The AIDS Network embarks on a new era of the organization as it launches a new name and brand. The agency is now known as the Positive Health Network.

HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA, June 25, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The AIDS Network looks forward to embarking on a new era of the organization as it launches a new name and brand. The agency will now be known as the Positive Health Network.

The AIDS Network was established back in 1986 when AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) was wreaking havoc across the globe. That same year, The Canadian AIDS Society was established. The World Health Organization (WHO) began a global surveillance of AIDS three years earlier.

Why A Name Change?

In the years since its inception, the AIDS crisis has evolved to the point that, thankfully, few people contract AIDS. Being HIV Positive is no longer the death sentence it used to be. Most HIV Positive people now live long and healthy lives through treatment.

The organization was originally called the Hamilton AIDS Network for Dialogue and Support (HANDS). It became The Hamilton AIDS Network in 1990 and then The AIDS Network in 2004. The geographic region served has expanded beyond the City of Hamilton. Today, The AIDS Network provides services to the communities of Hamilton, Halton, Haldimand, Norfolk, and Brant. The organization remains committed to addressing HIV/AIDS through education and support. They are the only AIDS service organization in the area.

As the work of AIDS service organizations changes, some things have stayed the same. While HIV is no longer an epidemic ending lives, the organization now responds to an epidemic of opioid overdose. Populations that bear a disproportionate burden of the HIV epidemic also continue to face marginalization and oppression, which affect their health outcomes and puts them at higher risk. HIV stigma continues to impact people living with and vulnerable to HIV in our communities.

The decision to move to a new name was not an easy one. There is a legacy component to the word “AIDS” that some members of the community wished to retain, in recognition and in tribute to those lost over the epidemic. Numerous AIDS-based organizations have already moved away from using AIDS in their name while others like those in Toronto and Ottawa are staying by their original names.

Much effort was invested in stakeholder engagement organized by the Network and a naming and branding consultant. The intention was to “Hear from all voices” and “Meet people where they were at.” Participation from people from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences informed both the process and the final selection of the new name.

Positive Health Network

The new name, Positive Health Network, was approved by an overwhelming majority. Keeping the word “Network” in the name has multiple benefits.

“Many people, both inside the organization and outside, already refer to us as ‘The Network,’ and it offers continuity to our identity,” states Tim McClemont, Executive Director.

‘Positive Health’ reflects the expanded scope of services that The AIDS Network has grown to provide, with harm reduction being the most significant. Marginalization and stigma are common overlaps in the experiences of persons with HIV, opioid addiction and being unhoused. This becomes an important factor in what is, in fact, a health issue.

“At our core, our work is about making a positive difference in the health outcomes and wellbeing of everyone we serve. Positive Health Network communicates that simply and clearly,” says McClemont.

The renaming process from The AIDS Network to Positive Health Network represents the work, input, ideas, and direction of the entire community that has grown around this organization. The new name represents an evolution in the work that the organization does – as harm reduction and broader health promotion become included more holistically in the focus of the organization’s work.

The name Positive Health Network is optimistic, while also holding a connection to being HIV Positive. Focusing on Health in this name broadens the scope of the organization and the services it can offer.

The significance of retaining the word “Network” in the renaming should not be disregarded. The connected community of support that has grown around The AIDS Network is core to what the organization is - it is about people and how we are stronger when we work together.

New Logo

A new visual brand to convey the new name was developed by the Hamilton-based branding agency Muse Marketing Group. Muse also guided the naming process.

The Positive Health Network logo is a practical, functional logo first. The goal of the brand is not about calling attention to itself. Instead, the brand is there to establish a trustworthy identity people can grow to rely on.

The logo is made of two main elements: an icon and a wordmark. Designed to be clear and legible, the wordmark is finely tuned to create a simple, balanced silhouette.

The icon is an abstract symbol that draws on the form of the AIDS ribbon, a plus sign ( + ) and the initial P - none of which are intended to be explicitly represented. Instead, the icon is an abstraction that draws on these forms to create a new unique identity that represents Positive Health Network.

The new brand retains red as the main colour to represent Positive Health Network. The AIDS ribbon is red, and using red provides further continuity in the transition. An expanded colour palette has been introduced to offer variety and flexibility for materials. Each colour represents a different aspect of the work Positive Health Network does. Education, Support, and Connecting are represented through distinct new colours.

Tim McClemont sees the new brand as essential, saying, “Awareness and rapid recognition of Positive Health Network is not a luxury. It is important that our core audiences can find us easily and know we are there for them. A strong brand that resonates with the various communities we serve helps to support the work we do. And with Positive Health Network, we are ready for the future.”

Media inquiries, contact

Tim McClemont
Positive Health Network
+1 905-379-0296
ed@positivehealthnetwork.org
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