Scope
• Branding
Illustration
Environment
Animation
Bilingual
Public
Championing nature in an urban environment.
The Newport Local Nature Partnership (NLNP) is a community organisation led by Biodiversity Officers, professionals and a passionate team of volunteers. Together, they are committed to protecting and enhancing the native species that make Newport unique.
Icon was approached to develop a bilingual logo and visual identity that celebrated the region’s rich biodiversity and natural heritage, including its woodlands, rivers, park spaces and the diverse fauna they support. The goal? To foster local pride, support and action in preserving the wildlife we all share.
Medicine & the Making of Race (MMoR) is a 4 year research project funded by the Medical Research Council in King’s College London.
With the aim of positioning the UK at the forefront of cutting edge histories and theory around race and race equality, the team created a compelling logo and identity to resonate with audiences.
Scope
• Brand Identity
Research
With its industrial heritage, docks and heavily populated city centre, residents in Newport would typically describe their environment as 'urban'.
However, 75% of the area is countryside with important ecological features shared with neighbouring county boundaries, something often overlooked by locals in the area.
To bridge this gap in awareness, we were tasked with creating an identity reconnecting people with the natural world on their doorstep.
At the heart of the brand is a new logo that uses hand drawn iconography to highlight the diversity of wildlife in Newport, interconnected within a circular design.
The organic colour palette, featuring fern greens and river blues reflects the geographical areas where species like newts, otters, voles and bees thrive.
Colour defined sub-brands of woodland, grassland, urban and water, allow for easy to understand entry points to engage with communities, providing clear visual references to habitats and species.
MMoR’s research project centred upon the interaction of European and African communities in the early modern world, shaping medicine and race relations in contemporary society. The narrative of the project placed people at the heart of its brand identity, and it was vital to incorporate this focus into the final outcomes. The introduction of negative space as a design feature reflecting silhouettes of human faces in the logo allowed main themes of diversity, race and people to shine through. Utilising the project's current monotone colour palette that drew links to the historical elements of the research, we incorporated gold as a third colour choice. The inclusion of a metallic colour to sit alongside the sepia tone illustrations provided by MMoR also added a subtle prestige to the identity. To reflect the juxtapositions in time frames and incorporate contemporary elements, we used a strong serif typeface that allowed the brand identity to be bold, compelling and distinctive.
The identity is being introduced through a series of outdoor interpretation panels, activities and communications, created in close collaboration with NLPB and its volunteers.
These include initiatives such as the Leave to Grow Grassland project in the city and the Shrill Carder Bee project where the Gwent Levels are a hotspot for the rare species.
Additionally, a collection of bespoke illustrations of flora and fauna have been designed to support the partnership's messaging, offering crucial visual prompts to enhance the visitor experience whilst protecting some of Newport's most important ecological resources.
We can't wait to see the brand evolve in the coming seasons.
MMoR’s research project centred upon the interaction of European and African communities in the early modern world, shaping medicine and race relations in contemporary society. The narrative of the project placed people at the heart of its brand identity, and it was vital to incorporate this focus into the final outcomes. The introduction of negative space as a design feature reflecting silhouettes of human faces in the logo allowed main themes of diversity, race and people to shine through. Utilising the project's current monotone colour palette that drew links to the historical elements of the research, we incorporated gold as a third colour choice. The inclusion of a metallic colour to sit alongside the sepia tone illustrations provided by MMoR also added a subtle prestige to the identity. To reflect the juxtapositions in time frames and incorporate contemporary elements, we used a strong serif typeface that allowed the brand identity to be bold, compelling and distinctive.
'Icon has succeeded in uniting the diversity of our cause in a modern brand identity that the partnership is delighted with. We were immensely impressed with the range of options presented and are confident that we can now go forward in articulating the benefits of supporting our local wildlife.'
Oliver Jenkins-Boobyer
Swyddog Prosiectau Bioamrywiaeth / Biodiversity Projects Officer
“Icon’s vision and creative flair have helped make our undergraduate campaign a huge success; we have seen significant increases in prospectus distribution, up 30% on the previous year in some areas of the U.K. and a subsequent rise in open day bookings.”
Gemma Williamson,
Head of Marketing, Digital and Creative Services,
Swansea University