Active Care Group: Uniting 40 separate businesses behind a powerful, unifying philosophy

The Active Care Group (ACG) is the 3rd largest complex care provider in the UK. The Group was formed in 2019, bringing together over 40 care providers to form a new progressive specialist healthcare business with a national footprint and unique focus on complex care. In a sector ripe for radical change and where there is growing demand for complex care services, yet no clear national leader – there was a clear opportunity for ACG, yet it faced many challenges. Insight We took the time to go and meet staff at every level and in every area of the business and to listen carefully to their experiences. What became clear was that while many truly loved what they did, they felt undervalued. We also came to appreciate that complex care is a holistic endeavour that requires a whole team of different experts. Watching the pantomime staged by service users and staff was a moment of realisation when we truly understood what Active Care meant. Rapid growth meant that there was no clear brand strategy, narrative or framework to bring these different organisations together and explain in a clear and compelling way what the Group stood for. So we took the time to really get under the skin of every part of the organisation – to understand what role each business played and how it contributed to the whole. In addition to the need for a unifying story that focused on ACG’s people, value and impact, there was a need to simplify the brand architecture and shift to one unifying master brand and integrated offer. This would help to counter legacy issues, channel organisational resources in one direction, and create a more powerful and focused identity. Ideas Active Care isn’t just the name of the Group – it’s the central idea, the philosophy, and the spirit that runs through everything they do. It’s the reason people come to work every day to care for others with so many complex needs. We used this concept to create a powerful and emotive brand proposition and story that emphasised how ACG’s unique and holistic approach delivers a better quality of care which leads to a better quality of life for the adults, young people and children in their care. We simplified the brand architecture, adopting a masterbrand approach which stripped away unnecessary sub-brands to reveal a bolder, more confident, coherent Group structure. After finalising the brand strategy, we designed a visual identity system that reflected the progressive, innovative nature of the organisation but crucially was also human, positive and warm. Just like their incredible team of carers, nurses, therapists and support workers. We transformed their tone of voice and messaging to be simpler, more personal, active, and optimistic; using the collective voices of their people to tell the story of this ambitious healthcare Group. This dramatic rebrand was designed to appeal to a much younger audience of care workers, to demonstrate the warmth and personality of the service and to disrupt a very conventional healthcare sector. Impact We have guided ACG through every step of this transformation and helped them to realise the truly progressive care business they are. From what began as a recruitment campaign, the project expanded to a full rebrand – this included a new brand identity for 3 major sub-brands along with the master brand; an extensive overhaul and refresh of all communications; and a brand new website. This has enabled the organisation to have much greater cut-through and influence with key audiences – demonstrating their holistic offer in a clear and engaging way. The first integrated recruitment campaign delivered under the new brand, telling the real stories of people who work in the organisation to inspire others to join, has led to a 450% year on year increase* in high-quality job applications for roles across the Group.