A year in charity branding 2024

In a volatile world, charity branding seems more important than ever to inspire us to make a positive impact for people and the planet.

Fortunately, it’s been a big year in charity branding. So big in fact, I am changing tact. Rather than my annual month by month run down, I am choosing to focus on the brands and campaigns that have left their mark on me. So in no particular order…

NSPCC

Having started my career in charity branding at NSPCC, many moons ago, I was delighted to see their purpose back in action.

An advert rooted in a poem recited by actor T’Nia Miller charts the journey of parenting from birth to children leaving home and beginning independent adult lives.

This is the best piece of marketing I’ve seen the charity produce in years, stepping into the wellbeing space with an eye-catching creative platform.

Shelter

I was over the moon to see Shelter win awards for “best in-house” creative team.

Way back when, when I was Brand Manager at Shelter, I had the pleasure of working with the exceptionally talented creative duo of Helen Jones and Cathy Hutton. To see Helen invest her heart and soul into the Shelter brand in its current era has been an inspiration.

The Shelter brand has always had a tenacious quality about it. It is always at its best when it is bold creatively. So “bravo” Helen and your team, I salute you.

Switchboard

The very nice and very good, Nice and Serious partnered with one of the oldest LGBTQIA+ helplines, Switchboard, to create a new identity marking its 50th anniversary.

It’s bright and bold, memorable and cotemporary. Inspired by heritage, it is a testament to the strength of a unifying graphic device.

Whilst doing some personal legacy planning, I became aware of how little emotional support is available for the LGBTQIA+ community, and how important brands like Switchboard are.

Barnardo’s

I’d been eagerly awaiting this one, so was delighted to see it arrive. A big, “bright and bouncy”, leap forward for Barnardo’s. It’s energetic, optimistic and youthful.

Congratulations to the charity and agency partner The Clearing on a strong piece of work. I particularly like the collaboration with children and young people at the heart, and the fact that the typography in the logo has been co-created to reflect different emotions.

If I was being picky, I’d liked to have seen the purpose pack more of a punch.

RSPCA

Charity rebranding is not for the faint hearted. But try and launch a new strategy, rebrand, website and campaign all at once, and you’re setting yourself up for a fall. Or maybe not.

Calling in the big guns in JKR and AMV BBDO, the credits in the press release allude to the amount of teamwork needed to pull this off.

This is not the finger-pointing RSPCA of old, with a refreshingly contemporary twist on ‘Society’, which can sometimes be seen as elitist and old-fashioned.

There is a great balance of heritage and modernity running throughout the whole identity and I love that it is purpose led.

Scope

It would be a miss not to mention Scope’s brand refresh. This was always going to be a difficult one, as their 2018 rebrand is amongst my greatest hits.

I was relieved that the brand repositioning largely remains intact and like the focus on putting disabled people front and centre, the way it should be.

The brand film is packed full of personality, but I’ll miss the purple equality sign.

Age UK

Age UK have spent the last year refreshing its brand positioning alongside a new strategy.

A greater proportion of us are older than ever before. Despite this, older people are facing significant challenges, and too often are completely unsupported.

That's why they’ve chosen ‘Let’s change how we age’ as their new brand strapline. It's a rallying cry to build a society where older people are valued and included.

Personally, I’d like to have seen this accompanied with a visual identity refresh to help shift perceptions beyond the images of old lonely people that have dominated integrated campaigns.

Co-op, RSPB, National Trust & WWF

Co-op, RSPB, the National Trust and WWF are helping grassroots organisations make their communities greener.

Lark were briefed to produce a warm, inspiring new visual identity that celebrates the people who are coming together from across these communities.

I am sure you’ll agree the branding has a lovely buzz about it. Bright and bubbly. Down to earth and organic in feel. I particularly like the way the brighter colours pop out of the beige background, and it is not often I say I like beige. Lovely jubbly.

Nature Neighbourhoods | Verbal and visual branding | Lark

British Heart Foundation

“Til I Died” was an outstanding campaign from British Heart Foundation. Great insights. Great idea. Great copy. Great channel choice. Great timing.

