GeneDx

The Client
GeneDx is a leading clinical genomics company, specialising in exome and whole-genome sequencing for the diagnosis of rare genetic conditions. With over 25 years of experience, GeneDx has built one of the world’s largest rare-disease genetic databases and is widely recognised for its innovation and impact.

The Brief
In a sea of sameness, GeneDx was getting lost. Like many medical companies, their visual language relied on familiar colour palettes and imagery meaning their expertise and unique offering was being overlooked. Following an in depth internal strategy and positioning exercise, GeneDx needed a design partner to translate this thinking into a robust and distinctive visual system that could work across all brand touch points.

Our Focus
We immersed ourselves in the new brand strategy and positioning before undertaking a detailed brand audit and competitor review. It became clear that the identity needed to move away from the sterile, clinical aesthetic into a more human and approachable space.

New Brand Elements
GeneDx speaks to two core audiences; physicians and patients or caregivers and therefore the identity needed to flex comfortably between both. Our focus was on building adaptability into the system, allowing the brand to be dialled up or down depending on context and audience.

The existing GeneDX logo and cobalt blue were well recognised within the industry, so we retained them as anchors. Around this we built a broader brand world, this included an expanded colour palette to increase flexibility and a suite of shapes derived from scientific forms in cell biology to frame imagery and content. Rounded containers were introduced to soften layouts, while hand drawn details including underlines and doodles add a distinctly human touch.

Tone of Voice
GeneDx often works with sensitive subject matters and, at times, delivers life-changing news. Getting their tone of voice right was therefore essential. We worked with copywriter Sophie Titcomb to develop an in depth framework that carefully balances expertise with empathy, without ever feeling condescending. The tone focuses on forging genuine connection and communicating with care, respect and clarity. These principles were then rolled out by Kendra Futcher within a detailed tone of voice guideline document which included advice and examples for others writing for the brand.

Infographics
As a company working with large volumes of complex data, it was important to establish a clear and consistent approach to infographics. We developed a simple, flexible system supported by strong guidance around colour hierarchy and number styling, ensuring information could be communicated clearly and confidently.

GeneDx Infinity
As part of the project, we helped to define the visual architecture of the GeneDx brand, encompassing the master brand, sub-brands and products and services. This included exploring how the GeneDx name would appear across sub-brands and how shared visual assets could flex within the system.

We defined and created the brand toolkit for GeneDx Infinity by selecting a single colour from the core GeneDx palette and assigning it its own distinctive shape and icon style. The result is a sub-brand that stands confidently on it’s own whilst maintaining a clear connection to the master brand.

Guidelines
As the new brand identity was to be rolled out by GeneDx’s internal design team, it was essential that all elements were captured within a comprehensive set of brand guidelines. The document we crafted includes a wide range of examples covering both digital and print applications, alongside clear rules around the use of all brand elements.

Impact
The rebrand has been met with overwhelmingly positivity feedback, and GeneDx’s digital team successfully used the new brand guidelines and assets to launch their new website. The brand now stands apart from competitors, feeling more human and approachable while remaining professional and credible.