THE AFRICAN
HEARTBEAT
SECTORS - Educational Resources
SERVICES - Branding
A brand that celebrates diversity and represents what people truly are: vibrant and unique.
Far beyond traditional media representation. A place to learn the true story of the African continent — with its vast array of cultures, peoples, biodiversity, and above all, identity.
The Global Heartbeat is a space that honours every varied culture and history that makes up the African continent. This is what makes us a safe place to celebrate and learn about different peoples and cultures. From South Africa to Tunisia.
THE CHALLENGE
The Global Heartbeat will be used by the Education Authority in schools across Northern Ireland to help children learn about the African continent. That gave this project a responsibility that went well beyond creating a memorable visual identity.
The brand would help shape how children encounter and understand cultures, histories and people they may know little about. We needed to inspire curiosity without reinforcing the very stereotypes the project exists to challenge.
How do you represent the richness of an entire continent without reducing its many cultures to a single story? Getting that right meant a substantial amount of research, careful consideration and a clear reason behind every design decision.
OUR APPROACH
Research formed the foundation of this project. We explored cultural references, histories, symbolism and visual traditions to develop an identity that could support the project’s educational purpose with care and respect.
At its centre is a heart-shaped interpretation of Sankofa, an Adinkra symbol associated with the Akan people and the importance of learning from the past. We were careful to acknowledge its specific cultural origins while connecting its meaning with The Global Heartbeat’s purpose: understanding history to help shape a better future.
We preserved irregular, handmade qualities in the symbol and carried that character through expressive patterns and textures. A vibrant palette of purple, yellow, orange and deep teal brings energy to the identity, while contemporary typography gives the storytelling clarity and structure.
Our work included:
Each element needed to earn its place, contributing to a brand that feels engaging for young audiences while treating its subject with the depth and care it deserves.
Our work included:
• extensive cultural and visual research
• brand concept and creative direction
• logo design and variations
• colour palette and typography
• bespoke patterns and textures
• visual direction for social media and communications
• brand application concepts across print, digital and merchandise
THE OUTCOME
The Global Heartbeat now has a distinctive, flexible visual identity ready to support its use by the Education Authority in schools across Northern Ireland. Its heart-shaped symbol, expressive patterns and vibrant colours bring consistency across educational content, digital communications and printed materials, inviting children to explore the stories behind them.
The significance of this work lies in where it goes next: into classrooms, where it can encourage questions, spark curiosity and help children discover a richer, more varied picture of the African continent.
We’re grateful to The Global Heartbeat for trusting us with this responsibility. We’ve learned an immense amount throughout the project, and the opportunity to help shape how children encounter these cultures, histories and stories is something we don’t take lightly. It has been a privilege to be involved.
Have a bright idea? We bring bold results with no fuss, just zest.
Have a bright idea? We bring bold results with no fuss, just zest.
Have a bright idea? We bring bold results with no fuss, just zest. Have a bright idea? We bring bold results with no fuss, just zest.
TESTIMONIAL
Julianna is honestly one of the most competent, professional and incredible business advisors ever! Her demeanour is approachable, welcoming and she always has suggestions for business management, and has a thorough selection of digital resources. Julianna is ready to solve any problem for you no matter how big or small.
— Morgan Blaine founder of The Spinners Mill