s marketing and business development strategy, managing internal and external communications, maintaining the firm’s social media and web presence, planning and executing firm events and community outreach programs, assisting with M&A, coordinating recruiting campaigns, and serving on industry association committees.
Within AAM, Rachael serves on the Board of Directors, leads an AAM Circle focused on HubSpot and is a member of the AAM Minute Committee. She is a graduate of the Leadership Fort Smith program and a 40 Under 40 honoree by both the Arkansas Business Journal and the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal. She is also a member of the Associated Builders and Contractors of Arkansas’ Western Council. Rachael holds a Bachelors of Business Administration in Marketing with a minor in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Central Arkansas and a Technical Certificate in Graphic Design from the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. She is married to an outgoing sales guy she’s known since junior high, and they have a witty teenager they follow around to volleyball practice and tournaments.
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