Design for Good

Proudly purpose driven

Whitenoise was established almost 25 years ago with a vision to produce beautiful and effective creative work. We partner with charities and not-for-profit organisations that are close to our heart and beliefs, to maximise their positive impact on the world through great design, whether it be a fundraising campaign design for Chest Heart and Stroke, brand development for local arts organisations such as Arts & Business NI, Belfast Exposed, Beat Carnival and Craft NI, or content creation for global NGOs such as Too Young To Wed and Emergency Nutrition Network - Whitenoise chooses to proactively partner and invest in 'Design for Good'. 

Today, we continue to be an independent, purpose-driven agency delivering strategy and creative services to charity partners and clients fighting for social causes, providing life-enhancing services and working to make the world a better place. We are passionate about creating positive social and environmental change and our work is instrumental in amplifying our client's messages.

Arts & Business NI

Whitenoise has worked with Arts & Business NI for well over two decades on the A&B Northern Ireland Awards and various other programmes and events throughout each year. In addition to this regular and ongoing support, we worked with A&B NI to develop a refreshed brand identity in 2020, supported by a comprehensive suite of collateral across web, online, social, animation, film production and print. As a committed supporter and long-time business member, we count it a privilege and a joy to support the hard-working A&B NI team in their work.

"We've enjoyed an organic and exciting relationship with Whitenoise for many years - they really care about the arts sector in Northern Ireland and as a creative business like ourselves, we're almost kindred spirits - this is evidenced by their ‘can-do’ attitude, appetite for every project we bring them, and their generous contributions of time, skills and services, as they continue to help strengthen and elevate our brand."
Mary Nagele, Chief Executive, Arts & Business Northern Ireland

Commission for Victims & Survivors

The Commission for Victims and Survivors represents the needs and interests of victims and survivors at the highest levels of government and throughout society. Making space for and shining a light on unresolved legacy issues, CVSNI work to ensure individuals and families are seen, supported and strengthened in our changing society.

In our partnership with CVSNI we were commissioned to develop a suite of animated explainer videos establishing CVSNI's identity, support for victims, and societal impact. The three beautiful animations use visual metaphors like wilting plants and cracked pots, to represent emotional scars harboured by victims of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, while human characters were depicted minimally, often in silhouette, to protect survivors' anonymity and resonate universally. 

Our design intent prioritised empathy, inclusivity, and artistic expression to effectively communicate CVSNI's mission while treating the subject respectfully. The animations have been effective in reaching new audiences and inspiring new connections, a great Design for Good success recognised by the Institute of Designers In Ireland with our 29th IDI award in November 2023, given for the Design in Motion category.

We are proud to support the work of the Commission and we will continue to provide creative services to amplify the message of advocacy and support for those who need it most.

"The commissioning of an animation series to communicate what CVSNI is and does was a new approach for us. We understood the value of video mediums and the reach it can have, so we were excited to see how these videos could make an impact for us. Whitenoise were great to work with throughout, from project planning to script writing, and storyboarding to sending us the previews. We are thrilled to have these materials to hand now, and our team was delighted to hear the animations had been shortlisted for an Irish Design Award, evidencing their unique style, approach and impact." 
Alana Fisher, Head of Communications and Engagement, Commission for Victims and Survivors

Too Young to Wed

Too Young To Wed is a US based NGO that works in hard to reach communities to improve women's rights and end child marriage. They work in Kenya, Afghanistan, Iran, Nepal, India and even in the US to defend women and girl's rights and implement practical programmes and initiatives to give families stable incomes, change cultural norms and prevent child marriage. As TYTW's creative agency, we work with them to modernise and continually develop their growing brand identity, producing a robust brand family and framework to reflect their new initiatives, programmes and campaigns. Our creative input is realised across social media, website, advertising and campaign development, printed materials and internal and external communications. 

Our collaborative partnership is underpinned by a desire to further TYTW's message while honouring the legacy of the organisation's impact, combined with understanding of the cultural sensitivities they operate within. The result? A potent brand amplification achieved with impactful and visually striking content that captures the essence of the organisation's work and the stories of the women it serves.

