Diabetes UK unveils new brand identity
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Diabetes UK is introducing a new brand identity and strapline to try and build awareness of its work as the number of people affected by diabetes in the UK rises.
The new look, which replaces the previous pink colour scheme with blue in a bid to differentiate it from breast cancer charities, will be rolled out across the charity’s website, publications and all other materials from 1 February.
The organisation believes the new identity and “Care. Connect. Campaign.” strapline will be fundamental in raising its profile.
Type 1 and 2 diabetes currently affect 3.7 million people in the UK and account for 10% of the NHS budget. More than five million people are predicted to have diabetes by 2025, the charity says.
CEO Barbara Young says that because the organisation faces such a tough challenge, it needs a strong brand to make more impact.
Young believes that diabetes is the biggest health issue facing the UK and the NHS and hopes that by reinvigorating the Diabetes UK brand and being more vocal in its awareness raising, fundraising and lobbying efforts the condition will be regarded with the same seriousness as heart disease or cancer.
She says: “We now have more emphasis on standing up and being counted and levering change. There is a huge rising need [to prevent and treat diabetes] and not enough is being done. We need to get bigger, get stronger and get tougher.
“A new brand for Diabetes UK is not just about a change in colour scheme and a new logo, but goes right to the heart of who we are and what we do. We face the enormous challenge of addressing a huge increase in people living with diabetes and a shocking number of people who develop life-threatening complications such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease and amputation. A tough challenge like this needs a strong brand.”
The charity will also take a “more sustained” approach to campaigns than it has in the past, when campaigning has been short lived. Young has set out clear goals for two campaigns Diabetes UK is launching this spring and it will continue to campaign until they are achieved.
Readers' comments (7)
Anonymous | Tue, 24 Jan 2012 1:39 pm
I am a Diabetic member of Diabetic UK
and their MAIN priority is to increase their declining membership of 170,000 which is patients & carers out of estimated 3.7 million Diabetics, that is 4.6% which is hopeless.No point changing logo at a cost change their strategy with respect to their membership.You do not need to be a member to gain any value as a member apart from receiving a poor magazine.They have been advised of their problems but do not seem to want to change.
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Anonymous | Tue, 24 Jan 2012 1:52 pm
The cyan for the 'i' and strapline seems recessive and a little bit weak... also a very wide footprint might cause issues. Hhhmmm... ever the critic!
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James | Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:41 am
I was reading Design Week on Monday and saw that Teenage Cancer Trust also launched a re-brand and I have to say it's much better than this one. The colours look very much like the default palette you get in Paint.
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liam | Tue, 31 Jan 2012 4:54 pm
are they now selling toothpaste?
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David | Mon, 6 Feb 2012 12:44 pm
What a terrible rebrand - it looks like it's been done on the cheap. Although the implementation will of course cost a fortune. The colours are dreadful and it looks so old fashioned. I can understand the use of the strapline but think it could have been implemented so much better. What this says to me: old, fuddy duddy, information point rather than re dialogue and interaction, small scale, unprofessional
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Stephen | Mon, 6 Feb 2012 2:23 pm
Care Connect Campaign - do they not fund medical research anymore???? Logo looks like a magazine header and it will date in no time. I've worked in branding for 20 years and think it's dreadful. More to the point - as someone with diabetes who has previously supported this charity - they've completely alienated me.
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Samantha | Thu, 16 Feb 2012 5:51 pm
Hello everyone,
Although the copy of the logo isn't the best quality, I would like to balance the above comments and I was saddened to see the cynicism in the above. I feel that the 'care, connect, campaign' strapline is clear and does update the Diabetes brand. I also haven't got an issue with the colours - they're simple but they work for me. Clearly this has evoked strong emotion but I am just a bit saddened that all of the posts are predominantly negative about what the charity is trying to do and I'm curious as to what has prompted such an adverse reaction.
Food for thought anyway...
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