The brand new identification of Seven Clear Seas rejects sustainable model clichés
According to the latest figures from the World Economic Forum, an alarming 78 million tons of plastic packaging flow into our oceans every year. This is equivalent to pouring plastic worth one garbage truck every minute into the oceans.
Fortunately, a new wave of organizations are leading the way in cleaning up our oceans and coasts as the climate awareness movement gains momentum worldwide.
Founded in Singapore in 2018, Seven Clean Seas is best known for developing one of the world's first plastic balancing services, where people or companies that cannot avoid the use of plastic can hire the organization to make the same weight of plastic the sea to gain its name in return.
"Seven Clean Seas started out as a real passion project for me and my wife Pamela Correia," says Tom Peacock-Nazil, founder of the social enterprise. "We moved to Southeast Asia in 2013 and the region's fight against plastic pollution was immediately apparent."
Three years later, the team spans five countries and has mobilized over 3,800 volunteers who have so far participated in 1,287 beach cleanings.
As the social enterprise's remit and funding needs continue to grow, it turned to London-based studio 20something to develop a new brand identity that would match its ambitions.
“We worked with Seven Clean Seas to develop their branded offering: ocean cleaners that make lasting change in the worst hit places in the world,” says Will Thacker, Creative Director of 20something.
“With their values at the center of the mission, we wanted to create a brand that would refer to its transparency, commitment to practical action and grave impact on the world, while at the same time switching between corporate reports and presentations for social media and sophisticated product lines. "
The utilitarian identity focuses on a single brand based on the shape of the ocean currents. The logo is based on a basic grid structure and can be converted into various brands that symbolize the different areas of business, including efforts to preserve and educate new generations about plastic pollution.
CoType Foundry's Aeonik is used as the main branding font and is designed to range from company reports and presentations to social media posts and even work gloves.
In a clear departure from the social enterprise's earlier branding, which used blue as the brand's core color, the new identity offers an almost neon yellow and black color palette, inspired by the aesthetics of warning signs and high-visibility clothing.
A new social media toolkit has also been developed with functionality in mind as much of the organization's social content is created during the cleanup.
“Simplicity and functionality impacted every design decision we made. This is a very practical business, and we knew the team needed a workable toolkit to keep talking to a growing audience, ”says Thacker.
Overall, this is an approach that runs counter to the deluge of aquamarine, surf-inspired "For Oceans" brands. For Thacker, moving away from the eco stereotypes that previously dominated sustainable branding could play a vital role in promoting the wider fight against climate change.
“As global environmental awareness grows, a new generation is coming, taking responsibility for its impact on this earth and being driven by change. Social and environmental responsibility has become part of our identity, with badges that we can adorn ourselves with, ”says Thacker.
“As larger brands and multinational companies seek partnership with sustainable companies, it is in the best interests of these sustainable companies to present themselves in the best light with progressive, modern branding. There's no reason they shouldn't look as good as the coolest brands out there. "
20-something.com