Combining 2 brands into 1

The task

The PARM Tool was a combined effort between two NHS CCGs and Lilly. Used by diabetes nurses, physicians, consultants, clinical leads, CCGs and health board commissioners, PARM needed a visual identity that considered the brand heritage of its creators and the diversity of the people actually using it.

The branding also needed to reflect ownership from the NHS and Lilly, and embody the innovative nature of the Tool to a range of users across the NHS.

The approach

Both Lilly and the NHS had multiple stakeholders with key insights into the branding goals for the PARM Tool. To consolidate everyone’s views and agree a common way forward for the branding, we held a half-day workshop at the beginning of the project.

Our strategists and creatives partnered with all stakeholders to agree brand personality, tone and key drivers for users of the Tool, and identify relevant competitors. By the end of the session, we had written and agreed the design brief and our creatives could hit the ground running.

The action

The PARM logo brings together the NHS blue and Lilly red in a complementary way. PARM is in red to allude to Lilly’s role in the creation of the Tool, but ‘Diabetes’ is blue to illustrate the NHS’s healthcare role in the project. 

Collaboration was at the heart of the PARM project, and this is cleverly incorporated in the negative space ‘thread’ that runs through the letters of PARM, connecting them together. The typography is modern and has a distinct technical feel, but still feels balanced and soft with rounded elements to each letter. 

To maintain the modern, innovative feel, all photographic imagery is colourised using the two primary colours. When rolled out across brand guidelines, e-details, emails and user guides, the new branding stands out, propelling the brand into the foreground and grabbing the attention of healthcare professionals throughout the NHS.