Trust, not trials: rebranding Belgium’s Mediation Commission
The Mediation Commission is a young body within Belgium's FPS Justice (FOD Justitie). Its mission is twofold: safeguard mediation as a profession, and make it known as an alternative to going to court. But for many people, mediation still feels too vague and too legalistic, even though it's a powerful solution to an overburdened judicial system. We built a brand that conveys both authority and accessibility.
The challenge
Mediation is a strong alternative for those who don’t want to go straight to court. Yet for many people, and even for plenty of professionals, the concept still feels too vague, too legalistic, and simply not top of mind.
The Mediation Commission needed to project authority while simultaneously lowering the barrier to entry: making mediation clear and appealing to a wide range of target groups. This was challenging, as we were working with a full commission of legal experts. Every step had to be legally sound and enjoy broad support.
The analysis
We didn't start with a logo, but with the story. In an intake session with the communication team and the chair, we sharpened the brief: objectives, sensitivities and stakeholders.
Next, we brought the full commission together in two strategic workshops, digital and bilingual, so everyone was on board without losing any depth. After all, a brand that lawyers don’t collectively embrace won’t last.
Mediation is all about trust. The brand had to embody that trust.
The approach
Based on those workshops, we built a brand pyramid that connects the legal mandate with a clear, human-centered direction. A mission and vision that are legally sound, but that anyone without a law degree understands right away.
We translated that into a visual and practical identity: a logo, a brand style guide and a set of ready-to-use templates. Bilingualism wasn't merely a matter of translating; we designed it in from the ground up, in terms of tone, hierarchy and layout.
And to give direction to the communication, we mapped out the barriers, questions and misconceptions of every audience through desk research and a target audience analysis. This led to a channel plan: which touchpoints to prioritise, which formats to use, and how to stay consistent in a context with many stakeholders and little room for noise.
Logic in the structure, empathy for the people who need to understand the message, authenticity in a brand that's legally sound yet remains human. That's how we built trust for the Mediation Commission.
Aspect ratio: 7/3
Aspect ratio: 6/5
Aspect ratio: 7/3
The result
The Mediation Commission didn't just get a new look, it gained a powerful engine for coherent communication. A complex, legal mandate was distilled into a clear narrative that builds trust.
Internally, support grew across the entire commission: everyone could identify with the brand. Externally, the foundation was laid to position mediation for what it is: a logical and appealing alternative to going to court.
In this way, communication became a lever. Less confusion, more consistency, and a clear path to get people moving. And we didn't stop at branding. From that new identity, we immediately followed up with concrete communication concepts, ready to bring mediation to life in campaigns too.
