New Cancer Research UK logo
The charity hopes the rebrand will boost its income, which has fallen from £515m in 2010 to £493m in 2012
Cancer Research UK is to refresh its brand in a bid to boost fundraising.
The charity is spending £680,000 on the rebrand this year, but it hasn’t said how much it will spend on the new image in total.
The rebrand will come into effect from September and will be publicised through outdoor events and social media platforms. It will also be promoted through television adverts next year.
About 100 of its 550 shops will be refurbished this year as part of the initiative, with the remaining shops updated over the next two years.
Richard Taylor, executive director of fundraising and marketing, said it wanted to come across as "warmer, transparent and appreciative". He said the charity’s new personality was "smart, but not geeky".
CRUK said that the existing logo was too long and did not stand out. Taylor added that the main reason for the change was to boost fundraising for its research work. The charity’s income has fallen from £515m in 2010 to £493m in 2012.
"The challenge for us is mainly due to the recession and the economy," he said. "Research money has been flat for the past three years and that underpins the reasons we are doing this change."
CRUK spent £332m a year on research in 2012, which was down from £355m in 2008/09.
"We rely solely on the generosity of our supporters to fund our life-saving research, and our brand plays a major role in people’s decision to fundraise for or give to us," said Taylor. "That’s why we need to make sure they feel connected to us and understand everything we do."
The rebranding comes 10 years after CRUK was formed following a merger of the Cancer Research Campaign and the Imperial Cancer Research Fund.