The UK-wide mural campaign honoured 12 young football fans who tragically lost their lives to heart disease, while debunking preconceptions of who heart disease impacts.

By launching days before the start of the UEFA Euros 2024, the creative work highlighted the young people’s love for football at a time the nation was excited to see the country play.

CALM

Launched to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day, “The Missed Birthdays” campaign was prompted by research showing that suicide is now the leading cause of death for people under 34 in the UK.

To raise awareness of the magnitude of youth suicide, 6,929 birthday balloons were installed at Westfield’s White City in London, each one representing a young person who has died by suicide.

To enable people to play an active role, the campaign directed people to the CALM C.A.R.E kit – a suite of practical tools and resources.

Alzheimer’s Society

Charity brands and campaigns are designed to move people to action emotionally. To give us “the feels” as Stuart Youngs from Studio Texture would say.

Personally, I would like to say goodbye to the advert “The Long Goodbye”. Every time I see it, I to jump for the remote in fear of my family who are living with dementia from seeing it.

The charity acknowledge that people might find the advert upsetting but want to raise public awareness of the devastation. I have no doubt that the advert is rooted in audience insight but for me it oversteps the mark. Public awareness shouldn’t provoke fear or come at the expense of the feelings of the people you support.

RSPB

Animals can't speak up for themselves... but what if they could? That's the premise for four funny ads that urge young audiences to advocate for nature for RSPB, by Good Agency in partnership with Blue Zoo animation.

The loveable characters include a hedgehog, frog, bees and a woodpecker. They capture the spirit of Aardman's Creature Comforts, and I love them for being refreshingly witty.

Girlguiding

Girlguiding unveiled a campaign highlighting gender stereotypes and how AI sometimes perpetuates them, as well as flagging that the organisation provides safe spaces for young girls.

Through two 15-second films, the charity is aiming to help break down social biases by showcasing authentic and unaltered images of girls doing activities some consider to not be suitable for them, such as camping, building fires and leading a team.

Refuge

Billie Piper partnered with Refuge to raise awareness of the different forms domestic abuse can take and the impact it has on survivors. “Make the world a Refuge” is a great demonstration of the impact a short film can make.

The style of the campaign is deliberately staged – Piper is shown in a rehearsal room, where she recites the testimonies of others. The content is all too real though, taking in coercive control, physical and emotional abuse, and financial abuse. Powerful and impactful.

WWF & Parkrun

WWF and Parkrun created campaigns that feature doctor prescriptions to get outdoors, highlighting the advantages of being in nature to our health and wellbeing.

The campaigns are built on a simple premise: that the natural world is good for us and evidence shows that spending just 20 minutes a day in nature gives a boost to our health and happiness.

I love the idea and the simplicity of the execution. Refreshing and eye-catching.

BrandDufour

I’ve also had a big year, working across pregnancy and baby loss, suicide prevention, dementia, community dining and lifesaving first aid charities. As well as a big merger in the further education and skills sector, which has really tested my patience and powers of diplomacy.

A highlight was Kids being Highly Commended at the Third Sector Awards, together with Red Stone. This one had all the right ingredients. A client relationship built on trust, together with trusted partners who put their heart and soul into crafting the creative solution.

I particularly enjoyed the collaboration with the lived experience panel of young people, and drawing inspiration from brands outside of the sector, like Disney and Lego, to define the “Opportunity Creator” brand personality.

I was also absolutely delighted to help match Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity with Creative Director Stuart Gough, and continued my charity brand crusade with blogs on charity brands that have lasted the test of time, charity rebrands that worked and crafting one set of values for the brand on the inside (culture and behaviour) and the brand on the outside (experience, visual identity and tone of voice). It was also a great honour to be featured in Creative Review's piece on why charity branding is more vital than ever.

As always, a big thank you to my clients and creative partners. I wish you all a wonderful festive season and a happy new year. Let’s throw kindness around like it’s confetti.