What

Brand immersion
Brand strategy
Brand identity
Brand guidelines
Brand Templates
Website guidance

How

Brand Idea – Relentlessly Relevant

The Magistrates’ Association (MA) has stood as a cornerstone of justice for over a century and is the sole independent voice for its 12,000-strong membership. It exists to keep the magistracy at its best for all of society, and aims to keep an informed, diverse magistracy connected and performing at its peak. 

Volunteer magistrates - Justices of the Peace - play a crucial role in supporting their communities - making legal decisions across England and Wales to uphold the law in criminal, family, and youth courts.

With membership dwindling, the MA embarked on a bold transformation to re-energise its relevance and widen its reach. The challenge was to craft a modern identity that resonated with both existing members (aged 60-75) and the next generation of diverse recruits (aged 40-50) targeted by the government's ongoing campaign.

After immersing ourselves in the world of the magistracy, "Relentlessly Relevant" emerged as the brand’s heartbeat - a perfect blend of heritage and ambition, symbolising the MA’s continuous evolution. 

While legal constraints meant the symbol stayed intact, we reimagined the wordmark in bold uppercase, infusing it with renewed strength and authority. The historic Coat of Arms, dating back to 1953, was reinstated, ensuring the MA’s rich legacy remained front and centre in its new identity.

Inspired by the Coat of Arms, we created a colour palette that was both sophisticated and inclusive - balancing light and dark tones that passed AAA accessibility standards. This palette became the canvas on which the brand’s typography, imagery, and tone came to life, creating a visual language that felt cohesive, timeless, and confidently modern.

We brought the brand’s layouts to life by playing with scale, giving the design energy while maintaining balance. To ensure accessibility for all 12,000 magistrates, we chose Google Fonts Antonio, Merriweather, and Inter - delivering a combination of elegance and character.

To humanise the brand, we introduced portraits of magistrates in their community environments, capturing their authenticity and approachability. The imagery, combined with a tone of voice that’s both respectful and motivational, brought the brand closer to its audience. Lines like "Made by members" and "Committed to our communities" communicated the MA's spirit of inclusivity and public service with clarity and power.

The revitalised brand gave the MA the tools to connect with a younger, more diverse audience, all while preserving its deep-rooted heritage. The result is a brand that feels unmistakably relevant - relentlessly so.