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Australian Red Cross

Creating an Empathetic Digital Brand for the Australian Red Cross

Australian Red Cross

Value and Impact

Enhanced User Experience

Improved accessibility and clarity for users in crisis and donors alike. 

Streamlined Content Management

A structured CMS and GEL empower internal teams to create high-quality content.

Improved Engagement

Interactive elements and storytelling components foster deeper audience connection. 

Scalability & Future-Proofing

The modular design system supports ongoing growth and adaptability. 

Stronger Brand Consistency

Unified digital branding strengthens trust and recognition. 

“This is fantastic work! Including not only component and template designs, but also guiding the team in best practice uses of these designs really adds so much value. Oh, and - our team’s recent donations campaign has been super successful! We can’t thank you enough.”

Christine Kurpitz, Head of Digital, Australian Red Cross

Digital Design brings ARC to life

In a world where digital engagement drives change, the Australian Red Cross needed a refreshed digital identity that not only communicates its mission but also resonates emotionally with diverse audiences. With a commitment to empathy, trust, and action, the Red Cross embarked on a comprehensive digital brand refresh and website update – a project delivered over 18 months and currently progressing toward an August launch.

Deepend led this transformative journey, developing a digital brand design that breathes life into the Red Cross’s values. Our work spanned creative design, digital brand strategy, and website transformation, ensuring that the new identity is modern, flexible, and deeply empathetic.

Our Approach: Three Key Drivers for Design

1. Emotional, Rational, and Actionable Design

The refreshed brand was guided by 2023 ARC Brand Traits, rooted in photojournalism principles:

  • Emotional: Empathetic, Authentic, Warm

  • Rational: Confident, Credible, Neutral

  • Reaction: Make it easy for people to act, "Walk the talk"

These traits ensured that the digital design would appeal to both users seeking help and those eager to support the Red Cross’s mission.

2. Designing for Diverse Audiences

Our research identified two primary user groups:

  • People seeking help: Arriving in distress and needing immediate assistance during crises or upon arrival in Australia.

  • People wishing to give help: Seeking clear guidance on how to support the Red Cross’s mission.

By developing key pages and user journeys that addressed these distinct needs, we ensured a seamless and empathetic user experience.

3. A Consistent and Flexible System

We built a design system that offers both consistency and flexibility, enabling the complex operations of the Red Cross to shine through. This system, known as the Global Experience Language (GEL), serves as a dynamic guide for content creators, internal teams, and digital developers alike.

Bringing the New Brand to Life

Collaborative Design System

Beyond strategy, our focus was on crafting a modern, vibrant digital brand. This involved: integrating animations and dynamic elements such as parallax and horizontal scrolling; expanding video content capabilities to enhance engagement and storytelling; and developing a digital brand identity that fully embodies the updated Red Cross brand.

A sample of the brand guidelines created for the Australian Red Cross

Components, Templates, and Collaboration 

  • UI Components: We designed 36 new and updated UI components tailored for the Optimizely CMS. 

  • Key Pages: A total of 76-page designs were delivered to support content creation, ensuring that every digital touchpoint aligned with the refreshed brand identity. 

  • Collaboration: Working closely with LEVO developers and the internal Red Cross team, we established a robust ‘component spec sheet’ to streamline communication and ensure quality control. Training sessions were also conducted to empower internal teams with the new GEL and CMS functionalities. 

A series of page templates created for the Australian Red Cross

Design System in Action

The Design System is available as both a Figma library file and a GEL website, ensuring accessibility for all Australian Red Cross staff. This resource:

  • Educates teams on design principles and user experience best practices.

  • Establishes a common language and detailed documentation for every component.

  • Encourages seamless collaboration between teams, improving content creation and consistency.

Horizontal animation example from the Australian Red Cross website

CMS and Development

The platform is built on Optimizely CMS, ensuring flexibility and scalability. The integration of modular UI components streamlines content updates and future-proofing. WCAG-compliant accessibility features ensures inclusivity for all users. 

The Red Cross case study exemplifies how empathetic digital brand design can transform an organization’s engagement with its audience. By seamlessly blending creative design, robust technology, and data-driven insights, Deepend has delivered a digital experience that truly reflects the humanitarian spirit of the Red Cross. 

Are you ready to elevate your digital brand and drive meaningful impact? Let’s work together to create digital experiences that inspire and empower. 

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