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Project Overview
Public Relations Agency FORWARD launches new sustainability business offering, agency purpose and visual identity.
The internal transformation will see FORWARD achieve B Corporation (B Corp) accreditation coinciding with the announcement of a new brand identity.
The business aims to appeal to brands looking for specialised purpose and sustainability communications support. This was also culturally aligned with The Edison Agency’s upcoming 10th anniversary and B Corp accreditation process!
FORWARD were already working with several clients in the sustainability and purpose space, including Unilever’s Dove, Clorox’s GLAD to be Green and Nestlé’s sustainability consumer PR initiatives. This next evolution in the business felt like a positive step forward in signalling the next phase of growth internally and externally.
https://forward.agency/
Team
Executive Creative Director: Amber Bonney Creative Director: Andrew Ashton Senior Account Manager: Liz Archer Design Director, Lead Designer: Brian Rodrigo Llagas Designer: Caitlin Preyser Senior Finished Artist: Matthew O'Connor
Project Brief
In celebration of their 10th anniversary, FORWARD were seeking brand and strategy expertise to support them in their next important chapter as a leading Australian PR practice.
FORWARD’S new purpose and sustainability business offering, Communications with Purpose is an internal transformation that will see it become one of the first major public relations agencies in Australia to achieve B Corporation (B Corp) accreditation. Coinciding with these announcements is the reveal of a new brand identity undertaken by The Edison Agency.
FORWARD is introducing Communications with Purpose to complement its existing content-led consumer lifestyle PR services whilst offering brands looking for specialised purpose and sustainability communications support with a dedicated division that understands the nuances and complexity of this sector. The team already work with several clients in the sustainability and purpose space, including Unilever’s Dove, Clorox’s GLAD to be Green and Nestlé’s Sustainability Consumer PR initiatives.
Project Innovation/Need
Edison’s brand evolution approach was collaborative and agile - using a cloud-based platform Miro to work together during Covid-19 restrictions to share ideas, test new thinking and investigate the possibilities and appetite for change.
The internal transformation will see the PR agency achieve B Corporation (B Corp) accreditation. Coinciding with these announcements is the rejuvenation of the brand's new identity and offering - introducing Communications with Purpose to complement its existing content-led consumer lifestyle PR services.
The new brand identity and mantra to “keep moving forward” reflects the agency’s commitment to being a better business that balances purpose with profit. The initial brief from FORWARD was more of a ‘hop’ evolution, to maintain equity in some of the existing brand assets including the orange palette and wordmark. As the process evolved, it became clear to Edison that the degree of change required to achieve growth and transformation was significantly more and with complete trust from
the FORWARD team, the brand was reborn into a more dynamic, bold and progressive purpose-led agency.
Design Challenge
• Help strategically reposition the business to a purpose-led sustainable model that celebrated their new strategic initiative.
• Assess and make recommendations on the state of play - how the brand looks, sounds and behaves in market and capture the semiotic relevance of the current brand system (ie is orange the right hero colour for the brand moving forward?)
• Collaboratively create a new strategic business narrative that defines the next chapter of Forward as a progressive and ethically focused Australian creative agency.
• Evolve the visual identity expression in line with the new positioning and narrative to reflect the next chapter of business growth (smart, professional, industry leaders, innovative, ethical, progressive attract top talent).
• Create new brand tools for implementation across all touchpoints
Effectiveness
RESULTS:
PRIDE AND DISTINCTION
The new expression of the brand story, logo and visual language have created excitement and momentum for the business allowing their new platforms and initiatives to launch to market with confidence and pride.
A CLEAR MESSAGE TO MARKET
For FORWARD, the new positioning and identity signifies growth, potential and innovation. It sends a positive message to the market that the agency is carving a strong new socially conscious path forward.
A CULTURAL TURNING POINT
The FORWARD team have renewed pride in the business and are optimistic and excited about the future and what they can contribute to the ongoing growth and vision of building a more sustainable future.
DESIGN OUTCOMES
• A confident and fresh new system that signifies change and momentum
• Sent a message to the market that the business is on the move
• New business development tools and credentials that tell a more complete story
• New image library and asset system to add energy and sophistication to all touch points
Graphic Design - Identity and Branding
This award celebrates creative and innovative design in the traditional or digital visual representation of ideas and messages. Consideration given to clarity of communication and the matching information style to audience.
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