Image Credit : Thirst Creative
Project Overview
It was a big responsibility and a privilege to rename and develop a new brand for one of Melbourne’s leading specialist family violence services EDVOS (Eastern Domestic Violence Outreach Service).
How do we do justice to the incredible work it does in family violence, and evolve the brand to make for a present-day social stance, all whilst staying true to its origins?
For close to 30 years, EDVOS has built a reputation as tireless advocates for family violence prevention, gender equality, victim-survivors and anyone affected by family violence.
The long-standing name EDVOS no longer reflected the organisation’s expanded programs and services or resonated with today’s societal makeup. They sought a new name and brand which clearly communicated what they do, and what they stand for.
We sensitively navigated a diverse stakeholder group including victim survivors, case workers and funding partners, to rename and rebrand the organisation.
From EDVOS to FVREE; the name FVREE is a wordplay that combines the commonly used family violence acronym 'FV' with the word 'FREE’ and embodies their vision and unwavering commitment to a community free from family violence.
Together, we worked closely and collaboratively to uncover a visual and verbal communications platform that’s bold and distinctive, and which accurately positions the organisation as leaders and changemakers working across the family violence continuum.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Simon Derham, Creative Director
Clare Miles, Strategy Director
Camilla Jordan, Account Director
Shannon Juvan, Graphic Designer
Project Brief
EDVOS grew out of a grassroots community initiative led by women who had experienced family violence and who wanted to assist and support other women and their children.
Today, the not-for-profit is a large government-funded organisation working across the continuum of family violence including primary prevention, early intervention, response and recovery.
But, how do we raise awareness and strong advocacy for its support services for Family Violence at all levels, including prevention and impacting the underlying causes of family violence, and not lose or confuse their vision?
The objective of the project was to ensure that victim-survivors were not distanced or alienated by the brand transformation. Internal audiences had to feel aligned and inspired by the new name and brand, and its potential to strengthen and support the work they do across the organisation, and in the community.
We were tasked with developing a name and visual language that communicates the organisation’s vision for the future that demonstrates a commitment to gender equality ensuring:
- Alignment with the new strategic ambition outlined in our Strategic Plan 2021-24 and Theory of Change.
- Representative of their status as Victoria’s leading specialist family violence agency.
- Reflective of the organisation’s maturity, growth and objectives.
Project Innovation/Need
It was essential to lead the project with strategic and investigative rigour and robust community, victim survivor and stakeholder engagement in order to address the part of the iceberg that lies unseen.
The project was split into four distinct phases: discovery, strategy, design and rollout. The discovery phase began with sharing a questionnaire, complemented by a comprehensive competitor and brand audit to understand the nuances, issues and opportunities with EDVOS’ key stakeholders – staff, board members and victim-survivors.
With this knowledge of the existing brand, we progressed onto the strategy phase and name ideation. The new name and visual identity had to reinvent the EDVOS brand without undermining the trust that the organisation had carefully built up over nearly 30 years. We explored several concepts organised around key themes which emerged from the consultation sessions.
We consulted with victim-survivors and the board in order to collaborate and check that the concepts met the criteria of being recognisable, meaningful, ownable, and nuanced. Thirst Creative facilitated a comprehensive and collaborative stakeholder engagement process that helped uncover the new name and brand descriptor.
Bringing the name to life through a distinctive and confident visual identity that the organisation could own and would propel their reputation, was another. A combination of a paint brush stroke graphic device and striking imagery has been developed, providing a unique visual language element. It is designed to draw attention, emphasise the importance and express determination for change.
Design Challenge
We needed to capture the essence of what EDVOS does - immediate 'crisis' support across a breadth of services, and not limit them to a specific region or type of violence. It needed to be accessible to survivors with lived experience, be genuine in its call to action, not triggering or intimidating, and importantly cut through the noise in a very raw, emotive, and highly charged sector.
There were many stakeholder groups to consult, differing opinions on what to get rid of and retain, perspectives on the colour purple, various thoughts on the incumbent butterfly symbol and contrary opinions on keeping the acronym. Well known in the East of Melbourne, but not throughout Victoria or Australia, the butterfly's symbolism subtly indicated a safe space for victims-survivors, should it be kept? Many questions and not one answer.
Consultation and engagement were integral to the success of the project. Ongoing collaboration was an essential ingredient to ensure the new name resonated with the organisation’s stakeholders, and importantly, victim-survivors.
In order to create the solution, three major considerations were addressed:
- The organisation works across the continuum including prevention & education, not just crisis services, for the East of Melbourne, Victoria.
- Inclusive of victim-survivors, clients, living experience, communities and society at large, not alienating, intimidating or judging anyone.
- Theory of change and gender equality, theory of feminism, avoidance of bias and judgement.
Effectiveness
Sometimes we’re lucky enough to work on a really special project. This was one of those.
Thirst Creative developed the bold new name, a compelling brand identity and brand guide, a wordmark, and tagline - an inclusive, powerful, meaningful visual and verbal brand language. Together, these elements communicate care, support and ambition, and provide FVREE with a new brand that is brave, bold and distinctive.
EDVOS’s evolution to FVREE – a brand to suit a modern, progressive, purpose-driven service:
With a convincing brand visual language and campaign messaging to raise awareness of FVREE’s services and vision, FVREE can now proudly claim their role as a leading provider of Family Violence services, both in Victoria and nationally. They can connect emotionally with the community at large and take positive steps towards achieving their vision of a community free from family violence.
Following the new name and brand launch in December 2022, our collaboration continues with FVREE to help activate the new brand for maximum effect and impact.
It's been extremely well received by the wide internal team as well as funders and partners etc. The rebrand has created real energy around the business and people already feel aligned and inspired by the new name and brand and its potential to strengthen and support the work they do.
Graphic Design - Identity and Branding - Government
This award celebrates creative and innovative design in the traditional or digital visual representation of ideas and messages. Consideration given to clarity of communication and the matching information style to audience.
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