Rebranding a 102-year-old charity for global impact

During our centenary in 2023, we launched an organisational strategy with a clear commitment: by 2027 we would build a brand capable of engaging new audiences and strengthening support for working animals worldwide.

We’d recognised that our name SPANA (Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad) was limiting our impact. People were unsure how to pronounce SPANA. They often thought we only worked in Spain. And the word ‘Abroad’ made it difficult for local partners to talk about our work.

We needed a brand that immediately communicated our mission and made working animals impossible to overlook.

From the start, our rebrand project was grounded in evidence and inclusivity. We consulted more than 1,000 stakeholders, including supporters, potential supporters, global partners and staff. Research interviews were conducted across eight countries and in three languages, ensuring our new brand reflected diverse perspectives and resonated globally.

The resulting brand strategy repositioned working animals from the margins to the centre of the conversation. Alongside our new name, we developed a new visual identity, tone of voice and messaging framework designed to communicate with clarity, urgency and optimism. Our new identity presents working animals as resilient, essential and worthy of global recognition, while ensuring all our language is ethical, inclusive and culturally sensitive. We launched as Working Animals International on 22 April 2026.

Supporter feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Internally, our rebrand has increased confidence and engagement. Our launch has also delivered a significant increase in reach and visibility.