Griswold Stands Out in a Sea of Sameness with New Brand Evolution Centered Around Its “Live Assured” Promise

Griswold, the fast-growing non-medical home care franchise with over 170 locations, recently unveiled an exciting brand evolution, coining the phrase “Live Assured” and defining the brand’s meaning through a year-long process that involved everyone from its caregivers to its leadership team. This evolution includes new visual branding, an emphasis on technology and innovation, an inspiring Tokens of Appreciation initiative, a name modification, and more. 

“Just as our founder Dr. Jean Griswold was a true visionary when she started Griswold as the first non-medical home care franchise in the United States, we must continue to advance her legacy in the home care space by adapting to what the marketplace demands,” said Griswold CEO Michael Slupecki. “Caregivers love working with Griswold, and we’ve always offered superior care to our clients, which will never change. But, in a sea of sameness, Griswold must stand out.”

Founded in 1982, Griswold is backed by over 40 years of experience providing quality home care to the elderly, disabled adults and individuals recovering from illness. Dr. Jean Griswold was a senior care professional who had multiple sclerosis (MS) and recognized firsthand that the elderly often lacked the assistance they needed to remain independent at home. Griswold set out to offer a wide variety of in-home support services, with care plans customized to fit each client that could be adjusted as their needs change over time.

While the Griswold name has always meant something special, it has evolved over the years,  Slupecki says. Now, Griswold’s primary promise comes down to two words: Live Assured. 

Clients live assured they have the care they need to live life to its fullest. Families live assured that their loved ones are being cared for so they can live a worry-free life. Caregivers live assured they work with a company that cares about them and their well-being. Employees live assured they work for a company with a solid foundation and bright future. The community lives assured that Griswold is there to support those members who need help, thereby making the community a happier, healthier place to live.

“Live Assured is the promise we make to clients, their loved ones, caregivers, employees and the communities where we live and work,” said Griswold VP of Marketing Shelley Kanther. “What makes our promise better than our competitors is the special recipe that brings the Live Assured concept to life.”

It took over a year to perfect that recipe with the brand evolution. Griswold performed a study to help measure and define the meaning behind the brand and ensure frontline care professionals, office staff and Griswold administration are aligned in the story they convey to the world. By surveying all team members as well as a focus group of people who were looking for home care services, Griswold identified three main pillars that resonate most with employees and match what consumers value:
 

• Trusted Relationships: the brand’s commitment to honesty and transparency assures the connections both employees and caregivers build stay strong. 
• Care is Personal: Griswold’s work is about people, and everyone works together to support clients’ unique needs with respect, empathy and dedicated attention.
• A Foundation of Expertise: the team’s collective wisdom benefits the people they serve, and the strong Griswold community ensures all team members will continue to learn and grow. 

The company went further by defining the behaviors, or actions, each role should take to embody the brand, removing ambiguity and giving employees a road map to success. When it comes to bringing these three pillars and brand promise to life, Slupecki says Griswold franchise owners have an important role to play.

“We need our leaders to keep our founding spirit strong while embracing current trends and future innovation,” said Slupecki. “They need to lead by example and show their teams what it means to live our promise. If our behaviors collectively match our promise, our value proposition is solid. That makes it easier to secure new clients, generate referrals and attract and retain staff.”

To ensure franchise owners have the tools to recognize and celebrate all team members exemplifying the Griswold promise, the brand is rolling out a new Tokens of Appreciation program. All Griswold team members will be eligible to win digital Tokens of Appreciation for living the brand in their daily roles. 

At the end of each month, franchisees will review all digital token recipients and will choose one caregiver and one employee to be awarded an actual Griswold token and a special token holder to proudly display the fruits of their hard work and dedication. At the end of the year, each Griswold office will recognize all who received Griswold tokens and will choose one caregiver and one employee who truly embodied the Griswold brand throughout 2023. Those two team members will be the “Employees of the Year” and will receive a special gift and a commendation from Griswold’s home office in Blue Bell, PA. 

In addition to a new tagline, Griswold is also evolving its visual brand. The company has dropped “Home Care” from its name and is now simply “Griswold.” It has also opted to remove the house and hearts design from its previous logo in exchange for a more modern and unique design that represents the importance of people and connections. These updates will not only keep Griswold aligned with the current marketplace but will also allow the company to unite all new revenue streams under one brand name as it prioritizes technology and innovation moving forward.

“We aspire to launch new products and services under the brand name in the future — whether it be technological innovations like remote monitoring or staffing services or opening facilities,” said Slupecki. “The sky’s the limit. The last thing we want is a brand that keeps us in a box, unable to scale and expand over time.”

Now, with the need for quality, in-home senior care reaching an all-time high throughout every community, Griswold is gearing up for strategic franchise growth and is looking for compassionate, empathetic individuals to help usher in this new era for the brand. Prospective franchisees have the opportunity to join a proven brand, take control of their destiny and give back to the people in their community.

“For over 40 years, we’ve remained at the forefront of the home care industry and have been setting the industry standard as we expand across the country,” said Slupecki. “Now, we are ready to embrace change to not only remain relevant in this competitive industry but to continue to be a leader other companies aspire to emulate. It's time for brand evolution, and our new brand will set us down a path for success for years to come.”