The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) is presenting a refreshed identity after concluding a comprehensive branding review. Working with brand consultancy, Spencer du Bois, CPRE conferred with its county branches and members for more than 12 months to reach consensus on the best way to align its brand behind its 2026 Vision for the Countryside and communicate the organisation’s beliefs and values.
More than a logo change, CPRE and Spencer du Bois needed to ensure that the 85 year-old environmental group clearly articulates its respected history and its principles and purpose, particularly as it heads towards its centenary in 2026.
Dan McLean, Communications Director for CPRE, says: “Re-branding is never a simple or uncontroversial task, particularly in a robust campaigning organisation like CPRE. When discussing the impression we wanted to project to new audiences our members and staff concluded we wanted to be considered, inspiring and impossible to ignore. After working with many dedicated CPRE representatives to deliver our new brand, I can confirm they have these three characteristics in spades”
Max du Bois, Executive Director for Spencer du Bois, says: "CPRE has had a profound role in protecting and shaping our countryside. Capturing its passion for ‘standing up for your countryside’ and its belief that the countryside is an essential, invaluable and dynamic part of all our lives has inspired a brand that will help carry CPRE into the future"
John Spencer, Creative Director for Spencer du Bois, says: “One of the most important things the new brand identity had to do was to unify the organisation under one banner.
“The logo is strong and confident. It’s simple and direct. And the overall identity pulls no punches. It includes a specially designed typeface called ‘Rustic’ that’s closely related to the logo’s letterforms and which heavily influences the style of all its collateral. And there’s a bold, vibrant colour palette that reflects the natural environment. CPRE’s brand identity really is impossible to ignore.”
CPRE’s federal structure required a deft and collaborative decision making approach. The organisation consists of 43 county branches, most of which are separately registered charities in their own right, and CPRE’s communications team were challenged with delivering a brand identity that could work across the organisation, both locally and nationally.
Dan McLean concluded: “Spencer du Bois was patient and occasionally saintly. They understood our ambitions, our limitations and disagreed with me in such a subtle way I thought I had been right all along. We’re all proud of this organisation and now we’re all immensely proud of how we engage and present ourselves to supporters of the countryside.”
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You can also download CPRE’s new Visual Identity Brand Guidelines
Notes to Editors
The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) fights for a better future for the English countryside. We work locally and nationally to protect, shape and enhance a beautiful, thriving countryside for everyone to value and enjoy. Our 57,000 members are united in their love for England’s landscapes and rural communities, and stand up for the countryside, so it can continue to sustain, enchant and inspire future generations. Founded in 1926, President: Bill Bryson, Patron: Her Majesty The Queen. www.cpre.org.uk
Spencer du Bois is passionate about making a real difference. For over twenty years we’ve been helping our clients challenge attitudes, inspire action and make the world a better place. We provide strategy, identity and visual communications for non profit organisations, government, social enterprises and businesses whose ambitions go beyond the bottom line. www.spencerdubois.co.uk
