Social Enterprise NI
Social Enterprise NI is the representative body for social enterprises and social entrepreneurs across Northern Ireland. Connecting, supporting, developing and sustaining vibrant businesses to create social change.
The team at Social Enterprise NI approached Rapid with the goal of creating a new brand identity. As their previous brand identity was harsh and bold, they wanted to create a new look and feel for the brand. We aimed to make this inviting, soft and fitting into the digital world.
Ultimately, our goal was to create a new brand system that would propel Social Enterprise NI into its next phase of growth. However, it was crucial to remain true to its heritage.
As a leading organisation dedicated to driving social change, we collaborated with the team at Social Enterprise NI to embark on a transformative journey to craft a powerful brand strategy. Our overarching goal was to amplify their impact and resonate with their diverse stakeholders.
The brand strategy comprised brand objectives, mission and vision, brand values, personality and tone, and the brand positioning.
The brand design project for Social Enterprise NI aimed to visually capture their mission of cultivating a vibrant and inclusive environment for social enterprises across Northern Ireland. Building upon the brand strategy we crafted together, our brand designers embarked on a creative journey. With this, they developed a visually striking and meaningful brand identity that would resonated with their diverse audience.
Drawing inspiration from Northern Ireland’s six counties, we crafted a vibrant colour palette that encapsulated the diversity and vibrancy of each region.
Each county was also represented by a unique colour, weaving together a visual tapestry. Firstly, this symbolises unity, collaboration and the interconnectedness of the social enterprise community. To anchor the overall design, we introduced a regal purple colour. This signifies the organisation’s authority and transformative impact in Northern Ireland.
To enhance the visual brand identity, we carefully selected typography that balanced modernity with approachability and accessibility. The chosen typeface is highly versatile. It conveys professionalism, whilst remaining warm and inviting.
It features a clean and well-spaced design, with ample proportions and clear letterforms. This makes it legible even at small sizes. As a result, we ensure the content remains easily readable by users or viewers. Readability was another important factor to consider when selecting a typeface for such a diverse audience.
The final step of Social Enterprise NI’s brand design was to craft a logo that encapsulated each individual element. For example, the selected typefaces and colour palette.
The logo design also uses each colour that was carefully chosen to represent each of Northern Ireland’s six counties. Additionally, it includes the ‘empowerment’ purple which represents Social Enterprise NI. Businesses across each of these six counties are interconnected and held together by the work and empowerment of Social Enterprise NI, therefore it was important to design a logo that reflected this well.
Alongside the overarching logo design, we also created member logos for Social Enterprise NI. These were created with the individual in mind, giving each member to select their colour in accordance with the county their enterprise in based in.
The brand design we crafted for Social Enterprise NI not only visually represented their mission, but also elevated their overall brand presence. A vibrant and inclusive colour palette, coupled with the meaningful logo and visual elements, garnered attention and resonance from their target audience.
