Army Cadet Charitable Trust UK
Rebrand and Website
In 2021 we were approached by the Army Cadet Force Association (ACFA UK) who wanted to relaunch a new brand alongside a new name, the Army Cadet Charitable Trust UK (ACCT UK). The Charitable Trust had previously been aligned with the Army Cadet Force (ACF), with a shared logo and website.
To that end, the charitable arm had very little visibility and brand value. The new name, picked by the Trustees, better describes them as a charity, as well as being independent experts in developing young people across the UK. It also shows their support of the Army Cadets and gives them a better platform to fundraise.
The brief was to be visually distinct from the Army Cadet Force itself whilst retaining its long and proud association with them. The identity had to be flexible to incorporate country logos, as well as charity appeals, and needed to undergo thorough testing with relevant audiences. After we conducted desk research and spoke to stakeholders, we developed a strategic positioning document, which helped form the brief for the creative work to begin.
From this brief we produced three concept routes and tested these in two focus group sessions – one on young people who took part in extracurricular clubs, and the other was parents of young people. These groups were picked to specifically have no prior relationship with either Army Cadets or ACCT UK, to gauge fresh opinion without preconceived ideas. We tested logos, messaging, and visual identity rollout, and compiled the findings into a report which analysed the qualitative and quantitative data from both discussions and allowed us valuable insight into initial reactions to each route from these target audiences.
The chosen concept was refined and strengthened based on this feedback. The finished logo is a badge, which signifies many aspects of the brief and the organisation. The white star is reminiscent of the star badges Cadets receive as they rise through the ranks in the Force. This symbol of achievement was used at the heart of the logo to represent ACCT UK achieving more for young people. In the centre of the star are a series of lines which form the directional indicators from a compass – a tool for navigation – representing the guidance ACCT UK gives young people. It resembles the idea of guidance, direction and helping young people onto the right pathways in life. Finally, this spark in the centre represents a spark of inspiration – young futures shining brightly.
Lastly, the star can be broken into four quarters, each representing one of the ACCT UK’s four values (Abiding, Committed, Courageous and Trustworthy).
The colours are youthful and vibrant, and show up particularly brightly on the dark green which was chosen to relate back to the ACF and also to the idea of ‘Army’ in general. Paired with the name typeset in Filson Soft – chosen for its friendly nature and tested very well with almost all young people and parents preferring it over a more formal option – the logo now sits happily as a strong partner to the Army Cadet Force, as well as a charity in its own right.
