Creative Concern creates brand for Northwest climate fund

Creative Concern, which specialises in social and environmental issues, has worked closely with Groundwork Northwest and the Northwest Regional Development Agency to create the brand for Foundation, which included; the name, a logo, design and build of a new typeface, design and build of a website, the commissioning of photography, copywriting and the design of branded collateral.

The brand provides a structure within which to deliver key messages about the benefits of each project at regional and sub-regional levels.

Creative Concern teamed up with illustrator Nicholas Saunders, who has worked with clothing brand Howies and children’s cancer charity Momentum, to come up with the identity for the brand which relies on illustration to communicate its messages.

Rob Sanderson, creative director at Creative Concern, said: “We had to engage both a public and business audience and we needed to empower them, to make them feel they could make a difference, by donating to the fund.

“Foundation is all about doing and we needed to communicate that visually. Nicholas uses screenprinting techniques, which gives the identity a homemade, accessible look. It also tells the story of the projects really well, whether it’s to a corporate or a public audience. We then designed and built our own typeface to reinforce the tone of voice.”

The name Foundation represents what the fund is about – building something new with a solid base. The brand is being rolled out at the moment with the ethos of ‘less is more’ in keeping with Foundation’s green credentials.

The website www.climatefund.org.uk is one of the main vehicles for the brand and allows visitors to view the projects taking place in their community, discover energy saving tips and donate.

There is also a transmitter campaign, which is based on the principles of social networking and targets people through email and phone calls and asks them to pass on information about Foundation.

Rob Sanderson said: “The brand needs to be versatile, as it has to work at a sub regional level, but also on a local level. So you have Foundation, the climate fund for the northwest, but with a strapline appropriate to the community.”

Foundation gives individuals and businesses the opportunity to donate to local community projects, which are helping to combat climate change, whilst advancing social justice and tackling problems like fuel poverty. Money raised will be spent on carbon reduction schemes ranging from insulation, solar panels and wind turbines, to biological carbon sinks like peat bogs.

Managed by Groundwork Northwest, chaired by United Utilities and with an initial investment of £1.6m from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), Foundation has a target to raise an additional £3m in donations over the next three years.