The Partners Health, a division of the award-winning brand consultancy, has launched a new visual identify for The International AIDS Society (IAS), the world’s largest association of HIV professionals.

Under new strategic vision, the IAS commissioned The Partners Health to help it refresh its brand identity to reflect its organisational changes.

The brand proposition, identity and logo will now feature across all online, print and marketing materials as part of the IAS’ new strategy. In addition, as the IAS organises the International AIDS Conferences, the brand also is featured at the IAS exhibition booth at the 21st International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2016) in Durban, South Africa 18-22 July 2016 – the world’s largest global health gathering.

As the IAS is a membership-based organisation, the resulting work brings to life the human voices of the frontline problem solvers, people living with HIV patients, and all of those who are working tirelessly to end the epidemic. The narrative, new identity and brand proposition manifest in an impassioned brand that takes on an emotive and direct tone of voice, offering a counterpoint to scientific advancement, by conveying the societal and personal impact of HIV and thereby giving the organisation and its people a strong voice that reflects the true identity of the organisation. At the centre of the revitalised brand identity is the iconic red ribbon – the widely recognised symbol of AIDS globally – each ribbon symbolises the voice of individual IAS members and how they come together as a powerful movement.

Margaret Wolhuter, Managing Director at The Partners Health said: “The challenge for AIDS is changing. Where once we fought a universal killer disease, increasingly the enemy is apathy, complacency, prejudice, ignorance and poverty. To overcome this challenge, it was extremely important for us to reflect the IAS’ deeply personal, human connection in our work. The new strategy and design represent the humanity at the centre of the IAS brand and will help the organisation to grow further in their response to one of the biggest challenges facing humankind today”.

Owen Ryan, IAS Executive Director added: “AIDS still continues to claim many more lives than most people realise. As a membership-driven organization, we have a responsibility to be a collective voice for change that highlights the perspectives and opinions of our members. The Partners Health has done a marvellous job in capturing this human and emotive aspect of our work that is now reflected in every bit of our brand.”