ILO | Brand Identity

Developing a brand to cement the ILO as a leader in the world of work

Challenge

As a specialised United Nations agency that handles all labour-related issues, the International Labour Organization (ILO) is the leading global authority on the future of work. The sheer volume of work-related themes and topics under the ILO’s scope and its global decentralised nature meant that the brand struggled to speak from a single, unifying platform. As it marked its 100th year, the ILO enlisted RY’s help in bringing its brand squarely into the modern day and articulating a clear brand direction for the future.

Approach

To demonstrate a unified approach amid its international presence, we built a brand strategy cementing the ILO as the leading global authority in the world of work. We then built a creative concept framed by tripartism – the partnership between governments, workers and employers on which the ILO is built.

We refreshed the iconic logo and developed a new visual identity based on an equilateral triangle, the strongest shape in geometry. We then developed comprehensive guidelines and brand assets in both traditional and digital formats, also devising a flexible brand architecture capable of organising the multiple levels of hierarchy across regions, departments, programmes and projects. Critically, we also worked to ensure the organisation had a central brand website to support brand governance and guide implementation.

Results

With its centenary year now complete, the ILO has been rolling out the new identity throughout 2020. Armed with the brand work we’ve developed for this complex, forward-facing organisation - the ILO will be equipped with the proper brand tools to communicate its brand and vision as one unified, global agency. This work has also led to a series of brave, powerful activations to help the ILO in its continued fight for decent work for all of humanity.