3/30/16 news article

new brand identity, logo reaffirms commitment to kids and community

The “Whirligig” represents exceptional care, unwavering compassion and treating each child as if they were the only child

Dayton Children’s Hospital reveals a new brand identity to reaffirm its mission, vision and commitment to kids and the community, propelled to provide the very best specialized pediatric care, close to home. The new logo is a whirligig–a spinning circle of colorful ribbons linking all caregivers, those inside the hospital as well as those outside the walls, to the child – the star at the center of it all.

“Plain and simple, no one is more committed to the health and wellbeing of the children of our community than Dayton Children’s,” says Deborah A. Feldman, president and CEO. “We exist solely to provide our kids with the very best pediatric care. Our pediatric experts are nationally recognized, but it's our specialty in caring for kids locally that truly sets us apart. We want every parent to know – your kids are our kids. We take care of them as we would our own, treating each child as if they were the only child.”

transformational change

This is a pivotal time for Dayton Children’s. The hospital is engaged in an historic change–recruiting the best specialists from around the world, engaging in revolutionary research, revitalizing the hospital's campuses, expanding into outlying communities to be close to home for families, championing advocacy for children’s health issues, and offering more services in more places than ever before.

“Dayton Children’s is not the same hospital it was, even just a few years ago,” says Feldman. “Through extensive research and brand surveys, we realized that our image in the community did not keep up with the evolution happening inside our walls. We are no longer who we are perceived to be.

“While it’s true that we are compassionate caregivers, we are also transforming care for children. We have a commitment to advance the health status of all children in our region, regardless of if they ever visit the hospital. So to define our evolution, to highlight our innovation, to renew our commitment to the community and to reaffirm our mission of providing the best care for kids, we chose a new logo that represents all of these things.”

the whirligig

The inspiration for the new logo comes from Dayton’s history of innovation in flight and connects to the hospital’s new design theme of “things that fly.” As children, the Wright brothers were inspired when their father brought home a toy whirligig. It seemed to defy gravity, floating when it should have fallen. Their awe ignited a passion that would change the world. Dayton Children’s passion to care for kids is just as strong.

Each portion of the logo has a specific meaning. “The white star within the center of the logo shows that the child is our singular focus,” says Kelly Kavanaugh, vice president of marketing and strategic planning.

“The ribbons represent the many members of our community that surround a child with care and support, as well as the many members of the care team that surround them at Dayton Children's. The vibrant colors represent the variety of services we provide, the diversity of the patient population we serve and the bright future we think all kids deserve. The lower case font illustrates how we address items at a child’s level and demonstrates our humility in being a community-supported health care system.”

when exceptional care counts

Englewood dad, Paul Neef, knows first-hand how exceptional the care is at Dayton Children’s after his 10-year-old daughter, Amanda, suffered a stroke on the playground last September. “I knew I could bring my son here when he broke his arm, but I never dreamed I would be back a few months later with my daughter to have emergency brain surgery. Even though whathappened to Amanda was incredibly rare, her neurosurgeon was able to look me in the eye and say ‘I have operated on thousands of children’s brains’ and that’s when I knew Amanda was receiving world-class care.”

a new reason to celebrate

See Amanda’s amazing story of survival.

The Neef family’s experience shows the momentous changes are not only in bricks and mortar, but in the people inside the buildings. In the past few years, the hospital made amazing advancements and continues to build on these achievements.

Recruited dozens of new specialists bringing new services, like advanced pediatric ENT and airway and the autism diagnostic center
Achieved Magnet recognition – the highest national nursing honor, recognizing excellence in quality and safety
Created the Center for Pediatric Mental Health Resources to serve the exploding mental health need and bring together a variety of hospital and community services under one umbrella
Launched the Center for Child Health and Wellness to focus on making the Miami Valley one of the healthiest places to grow up through education and outreach, child health policy and research
Joined the Wright State University & Premier Health Neurosciences Institute to lead pediatric neuroscience research and make discoveries that could change the fight against childhood brain tumors
Collaborated and partnered with other hospitals, universities, local schools, public agencies and organizations to lead innovations in research and transform care

All these programs, people and projects mean one thing – the very best for Dayton-area kids when and where they need it.

community collaborators

Dayton Children’s commitment to kids in the area doesn’t stop at the doors. It extends into being a partner in creating a thriving community in which kids can grow up secure and safe. That’s why the hospital made a commitment to stay local for the patient tower project. To date, 97 percent of the vendors involved are local.

The branding project has the same goal – to stay local. Miamisburg firm, Graphica, designed the new brand identity. In return, because Graphica’s employees are so committed to and supportive of the project, they donated a portion of their services. "We at Graphica love our partnership with Dayton Children's," says Cindy Schnell, vice president of Graphica. "The rebranding initiative has been one of those projects that has personally energized us. We have strong ties in the community and are excited to be part of the transformation of the hospital." It’s that generous support and community commitment that so often takes a project at Dayton Children’s from good to great.

In addition, Dayton Children’s sought community input on the new brand identity before making any decisions. Responses, from both adults and children, were overwhelmingly positive. They included the following sentiments:

The colors are calming yet vibrant, positive and energetic.
It shows motion and advancement.
It makes me think of cohesion and innovation.
It looks playful.
It suggests people holding hands and joining together.
The different colors make it feel very inclusive.

inventing a new future

“Our previous logo will always hold a special place in our heart,” says Feldman. “It represents our heritage, our history of compassionate care and the rock-solid foundation upon which we are built. But now it is time to take the Wright brothers lead and invent a new future. Using the icon that was their inspiration will guide us to always soar to new heights for kids.”