The challenge

There was growing disconnection between the organisation and its members.

Engagement at events was transactional. CPD sessions were attended but not embraced. Feedback included frustration, dissatisfaction and a lack of clarity around the Institution’s purpose and value.

The organisation had a strong legacy, but it lacked a clearly articulated and unified brand position that members could believe in.

The challenge was not cosmetic. It was cultural.

What we uncovered

Through our brand clarity and stakeholder engagement process, we worked closely with the board, executive and regional chairs to understand the emotional and historical foundations of the Institution.

What we discovered was significant.

Members were deeply passionate about the profession and its legacy. Within the organisation’s archives, we uncovered the original crest created in 1924 and the rationale behind it. The symbolism and intent behind the crest carried weight, meaning and credibility.

This was not about creating something new. It was about reconnecting the organisation to its roots in a way that felt relevant today.

What we created

Before any visual changes were introduced, we worked beneath the surface.

We developed:

  • A clarified brand purpose grounded in the organisation’s history
  • Defined brand values aligned with both legacy and future direction
  • A strengthened vision and mission narrative
  • A clear brand voice and positioning
  • A unifying theme: preserving the past, pioneering the future, persisting through change

This work was rolled out internally first. Alignment across board, executive and regional leadership was critical before engaging the broader membership.

Only after that foundation was secured did we begin reintroducing the crest and visual identity in a way that felt both respectful and revitalised.

Bringing the organisation with us

Engagement was central to this project.

We toured all eight regions, presenting insights back to members based on what they had shared with us. This was not a top-down rebrand. It was a collective process.

By allowing time and space for members to understand and believe in the direction, the brand became something they recognised as their own.

Patience was not a delay. It was the strategy.

The outcome

Since implementing the clarified brand strategy and positioning:

  • Member engagement has strengthened
  • Event participation has become more involved and connected
  • Membership numbers have begun to increase
  • Leadership messaging is more consistent across regions

Most importantly, the Institution now has a unified narrative that honours its 150-year history while confidently looking forward.

This was not simply a brand identity project. It was stakeholder alignment at scale.

For KEO, it remains a project we are proud of, not because of visual change, but because of the unity it helped create.