Branding
Sustainable branding for ethical brands
Discover sustainable branding that raises the profile of your ethical brand and gives it a clear identity. We develop strategic brand identities that clearly convey your values and strengthen your position in the market. Together, we’ll create a brand identity that builds trust and stands the test of time.
Efficient implementation
Structured onboarding and offboarding for every project
Clear processes
Three established processes guide you safely through your project
Sustainable success
A weekly 60-minute group call following the end of the project
Our promise
Sustainable branding: Eight reasons why we are the right partner
Brands with attitude instead of empty promises
We develop brand strategies that clearly highlight values rather than letting them get lost in generic marketing clichés.
Strategy that really understands sustainability
Our strategies are based on genuine ethical principles rather than greenwashing and short-term trends.
Branding from a specialised network of experts
2bu design is an ethically motivated network of strategy, design and communication experts who work together in a targeted manner.
Experience from major brands meets a sense of purpose
We have already worked for major brands such as Henkel and are now consciously focussing on meaningful projects.
Design with recognition value and character
We develop visual identities that are clear, consistent and unmistakable instead of interchangeable standard solutions.
We think like your target group
Sustainable, vegan and ethical perspectives are part of everyday life for us – this creates communication without detours.
Long-term brands instead of short-term campaigns
We build brands that grow steadily and do not have to be reinvented every season.
Clarity in communication and language
We translate complex values into clear, understandable messages without unnecessary marketing blah-blah.
Our understanding
Sustainable branding that turns values into trust
A nice logo on its own is not enough to inspire trust. Sustainable branding highlights values and takes responsibility seriously. Whether Vegan brands with character, Producers with forward-looking ideas, Coaches and education providers with a conscious attitude or NGOs with a clear mission: Your brand needs more than design – it needs a Clear identity that creates trust and provides orientation.
Through holistic, sustainable branding, we combine strategy, design and communication into a coherent system. The result is a brand that not only looks good, but comes across as authentic, operates consistently and attracts precisely those people who share your values.
Customer feedback
First-hand: what customers experience
„Sustainable branding isn’t just a green veneer, but a clear stance. This is where brands are created that not only make a visual impact, but also take on genuine responsibility and demonstrate a measurable impact.“
Anke Kühne
Managing Director | Estaverde
„Ethical brands don’t need flashy marketing; they need clear, honest language. When strategy, design and values align, genuine trust is built – and that’s exactly what lasts.“
Hannah Seward-Thompson
Sole trader | Mint Hedgehog
„Impact is created where branding does not merely sell, but brings about change. Sustainable brands in the property sector demonstrate that business and social responsibility are not a contradiction, but the very future.“
Ludwig Frede
Managing Director | BonnVisio
Weaknesses & Opportunities
A logo is designed quickly – a brand with a clear stance needs sustainable branding
Unfortunately, this happens quite often
There is no common thread linking the touchpoints. The website, social media and print materials look as though they come from three different companies, and each platform presents its own unique interpretation of the brand.
Every application gets reinvented. Without a clear system, the design process starts from scratch with every flyer, every presentation and every new post, which wastes time and money at every touchpoint.
Too vague when speaking – too quiet when not. Sustainability remains either an empty claim or a stance that nobody can see, and both erode the trust that should, in fact, have been earned long ago.
The redesign comes later – and costs more. Any strategic steps that are skipped at the outset will cost you dearly by the time the first rebranding takes place at the very latest: in terms of budget, time and lost brand recognition.
Here’s how we’ll sort it out
A consistent system creates brand recognition. According to a study by Lucidpress, brands with a consistent image across all channels see their turnover grow by an average of around 23 per cent more than brands without a clear brand identity.
Flexible in structure, unambiguous in effect. Our brand system, with its clear templates, saves time and effort; according to Forrester, without it, around one in three team members would have to repeat work because suitable brand templates are lacking.
A genuine stance has a measurable impact. According to an analysis by McKinsey and NielsenIQ, products with clearly communicated sustainability credentials grew by an average of 28 per cent over five years, whilst all others grew by just 20 per cent.
