Dystrophia Myotonica, Myotonic Dystrophy, DM, Myotonic, MDA…
As many of our community members know, MDF has struggled over the years with the fact that it is often confused with other organizations such as the Muscular Dystrophy Association, which has a similar name and acronym.
Many people also find the name and acronym for our disease, myotonic dystrophy, confusing. It is formally called "Dystrophia Myotonica" by the clinical and research communities, which leads to a disease acronym that is ‘DM’. Doctors and the public usually associate that acronym with ‘diabetes mellitus’, a completely different disease.
It's Confusing!
In short, significant confusion exists regarding the disease, and the organization’s name, at a time when it is increasingly important from a drug development and visibility perspective that myotonic dystrophy and MDF be obvious and easy to find on the internet and elsewhere.
Let’s Clarify Things and Inspire People
To tackle this problem, MDF has hired a branding and design agency, A Line Studio, to review the MDF brand (our logo, name and the visual identity that defines us) and determine how to best evolve and breathe new life into the MDF brand while resolving the confusion described above.
Strengthening and updating the brand will better position MDF to reach our Care and a Cure goals:
- Aligning our shared intentions as we prepare for future success
- Being understood as uniquely different from other organizations
- Expressing what we stand for and what makes us great
- Raising visibility for the disease
- Attracting the supporters needed to deliver on our purpose
This project will help us clearly communicate our values, mission, vision, goals and what makes us unique, while inspiring everyone in our community to share in a vision we are proud of.
Next Steps
The MDF Board, the Board of our sister organization, the UK-based Wyck Foundation, and an external team of the MDF community members are working with A Line Studio to identify the strategic direction most likely to accelerate our efforts to drive Care and a Cure for the MDF community. We expect to have progress to share with you in early 2019. We are excited about this project, and look forward to updating you - watch for news in the MDF Dispatch.
Questions?