The Brief
The European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) is a membership association for the global cardiothoracic surgical community. To support a new, progressive five-year strategy, the Association recognised the need for a rebrand.
We worked with EACTS colleagues to develop a new brand architecture in which we suggested bringing several sub-brands into the main EACTS ‘hero’ brand, whilst allowing for differentiation where needed. The overall purpose of this was to simplify and streamline internal operations as well as the member experience, with a view to future-proofing the organisation. During this strategic piece of work, we identified that the new brand needed to:
- Position EACTS as a leader in its field and as an innovative organisation
- Increase membership sign-ups
- Promote their ever-growing sense of community
- Show their movement towards becoming a more inclusive, dynamic and progressive organisation.
Insights and Approach
We undertook a comprehensive immersion process, in which we interviewed and surveyed members, employees and Council members. We ran a landscape analysis and interactive workshops to ensure alignment and team buy-in.
Through this, we established that the brand needed to herald a more progressive identity while retaining legacy elements of their old brand which were popular with members and Council.
We explored three territories, to identify how far removed from the original brand we needed to aim for.
- ‘Tweaks’ kept elements of the existing brand, making it more contemporary with the identify of an cutting-edge, scientific organisation.
- ‘Evolution’ leaned into the educational side of EACTS, imbuing it with the feeling of an academic institution.
- ‘Revolution’ provided an option that suggested innovation, pushing into sleek, modern and consumer-friendly design.
The Outcome
The final brand was underpinned by a bold new vision and supporting messaging that centred on the end patient (rather than learning and education).
Better skills, better surgery, better patient outcomes.
From a design perspective:
- The logo brings together the heart and lung community, encircled by community and with a focal point representing precision
- Thick lines with sharp angles sliced out are suggestive of surgical tools; ECG paper background adds depth to the graphic language
- A bespoke colour filter on imagery allows for variety The colour palette harks back to the legacy of the old brand, updated with new instructions on accessibility.
