International Maternal and Newborn Health Conference 2023
Sector(s):
Service(s):
The Impact
1,800
attendees from 95+ countries
700+
speakers and presenters
28
official country delegations
4,239+ sq ft.
of on-site branding (the size of ~1.5 tennis courts)
Amplifying solutions to improve maternal and newborn health
AlignMNH was supporting the first International Maternal and Newborn Health Conference (IMNHC), to be held in Cape Town, South Africa. With the goal of improving maternal and newborn survival and preventing stillbirths in a coordinated and inclusive manner, over 1,800 national leaders, policymakers, technical leaders, program managers, and other interested parties from around the world would gather to review progress and share emerging science, effective implementation strategies, and proven best practices. Together, the attendees would strive to achieve the ambitious targets outlined in the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
AlignMNH partnered with Be the Change Group to develop the IMNHC 2023 story, theme, and tagline that would be central to all messaging and communications. We identified and evaluated other international health conferences and conferences from other sectors (24 in total), along with their brand assets, to ensure that the IMNHC name, theme, and visual identity would be unique, relevant, and timely. Working closely with AlignMNH, we created a distinctive logo and brand style to reflect the purpose of the conference and the culture of the host country with sensitivity and authenticity, and to increase awareness, attention, and amplification of the conference objectives for key audiences.
Our team flew to Cape Town prior to the conference in May 2023 to supervise the installation of conference assets at the venue and provide additional design support as needed. During the conference, we supported the run-of-show for all plenary sessions. After the conference, as attendees shared images and their experiences through social media and other channels, IMNHC 2023 lived on.
Creating the brand identity
To ensure that the proposed IMNHC 2023 brand identity would clearly articulate the purpose of the conference, meet the goals of the IMNHC team, and function effectively in multiple communications settings, we grounded our work in facts and evidence.
Once we had drafted potential concepts, we applied a full team assessment to each of them. This brought together members of our Research, Design + Development, and Communications + Strategy teams, ensuring that we viewed the concepts with a holistic, cross-disciplinary lens, again cross-checking with brand goals, the AlignMNH brand, and research into maternal newborn health communities at large.
Going beyond design
From branding to launch, we worked closely with the IMNHC team. We flew to Washington D.C. to meet communication partners and the larger IMNHC planning team to discuss the goals and structure of the conference. We envisioned and discussed the visual experience of the conference, and in 2023, our team visited Cape Town to support the client team in on-the-ground preparation for the conference. Part of this work included selecting the conference venue, reviewing vendor partners, and overseeing the quality of brand assets at the site.
In addition to creating the brand identity and supporting the conference in Cape Town, we created a toolkit and website that the conference team could use to feature valued sponsors, dynamically introduce plenaries, promote the conference, and secure more funding.
The brand in action
During the conference, our team members collaborated closely with the IMNHC team and local event team to bring our vision to life. From supervising the installation to trouble-shooting with the AV team, the conference was a unique opportunity for our team to be truly hands-on with the brand all the way from concept to deployment.
You can read more about our inspiration and process for creating the conference theme and brand in the story Birth of a Brand Identity.
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