Founded by the Hewlett, Packard, and Oak foundations, ClimateWorks Foundation is a global climate philanthropy that develops, implements, and evaluates strategies and investment portfolios targeting the world’s largest carbon-emitting regions and sectors. Following a five-year revision to their operating model and in the midst of a complex strategic transition, ClimateWorks asked Constructive to translate their new strategy into a new brand strategy, messaging platform, and design system that would help them communicate their bold vision to a global network of partners, and accelerate large-scale climate action.
A Brand Lacking the Boldness of a Mission
The resulting changes to ClimateWorks’ strategic model called for equally dramatic shifts to its brand strategy and the designed experiences they created for audiences. The Foundation’s existing communications strategy and website reflected the organization’s early stages, when it had quickly set out to address the threats of catastrophic climate change. Their content expressed important ideas, but was long on words and light on impact; their visual identity was restrained and lacked vibrancy; and their website, while organized and polished, lacked the visual punch necessary to communicate the urgency of ClimateWorks’ mission, the boldness of their vision for the future, and the impact they and their partners were having around the globe.
Focusing the Mission & Articulating the Strategy
To re-imagine ClimateWorks’ communications, we needed a focused strategy. We started by digging into the Foundation’s new strategic plan for climate action; then engaged leadership to gain perspective and deepen our understanding of their complex work. With firm footing, we led strategy workshops, bringing everyone together to explore the ideas driving ClimateWorks’ mission, vision, and values—and how they create value for global partners, their roles as the backbone of a collective impact effort, their areas of expertise, differentiators, and more. We distilled these insights into a new theory of change and messaging framework that gives voice to the foundation’s work; designed into a brand handbook that provides ClimateWorks’ staff and board with a valuable resource to clearly communicate their story, whatever the context.
A Visual Identity to Support Complex Communications
ClimateWorks’ logo remained an effective visual for the organization. What the brand lacked, however, was a design system that had the visual vibrancy needed to represent their global reach, excite audiences, and support the complex functional needs of the Foundation’s portfolios and data-heavy communications. We created a robust system of brand colors, typography, custom illustrations, and photo guidelines to anchor communications design; then extended ClimateWorks’ new visual identity across print and digital communications in the coming months. And once the rebranding was complete, we documented everything in comprehensive Brand Guidelines and suite of design templates that makes it easy to consistently produce cohesive, high-impact communications in every medium.
Creating a Climate Action Platform for Systems Storytelling
For their website, ClimateWorks needed to make sure that the complexity of the interconnected systems that influence climate change was clearly communicated—and that their response was articulated at a top-level to quickly capture the imagination, and with enough substance to speak to a sophisticated audience of experts in the climate philanthropy sector. To help them get there, we developed a narrative “challenge & response” framework that combines narrative and data to paint a picture—then relied on powerful imagery to bring audiences closer to climate action and impact.
Bringing the New Portfolio Strategy to Life
We had clarified the goals of ClimateWorks’ seven impact investing portfolios and how they tackled climate change from multiple angles. To translate these complex concepts online, we created focused portfolio pages that lead with bold imagery to draw audiences into ClimateWorks’ vision; quickly outlining their portfolio strategy and providing interactive data visualizations and insights that make the case for climate action. The result is an engaging experience that deepens the knowledge and commitment of those already involved in climate action, while expanding the field to draw in new players.
Our Client’s Take
“When ClimateWorks engaged Constructive, we were finalizing a complex strategic transition to a new operating model. With an approach rooted in design thinking, their team brought a sophisticated understanding of the role branding plays in support of organizational strategy—as well as a deep interest in, and commitment to, our mission. They are well organized and results-driven, bring tremendous project management skills, and remain a flexible partner as our priorities shift.” Jean-Louis Robadey, Former Director of External Relations.
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