Wales Air Ambulance unveils new branding

Wales Air Ambulance Charity (WAA), which celebrated its 21st birthday last month, has also updated its brand guidelines covering photographic style and tone of voice in communications to coincide with the rebranding.

The rebranding was carried out by a project team of employees led by WAA’s Creative Digital Designer Lauren Burden, using feedback from WAA employees, volunteers, medical crews, trustees and supporters for guidance.

WAA says the branding is intended to convey a strong sense of Welsh identity that the previous logo did not sufficiently convey. The new branding, which takes over from 20 May, replaces the charity’s previous red rotor blade logo with an abstract helicopter encircled by a Welsh dragon’s tail.

Strong regional branding is key to air ambulance fundraising

UK air ambulance charities such as WAA tend to serve distinct regions, and are primarily funded through public donations and other support. As such, it is commonplace to employ strong regional iconography in their branding to promote themselves.

Burden said: “Research has shown that rebranding can increase opportunities for fundraising, whilst helping to spread awareness of the charity. People’s willingness to devote their time and money to a cause is directly influenced by the positive connection they have with a brand.

“We have identified our new brand but now we start the significant work of introducing it across the Charity, which we will do in the coming months,” she added.

WAA, which has operated across Wales on a 24/7 basis since 2020, requires a total sum of £8 million to maintain its operations, which includes both emergency helicopter and rapid response vehicle fleets.