*Full notes and Brand Guides attached in pdfs!

Global Genes seeks to redesign its logo to better reflect the community we serve and mission. While our current logo has significant brand equity, it is no longer representative of the organization and the space we’re in. “It was appropriate 10 years ago, but Global Genes has outgrown its logo” (focus group member) 


Our goal is a brand evolution - not a revolution. It is important that we remain recognizable in the space while representing the growth that has occurred within our organization and the more diverse community we serve.

This document has information that share information that will assist in creating a new logo, including:
Rare disease facts
Feelings & symbols that could be referenced in a new logo & insights re: direction
Differentiators
Mission Statement
Current logo pros & cons
Focus group feedback
Things to stay away from

Rare Disease Facts:
A disease is considered rare when it affects fewer than 200,000 people in the US - about 1 in every 1500. (Other countries have different thresholds for what is considered rare)
There are 10,000+ rare diseases
1 in 10 people are affected by rare disease
400 million people suffer from a rare disease (globally). About 10% of the US population has a rare disease.
80% of rare diseases are genetic
On average, it takes 4.8 years for rare patient to receive an accurate diagnosis
95% of rare diseases do not have an FDA approved treatment


Feelings And Symbols That Could Be Included:
Hope. Even though the rare disease stats are quite grim, the community is full of hope, support, creativity, and energy. Global Genes serves a powerful, tightly knit community of people who lift each other up and work together to improve the lives of people around the world with rare diseases. The logo should be uplifting, but grounded/not childish.
Advocacy. Global Genes is an advocacy organization working across all 10,000+ rare diseases and those who have not yet been diagnosed. Global Genes primarily focuses advocacy efforts around providing support, education, and research enablement. Our current logo nods to an advocacy ribbon, a common symbol. This is not a must for the new potential logo.
Genes/Genetics. 80% of rare diseases are caused by genetic mutation/deletion. One of our tag lines is Hope. It’s in our genes. Genetics is a big part of what we do. A nod toward genetics could make sense, but it is not everything we do (20% of rare diseases are not genetic, and we focus on much more than just genetic testing and treatments.)
Early & Ongoing Support, Education and Community. This is the beginning of a journey and Global Genes is an entryway for many into this new world. Guide. Education and showing/connecting people to next steps through information is a big part of what Global Genes does across the community. Our tagline is Allies in Rare Disease and this is a core calling across our programs and organization - to be there as a support for the rare disease community.
Connection / Inclusion. For families affected by rare disease, it’s important to find community, be seen, heard, and supported. A globally connected community is especially important when the number of people with a disease is so small. We hope to have a logo that is inclusive of all people and not skewed too far toward one group - race, gender, ethnicity, etc.
Research/Science. Global Genes is a catalyst for advocates to begin pursuing research in their disease. Now, more than ever, there is an opportunity through genetic and research advancements to benefit rare diseases. Because of this, one of our main focus areas is research enablement (in addition to support & education) - we have added a major research arm to our organization in the last year through RARE-X. Learnings in rare disease will impact our knowledge around more common conditions.
Collaboration. Collaboration is the cornerstone of who we are. It is critical in advocacy and research to work together to accelerate shared learnings and insights. Global Genes is constantly breaking down silos - whether by encouraging multiple disease organizations to work together for the better of their community, enabling researchers to look across diseases to accelerate treatments, or developing content and resources with like minded stakeholders that address shared needs for the entire rare community.
Zebra. Zebra print is the ‘unofficial’ symbol for rare disease. [Reasoning: Doctors are taught “when you hear hoofbeats, think horse, not zebra”, meaning the presentation they’re seeing in a patient is most likely a common disease rather than something rare. Rare disease orgs identify with the zebra] Global Genes doesn’t currently use zebra print often, but could subtly in a new logo. It would be jarring to go too far into this.
Other widely used imagery and colors in the space include:
Rare Disease Day tri-colors/overlapping hands are used throughout the rare space and originate with World Rare Disease Day. This is mostly used Dec - March (around Rare Disease Day (month of February, February 28/29), but some organizations nod to it throughout the year. There are specific brand guidelines for how to use/not sure these assets. We should not include this in our new logo.
Blue denim has been a part of the Global Genes brand since the beginning. Before Rare Disease Day tri-color/hands came out, blue denim was the unifying symbol (this fell off ~5 years ago). The denim works as a play on genes (jeans) and has been tied to a popular Jeans for Genes campaign (Global Genes does not own the rights to Jeans for Genes, but participated in it 10 years ago). Global Genes distributes denim awareness ribbons at events (up until Q2 2023, we mailed them out too). Denim signals come as you are - comfort - everyone is accepted.
Brand colors. Global Genes brand colors found below (new, rolled out as of February 2023). One of our sub brands, RARE-X (the research program) uses multicolored dots in its “X”. It could be a nice nod to this major program’s logo to incorporate dots into the Global Genes logo, but is not required. 
Include brand colors
DNA stripe: Include in design
Needs to go with our current website globalgenes.org
Font. stay in din family. Preffered OSP Din Font. Keep font, - if anything diff don’t leave din fam



