Teenage Cancer Trust unveils new identity

The Teenage Cancer Trust is set to launch a new visual identity, which has been developed by The Cernis Collective and Why Not Associates.

Identity

The charity, which is dedicated to supporting people aged 13-24 who have cancer, says it hopes the new identity will communicate its ‘youthful, optimistic and dynamic personality’.

Justin Cernis, founder of the Cernis Collective, says his consultancy began working on the charity’s brand strategy around a year ago. The Cernis Collective regularly collaborates with Why Not Associates, and they were also brought on to the project.

Identity

Cernis says, ‘We set out to develop an identity that was practical and versatile and worked across a multitude of touchpoints, ranging from the clinical environment of Teenage Cancer Trust units to the annual concerts at the Royal Albert Hall as well as a diverse range of partners and stakeholders.’

He adds, ‘We wanted to convey the values and personality of Teenage Cancer Trust in a confident and modern way – but more so create a strong branding device for the organisation.’

Identity

The Teenage Cancer Trust says the new identity, which features a block design with large lettering and a palette of primary colours, has been created to ‘improve the impact, visibility and flexibility’ of the charity.

Catherine Cullen, director of communications at the Teenage Cancer Trust, says, ‘We wanted to make sure that our brand reflected the energy and passion of the young people we support as well as our fundraisers and staff who make our work possible.’

Identity

The new identity is set to launch on 23 January.

Identity
The previous identity
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Comments
  • RIch Palmer November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I do hate to criticise other peoples work, and ultimately the client is the one who drives the project towards its conclusion. But I really dont like this at all, very clunky and it already looks dated. Typographically the lettering looks very uncomfortable, squeezed into its blocks! It also never ceases to amaze me how designers describe their work, ‘We wanted to convey the values and personality of Teenage Cancer Trust…” Beyond me im afraid! I do like the photography, yet the items displayed don’t seem to carry any particular message, again, perhaps im missing the point? @mrrichpalmer

  • Ed Smith November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    In response to Rich Palmer…It’s great to get feedback so quickly about the new identity, although I do feel you have been unnecessarily negative. As I’m sure you’d appreciate yourself, opinions on design tend to be quite subjective.

    We worked very closely with The Cernis Collective and Why Not Associates to develop a new identity that reflects the spirit and attitude of Teenage Cancer Trust, and the wonderful young people that we help.

    We’re very proud of our heritage, but after carrying out extensive research it was clear that we needed a fresh new look, with a strong, clear and bold symbol. We’re very excited about the new look, which will be hard to miss across the country in the coming weeks and months, and further into the future.

    Far from being outdated, we are very confident that the new look will feel as fresh in several years as it does now.

    Rich, I’m sure that when you see the new look in context of the other materials we have produced, and in the context of the many exciting fundraising events that are coming up, the logo will make more sense to you. I would urge you to come along to the Royal Albert Hall concerts this year, or to find an event nearer to you on our website http://www.teenagecancertrust.org.

    And if you feel like it, a donation to help young people fight cancer would be very welcome.

    Ed Smith,
    Brand and Design Manager, Teenage Cancer Trust

  • Peta Miller November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I think it’s brilliant. A well-considered and distinctive typographic solution, working well with the supporting imagery. You can see the logo lends itself well to being used in a flexible modular fashion in the future, maybe much bigger with duotone images dropped into the T blocks, etc…

  • Natalie November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Wow it looks great! It’s way more bold/fresh and has more diversity to work with. It will give the Teenage Cancer Trust more scope and therefore help raise better awareness. Well done!

  • Jake November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Unfortunately I have to agree with Rich. I would be interested in seeing how the identity will work across other media as I think this is a limited range of materials appearing relatively similar. However I think it may be much more of the same unless a brand language has been developed further.

    I agree, design is very subjective but text in coloured blocks, currently a popular design trend, just leaves me wondering where the personality of the brand is. Where is this energy, spirit and passion?

    Yes, it is an improvement and gives a stronger and more consistent brand but is it anything really special and unique?

    Sorry guys, just doesn’t stand out for me and certainly won’t be a brand that is ‘hard to miss’, more ‘easy to miss’.

    I would love to see what other options were presented to the client for something a bit more… unique.

  • Joseph November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Echoing anon above. I think that the new identity is brilliant – bold, youthful and memorable. It’s also easily transposable cross media and has the potential to become a “living” brand. Imagine the logo as a cut out over motion graphics for example.

    Love it.

  • Stella Jones November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I really like this design. It is fresh and vibrant and very clear to read. It reminds me a bit of the new coloured keyboards, which are so popular right now, snappy and new. I think it is hard to stay ahead of the game when it comes to design, but this design does accomplish what it set out to do. I wish the Teenage Cancer Trust much success with their new image and all the good work they do.

  • RIch Palmer November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Response to Ed Smith
    I can appreciate all you are saying Ed, and I fully support all that you are trying to achieve with your new identity, you are quite correct though – design is so subjective! As a designer of over 20 years, I know only too well that graphic design and, in particular corporate identity is something which people find very precious, especially when one is so close to the process (and final result!), as Im sure you are. I am pleased that you stand by your new design and proud of what you and your team have achieved, I can only offer my personal opinion as face-value, I pass comment on what is presented on this page, I am aware it may not tell the full story and will be interested to see how this one runs out in the future and I certainly hope that it achieves all your objectives!
    Please don’t take to heart the comments you read on this page! It’s not criticism… it’s critique (which is part of the reason it’s on this page!). And at the end of the day… al designers would do it differently. We are designers after all.
    Kind regards and again, good luck!
    R

  • Charlie Martin November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I think its very strong. I think some of the negative comments have simple failed to consider the big job that the TCT identity needs to do these days. It now has the ability to be dynamic across digital media for example, something that is a major win for its younger target audience. Simplicity is always the hardest place to arrive at, requires the most skill but when right, like this, pays the greatest dividends. Great work.

  • Peteski November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    When Macmillan Cancer Relief got rebranded to Macmillan Cancer Support it got slated from all direction. But mainly the subjective viewpoint that not everyone likes change. What the new ‘movement’ Macmillan provided has proven to be remarkable in everyone now knowing who they are. Well done them and I am confident Teenage Cancer Trust can do the same and raise the ‘correct’ awareness.

    Pete

  • Mark Astle November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    “We wanted to convey the values and personality of Teenage Cancer Trust”

    The photography does that. The logo doesn’t. In fact the old one did that particular job better (not that I’m saying I like the old logo.) To be fair, it’s hard to put over values in a logo without being literal, although we all like to pretend we can when we present stuff to clients.

    The new branding is fine, but it’s a bit generic.

    “a palette of primary colours”

    Unless colour theory has changed recently, light blue and grey aren’t primary colours.

  • Eames November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I’m not sure how to say this, as I’m sure you’re a fine organization with an admirable mission. I personally don’t have an issue with the logo aspect of your re-brand. It’s your demographic, and the name of your organization that I see as potentially problematic.

    Your mission is to help young people, aged 13-24. Great! Why call it something that resembles your demographic more closely? The term “Teenage” implies that you do not help folks past the age of 19. It’s a little weird to be thinking of a young adult (20-24) being counted as part of a teenage demographic. Again, please realize that I love your mission. But, your name is a tad bit misleading.

    With your re-brand, it would have been far more encouraging to see you redesign your name to match your mission. Names are just as important as graphics, as spreading the word requires words first, graphics second. 🙂

    Hope you do not take offense at my words, as I only mean them with the best of intentions. I hope any future rebranding efforts will include some notation or indication of the full demographic you serve.

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