How can the NHS Identity be used on campaigns?
Our public research shows that the NHS Identity is instantly recognisable and evokes powerful levels of trust and respect. It also shows that the use of the NHS logo gives people confidence in a campaign and is seen as a marker of credibility and quality.
When the public see the NHS logo applied to communications, they perceive there to be some degree of NHS involvement. Therefore, if a national non-NHS organisation wants to use the NHS Identity on their campaigns, permission should be sought from NHS England’s national communications team. Similarly, if local non-NHS organisations want to use the NHS Identity on their campaigns, they should contact the relevant local NHS organisation for permission. The local NHS organisation can decide whether to use their NHS organisational logo or the NHS logo on its own on the campaign.
The criteria for deciding whether to include the NHS logo on a campaign will include the appropriateness of the subject matter and whether the campaign supports the principles and values underpinning the NHS Identity.
The guidelines for applying the NHS Identity to campaigns are the same as for partnership branding.
Where the NHS is the lead organisation
If the NHS organisation is the lead organisation responsible for delivering the campaign and the other non-NHS organisations are supporting partners, the NHS logo or organisational logo should be placed top right and the supporting partners’ logos along the bottom. The visual style should follow the NHS Identity guidelines.
Equal partnership
If a campaign is being delivered in an equal partnership, the partners logos’ should appear in a line across the top of the page, ideally with the NHS organisation’s logo or the NHS logo placed top right as shown below. This is because this is where patients and the public expect the NHS logo to be seen and, therefore, where it will have maximum impact. A neutral visual style should be used, where neither the NHS nor the other partner organisations’ individual identities dominate.
Using the lozenge as part of a campaign-specific lockup
In exceptional circumstances ie. for specific HM Government (HMG) Government or NHS led national campaigns to help, it may be necessary for the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) brand team to use/create a bespoke lockup.
Additional copy may precede or follow the NHS lozenge to form the title of a campaign.
Creating a campaign-specific lockup must be done with the utmost care and attention to preserve the simplicity and primacy of the NHS lozenge, never over-powering it and thereby retaining public trust in the brand mark.
To use or create a logo in this way, you must always get permission from the Brand Team at DHSC.
Examples of campaign-specific lockups can be found on the campaigns page.
Where the NHS is a supporting partner
Where a non-NHS organisation is the lead organisation responsible for delivering the campaign and the NHS organisation is a supporting partner, the lead organisation’s logo should go at the top and their visual style should dominate. The NHS organisation’s logo or the NHS logo should usually go bottom right. If the lead organisation’s logo placement is bottom right, the NHS logo should be positioned top right instead, as shown in the examples below.
