Bridge Northumberland

Developing a brand identity for an employability project.

When you’re out of work it can have a huge impact on your confidence and self belief. For many it’s hard to know where to turn, how to find work or develop their skills, particularly in rural communities. Bridge is an employability project funded by Community Fund and ESF, since 2016 they have been working closely with individuals to support them back into work and help build skills and confidence to move forward in life.

We were appointed to work with the Bridge team to develop a new brand identity, communications and website to give the project a stronger presence. The new brand needed to raise awareness of Bridge, aiming to garner more support from delivery partners, as well as present a trusted and friendly face to participants of the project.

 

charity branding and website Bridge Northumberland

We held an online discovery session with key staff and leadership to understand more about the project and the future of Bridge. What they lacked was a cohesive identity and messaging, the existing identity also had an austere tone. With new staff in post, there was a real energy about building more partnerships to enable them to support more people in different ways.

The key themes to come from the session were very much about people, everyone’s journey is different so Bridge work together with each and every person to define skills and roles to help them grow. Like wise with partners, by working together they can provide more specialist services.

We wanted to reinforce the Bridge name and pick up on this sentiment of working together. By creating a mark that is half of a bridge it symbolises Bridge connecting and working with people from across the project, whether that’s the people they support or their delivery partners. It reflects Bridge being part of and facilitating each journey by working together.

Charity branding Bridge Northumberland
Charity branding Bridge Northumberland

The bold and vibrant mark can also be reflected to hold imagery, putting the person front and centre and bringing a warmth to the communications. Bridge is for people so let’s tell their story.

Graphic shapes echoing the logo are used to layer in colour along with real images, giving Bridge a palette of assets to use throughout their materials.

The style was implemented across a new website and wider communication.
The brand launched mid September and already Bridge have had several new partners sign up, a good sign and we hope the project goes from strength to strength.

charity branding and website Bridge Northumberland
Charity branding Bridge Northumberland

I knew from their proposal that Altogether fully understood the brief and already had a feel for the project. The team worked hand in hand with us, talked to our team and listened to our thoughts. They understood our client group and just seemed to know what would resonate with our target audience.

Anne Lyall, Chief Executive Officer, Northumberland CVA.

charity branding and website Bridge Northumberland