Anniversary brand identity for Whale and Dolphin Conservation

Established in 1987, Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) is a charity devoted to preserving the welfare and environmental conditions of dolphins, whales and porpoises in oceans around the world. In 2012 the charity changed its name from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society; in 2017, the organisation celebrates its 30th anniversary. To mark the occasion, WDC has launched a new brand identity which, lasting for the next 12 months, aims to reengage with its audience and raise the charity’s profile.

Created by London-based strategic design agency Conran Design Group, the brand identity for WDC takes design cues from a marine-led colour palette. Applying teals, navy and white, the identity borrows from WDC’s previous brand identity and aligns with the organisation’s existing brand purpose. Yet its renewed sense of urgency is striking.

And, with the slogan, ‘A world where every whale and dolphin is safe and free,’ the organisation’s unwavering commitment to helping marine life despite the multiple challenges is patent. “We have tried to capture WDC’s 30-year passion and commitment to the protection of whales and dolphins with this new work, while taking inspiration from the original design,” says CEO of Conran Design Group, Thom Newton. “We continue to collaborate with and support WDC in its critical work for these incredible animals.”

For WDC, reaching such an important anniversary created the perfect opportunity for the organisation to remind its followers, and the wider public, the importance of an ongoing commitment to marine conservation. “The 30th year celebrations give us an opportunity over the coming 12 months to use the milestone as a tool to generate awareness, reinforce our position as the whale and dolphin charity, and hopefully raise some vital funds at the same time,” says head of press and communications at WDC, Danny Groves.

“A key element to all of this is the addition to our core brand identity which has been brilliantly crafted by the team at Conran,” continues Groves. “One of the themes we will use in the next year will be ‘Stop making history,’ and will centre on how critically endangered a number of species have become over recent decades. We have to keep up our fight and good work to give them a chance of survival in the coming 30 years, and the support Conran has given us is crucial.”

The broadcasting of BBC Two’s Blue Planet II, with its breath-taking images and David Attenborough-led commentary, sees the precarious state of the world’s oceans thrown into the spotlight. For WDC, its work to affirm a future for the world’s marine life and ensure whales, dolphins and porpoises in the face of multiple threats is commendable. Its new identity and input from Conran Design Group gives a new lease of life – for both the organisation, and those it is charged with protecting.