HOT 50: BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION

As clients go the British Heart Foundation is one of the best. This is demonstrated by its impressive haul of awards, and especially its success at the 2010 Design Week Benchmark Awards where it was named as Client of the Year. The charity has achieved numerous accolades at the Benchmarks, previously winning Best of Show in 2009 for its campaign The Small Creature, for which Hat-Trick Design created an initiative to help children come to terms with bereavement.

Its accomplishments say a lot about the commissioning strength of BHF design manager Louise Kyme, who is responsible for more than 500 design commissions each year. At the start of 2010, Kyme invited independent consultant Jan Casey to sort out the charity’s first consultancy roster, showing that the BHF’s success is not just about award wins, but its ability to build enduring relationships too.

Hat-Trick Design was made the lead consultancy after winning the Design Week award, but the BHF continues its success by working with other award regulars such as B&W Studio, Marc & Anna, and Magpie Studio, among others.The charity’s Mornington Crescent head office in
London is set for another busy year as it prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary, and there are also plans for a new website.

It is great to see good design being used with such sensitivity, helping to raise public awareness of heart disease as well as giving advice, information and reassurance to sufferers and their families.