Het Leontienhuis is the result of genuine a passion, love and sincere social commitment. After five years frantically helping as many people with an eating disorder as possible, it was time for the next step. We helped Het Leontienhuis professionalise with its repositioning. With the same genuine passion and sincere social commitment. After all, it’s almost impossible not be moved by this fantastic initiative of Leontien van Moorsel.

Origin of Het Leontienhuis

Het Leontienhuis’s social mission is to tackle the problem of eating disorders in the Netherlands, without profiting from it. It’s an initiative of Leontien van Moorsel, who herself suffered from anorexia for eight years. After her successful recovery from this mental illness, she opened Het Leontienhuis together with her husband Michael Zijlaard, who played an important role in her recovery. The goal: to support others in their recovery from an eating disorder, using experience-based expertise.

From best practice to repositioning

Five years ago, Princess Máxima opened the renovated farmhouse in Zevenhuizen. Since then, this open house has been constantly busy. People with an eating disorder (often young women) and their loved ones (including parents and partners) visit Het Leontienhuis for support and understanding. They need a listening ear, a shoulder, a hug, a pep talk and a sandwich. At least, that’s how it began five years go. Since then, Het Leontienhuis is doing a lot more, a large group of some 100 volunteers coach and guide people with an eating disorder. In addition, they organise group meetings and inspirational gatherings. Professionals and key players in politics and health care also receive information and advice, for example at the annual general practitioners symposium. In short, ‘open house’ no longer covers the organisation’s work. High time for a repositioning with a revised branding and communication strategy.

The core message: ‘Always for you’

During a brand workshop, we went into Het Leontienhuis in depth with Leontien, Michael and others closely involved in the organisation. We went back to basics. Together, we identified the pillars of Het Leontienhuis: genuine, loving & consistent, positive energy & hope, strength & persistence. Supplemental desk research revealed the important insight that other players in this field showed little emotion in their positioning and communication. At the same time, emotion is precisely Het Leontienhuis’s strength. So we embraced that core value with the tagline ‘Always for you’ and a new visual identity. The logo was redesigned, with the same familiar name and butterfly, but with a modern look and feel.

The new corporate identity was launched in July, during Het Leontienhuis’s fifth anniversary. It was the perfect opportunity to make a statement about the next five years. A period in which we will continue to be committed to Het Leontienhuis as lead agency and guardian of its brand identity.