Charity Marie Curie Reframes End of Life Care in Touching Brand Update

One of the UK’s most loved charities, Marie Curie, has today, October 4th, unveiled an updated brand world to align with its new five-year strategy, and brave new ad campaign to raise awareness of its work supporting people at the end of life, no matter the illness.  

The new inclusive visual identity modernises every aspect of the brand, from uniforms and fundraising materials to shopfronts, communications, and its online presence.  This will be phased and rolled out over time to manage the change efficiently and effectively. At the core is the iconic daffodil emblem, which has been reimagined with a modern and accessible aesthetic that can be applied across the charity and its partnerships. As part of a commitment to inclusion and accessibility across the design system, the font Lexend has been selected to reduce visual stress and improve reading performance. There is also a dramatically reduced colour palette to deliver a more ownable brand aesthetic. Yellow, a colour of warmth and optimism, signals the brighter future offered by the charity, whilst blue nods to its 75 year heritage and long-standing link with the NHS.  

Amplifying the updated brand identity and set to a moving soundtrack from The Paper Kites featuring Rosie Carney, the new TV spot tells the real stories of loved ones and their families thinking about and curating their final months, weeks, and days that will be made that little bit easier with the support of Marie Curie nursing teams in homes and their hospices. Raw and real, unexpectedly upbeat, and punctuated by observational humour the film looks at death in a square, honest, and emotionally forthright way, inspiring us to do the same. 

Aiming to reach a broad audience, a 60-second TV spot will launch on October 4th on ITV, Channel 4 and Sky network from 21:15, spearheading Marie Curie’s annual awareness campaign, supported by Medialab, eight&four, The Academy, and Markettiers. 

Maria Novell, Chief Innovation, Income and Engagement Officer at Marie Curie commented, “Currently, one in four people die without the care and support they need and with our ageing population it will get worse. Marie Curie’s mission is to close the gaps we see in end of life care so no-one misses out in the final years, months, weeks, and days of life, or when bereaved. As part of this, the charity has launched a new strategy that aims to double the number of people it provides direct expert end of life care to by the end of 2028. This new creative and updated brand will help us engage people around this important issue with urgency but also warmth, grace and authenticity so that people really understand  what Marie Curie does and how we can be there for those who need us.” 

The charity says an estimated 150,000 people every year die without the care and support they need and, due to our ageing population, this will get worse. By 2048, demand for palliative and end of life care will have increased by up to 25%.  

Dean Wei, chief creative officer at CPB London commented, “We’re incredibly honoured to have the opportunity to help Marie Curie on the journey they are on. We see such an opportunity to reframe end of life care in the UK, and that’s reflected in how we approached the film. Observed and intimate in style, we tried to be emotionally honest and direct. By creating a beautiful film, we hope this connects with people in a way that so much end of life messaging can't.” 

Aaron Moss, head of design at TBWA\London, added, “The spirit of Marie Curie’s is about accessibility and inclusivity, and if we were going to take this amazing brand and make it fit for purpose in the modern world, we knew this needed to be our guiding principle. By simplifying, modernising and energising the brand world, Marie Curie can show up in a more modern and accessible way that speaks to both the end of life care, but also a brighter and more equitable future.” 

To support the charity’s new strategy in the longer term, the UK’s leading independent media agency, Medialab will deliver integrated multi-channel activity across TV, digital, radio and offline channels, all of which will drive awareness, consideration and conversion of Marie Curie’s services.