Charity brands don’t live in your logo, and they don’t live in your brand guidelines either. A brand exists where your charity exists in the minds of others – in what people believe you stand for, how you make them feel, and what they say about you when you’re not in the room.

That was the core idea at the heart of our latest webinar, Strong Charity Brands: Building trust, profile and love for your organisation, hosted on 17 July 2025. In the session, nfpResearch’s Cian Murphy (Co Managing Director) and Eva Spencer (Senior Researcher) explored the role of trust, perception and emotional resonance in building a brand that doesn’t just stand out, but sticks. Here’s a summary of what they shared – and what we took away.

What is a brand, really?

Cian opened the session with a reminder that a brand isn’t what you say about yourself – it’s what others say about you. He offered Apple as a useful parallel: some people see sleek design and innovation, others think of poor factory conditions. Both are part of the brand.

In the charity sector, this means your brand is built as much from your mission and messaging as from media stories, stakeholder impressions, and public expectations. Which makes managing it both an art and a science.

Building a brand: balancing head and heart

Strong brands speak to both the head and the heart.

Head: This is about awareness and facts. Do people know you exist? Do they understand what you do? This is the ‘explainable’ side of a brand – the bit you can report to your board.

Heart: This is about emotional connection. Do people believe in your mission? Do they feel a sense of trust, admiration or urgency when they hear your name?

As Cian explained, effective charity brands balance these two. They offer clarity and connection – and never lean so far into data or storytelling that they lose the other.

What does the public look for in a charity brand?

Eva presented findings from our nfpPublic research showing the key attributes the public most values in a charity. Across sectors, the top qualities for an “ideal” charity brand were:

• Trustworthy
• Caring
• Supportive
• Friendly
• Professional

But the public doesn’t view every sector equally. Some causes start with higher levels of trust than others – and some face steeper climbs when it comes to public perception.

Sector-specific expectations

• Cancer charities: Seen as warm, friendly and supportive – reflecting their often personal, close-to-home impact.
• Environmental charities: Expected to be campaigning and proactive – change-makers rather than carers.
• Overseas aid charities: Face scepticism in some areas, but score well when perceived as responsive and humanitarian.

The implication here is that branding isn’t one-size-fits-all: sector context matters, and the traits your audience looks for may not always be the ones you’re leading with.

Trust: essential, but unevenly distributed

One of the strongest themes from the session was the critical role of trust in driving public support. But, trust isn’t automatically granted; some sectors have lower “default” levels of public trust than others.

Cian noted that overseas aid and religious charities typically start from a lower base, meaning they need to work harder to build confidence. But good branding can shift this. Clear, consistent communications and strategic framing can help organisations in low-trust sectors reposition themselves over time.

Brand health is a journey – not a campaign

Eva introduced the concept of the brand health journey, which includes four key stages:

1. Awareness – Have people heard of you?
2. Understanding – Do they know what you do?
3. Affinity – Do they like you and believe in your cause?
4. Engagement – Are they willing to take action?

Each stage builds on the last – and none should be taken for granted. Skipping straight to engagement without securing awareness and affinity rarely works.

Younger generations aren’t automatically ‘switching on’ to charities

One sobering trend from the data: millennials – now in their 30s and 40s – still show lower average awareness of charity brands than Gen X did at the same age. In other words, brand awareness isn’t just something that happens over time. It requires active investment.

If the sector wants to ensure future support, it can’t rely on reputation alone. It needs to keep introducing itself – clearly and compellingly – to new audiences.

Distinctiveness beats difference

With hundreds of thousands of charities in the UK alone, it’s not enough to be good – you need to be memorable.

Eva presented analysis from our nfpBrand data showing that the most successful charity brands aren’t necessarily the ones doing something entirely different. They’re the ones who stake out clear emotional territory – and reinforce it consistently.

Examples of distinctive charity brands

• Royal British Legion: A clear category leader in armed forces charities, with strong public and parliamentary recognition.
• Great Ormond Street Hospital: Successfully ties emotional connection with tangible outcomes in children’s healthcare.
• Crisis: Known for its clarity, urgency and consistent messaging around homelessness.

These charities aren’t reinventing their brands each year. They’re building familiarity and trust over time – and reaping the rewards.

Rebranding? Proceed with patience

If your organisation is rebranding or considering a change in direction, the message from the session was clear: don’t expect quick wins.

Eva shared the example of Breast Cancer Now, which went through a successful rebrand – but only saw its awareness and trust metrics recover after sustained, long-term investment.

Brand-building is a long game. Shortcuts rarely lead where you want to go.

Practical takeaways

Here’s what we took from the session – and what we think is most worth reflecting on:

• Your brand lives in public perception – not your strapline.
• Balance emotional and rational messaging – people need to understand and feel.
• Don’t ignore sector dynamics – expectations differ by cause.
• Trust is earned through clarity and consistency – especially in low-trust sectors.
• Younger generations need targeted investment – awareness won’t grow by accident.
• Rebranding needs time, budget and consistency – not just a new look and feel.

Final thoughts – and a question

Charity brands aren’t built on paper – they’re built in people’s hearts and minds. They take time, intention and honesty. And they have enormous potential to shape how the public sees and supports your mission.

So, what’s your brand saying behind your back?

Explore the latest findings from our nfpPublic and nfpBrand research programmes.

Watch the recording of Strong Charity Brands: Building trust, profile and love for your organisation here or below.