Debra
Giving voice to a condition
beyond words
Debra is a national charity, here to support people and families living with and impacted byEpidermolysis Bullosa—a painful and distressing genetic disorder that affects the body’s largestorgan; the skin. People living with EB are missing the essential proteins that bind the skin’slayers together, so any minor friction, movement or trauma causes it to break and blister. Rightnow, there are no known treatments or cure. Debra work tirelessly to transform the lives ofpeople affected by EB—raising critical funds, boosting support and driving research.
What we did:
Brand Strategy
- Personality & tone of voice
- Brand narrative
Brand Identity
- Brand expressions & messaging
Brand Communications
- Copywriting & content creation
Brand Engagement
- Brand voice workshops
CASE STUDY
Debra
CHALLENGE
The key challenge was one of awareness.With little understanding of EB as a conditionand a lack of knowledge of who Debra was,our objective was to create a compellingbrand that would tell the charity’s story, boostawareness and help Debra raise criticalfunding and support. It had to feel right to thefamilies impacted by the condition and strikea chord with the wider public.
BRAND VOICE SOLUTION
As part of the brand refresh, we worked withDebra to craft an invigorating newproposition, verbal guidelines andmessaging. We created a mobilising newbrand narrative—one that brought hope andenergy with real sensitivity. We set up aLived Experience Panel to meet the familiesand ensure our words truly representedthem. We workshopped and brainstormed tofind the right terms and ensure the brandlanguage struck the perfect tone.
RESULTS
Within three months of launch, Debra was,for the first time, chosen as a finalist for theCharity of the Year award. The work alsowon 3 out 3 nominations at the 2024Transform Awards—one of the mostcelebrated accolades in branding, whichfocuses on impact and performance. Debrawon Gold for Best Use of a Visual Property,Silver for Best Creative Strategy and Silverfor Best Visual Identity by a Charity or NGO.
POST-PROJECT SUCCESS
“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