Getting it right once costs less than getting it nearly right twice. A solid foundation builds trust right from the start, and according to Edelman, 81 per cent of consumers need to be able to trust a brand before they buy from it.
Branding process
From Purpose to Presence in four phases
Our process leads your brand into six weeks from Purpose to Presence. Over four phases, a clear, actionable outcome is developed step by step: the first and last phases each last one week, whilst the two in between each last two weeks. Each phase builds on the previous one. At the end, you won’t be left with just ideas, but with a Ready-made, consistent brand foundation in hand – ready for action.
Strategy: Discover & Define
Once we have gathered all the relevant information, we carry out a thorough analysis. The aim is to truly understand the market and target audience before we develop the brand core, positioning and persona. We consolidate the results into a presentation, agree on them collectively and then translate them into a clear Strategy Guideline – as a robust foundation before the creative work begins.
Rough concept: Design
Now thinking becomes visible. Based on the archetypes from persona development, we use mood boards to discuss the atmosphere and style of the future brand identity. We then develop design routes as concrete creative directions. This phase is about establishing a clear direction and making selections – not yet about fine-tuning.
Detailed design: Develop
The chosen direction is worked out in detail here, and the system is made consistent. Components, variants, applications and details are refined and professionally prepared. This takes place internally, with a round of revisions. An idea is transformed into a robust, functioning system that can be implemented.
Realisation: Deliver & Document
This is where the branding is launched to the world: All assets are carefully developed and handed over; once approved, the brand is ready with logo, typefaces, colours, pictograms and illustrations are immediately ready for use. In the Design Guidelines , we establish clear rules for the system, explain how the building blocks interact and provide examples of their use – ensuring that the brand remains consistent, scalable and comprehensible in the long term.
Packages & services
Choose a service model that fits your vision
Guided Start (S) focuses on the essentials and lays a solid foundation, often for sole traders. Trusted Lead (M) offers small and medium-sized enterprises more choice and a more comprehensive set of guidelines. Bespoke Project (L) provides a comprehensive ticketing system for growing teams.
Included in all packages:
1 online meeting (core team, max. 3 people) and 1 round of revisions per project phase
A weekly 60-minute group call following the end of the project
Unless otherwise agreed, no open working files will be provided. 2bu design is entitled to use the project for reference purposes.
All prices are exclusive of VAT.
Add-ons
Branding add-ons for everything beyond the basic framework
Tailor-made solutions that visibly strengthen your sustainable business – with clear, fixed pricing so you know exactly what to budget for right from the start. We’d be happy to discuss with you which elements will really make a difference to your project.
Set of pictograms
Whether it’s ingredients, wayfinding or infographics: we develop bespoke pictograms to match your brand identity. This requires an existing brand identity. You’ll receive the files in EPS, PDF, PNG, SVG and JPG formats.
600 €/10 | 900 €/20 | 1.200 €/40 pieces
Illustrations charged at cost
Illustrations give your brand personality. Based on your existing branding, we create illustrations that bring your story to life. You’ll receive the files in EPS, PDF, PNG, SVG and JPG formats.
60 € simple | 120 € medium | 240 € complex per item
Stylish additions made from reclaimed timber
Stock images that don’t look like stock images are all down to careful selection. With Markenblick, we search for and licence suitable images, illustrations or pictograms. This ensures your brand remains authentic, and the licence is included.
600 €/10 | 900 €/20 | 1.200 €/40 pieces
Variations in printing inks
To ensure your brand looks just right on paper, textiles or packaging, we create colour variations in CMYK and Pantone. This applies to logos, pictograms and illustrations. We’d be happy to provide you with a cost estimate in advance.
Charged at cost, 60 €/hour
Online guidelines
Instead of creating a PDF, we’ll build your guidelines online as a Brand Hub in WordPress. This means that staff and external agencies worldwide can view the latest version at any time, in their own language if required. AI also finds the Brand Hub easier to read and can implement content in line with the corporate design more quickly.