Differentiators:
Working Across Rare: Global Genes is a pan-rare organization, meaning we work across all rare and undiagnosed diseases (not a specific/group of specific diseases). We address common needs across the community and provide support, connection, education, and research enablement opportunities (our 3 pillars). 
Welcoming: Global Genes is known as an organization that cares. Feedback from a focus group (and other stakeholders) regularly focuses on how Global Genes is more welcoming, personal, and patient-centric/patient-friendly than other pan-rare orgs. “Global Genes is for your everyday person who needs help” vs corporate, legislative feel
Inclusive: Global Genes works to represent all people and integrate health equity across our programs. 
Needs: There is something from anyone, no matter the stage of their journey (from not yet/recently diagnosed, to taking a leadership role, well established in their care, to advanced and driving research). Our programs address a variety of stakeholders too - patients/caregivers, other patient org leaders, researchers, industry
Health Equity: Global Genes has been a leader in health equity in rare, making sure to elevate a variety of voices through our programs and events. 
Audience = challenge: We have had difficulty attracting a diverse group of people to our events and programs - our audience is primarily white/women. We do not have much content/resources available outside of English.
Location = challenge: The majority of the people we engage with live in the US. Depending on the program, international %s range from 15-40% and represent as many as 70+ countries. Though Global is in our name, we could do a better job of being truly global (programs/education in multiple languages, in-person global engagement, etc)
Next Generation Advocacy Focus: Changes in the last 10-15 years - from social media growth to expanded genetic therapies - bring new opportunities for the rare disease community & create expanded roles for advocates to advance care for and reduce the burden of rare disease. Global Genes provides education, support, and research enablement to the rare community no matter what stage they are in. 
Not everyone identifies with next generation advocacy. This can be alienating for some, including the older generation, so it’s important to indicate that this does not mean we’re only focused on young people (“the next generation of advocates”) or new advocacy methods (technology, data). All have a seat at the table.

Global Genes Mission Statement: 
Supporting Next-Generation Advocacy
Global Genes provides patient advocates with a continuum of services to accelerate their path from early support and awareness through research readiness, using a collaborative approach that involves biopharma, researchers and funders, with data as a central core.


Established brand recognition - historical presence, avoids confusion. Represents an important time in someone’s life
Jeans overpowers genes
Nod to gene shape
Style of the logo appeals too much toward women (limiting growth)
Nod to advocacy ribbon
Does not speak to expanded research arm
Lighthearted/fun
No global focus
Jeans = anyone, not exclusive, accessible
Not inclusive of multiple people, cultures (focus group)
Identity confusion “where is Global Genes going”
Do I belong? Doesn’t represent me (focus group)



Feedback from Community (Focus Groups):
In Q4 2023, Global Genes asked members of its community about the current logo during a focus group session. (3 focus groups, each with 7-8 participants) The overall feedback from these participants is that Global Genes has outgrown the current logo:
Too playful (majority opinion): “...the organization is more sophisticated than the logo.” “...jeans are a little hokey (the physical representation of jeans)...I know it’s a play on words, but almost seems more appropriate for a fashion brand than something that obviously involves rare disease.” “I get the joke, but it’s not appropriate - rare disease is serious and frustrating - it’s off putting”
Too feminine / exclusionary (majority opinion): “...logo is very feminine. You want to be more inclusive. Connections are made around the world across rare disease diagnosis and patient communities.” “It looks kind of like mom jeans and I always had a feeling a bunch of females were running it. It doesn’t seem quite as professional and inclusionary as what it could be…”
Cute/recognizable (minority opinion (2)): “I thought the jeans were pretty cute and unique. I loved using the jeans/genes. I never saw the other side because I’m in it as a woman. Yes, it does look like a pair of women’s legs and it does exclude some that have a rare disease.” “I think it looks great. I remember when I first saw it and loved it bc I can see genes and denim jeans and DNA strand. It’s very recognizable to me.”
Our goal is a brand evolution - not a revolution. It is important that we remain recognizable in the space while representing the growth that has occurred within our organization and the more diverse community we serve.


Stay Away From:
Similar logos / feel of some of the other larger players in the rare disease space, including the below. Some similarities between these:
Stars/points (NORD, RDD, ELF, Eurodis
Green, pink, blue (RDD, Eurodis, RDI)
        

Symbolism that would be too on the nose
Globe
Gene shape specifically
Zebra head
Stay away from shadows/3D, but gradients are potentially ok

Logo could be icon + Global Genes 
The new logo has to work with the existing RARE-X logo
Simple, bold minimalism, modern