Insight
Regardless of their career stage, background or place of work, optometrists are motivated to improve the health of people in need. Often, they chose to pursue optometry rather than medicine or dentistry because of their aversion to blood. Yet despite the training required, they feel they are seen as technicians using machines rather than clinicians using their experience and expertise.
Solution
The brand strategy was to align more closely with the aspirations of optometrists - elevating the College’s positioning from being primarily associated with qualifying, to being the champion of excellence for the benefit of patients.
Members wanted to feel part of the long, noble lineage of optometry and to contribute to its continuing evolution. So rather than hide the heritage of the institution, we made it more central, linking the College’s work on the future of the profession to its role in the historical evolution of optometry.
At the heart of the visual identity is a new, hand-crafted representation of the College’s heraldic achievement, commissioned from Chris Wormell and developed in collaboration with the College of Arms to ensure this contemporary interpretation remained true to its origins.
The brand architecture was rationalised to ensure greater coherence between different aspects of the College’s work, and remaining sub-brands have identities derived from aspects of the heraldic achievement.
The heraldry is complemented by a simplified, striking colour palette of silver, gold, black and white, and by elegant contemporary typefaces. The brand tone of voice and photography bring to life the much more human, accessible and diverse character of the College and its members.
We worked collaboratively with all parts of the College to ensure the new brand influences every aspect of their work, from articulating their corporate strategy, to the branding of research journals, to events, member materials and a new website.
“Through the process it became clear that we had to retain and build on our heritage whilst adding a new perspective on our role for our members, our profession and our patients. We needed our eyes to be opened by the insight and strategic thought provided by the team at True North.”
