Climate Active

Australia's initiative for climate action.

Working with the Australian Government on their carbon neutral certification initiative was a major opportunity. This influential collaboration between government, business, and the community empowers Australians to take positive climate action. The key challenge was establishing a system that functions seamlessly as both a consumer-facing brand and an authoritative certification mark – building long-term equity while delivering instant credibility alongside major Australian icons like QANTAS and the Sydney Opera House.

Framing

Strategic framing

We framed the challenge around overcoming severe barriers to member acquisition for the government's carbon neutral initiative. The strategic brief focused on shifting the perception of carbon certification from a complex, low-recognition administrative process into a highly valuable, market-leading asset. We established a dual-purpose strategy where the master brand builds public equity and optimism, while the certification mark delivers tangible commercial value for certified businesses.

Immersing

Organisational immersionCustomer & audience insightCategory & competitor analysis

We conducted an extensive research and stakeholder engagement program – encompassing 83 partner organisations, five collaborative workshops, and two rounds of consumer testing alongside research and PR agencies. This deep immersion highlighted the need to move beyond technical, emission-focused jargon toward an energetic narrative centred on collective, optimistic climate action across all levels of Australian society.

Solving

Brand strategyBrand architectureCreative strategy

We created a unified strategic response centred on the new brand name, Climate Active, and a core positioning built around empowering Australians to act now and for the future. By categorising the portfolio and clarifying the value proposition, we resolved the creative challenge of visualising the “invisible” – anchoring the brand concept both literally and figuratively in ‘offsetting’, progress, and positive environmental momentum.

Actioning

Brand IdentityDesign systems & implementationMessaging matrix

We translated the strategy into a distinctive visual identity and certification system that balances corporate credibility with consumer accessibility. The symbol combines an arc representing the atmosphere and a forward-moving arrow capturing action and reduction. The resulting design system, iconography, custom typography, brand guidelines, and digital touchpoints were launch-tested at an epic event at the Sydney Opera House.

Partnering with the Department of the Environment and Energy, research specialists, and PR partners, we delivered a complete brand transformation for Australia's flagship carbon neutral program. Our engagement spanned category mapping, portfolio architecture, value proposition design, stakeholder engagement, brand naming development, brand strategy, brand architecture, visual identity design, key messaging, comprehensive brand guidelines, and multi-channel brand applications.

We created a flexible, digital-first brand architecture that allows Climate Active to operate effectively across diverse sectors – from small local businesses to world heritage-listed venues and multinational corporations – providing a consistent, highly recognisable symbol of environmental responsibility.

750+
Certifications across the business sector: 554
Businesses actively participating: 66%
Consumers seeking sustainable goods: $1M+
Saved by participating organisations

To cut through a crowded global landscape of climate initiatives, we designed an identity system around the concept of 'offsetting' as a step in the right direction. The brandmark’s geometry uses an arc to symbolize the earth's atmosphere and a dial of positive change, paired with an offset arrow to signal reduction, momentum, and future progress.

This visual concept extends across the entire brand world, utilising expressive typography, dynamic motion graphics, and a clear messaging matrix that reframes carbon reduction from a burdensome obligation into an empowering collective movement. The certification mark provides instant consumer trust, while the master brand gives government and business partners a confident platform to advocate for meaningful climate action.

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