Concerning country life

Issues of the countryside are, in the UK, controversial across the political floor as well as in social circles. Provoking often heated debates between opposing factions, the future of Britain’s countryside is the subject of protest and lobbying – much of it by the Countryside Alliance. The group, an ardent supporter of pro-rural legislation, this year celebrates its 20th anniversary.

The Countryside Alliance was formed in 1997, from three separate organisations: the British Field Sports Society, the Countryside Business Group, and the Countryside Movement. Coinciding with the 20th anniversary celebrations, the organisation this unveils an update of the logo it has held for the past decade.

The new Countryside Alliance identity is a more playful and less austere expression of the various causes in which the Countryside Alliance is involved.

Countryside Alliance previous logo

And, while the Countryside Alliance is often associated with its staunch opposition to legislation such as the Hunting Act 2004, its updated visual identity aims to communicate the wide range of issues on which the organisation campaigns.

The new logo and its associated collateral was devised and donated by graphic designer and ardent supporter of the Countryside Alliance, Steve Edge. Its identity retains a hint of the classic green while adding new elements of blue, grey, black and lime green in its logotype, reflecting its association with all aspects of rural life.

Forming speech marks, the contemporary logo reflects the organisation as being the voice of the countryside. This statement was originally included, in red, as a strapline. New digital applications reflect this passion, with imagery such as trees and fish in rivers used as graphics across the organisation’s social media platforms.

Countryside Alliance chief executive, Tim Bonner says, “We are committed to supporting people who hunt, shoot and fish – that won’t change. This is about communicating the remarkable work we do to a much wider audience. We’ve always been a great campaigning organisation but we need to work harder at communicating that message and the broad range of campaigning we do in other areas such as rural broadband and our Game to Eat programme.”

The new look will be rolled out during this week.