RSPCA’s certification program needed to evolve to cut through a category crowded with claims. While trusted, the previous scheme name and identity did not clearly signal the rigour of the standards or the pathway of ongoing assessment and improvement. Our objective was not to simply refresh creative. It was to make a clear set of brand decisions that would strengthen recognition for consumers, simplify adoption for forward-thinking brands, and set the program up to scale.
The work was designed as a clear sequence, grounded in consultation and evidence.
Stakeholder consultation aligned the team on the role of the certification, the audiences it needed to serve, and the non-negotiables the brand had to protect. Consumer research and testing then clarified what people look for when judging animal welfare claims, which cues feel credible, and where confusion sits in a crowded field.
Using those inputs, we shaped the brand positioning and clarified the brand architecture so the system could work consistently across animals and touchpoints. In parallel, we developed and tested naming routes, then briefed visual identity and style guide development so the refreshed system could be applied clearly across packaging, menus, partner materials, and digital.
The work resolved into a clearer, more distinctive certification identity built around credibility and clarity.
“Certified” was recommended to replace “Approved” to better signal a program underpinned by science-informed standards, verification, and ongoing improvement, rather than a one-time endorsement. A simplified, unified brand architecture was also recommended to reduce sub-brand complexity and strengthen recognition across the full certification footprint.
After finalising the brand book, we engaged the thrills™ to develop the visual identity. The refreshed system features the iconic RSPCA blue, uses bolder and more approachable design cues, and introduces a single icon to represent all animals covered. Style guidance and usage rules were designed to make the certification easier to identify at shelf and easier for partners to apply consistently.
The RSPCA now has a clearer, more modern certification brand that better reflects the rigour of its welfare standards and reduces fragmentation across the program. The shift to RSPCA Certified strengthens trust, improves consistency across touchpoints, and creates a scalable foundation for growth and impact. It helps consumers and stakeholders identify certified products with greater confidence in a crowded marketplace.
Our team has been thoroughly engaged with the process and have appreciated Nature's wealth of expertise. We are really pleased with the outcome, and it’s great to see the new brand now live in market, creating clearer signals of trust.