"We extend our heartfelt gratitude for the hard work and dedication that Whitenoise consistently puts into our projects. We value their insightful feedback and the exceptional contributions to our shared endeavours."
Jessica Tirado-McKinney, Senior Director of Operations and Development, Too Young To Wed

Belfast Exposed

One of Belfast’s largest and longest established arts organisations, Belfast Exposed approached us in 2020 to develop a new brand identity, provision them with digital and print design and deliver a launch campaign across multiple social media platforms. A key consideration for us was how to create a brand that would stay true to the character of the organisation and its values whilst being able to carry it into the future. To achieve this the new brand needed a timeless quality but also one that reflected Belfast Exposed as a forward-thinking and dynamic organisation.

Another key consideration when developing the new identity was to accurately represent the organisation’s growing service offerings. We achieved this by building a strong brand architecture built on a series of five sub-brands, each with a unique shape which connects in to the master brand. Our strategy-led approach resulted in a clean yet sophisticated brand that reflects the organisation’s personality, ethos and drive. 

From the client
"We approached Whitenoise in 2020 to help us rebrand Belfast Exposed. They listened carefully, responded insightfully and delivered a compelling new brand that perfectly captured who we are and what we do. They identified at an early stage that we are an ambitious organisation and wanted to ensure that our new brand could grow over time as we expand, and our new flexible brand does just that."
Deirdre Robb, Chief Executive, Belfast Exposed

Ulster Wildlife

With an increasingly urgent climate crisis impacting nature and people across Northern Ireland, the protection, restoration, connection and creation of places for nature is more important than ever before. Nature Recovery Networks (NRNs) are designed to put nature on the path of recovery and deliver far-reaching benefits to society.

Since September 2020, with generous funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the DAERA Environmental Challenge Fund, Ulster Wildlife has been working in partnership with RSPB NI, National Trust and The Woodland Trust Landscape Partnership, on a project to build capacity to deliver NRNs (Nature Recovery Networks) in Northern Ireland. To support this movement, Whitenoise created a series of videos and animations designed to explain NRNs and encourage members of the public to advocate for local NRN activity, pushing the government to adopt a landscape-scale approach in policy and practice.

"With the animation, we wanted to explain why we need Nature Recovery Networks in the first place and what they are all about in an informative but uplifting way. Working with Whitenoise was such a pleasure. They’re a super friendly bunch and were brilliant, from script development to finding the right style and tone for the overall video, which was quite an extensive process. They listened to our needs and were flexible with adjustments, even at the last minute, so we couldn't have asked for more. We’re really pleased with how the series turned out and received excellent feedback on the video from partners and stakeholders."
Nina Schonberg, Nature Recovery Networks Project Coordinator, Ulster Wildlife

Integrated Education Fund

We are delighted to share the four-minute animation Whitenoise created to highlight the significant efforts of the Integrated Education Fund (IEF) in promoting peacebuilding and reconciliation in Northern Ireland. The animation, titled "Our Peace, Our Future," features the narration of acclaimed actor and Belfast native Ciarán Hinds, who visited the Whitenoise studio to record the important message.

Entrusted with creating this impactful piece of work, the animated short film showcases the IEF's dedication to fostering unity and collaboration within the school system. Through this animation, we aim to highlight the IEF's remarkable efforts and contribute to its mission of building a peaceful and inclusive future.

"Thank you Whitenoise for producing our amazing 'Our Peace, Our Future' animation. We love it!"
Gareth McElduff, Fundraising Campaign Officer, Integrated Education Fund

Armstrong Storytelling Trust

The Armstrong Storytelling Trust is a registered charity set up to promote the art of storytelling, develop new storytellers and preserve and enhance access to stories by taking stories into schools, care homes for old people and communities throughout Northern Ireland. Whitenoise had the pleasure of  working with the team  to develop a new brand identity for the growing organisation

"When we approached Whitenoise, we requested they design a new brand identity for our charity. We had an idea that it should reflect the art of oral storytelling, its dynamic nature, and heritage. The team really listened to us and were able to interpret our request accurately, translating our vision into powerful imagery. We are so happy with our new brand. It is simple, adaptable and has longevity.

The Whitenoise team were a real pleasure to work with and turned this around very quickly. I’d recommend Whitenoise to anyone considering a rebrand."

Claire O'Neill, Storytelling Project Officer, Armstrong Storytelling Trust