International Committee of the Red Cross: emblems of humanity

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the branding and communications strategy of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The ICRC is the world's oldest non‐religious organisation dedicated to humanitarian relief. The ICRC's remit includes civilian and military victims of armed conflicts and internal disturbances, as well as human rights issues that transcend conflict situations, such as disaster response and preparedness, health and care in the community and humanitarian principles and values. The ICRC is the founding body of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and coordinates the efforts of the National Societies and their International Federation. Design/methodology/approach Various secondary sources are used to collate the information from which the case study is developed. Findings The ICRC's longevity is attributed to its ability to evolve, albeit at times slowly. However, the environment in which the ICRC operates is changing rapidly. Like many international non‐profit organisations, the ICRC faces considerable challenges to ensure it remains relevant by responding to the shifting environment in a flexible and creative manner. Consequently, the ICRC's communication efforts have become increasingly important. Originality/value The case study provides the opportunity to examine the branding and communications strategy for a prominent non‐profit organisation.