By Becky Charles, Marketing, 07 October 2008, 08:45am

Christian Aid to rethink brand identity

LONDON - Christian Aid is to reinvent its brand in an attempt to boost its popularity among the British public.

Christian Aid

According to Tom Barratt, lifestyle marketing manager, the planned overhaul comes in response to the Marketing/Joshua survey of 'Brands We Love and Hate' (Marketing, 13 May). The charity topped the list of consumers' most-hated charitable organisations, with 10.2% of those surveyed citing it as their least favourite.

Christian Aid intends to first conduct consumer research and an analysis of its supporter database. The findings will form the basis of its future promotional activity.

Once it has developed a fresh identity, the charity, which has been working with branding agency Passion Brands, will appoint a marketing communications agency.

Christian Aid, which is also planning a five-year initiative to increase donations by 50%, is an international development charity that campaigns globally against poverty and social injustice.

In the financial year 2007-08, its income was £86.5m, nearly 75% of which was donated by members of the public in Britain and Ireland. More people than ever left legacies, amounting to £9.8m.

Christian Aid spent £14.4m on fundraising last year - 16% of its income.

You must log in to use Clip & Save

All Comments

CHRIS ARNOLD - 08 October 2008

A word of wisdom to Christian Aid. Nice graphics and a new logo is not the solution. You need to think about your brand ethos. Ethos defines your values, beliefs and behavour. It's the hard to describe element that consumers relate and connect to.

When big brands go bad it's often because they lose their ethos.

Happy to send you a copy of “FROM BLAND TO BRAND AND BEYOND - REDISCOVERING THE POWER OF ETHOS”

e: chris@ethicalmarketing.plus.com

Lindsay Smyth - 08 October 2008

Maybe the rebrand it is recognition that the word 'Christian' is potentially alienating consumers and it doesn't reflect what they do.

I also think 16% of income on fundraising is a very large proportion although admittedly I have no idea what the norm is in this sector.

KEITH LUCAS - 08 October 2008

Two rather contradictory comments. You are either true to your ethos - which, in this case, is intrinsically founded on Christian values - or you seek to be populist by dressing-up to please the majority. If the word 'Christian' is, indeed, "alienating" then it is being misunderstood and therein lies the challenge. There could hardly be a more apposite personality than Jesus Christ as a brand ambassador for what this charity claims to doing in the world!