Association for Mineral Exploration polishes up its corporate identity

The Association for Mineral Exploration British Columbia (AME BC) has spruced up its corporate identity to make it more consistent with the association’s growing role as a public advocate for the industry. The association “refreshed” its brand and it is now known as the Association for Mineral Exploration (AME).

AME suggests that each letter in its new acronym be pronounced separately (A-M-E), rather than as a word of its own.

“We’ve simplified and refreshed our current brand with a new look and feel that’s a better fit with 2016,” said Allie Meeres, AME spokeswoman. “It solidifies and strengthens our voice with a consistent message, colour and look.”

Meeres said that now is an important time for mineral exploration in B.C. “We need to show our members and industry partners that AME is a leader in the industry,” she said. “The goal of the exercise was to define who we are as a brand, which includes our logo and other visual elements.”

This year’s brand refreshing follows the re-branding of the association from the B.C. and Yukon Chamber of Mines to the AMEBC in 2006.

AME has paid careful attention to every aspect of its brand as it developed a comprehensive list of what it calls brand standards. 

According to its brand standards, “Our brand model is a succinct summary of who we are and answers the questions:

• What we do? Our Brand Promise.
• Why we do it? Our Brand Purpose.
• How we do it? Our Brand Essence.”

This is how the association defines its brand (“who we are”). “At the Association for Mineral Exploration (AME), we discover opportunity and realize potential for explorers from all backgrounds in a way that is open and strong. As a result, we are described as inclusive, energizing, vital, connecting, resourceful and professional.”

The brand re-freshing exercise also looked at what it calls its voice. “AME is strong, professional, and open. We strive to reinforce a sense of connection and belonging. We are always energizing, positive, and inclusive. Never boastful or pretentious, our focus is on the success and progress of all parties involved. We stand to make all members feel secure, supported, and encouraged to strike out, explore, and discover.” Not only voice, but its tone of voice, too.

“The way we choose to speak directly impacts how our message is received. It’s important to be aware of our tone when speaking to our audiences.” The new AME logo was created from three letter forms.

AME redesigned its logo as part of its recent rebranding.

The partially uncovered A and E represent the organization’s openness and the solid M acts as an anchor to make the logo strong.

“As an organization, AME is made up of a number of facets, united by a commitment to exploration and realize BC’s potential.

“Our logo shows how our facets come together, demonstrating the depths of our connections, and the potential still waiting to be uncovered, as we continue as leaders in discovering opportunity.”

Retired geoscientist Patrick McAndless said refreshing the association’s brand was necessary in order to raise its profile.

“The industry needs a strong voice, and AME is it,” he said. “It brings many different sides of the industry together and is a very powerful voice of advocacy.”

The AME has about 4,200 individual members and 400 corporate members, most of whom are located in B.C.

It is one of three province-wide associations in British Columbia that are related to mineral exploration and mining. The other two are the Mining Association of BC and the Mining Suppliers Association of BC.