The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is a UK charity funding research into heart and circulatory diseases. Its visual identity is built around a distinctive heartbeat or pulse-line motif that has been part of the organisation’s branding for decades.
Design and History
The BHF’s famous “heartbeat” logo was designed in 1971 by Sheila Harrison, one of the charity’s regional organisers at the time. Harrison originally used the mark on posters and t-shirts for volunteers to publicise local events, and it has remained in use since, becoming one of the most recognisable charity logos in the UK.[1][2]
In 2018, the BHF undertook a strategic brand review that led to a complete overhaul of its brand identity, introducing a new proposition and tagline, “Beat Heartbreak Forever.”[3][4] The charity worked with the agency Wolff Olins on this strategic brand review.[4] The rebrand was described by the charity’s director of fundraising as featuring “more warmth, more emotion and a slightly different look and feel,” and was launched later that summer.[3]
Earlier, in 2014, the BHF worked with design agency The Partners on a new proposition, “Fight for Every Heartbeat,” which was expressed through tone of voice and visual communication rather than a new logo.[5]
Meaning and Symbolism
The BHF logo depicts a heart shape combined with a pulse or heartbeat line, representing both the heartbeat and the flow of blood through the body.[6] The charity’s own gift shop describes the mark as “our iconic logo in the form of an ECG pulse line.”[7] The design is built on a pulse and flow movement, with the logo representing the heartbeat and the rush of blood through the body.[8]
Typography and Design
As part of the 2018 rebrand, a custom headline typeface called BHF Beats was created, inspired by the pulse logo. The typeface was designed by the type foundry F37.[6] Following the rebrand, additional brand guidelines were developed covering areas such as brand partnership approach and naming practices, with new sections rolled into the core BHF guidelines for staff and third parties.[9]
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