Better healthcare for better lives
Royal Society of Medicine – 5 year strategy
2021-2026
In October 2021, I played a key role in the launch of the Royal Society of Medicine’s (RSM) five-year strategy — this was the first organisation wide strategy that they had ever undertaken, and was critical to it’s post-Covid financial recovery and long-term transformation.
This strategy marked a major change for the Society, aiming to modernise its operations, redefine its membership proposition, and position it for future growth of its membership base.
Key Campaign Components:
Printed Strategy Document: A comprehensive, and easily accessible document articulating the Society’s new strategic vision and the planned changes across all areas of activity (the full document can be read here)
Photographic Exhibition: A curated physical exhibition featuring photography and case studies from prominent RSM members sharing what the Society meant to them, highlighting the human impact behind the strategy.
Digital Campaign: A coordinated rollout across email and social media channels, targeting both current and potential members to drive recruitment and aid engagement, as well as helping with their fundraising activities.
Outcomes:
Membership Growth: The campaign supported a renewed push for membership recruitment.
Financial Turnaround: Following significant losses from 2020–2023, the Society broke even financially in 2024 and achieved a surplus in 2025 — a key indicator of the strategy’s effectiveness.
Cultural Shift: Internally and externally, the campaign positioned the RSM as forward-thinking and member-focused. All employees and members were given a physical copy of the document to enable everyone to be part of the project and to know what their role in the transformation was to be.
Creative Direction:
The campaign took a deliberately stripped back, typographic approach. This was visually minimalist to reflect the seriousness of the Society’s financial position post-pandemic, and to show show that it was a fresh start for the Society. This was also the first time a document like this was produced without any photography, helping to illustrate the move from in-person to online for most of the RSM’s activities at this time. While remaining within the constraints of existing brand guidelines, the materials embraced a more neutral and simplified aesthetic, allowing:
The messaging to take centre stage, free of visual distractions
Visually communicated a “back to basics” approach
Signalled to stakeholders that funds were being directed toward essential recovery efforts.
This aesthetic was further implemented across all RSM communications as part of a neutral brand refresh that is currently still in place. This was in preparation for a full, holistic visual identity refresh scheduled for Autumn 2025.
As part of the campaign, prominent members were asked to talk about what the RSM meant to them to provide evidence to support the strategy. This was then used along with high quality photography in an online social media campaign and on-site physical exhibition to help drive membership recruitment.
