“Hey I thought you were the Boy Scouts… I’m sorry I must have the wrong organization. The organization I belonged to, did have joint Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts events, but they were still the Boy Scouts…” – Anonymous, and deleted post.
This was a community post on the ScouterStan YouTube channel and with the new branding going on this month I thought it would be a good time to talk about it.
The Boy Scouts of America has had many different brandings over 115 years. No matter what the organization is called it still has the same Core Values that it always had.
- 1910 – Boy Scouts of America, Incorporation and Trademark
- 1940s – BSA™ was universally adopted as the abbreviation.
- 1960s – Scouts of America™ the word “boy” was offensive to many members.
- 1980s – Boy Scouts™ adding the “boy” part back in and assuming the word America.
- 2010s – Scouting BSA™ more suitable for the introduction of girl troops.
- 2025 – Scouting America™
All of the trademarks and branding are of the same organization and will remain that way for the foreseeable future. The organization also owns many other trademarks and logos.
Branding and trademarks don’t always recognize the organization over time. However, their existence doesn’t alter their identity. It is essential to update branding periodically to better reflect its characteristics. I am reminded of Darwin’s statement “For any living organism to survive in its environment, it needs to continuously adapt and evolve through natural selection to match the changing conditions; if it fails to do so, it will eventually become extinct.”
Scouting has wisely always been at the forefront of change. Desegregating scout troops in the 1940s before it was legal in Jim Crow states, allowing men to become den leaders in the 1960s, permitting women to become scoutmasters in the 1970s, no longer discriminating against any individual’s orientation in the 2000s, and recently allowing girls to form their own troops.
Changes in an organization can be very frightening to individuals who may have questionable assumptions. Take heart in the true Scouting Values found in the Scout Oath and Law. Be Brave in your Loyalties to Scouting Values. Your Trustworthiness and Reverence will hold you steadfast. Be comforted that you are Helpful, Friendly, and Courteous to others at all times. Be Cheerful that we are developing great youth leaders for tomorrow. Knowing that the most valuable thing to be Thrifty with, is time.
God Bless America and Scouting America
