Debra
Giving voice to a
condition beyond words
Imagine if your skin were as fragile as a butterfly’s wing, tearing and blistering at the slightest touch. For people with Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), this is daily life. When Debra, the Irish charity supporting those with EB, partnered with us, they faced a challenge: how to communicate the realities of the condition, raise awareness and inspire support without relying on distressing messaging common in charity communications.
Today we’re surrounded by emotionally charged stories. Global conflicts, climate crises, and cost-of-living pressures all demand attention, making it difficult for smaller causes to be heard. Many charities rely on shock tactics to grab attention, which can oversimplify or misrepresent complex conditions.
Debra’s communications have always carried deep emotion. But at times, the focus on the most extreme and distressing realities of EB felt overwhelming for audiences and left some people with different forms of EB feeling unseen. We set out to remedy this with words, to build a brand voice that would speak to the broadest audience.
First, we needed to truly understand life with EB. To do this, we created a Lived Experience Panel, bringing together families and individuals to share their stories and challenges with our team. We took the time to explore the details – the terminology, expressions and phrases that resonated with them, as well as the words to avoid.
One line from these sessions stayed with us: “We don’t want tears, we want support.” This became the foundation of our Debra brand voice. Every word, sentence and campaign needed to educate the public in a clear, truthful and accessible way – while also reflecting the strength, resilience and toughness of the EB community. Above all, we wanted families living with and impacted by EB to feel heard and empowered by a galvanising voice that felt truly their own.
The butterfly – the international symbol of EB – became our anchor for storytelling, representing fragility, hope and small acts creating monumental change. Guided by the design principle of ‘no sharp edges,’ we crafted a voice that is caring, supportive and purposeful: gentle enough to comfort, yet strong enough to inspire action.
From this foundation, we delivered a full brand platform; manifesto, mission, and values; tone of voice workshops; a refreshed website; social and fundraising campaigns; and national media communications, including a high-profile video voiced by Colin Farrell, a long-time supporter of the charity.
The result is a brand with clarity, conviction, and compassion. One that speaks honestly about EB, honours lived experiences and transforms a narrative of pity into one of solidarity, empowerment and bold, unshakeable hope.
“In an increasingly alarming and alarmist world, charity communications often compete for the most emotive real estate. Debra, the charity supporting people suffering from epidermolysis bullosa, recognised that this wasn’t an effective strategy to serve all members of its community. Instead of focusing on suffering, they changed the narrative. It delivered a message documenting the fragility of the skin of those affected. The butterfly – beautiful, ephemeral – was the perfect visual representative.”
“I love, love, love this rebrand. It’s inclusive and beautifully crafted…”
Transform Awards Jury
