Bipolar Edinburgh

In the years following the pandemic, the number of people attending our in-person meetups was struggling to recover. So it was agreed that a rebrand would help give Bipolar Edinburgh a refresh, to further our goals of connecting people and offering practical tools to help manage mental health.

Volunteers with lived experience guided the design process, ensuring the result was respectful and truly representative of the community. The previous logo, featuring a binary happy/sad face, no longer reflected the richness or diversity of the people we support. The new identity acknowledges the emotional realities of bipolar, while advocating for the idea that you can still live well with a bipolar diagnosis.

“In our world of emerging AI-generated logos, they weren’t up to the task here, as each suggestion was quickly deemed inappropriate. Instead, a more nuanced, poetic, and perhaps challenging approach was pursued by a team of people with lived experience.”
Lewis Brooks, Designer

Every design choice was made to build trust and create a welcoming space for those navigating their diagnosis. One key challenge was how to create a warm, human identity without showing identifiable faces, out of care for privacy. The solution came through photographic storytelling, using playful shadows and symbolic props like umbrellas in recognisable Edinburgh locations. This extended the weather narrative while depicting those who didn’t wish to be directly featured.

Accessibility and emotional wellbeing were prioritised in the digital experience. The website features a soft off-white background to reduce eye strain, especially for those researching late at night, when sleep is often a challenge. Visitors can also order free practical tools such as mood scales, intro guides, and leaflets, which are now used across GP surgeries, mental health services, and suicide prevention events.

“The intro guides and mood scales are highly popular and are widely used, not only in peer support teams, but across GP practices and local mental health services.”
Claire, Penumbra Mental Health

“I’m so proud of our new brand. Since the rebrand, our in-person peer support group attendance has increased by 21%, and page views on our website have seen an amazing 570% increase.”
Michelle, Bipolar Edinburgh