Healthwatch England

A story of gentle modernisation

Brief

Refresh Healthwatch’s visual identity to reflect its new positioning and key messages.

Challenge

Healthwatch is well known among its audiences as a health and social care champion. We needed to modernise the visual identity without losing the powerful brand equity built up among over 150 local regional audiences.

Each one of the regional Healthwatch teams had a particular set of skills and requirements for the brand. We needed to respect and support these differences and ensure all fonts, colour palettes and photography complied with accessibility requirements.

We also needed an identity with the scope to effectively communicate serious evidence-based reports as well as warmer community engagement materials.

Solution

We took an audience-led approach and discussed difficulties with the current brand with a selection of local Healthwatch teams.

We developed three visual concepts, from a minor evolution to an option with a brand new background pattern, a modern typeface and a vibrant colour palette. Then, we tested them with regional Healthwatch teams and public audiences.

The more conservative option won, but more modern elements were also valued, so we created a hybrid, bringing in Poppins as a typeface and expanding the range of colour palette options to flex to multiple audiences.

Result

The client is delighted with the outcome and is in the process of rolling out the brand. We are still working through the implementation phase, but we hope to have more results soon.