Not-for-profit charity Global Sisters re-introduces itself with newly launched branding via DDI

Imagine an organisation with a kick-ass mission, a go-getter CEO, and a natural love of the bold and unconventional. The only problem was that no one knew they existed.

Sydney independent creative agency, DDI, has been brought on to craft a brand that can powerfully introduce Global Sisters to the world and shake up the lacklustre NFP category. What they have come up with is an empowering vision and a brand persona befitting of the resilience and strength of the sisters behind the organisation.

Global Sisters is a not-for-profit providing some of society’s most vulnerable women with business coaches, business advice and an e-commerce platform to harness their potential and accelerate the germ of a business idea into a thriving enterprise.

Says Caroline McLaughlin, managing director, DDI: “There are 22% of Australians living below the WHO poverty line, a fact that surprises a lot of people. Many of them are refugees who struggle with English which makes autonomy difficult. When you get the women in this group firing financially, whole communities are transformed forever.  It’s these women Global Sisters aims to help.”

It all began with the logo.  Faced with the unique challenge of creating a brand that speaks to this inspiring cause but is also something that looks at home on jewellery, packaging and a slick e-commerce platform, DDI fused a hand-drawn element with a clean typeface.

Says Chris d’Arbon, creative director, DDI: ‘We knew we had one shot to reflect the same drive and boldness of the Global Sisters concept in our branding. This brand is the antithesis of a charity.”

There’s an inherent disconnect between empowering women to become independent businesswomen, and being a charity. DDI outed the elephant in the room and changed the conventional wisdom of the category.

Says McLaughlin: “From the get go we said we were in the business of building businesses. These women rock. Our job was to create a brand for them befitting of their amazing skillsets.”

The new design reflects the hand-made products created by the Sisters as well as the boutique and accessible luxe feel of their online retail platform.  It also overcomes language barriers with the globally recognized symbol for women by replacing the ‘O’ of ‘Global’ and the ‘T’ of ‘Sisters’ with a more graphic iteration.

Says d’Arbon: “Next, we needed to reflect the rich stories of our Sisters which is where the raw portraiture, organic textures and cultural patterns came in.”

The brand elements were then splashed across collateral, the website and social.

The results have been outstanding.  Global Sisters has smashed all its year 1 objectives, setting the ripple effect in action.  The aim was to be supporting 40 active businesses and they are supporting more than 50, with 135 now actively engaged in the education programme.

Says Mandy Richards, founder and CEO, Global Sisters:  “DDI have been amazing and lovely from our first interaction. I would walk away from our first few meetings terrified and exhilarated at the possibilities they were creating for us but I have always trusted their judgement and interpretation of my goals, and never been disappointed. They are also a genuinely lovely group of people who are fun and fabulous to spend time with.”

Says McLaughlin: “There is nothing more rewarding than seeing women who have faced the most terrible circumstances life can throw at them regaining that glint in their eyes.  It just makes you want in.”

DDI’s work has been recognized with a nod from The Good Design Awards in the Social Innovation category where Global Sisters will be an award-winner on June 8th.

Agency: DDI

Retouching: Jason Riddell