Versus Arthritis rebrands with new name and new look
Versus Arthritis has become Arthritis UK and the charity hopes the rebrand will give it a greater presence to move closer to its ultimate vision – a future free from arthritis. The charity says its mission, strategy and values remain the same but it will use the new name and look to redouble efforts to improve the quality of life for adults, young people and children living with arthritis.
Deborah Alsina, chief executive at Arthritis UK, said: “This wasn’t a decision taken lightly, it was carried out after a huge amount of research and consultation with people with arthritis and the wider arthritis community. All of which highlighted that 'Versus Arthritis’ was not easily understood and was a barrier to reaching and engaging more people. A new clear name and icon, designed to reflect a joint and socket, mean it is unmistakable what we do and who we’re here for."
Engaging with the arthritis community
The new name and look was informed by people with lived experience of arthritis. A range of different ways were used to engage the arthritis community, from surveys and focus groups to workshops and one-to-one interviews. In total, 158 people with a connection to arthritis were directly involved in the creative process while insight was collected from thousands of people living with arthritis. Workshops with a smaller number of volunteers were also held and the charity carried out extensive user testing on the new website and worked directly with 160 people with arthritis to design new information and support online journeys in a series of sessions. Young people and families also had the opportunity to vote on a design for a Young People and Families badge to make sure the brand felt relatable and relevant to them.
Unhelpful misconceptions
Arthritis UK is continuing to challenge the misconceptions about arthritis and its different forms which affect 10 million people in the UK and are one of the leading causes of disability. Arthritis is an umbrella term for a group of conditions that cause painful, stiff and restricted joints and can often impact other parts of the body as well. These include autoimmune variants like rheumatoid arthritis, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis that starts in childhood as well as more common forms like osteoarthritis. Chief executive Deborah Alsina added: “Misconceptions still prevail around arthritis, that it only affects people in later life and is an inevitable part of ageing, which are not helpful. Arthritis does become more common with age, but it can affect people of all ages including children and it is in fact a complex set of long-term conditions that erode the quality of life of millions in the UK."
Funding, training and campaigning
Versus Arthritis was formed in 2018 after the merger of charities Arthritis Research UK and Arthritis Care the previous year. In addition to being the world’s largest dedicated funder of arthritis research, it delivers information, education and support services for people with arthritis, trains frontline health and care professionals and campaigns to shape better policy and drive change.