As with most good things, it all started with a cup of tea. Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance (DSAA) approached us for a campaign called "Brew for the Crew", a grassroots fundraiser that rallied locals to put the kettle on in support of the emergency services. This is the kind of campaign we love at Teapot - something impactful that gives back to the community. But something bigger was brewing.
During an initial kick-off meeting, one stakeholder nailed the bigger issue with a line that stuck with us: “How would they know it’s from DSAA?” This wasn’t just about beverages; it was about the brand. Recognition. Trust. This realisation led to the brief being expanded, and we got to work on the deeper project of an identity that could carry their mission further, faster.
DSAA operates 19 hours a day, 365 days a year, delivering critical care by helicopter and road across some of the South West’s most remote terrain. In 2023 alone, they responded to nearly 3,000 incidents, with each mission costing around £3,500.
Their team was sharp, strategic and driven, but their visual and verbal toolkit hadn’t kept pace. There were no brand guidelines, no shared tone of voice, and assets that were hit-or-miss in the field. Even staff members weren’t sure which logos to use, or where. Ultimately, their brand wasn’t reflecting the quality of their work.
Brew for the Crew was just the spark, as what followed was a full brand rethink that could stretch between trauma site and town hall, cardiac arrest and Class 6.
We worked with the client to identify the main concerns - a logo that lacked versatility, a tone that felt inconsistent and an identity that wasn’t working as hard as the people it represented. As stakeholder buy-in was going to be key, we kicked things off with a brand workshop, inviting stakeholders to bring their rawest truths and biggest hopes. This helped us to gather some fantastic insights, as well as build a foundation of a shared dialogue that would enable us to work alongside each other.
Inspired by the award-winning brand guidelines of RNLI, we built a brand strategy and tone of voice rooted in three pillars: Active, personal and reliable. Strong enough to carry clinical messaging, soft enough to feel close.
A modular logo suite was then crafted, from helicopter-ready emblems to tiny icon marks. We paired these with a fresh palette of bright green for clarity, forest green for grounding, yellow for energy (a nod to their aircraft "Peggy"), red for calls to action, and cream for warmth. Colours that would both help them stand out when needed and feel right at home in the South West countryside. Figtree became the brand typeface due to it being modern, friendly, and readable. All tied up in a brand book that’s clear, useful and built for everyday use.
"The Brew for the Crew fundraiser has immediately seen an increase in activity… Teapot enabled us to challenge ourselves in such a positive way."
Emma Jones, Fundraising Manager
DSAA
Once the brand development project was complete, we returned to that first campaign. Brew for the Crew needed to sit in community centres and cafes without losing its link to emergency care. We created a character-led, illustration-driven style that celebrated crew and community alike; friendly faces, accessible assets, and a CTA that said “Have a cuppa, help save lives”.
We designed a full suite of charity campaign deliverables: posters, bunting, cake toppers, social templates... It had to be fun, functional and fuss-free and work for the schools, WI groups, and bakers that would be running these events.
In week one, three businesses and seven communities signed up, plus eleven packs were downloaded, showing a big uplift versus other site forms. Fundraising totals showed a vast improvement on other recent campaigns - a great early sign, especially for a soft launch. Social reach was smaller than their helicopter or mission posts (no surprise), but the Brew post still hit 2,389 people and sparked 137 engagements, which was plenty to build on.
Internally, the shift was immediate with staff that fully understood the update and how do use it - but most importantly, they loved it.
"It started with a campaign, and it evolved into a brand that flies - our job as creatives is to question every brief, not just do what we’re told. From helicopters to hashtags, bake sales to briefings, DSAA now looks and sounds like the lifesaving service it is."
Lizzie, Director