Nesta, under new Chief Executive, Ravi Gurumurthy, sought to reposition themselves with focus and purpose.  With a new organisational strategy prioritising three innovation missions: a fairer start for every child, a healthy life for all, and a sustainable future where the economy works better for people and the planet, Nesta saw opportunity to build brand equity and reinvigorate its brand strategy and identity.

Collaboration is key to our process, and working with Nesta’s Senior Leadership Team, we envisaged a new Nesta, yet to be realised beyond their strategy and a sense of possibilities.

Launched in 2021, the new Nesta is set to become the destination for world leading social innovation.

After a series of cross organisation workshops, we encapsulated Nesta's ethos through the brand idea ‘Wired for change’ and positioned Nesta as the UK’s innovation agency for social good. A brand story built on this theme and ways of working – blending their creative spirit and scientific precision to take innovation ideas on a journey. Generating, testing, adapting and scaling.

The visual and tonal expression of ‘wired for change’ created a confident, expressive and unique identity that’s true to Nesta.

Photography and illustration portray their areas of innovation and the positive change they seek. And tone of voice lifts their academic excellence into the progressive spirit of change.

A bespoke typeface, Zosia (named after the client), was created to reference the often uncomfortable bedfellows of science and creativity, but done so in a way where the characters feel unusually harmonious and dependent on one another. This typeface is used as the anchor point for the identity, featuring in the logotype, headlines and into the graphic language.