Red Stone refreshes Parkinson’s UK brand to support every Parkinson’s journey

Pushing for better. Right here. Right now.

To better understand the Parkinson’s community, Red Stone ran workshops and interviews, attended events and visited local branches. More than 1,000 people were consulted throughout the process, to ensure the brand authentically reflects their experiences and challenges.

And we discovered that small victories today, mattered as much as the promise of future breakthroughs.

The concept of making tangible improvements today drove the new proposition – that Parkinson’s UK is the charity ‘Pushing for better. Right here. Right now’.

A brand for everyone.

From the discovery phase of the project, it was clear the creation of a symbol was key to unifying the organisation and increasing brand awareness. But how do you create a symbol of belonging for a condition with over 40 different symptoms?

Following an intense creative phase, a marque capable of reflecting the organisation and acting as a symbol of belonging for a condition that cannot be easily summed up was created.

Inspired by the charity’s past, but built for the here and now, it incorporates the Parkinson’s tulip – an international symbol recognised by Parkinson’s communities around the world.

A new font: Parkinsans.

Making the brand accessible was non-negotiable. Red Stone ensured accessible design drove the creative process.

Step forward Parkinsans – the new brand typeface for Parkinson’s UK. Approachable, flexible and accessible, Parkinsans defines the brand voice. Taking stylistic references from the marque and the realities of living with Parkinson’s, it is human, energetic, imperfect and sprinkled with unexpected quirks. And as an open source typeface now available on Google Fonts, Parkinsans is truly for everyone.

More emotive. More gutsy.

The new brand helps Parkinson’s UK regain its gutsy voice. A new brand personality of ‘relentless doers’ brings energy and directness. A flexible colour palette and adaptable graphic system that empowers rather than inhibits users. And a new approach to illustration enables Parkinson’s UK to tell their story and deal with difficult subjects in a more engaging and relatable way.

Easy to implement and flex, packed full of personality, the refreshed brand embodies a step change for Parkinson’s UK. A brand that’s more visible, more accessible and more relevant. A brand that everyone can access and use. A brand built to help the organisation meet the needs of every Parkinson’s journey. Right here. Right now.

Juliet Tizzard, Director of External Relations at Parkinson’s UK, said:

“With a strategy focussed on living well with Parkinson’s today, we knew our brand had to live up to that promise. Working with the wonderful Red Stone specialists in charity brand strategy, accessibility and creative design, and Mark Radda, we’ve been able to reflect the wants and needs of the Parkinson’s community in our brand.

“We’re so grateful to the many people with Parkinson’s for helping to shape our refreshed brand. Their insights and influence give us the confidence that we are doing the right thing: building a strong, inclusive and supportive community, relentless in our mission to have a positive impact on the lives of people with Parkinson's, today.”

Chris Davis, Creative Strategy Director at Red Stone, said:

“Our approach to the brand strategy and visual identity has always been driven by the evolving needs of the charity’s diverse audiences. After extensive research with people with Parkinson's, volunteers, researchers and the wider Parkinson's community, we created a proposition and symbol for everybody to get behind. The brand is packed with personality, and we can't wait to see Parkinson’s UK and the Parkinson's community bring it to life.”