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RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., Aug. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time in 70 years, Toastmasters International, the world's largest non-profit organization dedicated to teaching communication and leadership skills, is updating its brand. The organization unveiled its new brand identity at its International Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, today. As part of the rebranding effort, the organization has updated its logo, colors, fonts, imagery and messaging to make Toastmasters' identity clearer, increase awareness of its impact around the world and focus more on leadership.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/49429-toastmasters-where-leaders-are-made

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110817/MM51395LOGO )

"Despite the fact that Toastmasters International is a global organization, we have suffered from an inconsistent understanding of what we do and how members benefit," says Pat Johnson, Toastmasters International President. "For many people, Toastmasters is synonymous with public speaking, but we are much more than that. We are not your grandfather's Toastmasters."

The Toastmasters members of today are culturally and ethnically diverse, representing all ages and professions, meeting in communities and corporations in 116 countries.

While more than a quarter of a million members attend approximately 13,000 club meetings each week, how they experience those meetings and describe their experiences vary widely from member to member and club to club. It's important to note that the brand refresh does not affect or alter the organization's core programs of communication and leadership skill-building; rather, it provides potential members with a clearer picture of what to expect when visiting any club in the world.

"The refreshed brand reflects the organization's evolution while honoring its heritage," says Johnson. "It allows us to unite and grow in exciting new ways."

Toastmasters: Where Leaders Are Made

In 2009, Toastmasters and its branding partner, Innovation Protocol, conducted research to better understand the organization's position in the market.

"We heard loud and clear from the members and leaders we spoke with that the Toastmasters program helped them gain the competence in communication that gave them the confidence to lead others. It is the foundation of our program," says Daniel Rex, Toastmasters International's executive director. That powerful combination of strengthening one's competence in communication and leadership skills – thereby gaining the confidence to lead – is what differentiates Toastmasters International from other skill-building programs.

The Look

Along with the new logo, which is an evolved version of the Toastmasters globe emblem, the organization is now represented in bolder colors and imagery.

Mark Scoggins, a Los Angeles based photographer and videographer, contributed to the newly branded photo and video libraries. These photos are unique to Toastmasters and represent all members. The photos reflect the Toastmasters experience.

For more information about the history of the logo and the brand refresh, please visit: www.toastmasters.org/vbp

About Toastmasters International

Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. Founded in October 1924, the organization currently has more than 270,000 members in 13,000 clubs in 116 countries. Each week, Toastmasters helps more than a quarter million people of every ethnicity, education level and profession build their competence in communication so they can gain the confidence to lead others. For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visit www.toastmasters.org.

SOURCE Toastmasters International