Wellcome are the UK's largest charity, driving discovery research to solve the worlds most urgent health challenges. But with a new set of values evolving how Wellcome operate as an organisation, the brand no longer reflected the direction, ambition, or inclusivity that defined its way forward.
We partnered with them to undertake a deep dive into both verbal and visual identity, working closely with multiple teams to uncover what truly mattered and how those values could live at the heart of the brand.
The result is a brand that is transformative, thoughtful, inclusive, and brave. Designed for a global audience, it balances expertise with accessibility, creating a presence that invites people in while maintaining authority.
Engagement
– Engaged and managed input from stakeholders throughout project
Discovery
– Workshops, interviews and analysis with teams across Wellcome
Creative
– Verbal identity system and tonal scale exploration
– Reading age matrix
– Visual identity system
– Visual tonal scale and design principles
– Iconography and illustration
– Bespoke graphic generator software design and development
– Motion and photography principles
– Accessibility stress-testing across visual toolkit
– New weight of bespoke typeface ‘Wellcome Regular’ and refinement of ‘Wellcome Bold’
Testing
– Quantitative and qualitative testing
Delivery
– Online brand guidelines
– Consulting and support on planning for brand guidelines launch
Gathering global insights
We ran an extensive discovery phase, beginning with a review of the visual identity. Speaking with teams across the organisation, we surfaced points of tension. To widen the lens, we engaged global audiences, testing perceptions of the existing brand and gathering insights. Rounding off this phase of work, we drew together a clear set of recommendations to take the brand forward.
Fundamental to these recommendations was the need for tonal flex and a framework that had the brand values at its heart. We developed a robust tonal scale to underpin the identity system, allowing the brand to move seamlessly from quiet and expert to bold and unexpected.
Shifting perspective
Our creative approach drew inspiration from Wellcome’s commitment to discovery research and the idea of examining things from different perspectives. This thought led to the brand idea 'Shift perspective' – a distillation of the Wellcome approach and an embodiment of their brand values.
Taking this curious mindset on ourselves, we set about examining the existing identity from every angle, starting with Wellcome's unique and unusually structured logo. What if we could twist something that appeared flat? What new things would it reveal? By freeing the logo from a flat and static form, we opened up a world of perspectives. This thought became the basis for a dynamic and layered graphic system.
Giving everyone the tools to shape the brand
Having the right assets to hand can often stand in the way of adoption and consistency across an organisation at Wellcome's scale. To give teams everything they would need and streamline their workflows, we developed a bespoke graphic generator. This tool enables every person producing materials to create flexible and unique on brand assets for every touchpoint.
Building the system
The current brand lacked flexibility and consistency. Alongside the dynamic graphic language, we evolved Wellcome's bespoke typeface.
Refining the letter spacing and kerning across the original bold cut of the typeface and creating an additional regular weight to extend usage, the typography system is now more usable and more legible out of the box.
Making information accessible to everyone
Building on the updated graphic language and typography, a refreshed colour palette, new illustration style and a robust approach to data visualisation enables Wellcome to engage effectively with all audiences.
We developed three distinct styles of data visualisation to communicate information clearly and effectively – illustrated facts, simple data visualisation and complex data visualisation. Each style serves a specific purpose depending on audience, situation and level of expertise.
From digital to physical
The refreshed brand translates seamlessly across both digital and physical environments. From online platforms to printed materials and physical spaces, every element has been designed to maintain clarity, flexibility and impact.
