Epilepsy Action Gets ‘Interruptive’ Branding by Offthetopofmyhead
National charity Epilepsy Action has rebranded for the first time in 23 years with design by Offthetopofmyhead.
The non-profit, which has been fighting to improve the lives of people affected by epilepsy for almost 75 years, wants people to see epilepsy differently.
“Last year, we heard from more than 5,000 people with epilepsy as we developed our new strategy. Many said they needed us to make epilepsy more visible, to remove stigma and make the public more aware,” says Jon Eaton, director of communications and digital engagement at Epilepsy Action.
Adding: “It’s a life-changing condition that affects 630,000 people in the UK. Every year 1,000 people die from their epilepsy but with the right medication, most people can live fulfilling lives. We needed our new branding to be hard-hitting but to give people hope too.”
Offthetopofmyhead says it therefore worked closely with the charity to design a “discovery research programme” as a means to gain greater insight into the reality of living with epilepsy.
“We put the experiences of people living with epilepsy and those connected to them at the heart of our work. Epilepsy Action’s new branding was sparked-off by a conversation with Tom McLaughlan, one of the charity’s trustees and someone with lived experience of epilepsy. He told us, ‘Epilepsy interrupts your life. You go out and you never know what’s going to happen’,” explains John Spencer, founder and creative director of Offthetopofmyhead.
“The logo and graphic identity challenges people to see epilepsy differently. The logo’s interrupted ‘epilepsy’ speaks of a condition that disrupts, disconnects and interferes with people’s lives, but when your focus shifts to the emphatic ‘action’, it says the charity is here for everyone affected by epilepsy,” he further explains.
The redesigned logo is also accompanied by brand-new slogan, namely, “Epilepsy says stop. We say go.”
Additional design details include a bespoke headline font – called “Interruption” – that functions as an extension of the logo and interrupted portraits of people affected by epilepsy.
John collaborated with communications consultant Myra Johnson on the discovery research and Epilepsy Action’s strategy and messaging, typographer Alan Meeks on the design of their headline font, and visual communication designer Fraser Watson on the development of the graphic system.
The hero image, meanwhile, is by portrait photographer Slater King.
Offthetopofmyhead
www.offthetopofmyhead.co.uk
