Helping focus an organisation built on 900 year old values as it grows into new areas. 

Facing changing market environments and consumer demands, increasing competition for the donated dollar, and regional fragmentation in how the brand was delivered, health and care provider St John felt it was time to reappraise its brand positioning. DNA's challenge was to retain the compassion and heritage of this 900- year old brand while moving it forward to stay competitive and relevant, meet market challenges and opportunities - not only today, but also in the future. The result is a unified and growing organisation centred on the promise of being 'First to Care'. Challenge St John was facing a watershed hour. With five regions each delivering and representing the brand in their own way, service delivery and communications had become fragmented and inconsistent. This had resulted in the erosion of brand equity built up over many decades. The situation was compounded by changing market environments and consumer demands, and a general lack of awareness regarding the broad suite of St John products and services - past ambulance and sporting event attendance to a growing and integrated range of health and care services. St John needed to reappraise its brand proposition, structure and identity. The Thinking The DNA approach was: '� To leverage and extend a new positioning line that captured the organisation's sector leadership and one that unifies all efforts around one singleminded promise '" being 'first to care'. '� An evolution rather than revolution of the logo device. The approach was about simplification and modification, which did not challenge longstanding recognition, however supported the historical and heraldic integrity of the brand (and recognised '~Royal Statute' requirements). '� The creation of a strong and deceptively simple visual identity system that was then easily extended across a broad range of applications, including collateral, newsletters, signage, uniforms vehicle livery, packaging and stakeholder communications. '� The development of a robust and comprehensive brand manual, allowing each of the five regions to still '~own' and produce local communications while protecting the integrity of the brand. '� The development of an internal launch programme and a suite of tools that would drive ongoing internal communication to encourage and educate all employees and volunteers around what it takes to be the '~first to care' to customers and the communities they serve. The result Launched in July 2001, the brand has grown and strengthened. It has provided the platform and focus to help five previously singular regions become a more strongly unified organisation, focused around one core purpose '" care. Communications are more cost-effective and easily managed, brand awareness and staff engagement are at all time highs. The organisation is more singularly focussed, efficient , brand-aligned, distinctive and integrated than ever before. Today the communities St John services see an organisation that is strong, cohesive and effective - one that is more vital than ever, in all corners of New Zealand. The successful application of the evolved brand here has also led to its adoption by St John in several other countries internationally. DNA has continued working at St John's brand partner since 2001 and recently developed an updated visual identity guidelines manual.

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