We have been working with the organization for most of 2017 to define the brand, starting with a workshop that included not only senior management and board members from both legacy organizations, but also volunteers, medical experts and people with Parkinson's. 

One of the best insights we found in our research was the high level of engagement from across the Parkinson's community. With local volunteer-led chapters across the country, annual "Moving Day" fundraiser walks in over 30 cities, and expert programs in many medical centers, they have a huge community of people of all walks of life that are deeply committed to the cause and the organization - a unique asset to the Foundation and a huge opportunity for the broader fight against Parkinson's. We were particularly inspired by the effort that Moving Day participants put in to creating personal expressions of support for their families and the community:

The field of Parkinson's organizations presents many challenges. Competition for funding is high in an undifferentiated marketplace, as donors want to fund a cure even though it is likely many years away, while people living with Parkinson's need support now. Competitors generally fall into two camps: those who are deep into research of longshots for a cure, and those who emphasize treatment and care - both of which have brands that speak in fluffy terminology like "hope", "optimism" and "strength." Both organizations have a long history, but it became clear early on that what was needed was a distinct new vision. 

We built the new brand on the idea that when many people work together for a common cause, great breakthroughs result, expressed with the brand promise "Real Progress. Together." Combining a welcoming sense of community with an exacting standard of quality to care and research became the foundation of the brand, including a new tagline "Better Lives. Together." and mission statement.

Inspired by the personalization that community members display on their own, we wanted to create a flexible identity that could become a platform for embracing everyone's contributions.

The new logo is built around a custom P symbol with an inner shape that evokes an empty speech bubble - representing the many voices in the community, and offering a distinct prompt to participate.

The logo is specifically designed to be filled with personal messages. A launch campaign on social media and at events invites the sharing of statements, and an initial line of fundraising merchandise is conceived to provide opportunities for personal expression.

The rest of the system is built around simplicity. A single optimistic blue becomes the identifying color of the organization and the cause. All materials use a single typeface, FF Mark, with variety in weight - strong bold weights give impact to community-driven messages, while crisp lighter weights create a more exacting tone for medical and educational information. Imagery features real individuals from the Parkinson's community - doctors, caregivers, donors, and people living with Parkinson's.

The brand is already in use on the new website (by Charity Dynamics) as well as at Moving Day events across the country. Read the press release announcing the new brand to learn more, and see more images of the launch materials in our case study.