Diabetes WA celebrates 60-year anniversary with a new brand refresh – ‘By your side’

This year, Diabetes WA marks 60 years of supporting West Australians living with diabetes and they’re celebrating with a brand-new look. Marketing Why’s Warren Campbell and Dux Digital’s Barry Marelli tell how they approached the challenge of rebranding an established health organisation to ensure it stands out in a crowded space.

 

Early last year, Diabetes WA (DWA) approached Warren Campbell, a brand strategist from Marketing Why, and General Manager Barry Marelli from Dux Digital with a brief to refresh their look in a way that honoured both their long journey as a health organisation and the country they work upon.

The task for Campbell and Marelli was to craft a new visual identity and a clearer message about Diabetes WA’s purpose.

Given how long they’ve been around, this wasn’t about creating something from scratch, but about uncovering the essence of who they are and what they do – and finding ways of communicating that to the West Australians who need their support.

Campbell says he started by talking to those West Australians to find out what Diabetes WA meant to them.

“Through a series of focus groups, with a range of stakeholders including Aboriginal Elders, people living with diabetes and the Diabetes WA team we were able to uncover what makes the brand special,” said Campbell.

“It was clear from every conversation that Diabetes WA has been standing alongside the diabetes community in West Australia for the last 60 years. Our job was to help deliver that message to more people, no matter where they are in WA, or what type of diabetes they have.”

The result was a message that summed up the role of Diabetes WA in the lives of people affected by diabetes – By Your Side.

“What came up constantly in these conversations was the support the organisation offers, and the way that it stands alongside people living with diabetes,” Campbell says.

“This idea of Diabetes WA being by your side for the journey, of walking with you, meant something to everyone we spoke to. The reality is that having diabetes can be very hard, and it’s easier when there’s someone there to support you on the tough days.”

It was also important that the messaging meant something to everyone living with diabetes in Western Australia, a geographically vast and culturally diverse state. How could the branding reflect the differing experiences of people living here, from those in metro areas to those in remote Aboriginal communities?

“’By you side’ is relevant, simple and easy to translate across cultures,” says Campbell. “It’s a clear reflection of the incredible work that the whole team does, on a day-to-day basis.”

“It also encourages the behaviour that we want. For those that work at Diabetes WA, it tells them what their purpose is and drives everything they do. For those living with diabetes, it means they know we are supporting them, and they can come to us. And for healthcare professionals, it’s about letting them know we are always here to listen and answer questions they might have about diabetes.”

With the messaging established, Dux Digital was then tasked with bringing the brand to life visually, introducing a more contemporary look that also highlighted DWA’s long connection to Western Australia. Diabetes WA is embedded in the lives of people and communities in every corner of our state, so it seemed right that the new palette should be inspired by the diverse colours of its landscape.

“We are fortunate in that WA’s colour palette changes so dramatically as you move from north to south,” says Marelli. “You have the cool green forests of the southwest and then the rich ochres of the north. That gave us a lot to work with.”

The last part of the piece was a signature “squiggle’ called the journey line. This new part of Diabetes WA’s visual identity was born from reflections that emerged from Campbell’s focus group.

“One person said to us, ‘Diabetes WA listens to your story, and goes with what your needs are, not a set formula. They get you in as a collective but treat you as an individual,’” Campbell says.

This flowing line, which Marelli hopes will soon be instantly recognisable as belonging to Diabetes WA, reflects the idea that everyone’s experience of living with diabetes is unique.

“Everyone living with diabetes is on a journey – no two are the same, and none are linear,” says Marelli.

Dux also incorporated Indigenous artwork previously commissioned by DWA from artist Bec Morgan as a means of connecting the old brand to the new.

Both Campbell and Marelli say that they are proud to have been part of the next step for the organisation and look forward to seeing their work appearing across the state.

“What made the exercise so rewarding is that I can see there is a genuine need for this organisation. That was something that came across strongly in focus groups,” says Campbell.

“Not-for-profit organisations deserve the very best branding because of the impact they have. For me there was a real sense of purpose in it, and it was also a lot of fun.”