Insight

Through an extensive consultation programme: engaging 400 members, partners, policymakers and staff and capturing over 11,500 data points: one message came through clearly: the industry is changing fast, and the association needed to change with it.

Modernisation, consolidation, digitisation and professionalisation are reshaping the sector. Members told us that while the organisation had historically played a strong protective role, they wanted it to be more reflective of the modern, dynamic industry it represented and harness the collective voice of the industry to drive change. At the same time, the diversity of the membership was increasing, from independent, family-owned businesses to large professionally run groups, making a one-size-fits-all approach increasingly ineffective.

As parks themselves evolve to meet changing customer expectations, including becoming more digital, it was critical for the association to stay in step with these shifts too.

The brand itself was part of the challenge. The name was long, difficult to say and remember, and no longer accurately reflected the breadth of the organisation’s role. Both ‘Home’ and ‘British’ had become limiting. The visual identity, while well-loved and familiar to many members, had remained largely unchanged for over 20 years and did not translate across the growing range of digital platforms the organisation now needed to communicate through.

Crucially, the association’s significance to regional economies, local communities and the long-term success of its members, was not being clearly or confidently articulated. We needed to drive a fundamental shift: a clearer story, a stronger voice, and a brand fit for the future of this changing industry.

Ideas

Our response was to create a brand built around clarity and connection – strengthening the relationship between the association and its members, and enabling it to connect with more people, in more places, and in more ways.

To move the brand from simply protecting the industry to actively shaping its future, we developed a clear, member-centred brand strategy designed to re-establish relevance, leadership and value in a rapidly evolving landscape.

At its heart was a more explicit articulation of the association’s role in driving member success: raising standards, shaping policy, supporting professional growth, and championing the vital economic and social contribution parks make across the UK’s regions.

This began with a renewed purpose: to actively support and represent members in shaping a successful and responsible UK parks industry fit for collective futures. It directly addressed the insight that the organisation needed to move beyond a reactive, rear-guard position and take on a more visible, proactive leadership role. A new vision reframed parks not as isolated businesses, but as essential contributors to rural and coastal communities where people, economies and experiences thrive together.

Strategically, we sharpened the positioning as the leading voice for holiday and residential parks across the UK: a modern trade body that is accessible, inclusive and relevant to a broad and evolving membership – not a club for a few, but a platform for many. One that supports parks of all sizes to run their businesses effectively, stay on the right side of legislation, and collectively advance the industry’s interests through influence, advocacy and collaboration.

At the heart of the work was a new name, HARPA: the Holiday and Residential Parks Association. A direct expression of this strategy, clear, modern and memorable, it says exactly what the organisation does, while the acronym introduces a more human, familiar conversational shorthand, signalling approachability without losing authority. Building sensitively on existing brand equity and heritage, we introduced a bolder, more energising visual identity system that would drive stronger communications:

• Graphic shapes inspired by park offers and natural environments
• A colour palette rooted in landscape, nature and community
• Bold, approachable typography for clarity and confidence
• Emotive photography that speaks to real member experiences and stories
• A flexible, digital-first design system capable of personalisation and scale.

Impact

The new brand identity equips the association to support members day-to-day, stand shoulder-to-shoulder in moments of challenge, and confidently champion the future of the sector. It reflects the true scale, relevance and ambition of UK holiday and residential parks, and provides a stronger platform for influence.

The consultative process directly shaped an identity that speaks for the 3,000 parks HARPA represents, giving the organisation renewed confidence, visibility and authority. The rebrand was rigorously tested with members across branches and regions throughout the UK. Two-thirds of members told us the new brand feels more supportive, more relevant and more influential, and represents an association they actively want to be part of.

With a clear name, a confident offer and a revitalised identity, HARPA is now positioned as the leading specialist voice for the parks industry: able to advocate more effectively, engage more meaningfully, and support members of every size to succeed. National Chair, Claire Flower said “Becoming HARPA is a forward-looking move that will strengthen our voice and empower our future in a fast-changing political and social environment.”