“Every time we look at our new brand we feel happy…”

So say the founders of DMC Healthcare, Anil and Dr Ravi, having recently commissioned Salix & Co to refresh the company’s brand identity. As a leading provider of primary and community care services, DMC had grown rapidly meaning a state of constant flux and a focus first and foremost on operational matters. As more people joined the organisation, some at HQ and others working remotely, the requirement for clearly articulated common purpose and values became more pressing.

DMC started life as a single GP practice and now employs over 100 people across the UK. Anil Gupta recognises they were in a hurry to grow and "started life with a logo designed by an intern and not much else. After ten years of  a largely haphazard approach to our communications, we knew we needed to take a step back."

Salix took a root and branch 'inside out' approach to DMC’s refreshed brand identity. Tim Heard, Salix's reative director explains: "a brand is not simply a visual identity but a complex set of functional, comparative and emotional attributes.  It's what people feel about you." Salix looks at brand in market context, running a purposeful workshop to understand an organisation's long term vision and strategic objectives before undertaking perception audits and gathering market intelligence. "Only then can you begin the process of identifying brand essence and values before bringing the brand personality to life through words, colour and images" says Heard.

The Guptas conclude: “Not only does the new brand reflect the journey we’ve travelled, from GP surgery to diversified healthcare provider, it’s changed our dynamic as a company. We have a common sense of purpose and are proactively living our brand as a family-based organisation. And, even better - from a commercial perspective, it’s helped to increase our bid rate.”