A closer look at our new look

This week, we have unveiled the first changes to our brand in over 14 years, introducing a new strapline, mission and visual identity. Here, our Director of Communications, Ian Holloway, discusses the changes in more detail, and what we set out to achieve.

We last introduced a new look for the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) over 14 years ago and, while it has served us well, much has changed in the intervening time, particularly in the work that we do, and the wider digital communications landscape.

Then…

Back in early 2011, for example, we still posted print publications to all vets and vet nurses three times a year, had only just dipped a tentative toe into Twitter (coincidentally, on the day after Instagram itself was born – these were still very early social media days) and had not even thought of, let alone separately branded, initiatives like Mind Matters, ViVet, Vet/VN Futures or the Academy.

…and now

These days, like most organisations, we manage multiple social media accounts, publish regular e-newsletters and email communications, and provide a range of apps and websites.

We host online events and attend many more in real life; run a number of initiatives to support our statutory and charter functions; and, happily now occupy a new office building that gives us the chance to tell our story in physical form.

We also face potential changes in the future as we seek reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act and await the outcome of the Competition and Markets Authority investigation, meaning we need a greater degree of flexibility in how we will continue to present and explain ourselves to the outside world.

Taking all these factors into account, RCVS Officers and Council agreed some months ago that we should undertake a strategic brand review, to determine whether our brand (how we describe our mission, values and purpose, or the ‘who, what and why’) and visual identity (the elements that represent that brand, such as logos, colours, typography etc, or ‘how it looks’) were both fit for purpose and fit for the future.

On purpose

As a key objective of this review was to provide greater clarity on our remit and purpose, we employed an external brand agency to help carry out research with key stakeholders, including veterinary professionals, animal owners, members of our Councils and staff, and the general public.

Not unsurprisingly, the results showed that the RCVS was perceived as a complex organisation, and our role was not well understood by some groups. However, the results also provided valuable insights into the way we ought to be positioning the organisation – specifically, in a way that better explains our purpose in maintaining animal health and welfare and, crucially, how that purpose impacts society in general and people’s lives in particular.

What’s in a line

Condensing many months of work into just a few lines was not only the exact object of the exercise, but also is necessary to maintain your interest in reading this blog!

Suffice to say, our new mission statement summarises what we do:

We protect the public interest by ensuring animal health and
welfare, and public health, are advanced through thriving,
world-class veterinary professions.

And our new vision statement sets out how we hope to achieve this mission:

Our vision is always to be ambitious and compassionate,
working collaboratively to build trust and inspire
all veterinary professionals to succeed.

And our new strapline looks to maintain animal health and welfare at the heart of the RCVS, and to connect veterinary professionals and animal owners to our purpose:

Inspiring confidence in veterinary care

Recognition, not representation

Mention ‘brand’, and people will often think ‘logo’. But a logo is only one small part of an organisation’s overall visual identity.

A logo’s main purpose is not to represent everyone with, or for, whom an organisation works, or even everything that an organisation does – that is more the role of the wider visual identity (see below). In fact, a logo mainly serves as a simple point of recognition for that organisation, a mark of authenticity, or even a stamp of authority.

To that end, Council agreed we should avoid trying to make the logo mean all things to all people (or even all animals) as, considering the breadth and depth of the veterinary professions, there are simply too many of those to consider!

Similarly, while applying a modern style to aspects of our original coat of arms, we have nevertheless resisted the temptation to modernise its contents. The original heraldic devices, granted to us by the College of Arms in 1844, remain a fitting and recognisable reminder of the origins of the veterinary professions, as well as the heritage and long history of the RCVS.

Designed intelligently, a logo can also be extended to form a family of related logos so that all activities emanating from one organisation are all recognisable as such.

This is what was missing from our previous visual identity, and what we have accomplished with our new one to help provide better recognition for initiatives like Mind Matters, the RCVS Academy, and whatever else may follow in the future.

The bigger picture

So, aside from the logo, here is a quick run-down of all the other elements of our new visual identity:

• Iconography: a new suite of icons to reflect different activities and topics, and to help audiences understand and navigate information more easily.
• Colour palette: our colours are inspired by the veterinary profession; combining clean white and blues of medical environments with the greens of veterinary scrubs and farmed earth tones. All colours are all tested to work in digital environments and meet accessibility standards.
• Typography: our two new fonts were chosen for legibility, clarity and inclusivity across print and digital, and will be used across all our written material, including the website, email communications, print, signage and presentations.
• Imagery and videography: use of a recognisable and inclusive style and composition which illustrate and reflect our multiple activities and diverse stakeholders.

• Graphical devices: elements taken from the shield device in the logo will be used throughout RCVS publications and channels, with the recognisable shield shape being used as a background container for text or images.

• Illustration: we will continue to use a recognisable style of illustration to depict certain activities and scenarios where photography might not be possible or appropriate.

A look to the future

So, there we have it – a new ‘look and feel’ for the RCVS that is fit for purpose and flexible for the future.

We expect and appreciate that it won’t be to everyone’s taste; changes like this never are. But, we do believe it will better serve everyone with, and on behalf of, whom we work, and prove a more understandable and recognisable way to explain who we are, what we do, and why.

My very grateful thanks to everyone involved in this project, including all those who have helped with the research phase and given their feedback; Officers, Council and colleagues for their insight and support; the experts in our external agency; and, to my team for their perseverance, commitment and sheer hard work.