Save the Children USA, legally incorporated as Save the Children Federation, Inc., is the United States member of the global Save the Children movement. The organization was established in 1932 to help children in the Appalachian Mountains during the Great Depression, modeled on the Save the Children Fund founded in Britain in 1919 by Eglantyne Jebb.[1][2] Its headquarters is located in Fairfield, Connecticut.[1] In the United States, Save the Children is the sole owner of the name “Save the Children,” a registered trademark, and is the U.S. licensee of the International Save the Children Association logo.[3]
Design and History
The core symbol of the Save the Children identity is a human figure with outstretched arms within a circular border, with the head and arms extending slightly outside the border. A badge held by the British Museum, dated 1919-2005, documents this figure as the shape of the Save the Children charity logo.[4] The figure’s origin has been traced to a design by Andrea della Robbia, from which the Save the Children Fund logo was taken, as noted in a 1929 issue of the organization’s magazine.[5]
In 2016, Save the Children launched a new global visual identity and brand guidelines developed by the independent brand agency Design Bridge. The rebrand was created to help unify the charity’s 29 member organizations following its shift to a global strategy.[6][7] Design Bridge formed a set of brand characteristics for the redesign: compassionate, courageous, pioneering and outspoken.[7] The rebrand included a new tone of voice, typography and campaign templates.[6]
Meaning and Symbolism
The circle is described in the 2016 rebrand as one of the brand’s most recognizable assets, acting as a protective symbol by encircling children in photographs, used to exemplify emotional intensity in a visually consistent manner.[6] Save the Children’s own brand guidelines similarly describe the circle as the organization’s most distinctive and valued asset, derived from its brand logo.[8]
Typography and Design
As part of the 2016 rebrand, Design Bridge introduced new typography for the organization.[6] Save the Children’s brand guidelines specify Trade Gothic LT Com Bold Condensed No.20 for English headlines and Gill Sans Infant Std for other English text, with the Chinese typeface Source Han Sans used for Chinese-language materials.[8] The guidelines also note that the logo should always appear with the red brand mark and white text.[9]
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