Free branding for animal welfare NGOs: How to apply to 2bu design

Table of Contents

1. Why we do this at all
2. What a free branding project with us actually entails
3. Who can apply
4. What we expect in return
5. And what if you aren't chosen?
6. How the application process works

1. Why we’re doing this in the first place

At 2bu design , we call this ‘ambitious’ because standing still is simply not an option for us: we want to actively improve the world through giving and sharing. Behind this lies a second principle that is just as important to us: We prefer to work with brands that care about more than just profit – with conscious organisations that treat people, animals and our planet responsibly, and whose messages raise awareness and bring about lasting change.

In practical terms, this means that for this programme, we are looking for animal welfare organisations whose work moves us and which could make a greater impact with a clearer brand identity.

2. What a free branding project with us actually entails

Based on a joint briefing meeting , we’ll develop the sustainable branding for your organisation. You’ll receive our most comprehensive package. With the Package L , you’ll receive clear strategy guidelines and comprehensive design guidelines, enabling you to implement and manage all your touchpoints yourselves.

The strategy encompasses your brand essence, your positioning and your brand personas. The design guidelines contain the logo, the colour palette and typography, the visual language , as well as your own pictograms and illustrations. It also contains the brand system, which uses visualisations to show how your brand looks and feels.

The specific design of individual touchpoints – that is, ready-made social media templates, an innovative website or various print applications such as, for example, an appealing editorial design – are not included. You’ll receive the vital foundation upon which your organisation can build. If you already have strong branding and a sound strategy, we’d be happy to work with you to assess whether a social media project would be more beneficial.

3. Who can apply

How to tell if your project is suitable for this programme:

• Your organisation is involved in animal welfare; you rehome animals, look after strays, run a sanctuary or operate a wildlife rescue centre.
• You are funded primarily through government grants or donations rather than through traditional revenue streams.
• Your location is not important at this stage – we operate internationally, and applications from abroad are very much welcome.

We want to make a difference. So, the clearer your mission and the greater the impact you could achieve with a stronger brand, the more suited you are to this programme. But please don’t be put off: first come, first served…

4. What we expect in return

For us, a pro bono branding project is not a one-way street. We believe in collaboration as equals – especially when no fee is involved. Commitment isn’t born of an invoice, but of mutual respect; that’s why, as a matter of principle, we’d like to see:

• Getting to know each other openly right from the start – the foundation for everything that follows. It’s important to us that you’re just as keen on the project as we are.
• After that, it’s up to you to decide – whether you want to play an active part in the process or leave the rest entirely to us is entirely up to you. Either option is fine by us.
• Permission to publish – the project may be featured as a case study on our website, in our magazine and on our social media channels, as well as in adverts.*

As your project is completely free of charge, the following reference modules are also an integral part of the collaboration. In the case of a regular, paid project, these same modules would result in a discount of 40 % (see section 5 for more details):

• A testimonial with a quote and profile picture for us to use as we wish, e.g. on our website, on social media or in an advert.
• A social media post on your channels showcasing our joint project.
• A blog post on your website about the collaboration, shared on your channels.
• Our name as the creator or branding agency in the legal notice on your website, with a link to our website

In addition, we’re of course always delighted to receive a positive review on Google or Facebook, or to collaborate on a joint press release. Neither is compulsory, but both are a lovely gesture.

„When we take on a project, it’s not just about the organisation we’re supporting and the animals that will hopefully benefit from it. It’s also about 2bu design – about the work we’re able to put our heart and soul into, and about the attention that benefits both of us.“

Katrin Tindler-Kempen | Owner of 2bu design

* Only the first draft of the project page and the blog article may require prior approval at the client’s express request. Minor changes to images and text that do not alter the message do not require further approval but are carried out on the basis of trust. This does not apply to any posts on our channels or adverts in which no one is quoted or linked to, nor to new visualisations of the project.

5. What if you aren’t chosen?

We’re sure that enquiries will still come in even after the two free places have been allocated. That’s why every application that meets the specified criteria will receive a guaranteed discount of 20 % on our sustainable branding project – regardless of how many of the following reference modules you can provide. For each additional module, you’ll receive a 10 % discount on top, totalling up to a 60 % discount:

Our aim is to make a difference for animals, people and the environment – not just in animal welfare. So, are you not an animal welfare NGO, but rather involved in vegan hospitality, environmental protection, coaching or healthcare, or running a sustainable start-up? The same referral modules and discounts from the table above apply to you too – just without the guaranteed 20-% base rate, which applies specifically to animal welfare NGOs. You can find out more about the entire system in our article on Trust as a Business Strategy.

6. How the application process works

The first meeting is our usual coffee date so we can get to know each other. You can simply book it via our website on Calendly – for example, here below the article – and answer the questions about your organisation as thoroughly as possible. The aim is to allow us to prepare for the meeting in advance so that neither of us wastes any of our valuable time. This initial meeting often leads straight on to the briefing meeting, during which we work out together where your brand’s journey should take it – and whether both sides can actually meet the conditions set out.