Design with a cause

In order to differentiate themselves from the competition, many communications design firms choose to tailor their services toward a particular niche market. Some become specialists in the retail sector while others select the hospitality industry. Still others specifically strive to work with socially-responsible companies promoting sustainable products and ideas. Here are a couple that I found:

Thomas.Matthews

Thomas.Matthews is a London-based communications agency that believes in “good design” which they define as “appropriate, sustainable and beautiful.” Sounds good! Their services include branding, consultation, print and web design as well as campaign development. They strive to ensure all of their projects are completed efficiently and with minimal environmental impact. Their clients include Useful Simple Trust, Shell Springboard, LIFT Festival and Battersea Arts Centre.

Neo

Neo is a communications agency based in Brighton specializing in campaigns for positive social change. They are committed to sustainable communication and work with charities, social enterprises and public sector organizations. To them, “Sustainable communication is about making the best possible use of people, pound and planet to deliver maximum impact from minimum resource.” Neo’s clients include ActionAid, National Health Service, World Wildlife Fund and Greenpeace.

My thoughts

I’ve always known that as a communicator, I would also strive to work with organizations that share a similar set of ethics as my own. Why? Well, I guess firstly, to make it easier to sleep at night. Knowing that my work hasn’t indirectly or directly made children too fat, the world too hot or The Man too rich would be nice. Secondly, it’s just easier to come up with creative design solutions for a cause that you believe in. Because, at the end of the day, most communications design aims to persuade people to do or believe something and if you’re already on board, then you’re one step closer to knowing how to guide others to follow suite.