The challenge
One in three of us will be diagnosed with cancer at some time in our lives and the needs of the 1.2 million of us living with cancer, and the needs of their families and carers, are changing. Macmillan Cancer Relief, which delivers support for people affected by cancer, is one of more than 800 cancer charities in the UK. Macmillan needed to change perceptions of who, and how, it can help.
The Brief
Macmillan was well known for providing nursing care for people in the terminal stages of cancer. But as its nurses were often perceived as ‘angels of death’, people were often reluctant to seek help from the organisation. Little was known of the holistic nature of charity’s work, or of its history in pioneering new forms of support. Macmillan needed to improve awareness of, and access to, the services it offers, and attract more fundraisers and a more diverse base of supporters.
The design Wolff Olins recommended a change of name to Macmillan Cancer Support to better reflect what the charity offers. The brand expression ‘We are Macmillan’ expresses the belief that everyone can help people with cancer. The brand’s visual style reflects our everyday lives rather than the clinical world of hospitals and GP’s surgeries. Silhouette imagery avoids the clichéd photography of traditional charity communications and the deliberately ‘home made’ feel of the brand enables anyone to get involved. A highly recognisable font was created to deliver both strong campaigning messages and sensitive information. Wolff Olins designed over 40 applications for the new brand, from leaflets to a livery for Macmillan’s mobile information units.
The Results
Since the launch of the new brand in April 2006 the charity has reached and helped 74,654 more people than in the previous year, an increase of 21%. In the same time, 67% more people visited the mobile information units, and the redesigned Macmillan website has seen a 26.5% increase in visits. Supporter numbers have risen by 27% to just under 1.5million, and in 2006 Macmillan recorded a record fundraising income of £96.8million (Euro143million), up £4.6million (Euro 6.8million) on the previous year. Reduced marketing spend during this time also meant a 3.5% reduction in the charity’s cost to income ratio.
Judges Comments ‘The judges praised this ‘brave and refreshing redesign’ which helped Macmillan ‘stand out in a cluttered market’. The results were ‘very impressive’. ‘It’s very very strong,’ said Ted Mager, Head of Global Retail Development at Adidas-Salomon. ‘To get consistency by letting communities take your brand templates, and have them know how to use them, is fantastic.’.
Gold Corporate / Brand Identity – Design and implementation costs over £100,000
