Autism Awareness Australia has changed its name to Autism Association of Australia, backed by a pro bono brand transformation delivered by the local arm of global brand specialist FutureBrand.
The project covered brand strategy, identity, language and experience. It supports the organisation's shift from a name built around raising awareness of autism to one built around leading change for the autism community.
Autism Association of Australia is the independent national peak body for autism families. More than 538,000 Australians use its website each year, generating more than 1.5 million page views. Its newsletter reaches more than 74,000 subscribers, its social media community exceeds 161,000 people, and its webinars draw more than 4,600 registrations a year.
The rebrand reflects a broader strategic repositioning after the organisation's leadership recognised it had outgrown awareness as a purpose.
When it launched nearly 20 years ago, most Australians had barely heard the word "autism". Today, autism is part of the national conversation, diagnosis rates are at a record high, and Australia is in the middle of the largest NDIS reform in a generation.
"When we set out to change our name, we needed a partner who would not just design a new logo, but understood why the change mattered," said Autism Association of Australia chief executive and founder Nicole Rogerson.
“FutureBrand pushed us past 'awareness' and helped us find language and an identity that matches the seriousness of the fight ahead for Australian families.
"Their pro bono support gave us months of strategic and creative work we could never have afforded to buy outright."
FutureBrand Australia chief executive Rich Curtis said the organisation's story resonated on two levels.
"As soon as I heard Nicole's story, it stuck in my mind on two levels - one, her personal story as a family raising an autistic child, and two, her professional story as a leading voice in the autism community striving for comprehensive systemic change," Curtis said.
"Amidst the complexity of that system, there is a pivotal opportunity for a bolder brand to make a meaningful difference - if awareness is no longer enough, what next?
"At FutureBrand, we're committed to creating impact you can feel, and so it makes perfect sense for us to make this 'pro bono' investment in order to boost the organisation's limited resources for an outsized impact."
FutureBrand made a pro bono investment of more than $100,000 into the project. The engagement extends FutureBrand's pro bono programs for the not-for-profit sector, with the agency investing more than $500,000 in pro bono projects over the past five years."
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.