A new identity for a life-saving chain of care
Client
Chain Of Hope
Country
United Kingdom
Disciplines
Brand Identity
Brand strategy
Sector
Not-for-Profit
The Chain of Hope Gala Ball is the charity’s flagship annual fundraising event, bringing together between 500 and 600 guests from around the world to support life-saving cardiac care for children in developing and war-torn countries. Over the years, it has become a prominent fixture in London’s charity calendar, welcoming international supporters, medical professionals, public figures and major donors.
The brief
Chain of Hope asked BakerWilcox to create a new visual identity that would communicate the compassion, optimism and global reach of its work. The brief was to develop a distinctive and emotionally engaging brand that could bring greater consistency to the charity’s communications, connect with supporters and families, and work confidently across everything from fundraising campaigns and annual reports to events, merchandise and everyday stationery. The identity also needed to accommodate Chain of Hope Jamaica, giving the subsidiary a recognisable local expression while preserving a clear connection to the wider organisation.
The execution
At the centre of the new identity is a hand-drawn heart, created to feel warm, imperfect and unmistakably human. Within it, a world map reflects the charity’s international reach and the many countries, specialists and supporters connected through its work. The accompanying handwritten typography adds openness and personality, moving the brand away from the visual conventions of large institutional charities and towards something more immediate and emotionally resonant.
The line “mending little hearts” captures the purpose of the organisation in simple, memorable language. It gives the identity a strong emotional anchor without losing sight of the highly skilled medical care at the heart of Chain of Hope’s mission.
A flexible colour palette led by bright blue, red and black brings energy and optimism to the wider visual system. Blue provides a dependable and recognisable foundation, while red creates a direct association with the heart and introduces urgency where needed. The identity was designed to remain equally effective in full colour, single colour and reversed applications, allowing it to work consistently across print, digital communications, clothing and fundraising materials.
For Chain of Hope Jamaica, we developed a complementary version using the colours of the Jamaican flag. The adapted heart retains the same handmade character and shared visual language as the principal identity, while giving the local organisation a distinctive sense of place and ownership.
The new brand was applied across a broad range of communications, including stationery, fundraising literature, annual reviews, advertising, event materials and merchandise. Together, these elements created a more coherent and recognisable identity.
KELLY WILCOX
