IMUK, the UK’s leading independent midwife provider, needed to differentiate itself from the competition and follow-through on its principals of raising awareness of home-births and providing quality maternity care.
Throughout the years, IMUK has always managed to maintain its initial goals of raising awareness for at-home births and continuously leading the way on excellence in maternity provision. Our competition audits showed that the business was not differentiated enough from it’s competitors and they were ready to take a real leap in public perception and recognition, moving from an externally imposed position as ‘the alternative to NHS’ to one of greater confidence, influence and membership numbers.
The current branding was not representative of their values nor current found status, and we were asked to partner with them to improve their public image and perception through design.
VICKI YOUNG
CEO and Founder, Nalla
We worked closely with IMUK each step of the way, just as they do with their clients. We found a sea of inspiration on the words and experiences many midwives shared with us during our research process. At a very early stage it became clear to us that the new branding should set out to celebrate the continuity of care offered by a dedicated midwife, as she guides a woman through her birth journey (from pregnancy, through birth and into the post-natal period).
We then went right into the fundamentals of what midwives do at delivery; using their hands to feel how a baby is positioned in the mother’s body for delivery. Fondly, the midwives described this as ‘baby catching’, so bringing in hands as a core graphic element seemed fitting. The continuous lines bend and curve, producing a range of appropriate line drawings. These symbolised not only the ‘bump’ of a woman’s body whilst pregnant but also allow for the branding to adapt and evolve. As the branding progressed into colour, we were keen to move further from a typical healthcare appearance. We rejuvenated the brand’s existing purple through a punchier tone and incorporated pops of turquoise blue and bright coral pink for warmth. Together, the colours brought on a more modern and contemporary feel, key to attracting new generations, both clients and members. The typography followed the same dynamic using a handwritten bespoke typeface for personal touch created in-house, to get that approachable feel just right and pull further away from the corporate nature of many other medical organisations.
We created a new and improved responsive website where interaction and navigation was intuitive and straightforward, ensuring a simple yet aesthetically pleasing experience. We also incorporated a host of clever, functional features: A new search function to allow users to search for an independent midwife based on geographical location and an online professional resources platform with a secure forum for open discussion to encourage better communication between all independent practitioners.
Nalla has injected joy and warmth into our brand, I cannot begin to say the immense effect it has had on our clients, just being in contact with our brand gives them reassurance. It’s reinvigorated our cause, I believe in us more than ever!
JACQUI TOMKINS
Chairwoman, IMUK
