NESTA
Illustrating the future
Nesta, a global innovation foundation, annually commissions predictions from its staff on the trends, social movements and technological breakthroughs they expect to make an impact in the coming year. Nesta asked us to create a new identity for their 2019 predictions, which included bespoke illustrations, animations, and installations for their launch event.
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Brand strategy • Visual identity • Illustration • Animation • Installations • Print
The predictions often cover global issues including climate change, technological developments and the socio-political climate which are all linked to Nesta’s areas of work in health, education and the creative economy. As this year was no different with the charity releasing 10 predictions ranging from ‘How ‘deepfake’ videos get weaponised’, to ‘The end of the week as we know it’, it was important to create a style that felt unique and formed a visual link between the different touchpoints.
We worked closely with the staff who wrote the predictions to ensure that their visions were fully realised. Once speaking with each writer and understanding their inspiration and research, we were able to create a visual language that could be applied across digital and print materials. Keeping within the brand’s colours, we created a set of ten hand-drawn illustrations, colourful and playful, to contrast with the serious nature of the predictions. The juxtaposition of the witty identity and the sombre realities of the future added a further layer of introspection for the guests engaging with the content.
Our illustrations formed the basis for a printed booklet, a showreel on the Nesta website, and animations and imagery used across their social media platforms that have generated hundreds of views and raised engagement with the brand.
To launch the 2019 predictions, Nesta held an event at their Central London headquarters where we designed and built ten intriguing installations to accompany each prediction. A number of these were interactive to engage the 150 guests with the content and provoke conversation and debate.
See more of our work
Nesta Innovation Methods
Bringing good ideas to life
Nesta Explainer Series
Demystifying novel ideas
The Chapters
Engaging a generation