Branding a creative agency for charities and ethical businesses

Brand research

The research phase revealed opportunities for the brand.

We analysed competitors and empathised with audiences. There are many creative agencies, but most don’t focus on charities and ethical businesses. Competitors’ brand designs are often subdued and safe, so we decided to aim for more impact.

Brand strategy

We distilled the brand identity during a series of workshops.

Spell Change is founded on a clear mission of helping organisations move more people to drive more change. It’s a purpose that will resonate with the type of clients they want to attract. We also defined the brand personality, core values and desired positioning as part of the brand strategy.

Brand naming

We set clear criteria before delving into name generation. The name needed to be meaningful, energetic and in line with the brand strategy. We worked with the founder to produce and shortlist options. ‘Spell Change’ captures the essence of the brand. It’s short, memorable and gives the company a sense of credibility, right from the start.

Brand design

The brand name inspired our visual explorations. Spell Change’s core offering is creative copywriting and content development, so written language features in the brand design. We created a typographic visual identity that communicates the idea of elevating words and messages to maximise impact.

Logo design

We opted for a type mark logo design. The word SPELL visually underpins and lifts up the word CHANGE. It’s a simple and effective way to translate the brand’s purpose into a visual form, with no unnecessary flourishes.

Visual identity

The double lines are the most recognisable feature of the logo. So we carried them into other elements of the visual identity like icons, text highlights, divider lines and hyperlinks. The vibrant red colour immediately grabs attention. And the classic red, black and white combination is unique within the competitive landscape.

Brand implementation

The brand sprints covered all the essentials for a small new business. The founder was equipped with a range of assets to launch the brand:

• logo assets,
• e-signatures,
• digital and print-ready stationery,
• website,
• social media profiles,
• brand guidelines.

Web design

Spell Change can easily update and grow their website. The design allows the copy to breathe and create impact. The double lines help to create a cohesive look.

Brand guidelines

The brand book provides a summary of Spell Change’s identity. It also gives guidance on the visuals such as the logo, colour palette and typography.