Through global conservation work, world-leading research, and their two conservation zoos, London and Whipsnade, ZSL (The Zoological Society of London) protect critical species, restore healthy ecosystems, help people and wildlife live better together and inspire support for nature. As the organisation approaches 200 years since its inception, they have worked with RBL brand agency to launch a new strategy and brand to better match and support the impact of their work.

The new brand which includes; a bold new identity, clearer brand architecture, powerful new narrative, a focus on storytelling and unifying graphic language will be seen first on the websites for ZSL, London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo. It will then roll out across all communications and locations.

RBL’s research showed that as the organisation struggled to grow the brand, and support all areas of activity, they had fallen foul of brand soup, creating separate competing brands for every activity and initiative. Diluting both brand impact and understanding. A natural reaction to this would have been to re-centralise.

“As an organisation we are trying to preserve difference and diversity on a global scale, let’s do it internally too. Let’s not suppress difference, let’s value it.”

This quote drawn from an early staff engagement session proved to be a turning point. It showed that a simple centralisation of the brand wouldn’t reflect the team’s needs. Instead, they needed a stronger brand purpose capable of providing a unifying anchor to the organisation, while providing different teams the freedom and tools to communicate in the right way for them and their audience without breaking the link to that anchor.

“You’re a conservationist just the same as me, everything you do supports conservation.” This quote from a cross team co-creation workshop helped spark the central idea that could hold the organisation together.

As the original science-led conservation organisation ZSL had a unique perspective on both what conservation means and what it should deliver. To ZSL conservation isn’t a backward looking approach, preserving the world in aspic as it once was. But instead, a powerful movement driving forward to find ways to help us live better with wildlife, restore healthy ecosystems and create a world where wildlife thrives.

That idea of conservation as a movement allowed the whole organisation to see that no matter what their individual role, from keeper to scientist, campaigner to marketeer, all could play their part in conservation as an enabler, driving recovery, together.

The more we drew out this uniqueness in ZSL's attitude and approach the more it became clear that to successfully shift perceptions of the brand, the team would need a new shared way to communicate, using emotive language and compelling storytelling. A new recovery focused narrative and flexible messaging platform empowers everyone at ZSL to speak with one voice.

With a clearer sense of what the brand stood for, ZSL needed an identity equally as unifying. We reconnected the organisation with its proud, shared heritage, using elements from past identities but injecting them with fresh energy and meaning to create a new logo as iconic as ZSL’s past and as bold as their future ambitions.

This new logo takes you through the sky, down past the canopy, across the ground and into the ocean. Every element of the ecosystem coming together, just as ZSL does, to drive forward on a journey of recovery.

A set destination, a shared vehicle, but different ways to get there – brand narrative, graphic system, colour palette and tone of voice all work to this principle. Finally a new hierarchy sets out ZSL’s role clearly across every touchpoint, building stronger relationships between every facet of the brand.

Together these elements deliver a brand with the impact needed to support ZSL as the organisation looks to help save the natural world we love and depend upon.

“At ZSL our unique insight and evidence-based approach underpins everything we do -RBL have helped us bring the same insight and innovation to our brand.

As the crisis facing our natural world becomes more urgent, and the challenges more complex, it will take all of us working together to solve them. Our new identity, brand and storytelling approach will help us unite the conservation movement of today and inspire a life-long love of wildlife in the conservationists of tomorrow.” Nigel Campbell, Chief Marketing and Engagement Officer ZSL

“Change-makers from the start, when Charles Darwin was a Fellow, ZSL have always broken new ground in conservation science. Our challenge was to create a brand that could respect that iconic heritage while restoring the forward-thinking boldness that had got diluted along the way. The end result delivers a living, breathing brand fit to work with a living breathing world.” Adam Concar, Creative Director, RBL brand agency

“Just as ZSL collaborate with communities, big and small, on the ground and around the world, we knew that to deliver the change the organisation needed we would have to reach out and connect with the wider team like never before, and take them on the journey with us. Hearing the real stories behind ZSL’s inspirational work has been a privilege and I only hope the new brand does them justice.” Rhiannon Lowe, Strategy Lead, RBL Brand Agency