Branding, animation and training materials for UK parent-infant charity campaign
Giving babies the best start
The Parent-Infant Foundation, a UK charity, asked us to create the brand and campaign identity for BEAR/ARTH - a National Lottery-funded pilot to raise awareness of the importance of parent–infant relationships.
The focus was on the first 1,000 days of a child’s life - from conception to age two - a golden window when the brain grows faster than at any other time. What happens in these years lays the foundations for health, learning, and relationships across a lifetime.
The campaign launched in Wales, where all materials were produced bilingually in Welsh and English, with the aim to roll out nationally across the UK. It brings together training for professionals, public awareness, and practical resources to help everyone play their part in shaping every baby’s story.
THE OUTCOME
Bilingual brand identity and guidelines | Hand-painted illustrations and explainer animation | Practitioner tools - training templates + pocket book | Campaign collateral + digital assets
Human-centred design
The brand needed to feel professional and trusted, but also warm, inclusive and approachable. Guided by the Parent-Infant Foundation and feedback from a parent steering group, we created a hand-painted identity in watercolours to bring a human touch. At its centre, the logo shows a larger bear making eye contact with a baby bear, enclosed within a circle completed by the infinity symbol - a simple mark of connection, continuity and community. The bold blue tone was chosen for its calm and professional presence.
Building the identity
The golden thread runs throughout the brand, symbolising how experiences in the first 1,000 days weave through life and how invisible connections between babies, families, practitioners and communities help children to thrive. To carry this message through the design, we chose the typeface Family - a clear, expressive font that pairs beautifully with the illustrations and brings emphasis to key messages through scale and weight.
Bilingual by design
As a Wales-based pilot, bilingual design was essential. We created English and Welsh versions of the logo and strapline (Building Early Attuned Relationships / Adeiladu Rhyngweithiadau cynnar Tyfu teuluoedd Hyderus). All campaign materials - including the animation, book and training templates - were produced in both languages to ensure accessibility and inclusion.
Everyday illustrations
We created a suite of watercolour illustrations showing babies and carers in everyday activities - feeding, playing, reading, walking. Soft lines and pastel colours gave them warmth and approachability. They reinforce the message that it takes a village to help babies thrive and reflect the diversity of families across Wales.
Explainer animation
We produced an explainer animation that brings the illustrations to life. In clear, simple language, it explains the BEAR/ARTH concept and why the first 1,000 days matter. It is being used in practitioner training and raising wider public awareness across social media.
Training and practitioner tools
We created a set of supporting materials to reinforce the campaign during training and in day-to-day practice. Designed to be small, practical and easy to use, these ‘takeaways’ act as quick-reference guides, helping practitioners keep the key messages close at hand when working with families.
What we designed: Branded training presentation | Printed bilingual pocket board book | Takeaway information card | Crib sheet summary of training
A foundation for the future
BEAR/ARTH raises awareness of the vital role parent–infant relationships play in the first 1,000 days - the golden window that shapes health, learning and wellbeing for life. The bilingual pilot in Wales equips practitioners with clear tools and resources while making the science accessible to families and communities.
With the pilot now live, the brand provides a strong foundation for training, awareness and future evaluation - showing how small, everyday interactions can change a baby’s story.
“From the first conversation to the finished project Yoke have been a pleasure to work with. They took time at the start to really listen and understand what the Parent Infant Foundation were aiming to achieve with Building Early Attuned Relationships (BEARs).
We were impressed by the quality of their ideas and presentations, but also with the insight they showed into the core values of the work we do. This led to a collaborative process of design development and refinement that was thorough and respectful of everyone's ideas and time constraints.
We are delighted with the finished assets. They far exceed our hopes when we started the project, and the art work is particularly beautiful. The feedback we have received so far has been overwhelmingly positive and the creativity has stood out to everyone.
Highly recommended.”
Dr Liz Gregory - Parent-Infant Foundation Wales Development Lead
Our work on BEAR shows how thoughtful design and storytelling can spark real connection — turning research and empathy into something people can feel. If you’re ready to bring your own ideas to life through meaningful design, video, and strategy, we’d love to help.
