The Cambridge Centre

2012, commercial

This well known charity offers drug and alcohol rehabilitation services, and it was wonderful to work with a business that provides such a positive impact as well as a support for some of us that have fallen through the limited safety net that society affords us.

Before even the project was commisioned, I was certain that this design must not be a product of my thinking or even my style but should be a reflection of those who use the service. So at the start of the project, focus groups with the service users informed the design direction. Some of those in attendance had severe drug and alcohol problems, but I quickly found them to be some of the most intelligent and warm people I had ever met.

“How I explain drug addiction to people is that it’s like being on a merry-go-round, and wanting to go faster. Your mates spin you as fast as they can, and whilst it’s exhilirating at first, soon it becomes scary, and it’s hard to get off. Eventually you become used to the speed.”

“Alcoholism is like a maze, you take one wrong turn, and you’re right back at the start.”

These are two quotes from those that attended that mostly strongly informed the approach to the logo. The design is formed of a maze set into a spiral, representing addiction, from which a green arrow emerges, representing the self and the process of recovery.

This was part of a complete rebrand, and creation of their stationary, presentation materials and website which can be found at cambridgecentre.org
Fortunately, The Cambridge Centre are a well established charity with over two decades of fantastic work behind them, but if you’re reading this now and you’re from a charity or non-profit organisation that’s small or young enough so that it doesn’t have a marketing budget, get in touch. I make it part of my business ethics to do a small amount of pro-bono work for charities each year.