This document discusses Macmillan's brand identity and rebranding efforts. It covers why Macmillan rebranded in 2006 to address challenges around public awareness of who they are and what they can offer cancer patients. It outlines the core elements of their identity including their logo, colors, photography style, and tone. It also discusses their partnership branding approach and systems to support creative works staying on brand.

1. Macmillan: our brand identity
Barbara Cormie, Creative Manager
James Reekie, Senior Designer
20 June 2017

2. What we’re covering
• Why we rebranded in 2006
• How we moved the brand and identity forward
• The core elements of our identity
• The creative spectrum
• ‘Giving the brand away’
• Partnership branding
• The brand review system and supporting
Macmillan creatively

3. Section one
Why we rebranded
in 2006

4. 4
Douglas Macmillan: an angry visionaryMacmillan in many guises

5. There was this very nice lady
who just had a badge on –
the usual clinic nurse.
Then the penny dropped –
Macmillan – and my blood
froze. I burst into tears.’
‘

6. Cancer was changing
Nearly one in two of
us will get cancer

7. …and so was cancer care
- and what this meant for Macmillan
• more people wanting and needing better
cancer care
• more people needing care in their homes and
the community – not just hospitals
• more people helping themselves and each other
• a need for even more people to help those
affected by cancer – giving money, time, skills,
experience

8. Leaving us with three fundamental
challenges
• the public didn’t know who we were
• Those affected by cancer didn’t know what
we could do for them
• people didn’t know how they could help

9. Time for a great
leap forward

10. cure
CRUK
terminally ill
Marie Curie
living
Macmillan
The space we occupy
Brand idea
(The heart of our brand)
Life force

11. Our brand proposition
How we communicate this idea
• Right from the moment you’re diagnosed, through your
treatment and beyond, we’re a constant source of support
to help you feel more in control of your life.
• Together we make sure there’s always someone here for
you, to give you the support, energy and inspiration you
need to help you feel more like you.

12. Our creative principles

13. The ‘get’ and
the ‘give’

14. 2006

15. 2011

16. 2014

17. Growth in awareness since 2006
7%
3%
4%
11%
21%
26%
29%
26%
21%
20%
25%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
2006
rebrand
Launch of Not
Alone campaign
22%
Spontaneousawareness

18. The elements of
our identity

19. Brand identity elements
• Headline font
• Logo
• Colours
• Painted panels
• Photography – people
• Photography – observational
• Silhouettes
• Icons and panels

20. Headline font

21. Our logo

22. How we use our logo

23. Our colours
Green, green, green (and white)

24. Our secondary colours

25. Painted panels

26. Photography - people

27. Photography - observational

28. Silhouettes

29. Icons and panels

30. The creative
spectrum

31. Our creative spectrum

32. Fun and entertaining

33. Relaxed and chatty

34. Warm and reliable

35. Informative and real

36. Brave and bold

37. Section one
‘Giving the
brand away’

39. Huge brand and identity asset

40. Make your own

41. Partnership
branding
• With other charities
• With service partners
• With fundraising partners

42. Partnership branding
Three options:
• Using our branding, with the partner’s logo and a
descriptor explaining their involvement
• Using the partner’s branding, with our logo and a
descriptor explaining our involvement
• A new ‘neutral’ identity, using no elements from either
partners’ identity, except logos

43. Partnership branding
Macmillan lead Partner lead Neutral approach

44. Brand review ‘system’

45. Brand review system
Three levels of support to ensure products are on
brand, and of high quality
• Consultancy offer from the Creative team
• Regular, accessible ‘work in progress’ sessions
• Final ‘mandatory’ approval, through the ‘brand review’
email system

46. Support to keep on brand
Providing tools, training, templates etc, to help people
stay on brand:
• Create and manage a host of tools (such as a ‘brand
checklist’) and templates (for everything – from Word
through to emails) to help people stay on brand
• Run training courses – on creative briefing, writing for
Macmillan, understanding our identity, etc. in London and
UK wide
• Select and manage Macmillan’s creative supplier roster,
ensuring they are working well and are fully up to date