case studies

Ornge

Brand Foundation / Name / Visual Identity

As the Ontario Air Ambulance evolved from numerous operations into a single, coordinated unit in 2006, three consultants' attempts were unsuccessful in creating a new name and visual identity for the evolved Brand. It was clear to Instinct that stakeholders inside the Brand were not able to articulate exactly what their Brand was, and therefore could not recognize whether or not the logos presented to them were the right fit.

Long before the designers are brought in, a Brand must be defined in an unchangeable Brand Foundation. In our process of building one for this client, it became apparent that although people think of air ambulances as simply their road cousins with wings, the reality is extraordinary. They are virtual hospitals, staffed by elite paramedics whose care, training and equipment are unheard of, even within the medical community itself.

There was thus a need to evolve the Brand in a way that conveyed its 21st century, cutting-edge expertise. The term "air ambulance" was identified as not properly reflecting what these professionals actually did — so we introduced a new term as the Brand's business descriptor: Transport medicine.

Informed by the evolved, modern positioning of the Brand, ornge — as a contemporary morph of the predominant color on the fleet's helicopters and fixed wing aircraft — was the client's clear choice as a new name.

And finally: appearing both as a pair of caring hands and a set of angel wings, the logo contributes to the unmistakable aircraft that will have people proudly recognizing ornge as they thunder overhead or land on hospital roofs, busy expressways and the evening news.

BRAND FOUNDATION

Core Purpose – Why we exist.
Extending the best hospital level of care to anywhere people choose to live, empowering them to make their own quality-of-life choices.

Vision – Where we are going; how we will know we're there.
To be the recognized world leader in the innovation, education and operation of transport medicine services.

Mission – What we do every day to get there.
Driven by an ingrained deep caring, we crusade continuously on behalf of patients, breaking paradigms with innovation, education and performance excellence.

Values – What we believe in; our principles.
We are dedicated
We are accountable
We are innovative
We are compassionate

Position – How we are different.
Virtual hospital

Positioning Statement – How we say we are different.
The highest level of care to anywhere

Character – How we act; our voice
In the spirit of lead, follow or get out of the way...
Deeply caring
Demanding of excellence
Crusading
Superb customer service providers
Educating
Team players
Entrepreneurial
Smart