Thorn's rebrand uses a rose's thorn as a symbol of active defence for children

Rebrand the charity, then called Thorn after earlier being the DNA Foundation, around a manifesto that restores a child's basic right to be safe, curious and happy.

Use a thorn as the mark, since a thorn protects the flower: a symbol of unity, strength in numbers and active defence, pared back for a sensitive subject.

A six-month project: a flat line-drawn rose-thorn symbol, an all-caps sans-serif logotype, an orange, navy and white palette, a suite of line icons for safety, reach and impact, and minimal photography.

Design Week reported the branding rolling out across online platforms, print, marketing materials, merchandise and Thorn's office interiors.

In November 2017 Design Week reported that Wolff Olins's New York office had rebranded Thorn, a charity founded in 2009 by actors Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore as the DNA Foundation and renamed in 2012. Thorn works with NGOs and tech companies on technology to stop sexual abuse of children online and to disrupt sex trafficking networks.

The rebrand came from a six-month project and a new manifesto, 'Until every child can be a kid', which aims to restore a child's basic right to be safe, curious and happy. Creative director Cynthia Pratomo said the visual look aims to be more optimistic and pro-active.

It features a flat, line-drawn thorn symbol, an all-caps sans-serif logotype that is sharper and more solid than the old one, and a palette of orange, navy blue and white. The thorn stands for how a thorn protects a flower and is repeated across communications for unity and active defence. Imagery is intentionally pared back because of the subject's sensitivity.

The charity wanted a brand that felt optimistic and pro-active rather than grim.

The thorn works as a symbol of protection and community.

A sharper, more solid logotype signals strength.

Pared-back photography respects the sensitive subject matter.

For work on a painful subject, an identity can lead with protection and optimism and let restraint, not shock imagery, carry the seriousness.

The new branding was rolling out across Thorn's online platforms, print and marketing materials, merchandise and office interiors at the time of Design Week's report.