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[Gold] Identity Design – Launch, Design Week Awards 2022
[Gold] Best Creative Strategy, Transform Awards 2022
[Bronze] Best Visual Identity, Transform Awards 2022
Under Consideration: Brand New’s top 3 brands of 2021
Squirrel Scouts is the first new Scouts section since 1986, when Beaver Scouts was launched. Designed for 4 and 5 year olds, Squirrels get to be active, explore nature and have fun learning with friends, earning badges like all other Scouts.
I worked on the brand (including logos, an extension of Scouts’ main colour palette, tone of voice, uniform, badges, and other creative assets) in collaboration with creative agency Supple Studio. The copy and tone of voice was developed with totalcontent, photography was supplied by Tom Hull, and logotype refinement was carried out by Rob Clarke.
To make sure the brand would appeal to our target audience – not just early years children and their parents, but specifically families most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and families new to Scouts – we used YouGov to carry out quantitative brand testing. This was carried out with 1,000 parents of 4–5 year olds, including 200 parents from C2DE backgrounds and 200 from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, represented across the UK. We also organised qualitative testing (mostly focus groups and surveys) with 300+ internal and external adults and young people.
The brand has been designed to be accessible yet aspirational – inspired more by children’s lifestyle brands than educational brands – and touches on both the outdoors and craft elements of the Squirrels programme. The colours are taken from Brownsea Island, the original home of Scouts, with shades like Squirrel Red, Ferry Yellow and Fern Green. The tone of voice is cheeky, playful and curious – just like 4 and 5 year olds.
Jamie Ellul, Creative Director at Supple Studio, said: ‘Overall, the project has been a dream from start to finish (which designer wouldn’t want to design Scouts badges?). The Scouts team have been so thoughtful and collaborative throughout the process – it really feels like a team effort.’
On launch day alone, Squirrels brought about:
Extensive positive national media visibility including ITV Good Morning Britain, BBC Breakfast, ITN Lunchtime news, GB News, The Times, Guardian, The I, Evening Standard and Third Sector.
99.4% positive engagement through Scouts’ social media channels, with more than 350k social media reach and 10% more follows on Facebook.
Over 18,000 people visiting Scouts’ website by 2pm, more than 50% through organic search and 13% from our Facebook.
More than 265 adult volunteer enquiry form submissions and more than 550 youth membership sign-ups.
£28,000+ worth of merchandise sold.
Supportive messages from HM The Queen, the Prime Minister, HRH Duchess of Cambridge’s team, Department for Education, and the DCMS Secretary of State.
One month on, there were:
1.2 million more website views in September than in August (2,425,757 in September).
63,723 more searches for people looking for local Scouts groups in September than in August (105,052 in total).
1,911 new adult volunteer enquiry form submissions.
Almost triple the amount of merchandise revenue in September (£393,873.78) compared to August (£149,568.88).
Six months on:
487 Squirrel Dreys have since opened up across the UK. Based on an average of 12 young people per Drey, this is equal to 5,844 young people.
Nearly one third (28%) are based in IMD 1–3 areas and nearly half (49%) are in IMD 1–5 areas.
This global environmental campaign is a partnership between Scouts UK, WWF, WOSM (World Organization of the Scout Movement) and Together for Our Planet (the UK Government’s climate campaign). You can read more about its strategy and results on the Campaigns page.
I led on the brand and tone of voice for the campaign. I worked with designer Leona Smith on a logo and visual style that was inspired by nature, grassroots activist groups and African basket weaving, to give an organic yet revolutionary feel. We purposely avoided the use of text in the logo so groups from all around the world could use the design without language barriers, and we chose colours that were both within the Scouts palette and that all of the partner organisations were comfortable using.
We went for an urgent, united, youthful and determined tone of voice, with a bolder, more direct slant to the usual Scouts tone of voice.
Example headers: ‘Our time is now. Because the future won’t wait.’ | ‘We’re a global family, and our home’s on fire.’ | ‘Take a stand. Make a promise.’
Example body copy: ‘You don’t have to be a scientist to know that climate change is a big deal. As Scouts, we’re committed to finding a global solution because we’re led by young people – and they know whose future is at stake.’
To accompany the Promise to the Planet activities, we commissioned Congolese and Angolan illustrator, Joelle Avelino, to create a series of colourful, youthful illustrations.
I co-led on the brand and tone of voice for the UK contingent of the World Scout Jamboree 2022, taking place in Korea. Stakeholders included a youth panel, who unanimously approved the brand.
In collaboration with We All Need Words, I worked on the creation and roll-out of a new tone of voice for this 114-year-old brand. Design Week featured the work, as did Tone Knob.
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