Samaritans' new branding
The charity's branding has been 'humanised' to help break down the barriers that prevent people from seeking its help and donating
Samaritans has refreshed its brand as part of plans to boost its annual income from £11.5m to £14m by 2015.
The charity’s new image is aimed at breaking down the barriers that prevent people from seeking its help and donating, which include the stigma around mental health and talking about suicide.
Its new image cost about £150,000 and will be launched to the public on 20 September with an advertising campaign.
The charity’s logo will stay the same, but it will be ‘humanised’ with doodles including brackets or arrows, as if someone was scribbling notes while on the phone.
Rachel Kirby-Rider, executive director of fundraising and communications at Samaritans, said the new look would help to distinguish the charity from a government organisation. "We have a good reputation, we are respected, and we are really proud of that. However, we need to illustrate that we sit outside the establishment and are a little bit of an outlaw and can be a bit of a maverick every now and then. Rather than corporate, the logo looks a bit messed up."
She added that the charity wants to reach more at-risk groups, such as men, and move away from being seen as a last resort in an emergency.
The charity’s marketing material and campaigns would also use "clear and plain" language to get its message of non-judgmental, confidential support across, Kirby-Rider said.
Samaritans is the latest charity to refresh its image after Cancer Research UK unveiled its new logo and image last week in a bid to boost fundraising and shed its "geeky" image.
The Prostate Cancer Charity changed its name to Prostate Cancer UK as part of a rebrand to make it more distinctive and promote growth.
