Turn2us exists to ensure that no one navigates financial insecurity alone.
With rapid internal and external growth, the charity commissioned Red Stone to build a cohesive brand strategy and single unifying story. This was an opportunity to empower staff, amplify its political voice, and humanise the experience of seeking financial support.
The main objective was to move beyond fragmented comms and create an authentic, accessible brand that connects services, policy work, and partnerships to a single powerful mission.
Engagement
– Immersion workshop with the Turn2us team
– Engaged and managed input from stakeholders throughout project
Discovery
– Brand workshops (inc brand steering group, brand champions)
– Desk research and competitor/sector review
– 1-2-1 interviews, online panels warm and cold, online survey, analysis and recommendations
Strategy
– Proposition, personality and brand story
– Refinement of existing brand purpose
Creative
– Tone of voice, narrative principles and messaging matrix
– Creative updates for brand system, including colour, typography and graphic elements, retaining existing logo
– Imagery, illustration and icons
Testing
– Online panel testing, warm and cold
Delivery
– Brand guidelines
– Support project team with brand steering group sessions
– Online advocacy campaign
Keeping pace with an expanding remit
Turn2us had grown fast – doubling to over 100 people in just three years. While they now had a clear strategy, the brand needed to evolve to keep up with the organisation.
Staff were passionate about their own areas but didn’t always feel confident explaining the bigger picture, which led to inconsistent messaging. There was also a need to better reflect co-production – making sure the voices of the people using the services were truly part of the story.
On top of that, the visual identity was too restrictive, didn’t fully meet accessibility needs, and struggled to show warmth, empathy, and hope for people who might be going through a tough time.
Driving the project forward
Working closely with Turn2us at every stage of the project, we made sure everyone was involved – from leadership right through to frontline staff.
The key step was creating clear, strong messaging that matched their vision: “Everyone in the UK has financial security so they can thrive.”
Workshops with staff and competitor research allowed us to understand how they were seen and what made them different to form the basis of the brand strategy.
Together, we shaped a consistent, compelling narrative that gave staff the confidence and tools to speak about the brand with clarity and pride.
A warm, authentic identity
A refreshed visual identity, focusing on introducing warmth, empathy, and personality was developed from the new brand strategy.
We defined new guidance to move away from ‘staged’ photography. The new approach focused on meaningful, impactful, and truthful images that reflected the reality of financial insecurity while highlighting the dignity, hope, and strength provided by Turn2us’s support tools.
Accessibility from the outset
Working alongside Turn2us’s digital team, we prioritized meeting AAA accessibility standards.
We explored colour in relation to mental health, introducing calming tones alongside the existing palette. This ensured that the website user experience for those in distress was supportive and reduced overwhelm, while also expanding the brand’s flexibility.
To address a limited icon set and inconsistent illustration styles, we developed a cohesive visual language. This included an expanded icon library that is accessible and engaging across all uses, and creating a consistent illustration style to bring Turn2us’s stories to life.
One clear, powerful story
By working together, we delivered a comprehensive brand strategy and identity that empowers Turn2us to tell one clear, powerful story at every touchpoint.
The result is an accessible set of brand guidelines, providing Turn2us with the tools and confidence they need to challenge unfair systems and push for a world where financial security is possible for everyone.
