Building Wilberforce Sans: the rallying typeface central to RSPCA’s new identity

Studio DRAMA creates RSPCA Wilberforce Sans, a distinctive typeface crafted alongside JKR’s new brand identity for the iconic animal welfare charity.

The Challenge

Studio DRAMA’s latest partnership with creative agency Jones Knowles Ritchie (JKR) delivers Wilberforce Sans, the custom typeface at the heart of the new brand identity for the UK’s iconic animal welfare charity RSPCA.

The challenge: to build a bold, distinctive typeface that helps put the society back into the RSPCA.

This collaboration informed a cohesive brand and type story that is seen in the interactions between illustration and typography throughout the identity, as showcased in the RSPCA’s nationwide launch campaign “For Every Kind”.

***“Creating Wilberforce Sans was an exciting journey into RSPCA's rich heritage and British typographic tradition. Inspired by archival gems and protest signage, every curve and ligature tells a story of RSPCA's commitment to compassion and change.”

– Chris Nott, Creative Director, Studio DRAMA***

Inspired by the Great British Grotesque

Designed to inspire a movement by building a bespoke RSPCA typeface fit for the future, Studio DRAMA started by looking back to move forward: taking inspiration from the organisation’s rich archives.

Wilberforce Sans draws inspiration from the British grotesque typeface classification and other woodblock faces. Stephenson Blake’s Grotesque No.9 was a core inspiration, evoking characterful enclosed terminals and apertures reminiscent of old RSPCA wordmarks and signage.

Wilberforce Sans is named in honour of a Great Brit, founding member and abolitionist, William Wilberforce. His vision of a caring world where all people and animals are treated equally with compassion continues to drive the organisation’s mission today.