180 € simple | 480 € medium | 720 € complex per page (+25 % in other systems)
Photography services from the network
Some projects require bespoke images. Working alongside experienced photographers from our sustainable network, we create authentic images of products, staff and corporate environments.
Retainers for your core team
As part of the retainer, we advise your core team for 1 or 2 hours each week to ensure your branding remains on track across all agencies. Unlike our free group call for all clients, this session is exclusively for your team. Ideal following Package L.
480 €/4 | 960 €/8 hours a month (at least 3 months)
AI automation
We upload your project deliverables directly to Claude – such as brand strategy, brand design, SEO concepts or content plans. You, your team or your agencies save time, and the AI ensures every detail of the guidelines is taken care of. Ideas and decisions remain in human hands.
1.280 € (+25 % in other systems)
Personal training & support
If you’ve got a lot of questions or are having trouble with WordPress, Instagram and the like, you can discuss your issue with us in a one-to-one call. Anything we can’t sort out straight away during the call, we’ll summarise for you in an email, including suggestions and links. For minor queries, we offer our free group call.
80 €/hour
FAQ
Answers to the most important questions
The most frequently asked questions are rarely the least important ones. That’s why we answer them here openly and straight away. This way, you’ll get a clear picture, understand our processes and know what to expect next. If anything’s still unclear, simply book a coffee date with us: transparent, structured and on equal terms.
Who is this branding suitable for?
This service is aimed at sustainable, ethical and values-driven companies that wish to strategically develop and clearly position their brand. These include start-ups, NGOs, small businesses and medium-sized enterprises that not only want to be visible, but also convey a clear stance and make an impact on the outside world.
It is particularly well suited to brands that operate conscientiously, take responsibility and wish to reach their target audience not through volume, but through clarity, authenticity and trust.
How is the branding implemented?
Branding is based on a structured process comprising strategy, design, implementation and guidelines. Based on a detailed questionnaire and a market analysis, a well-founded Brand Strategy is developed.
Building on this 1–3 mood boards, 1–2 design directions, as well as a set of logos for specific uses and initial design assets such as pictograms and illustrations, that visually translate the brand identity. All of the results are converted into a Consistent brand system transferred, and in a Guideline recorded.
All assets are professionally created in Illustrator. The presentations and guidelines are created in InDesign.
Who will be able to use the branding in future?
The brand assets developed are structured in such a way that they can be used by both non-specialists and professional design and marketing teams. All files are clearly named, logically organised into folders andprovided in all standard formats.
This ensures consistent application of the brand across all channels – from social media and the website to print and presentations, regardless of who ends up working with it.
What additional costs are involved in branding?
Additional costs will only apply if you have any special requirements. For printing, we use the add-on „Printing ink variants“ CMYK and Pantone versions of your assets, charged on a time-and-materials basis at €60 per hour.
On request, we can implement your brand guidelines using the add-on „Online Guide“ online as a Brand Hub. This means your brand content is always accessible online and easy to share.
What do I need before I start my branding?
Before starting the project, it is helpful to have a basic understanding of your own brand, particularly some initial thoughts on vision, target audience and values. An initial inspiration board (e.g. Pinterest) or a collection of example brands can also help to better define the visual direction.
In addition, a detailed questionnaire is completed, which serves as the strategic basis for brand development. It ensures that the design and strategy are developed on a clear, shared basis right from the start.
Initial consultation
It’s time for branding that reflects your values
Sustainable branding for ethical brands ensures that your values are not merely claimed, but made visible. It combines strategy, design and communication to create a clear overall picture – and makes the difference between a brand that is sustainable and one that merely aims to appear sustainable .
In a no-obligation, free initial consultation, we’ll explore together whether we share this vision. You grab a coffee; we’ll make sure to set aside plenty of time. The call is there to help us organise our thoughts, share ideas openly and identify what really matters for your project. Relaxed. Honest. With no pressure to decide.
It quickly becomes clear whether it’s a good fit – strategically, creatively and on a personal level.
If so: brilliant. If not: that’s fine too. Clarity is always a bonus.
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