Brand FAQs

We are in the process of rolling out an updated brand that will better reflect our progressive, approachable, compassionate and diverse qualities.

Council recently approved the updated RACS and FRACS brand which now portrays the College as contemporary, reflects its history and incorporates our Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori motifs.

RACS embarked on a plan to review its brand in 2018. Workshops were undertaken with RACS stakeholders (including Fellows, Trainees, International Medical Graduates and staff) in 2018 to understand their perceptions (positive and negative) of RACS and its purpose as a member organisation. Following the design process with an external design agency, the RACS brand was approved by Council at the June 2019 Council meeting. The FRACS brand was approved by Council at the October 2019 Council meeting. 

There was further communication to fellows in multiple publications, presentations and emails.  

The RACS coat of arms, when used as a logo, presents issues across print and digital applications. In a contemporary setting, the updated brand will better reflect our progressive, approachable, compassionate and diverse qualities.

Most comparable organisations, including the colleges of physicians and surgeons in Ireland, Edinburgh and Canada, have updated their brand to reflect the contemporary environment in which they operate.

The brand will be a distillation of tradition from which our new identity is formed, an identity that is meaningful and that embodies our values and aspirations. 

The coat of arms, which is of great historical significance, will be reserved for formal and ceremonial use.

At this stage there are no plans to alter our name. 

Along with a new logo, fonts and colours, our brand identity has also been reviewed. Over the years a multitude of ‘sub brands’ have developed, each with its own imagery and typography. Applying contemporary brand strategy, the RACS ‘master’ brand will do the best job of building recognition and credibility.

While continuing to communicate the RACS values (service, collaboration, integrity, compassion and respect) it is also important that the updated brand portrays the College as modern and contemporary, reflects its history and incorporates our Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander and Māori motifs.

Elements include: The Shield, the logo will embody a shield with boldness and simplicity, a direct reference to our original coat of arms, representing protection, security, strength and assurance.

The curved lines and segmentation resemble a flame, a reference to the torch that appears in the coat of arms, symbolising life zealousness and relates to the RACS motto “The torch of the mind.”

The Swan: A black swan is also part of the original coat of arms.

The S element: secondary to themes mentioned above, however a stylised representation of an S for surgery, reminiscent of a scalpel blade.

The updated brand will be phased in gradually from February 2020. 

The original FRACS brand presented the same issues as the RACS brand across print and digital applications. The new FRACS logo now has a strong visual relationship with the RACS brand and represents the RACS positioning of trust, confidence and respect.

FRACS brand guidelines will be available in mid-March 2020.