ABOUT

Once Upon a Smile was founded by Daniel Jillings and Danny Miller, to provide emotional and practical support to bereaved families, after it became apparent that there was a lack of support for families after the death of a loved one, specifically a parent or child/sibling.

They are the only children’s bereavement organisation in Greater Manchester.

We were referred to the charity by a mutual acquaintance, the initial request was to quote for a new WordPress website. It had become evident that their existing website was hard to update and had a confused user experience. At a time of need, the last thing people want is to struggle to find the information they need to be able to get in touch with the charity.

Objective
The primary objective of this campaign was to enhance Once Upon a Smile’s ability to support bereaved families by creating a user-friendly, accessible, and visually engaging digital presence.

Specifically, we aimed to:
• Redesign their outdated website to improve user experience and ease of navigation, ensuring families in need could quickly find critical information.
• Increase engagement with the charity’s services and events by providing clear, accessible communication across digital and print platforms.

Quantifiable targets included:
• Increasing website page views rates by 10%.
• Doubling inquiries through the website within six months of launch.
• Achieving a 25% increase in event participation for their Grand Ball fundraiser.

Budget
A commercial project estimate of £20,000, we agreed a charity-friendly budget of £8,000, broken down as follows:

• Website redesign and development: £8,000
• Brand audit and refresh: FOC pro bono
• Design and rollout of branded assets (social media templates, event marketing materials, etc.): FOC pro bono

This budget reflects significant cost reductions as part of our commitment to supporting charitable organisations.

Execution
We began with a comprehensive brand audit to identify gaps in Once Upon a Smile’s existing visual identity. Recognising that the logo and branding did not align with the charity’s mission or personality, we proposed a full rebrand to better reflect the charity’s purpose, values, and the positive outcomes of their work, before addressing the website redesign.

This work was completed at no charge to the charity.

The rebrand drew inspiration from the playful and calming atmosphere of Sidley House’s support rooms. We incorporated simple shapes from children’s artwork into a flexible illustration set and expanded the colour palette with seven additional vibrant tones.

Friendlier typefaces were introduced for accessibility and a sense of warmth.

Next, we restructured the website through detailed planning and wireframe testing to optimize user journeys. The design phase emphasised clean layouts, playful elements, and animations that reflected the new brand identity while maintaining functionality.

Simultaneously, we rolled out the refreshed branding across all charity assets, including social media templates, newsletters, event marketing materials, and fundraising collateral. The Grand Ball fundraiser was also brought under the new branding for consistency.

The project culminated in a cohesive launch of the rebrand and website on 23rd February, 2025.

Results & evaluation
The campaign exceeded expectations across all objectives:
• Website page views increased by 35%, surpassing our target of 10%.
• Form submissions dramatically increased within two-months post-launch. From 8 to 100!
• And attendance to the Grand Ball fundraiser sold in record time (over 500 people)

The refreshed branding received overwhelmingly positive feedback from stakeholders and users alike. Daniel Jillings’ response—“I love it”—and Emmerdale’s Danny Miller’s enthusiastic endorsement highlighted its success in capturing the charity’s essence.

Once Upon a Smile now has a cohesive brand identity that resonates with its audience while effectively supporting its mission to provide emotional and practical support to bereaved families.