Simple, Human, Unified: WMH&I Creates Brand Identity for Surrey Domestic Abuse Partnership

The award-winning agency designed the identity to cut through complexity and help people better understand the realities of domestic abuse

Award-winning London-based branding agency WMH&I has crafted a new brand identity for Surrey Domestic Abuse Partnership (SDAP), which brings together four independent charities to support survivors of domestic abuse across Surrey.

SDAP is one of the UK’s leading domestic abuse partnerships, formed by North Surrey Domestic Abuse Service, East Surrey Domestic Abuse Services, South West Surrey Domestic Abuse Service, and Your Sanctuary. Combined, SDAP delivers stronger protection, broader guidance, and deeper understanding for survivors across Surrey.

While SDAP’s work is wide-ranging, expert and well-established, the partnership itself has lacked visibility. Externally, awareness remained low, with many stakeholders unable to identify SDAP by name. Internally, its role was poorly defined in practice, leaving partners uncertain about the boundaries between the partnership and its member organisations.

WMH&I set out to create a brand that could clarify SDAP’s role, unify its partners, and communicate the scale and nuance of its work with simplicity and humanity.

The strategic idea, ‘Our differences make the difference’, came directly from the structure of the organisation. Each partner brings distinct expertise; from refuges and helplines to specialist support for diverse communities, and together they form a system no single organisation could deliver alone.

This idea also reflects the reality of domestic abuse: every experience is different, and no single response is sufficient. The identity is deliberately simple, designed to make complex and sensitive issues easier to understand. The brand concept was centred on an anonymous figure, intentionally neutral and without identifying characteristics, able to represent anyone affected by domestic abuse. 

The logo uses negative space to hold this figure safely, creating a subtle symbol of protection and confidentiality. A bold colour palette, confident typography and the sign-off ‘Unique and United’ create a clear and consistent system across all touchpoints.

The result is a brand that resolves confusion, reflects the partnership’s true strength, and enables SDAP to show up as a single, unified force delivering expert, human support.

Michelle Blunsom MBE, CEO at SDAP said: “Communicating the breadth of our services and the structure of our partnership has always been a challenge. WMH&I took the time to truly understand the sensitive nature of our work and delivered a brand that feels aligned with our purpose — one that speaks to the unique circumstances faced by every survivor of domestic abuse.”

Daisy Benn, Co-Owner and Managing Director of WMH&I, said: “SDAP does extraordinary work, but there was a lack of understanding around their partnership model and the extensive support they provide. Our ambition was to cut through the confusion, creating an identity that makes a complex, sensitive issue feel human and approachable, and moves away from the outdated, gendered imagery that still dominates the category.”

WMH&I’s project for SDAP forms part of the agency’s ongoing commitment to reinvest 20% of profits into pro bono work.

Source: WMH&I

  Brand Identity, Branding, SDAP, WMH&I