St John Ambulance launches bold new look

2 April 2007

St John Ambulance, the UK's leading first aid charity, has revealed a fresh new look to better reflect the organisation and its place in modern society.

Research

Research carried out by Opinion Leader Research and independent consultants revealed that many people showed limited awareness of St John Ambulance's many services and the fact that they are often at the heart of pre-hospital care. The charity has invested in its charitable work over the last five years and the new visual style is designed to make it easier for people to recognise and understand the organisation.

Harry Dymond, St John Ambulance trustee and long-term senior volunteer, who led the corporate identity steering group, says: 'We hope our new image will help the community we serve recognise us more easily and interact with us so we can move closer to our vision that no one should suffer for a lack of trained first aiders.

'In the past we haven't always been very good at letting the public know what we do and our look across the 46 counties we operate in has been inconsistent – but this will now change.

'As well as updating our logo, we've changed the way we talk about and present ourselves, to show we are a vibrant and relevant force in today's society,' he continues.

The white cross

The white cross, often referred to as the Maltese or St John cross, has been associated with the organisation for centuries and will remain part of the logo but it's now positioned within a black circle to give it a stronger, fresher feel. The name of the organisation now runs alongside in a bold, modern typeface. A strapline 'Caring for Life' has been removed to give the charity's name more prominence and to avoid confusion.

The black and white colouring, seen in the logos and traditional uniforms worn by St John Ambulance volunteers remains but shades of green, taken from duty uniforms, and a neutral brown have been added to the colour palette to create a co-ordinated look that will be seen in leaflets, websites etc.

The new corporate identity has been developed so people will see and think of St John Ambulance as one single modern organisation. The new look will make it easier for those who need help from St John Ambulance to recognise the organisation and to see the extent of the services on offer.

'We've got more to offer the community than you think', says Harry. 'Our first aid work at public event is well known but we have 44,000 professional volunteers of all ages who run training courses and youth groups, assist the emergency services and help at national disasters like 7 July 2005,' continues Harry. 'The new look will help more people see how we're working right at the heart of the community.'

The logo was developed by brand consultants, Glazer, from initial proposals by the in-house St John Ambulance team. Glazer also helped to make sure the new identity worked on all levels.

London Olympics

It launches on 2 April 2007 and will be rolled out over the next four years to ensure that the new brand is in place before St John Ambulance volunteers take their position alongside the London Ambulance Service, providing medical cover at the London 2012 Olympics. The logo was last updated in 1968.