A booklet, pen and pin with the CMA logo
A booklet, pen and pin with the CMA logo

California Medical Association

Branding / Art Direction

Overview and approach

The California Medical Association (CMA) represents more than 43,000 physicians throughout California. With a new era of physicians whose voices, patient advocacy, and innovation are at the forefront of health and patient care, CMA needed to modernize and bring cohesion to the entire family of brands across the state. We started our process by looking into the rich history of the organization (which began in 1856). Our design team strategized a contemporary new look that both pays homage to the pedigreed organization and embraces the vision of CMA and its members.

California Medical Association emblem logo California Medical Association

Solution

We created a minimal system using a vibrant color palette, unifying typography, and illustration style to represent the different sub-brands, ultimately creating consistency and clarity throughout the organization.

CMA visual brand elements
California Medical Association CMA Brand family logos

Reinterpreting the brand

CMA has built credibility within the medical community for over 160 years so we needed to make sure the new brand felt honest to the organization’s heritage. By reinterpreting the original logo’s Rod of Asclepius and updating the blue brand color, we were able to bridge the traditional with a contemporary aesthetic. With CMA as the overarching parent brand, we designed the sub-brands using a consistent typeface with unique icons.

California Medical Association logo

Family of sub-brands

One of the biggest challenges we faced was unifying the extended family of brands under the primary CMA logo to include the County Medical Societies. Each individual county society has been assigned a unique color that cascades throughout their individual collateral. Iconography is pulled from the primary CMA logo mark and only appears in chosen county color. The system allows counties to have consistent, recognizable branding and association within the CMA umbrella.

Orange County Medical Association logo lockups
CMA logomark in several colors
CMA brand book and tote bag
CMA brand guideline flat lay
California Medical Association
California Medical Association
CMA icons