How can we create more impact?
The power of brand storytelling in the purpose-driven space.
Last week, Wild People dropped into an inspiring panel discussion in Exeter led by Devon Environment Foundation’s Amanda Keetley… and it left us with a question:
How can we create more impact?
In short: strong brand storytelling.
Hearing from Rachel Phillips (The Apricot Centre), Franny Armstrong (Washfield Wetlands), and Gary Jolliffe (Force 4 Nature), it was clear there’s already so much brilliant work happening at a grassroots level — supported and funded by the amazing DEF.
On the surface, the conversation covered nature recovery, regenerative farming, wetlands, biodiversity, community action…
But underneath all of that, a clear theme emerged: awareness, profile-raising, and the challenge of unlocking more funding to drive real impact.
As a design studio, we know the challenges businesses and NGOs face when it comes to communicating impact.
So, here are a few things we really believe in:
Start with emotion, not information.
Facts inform. Stories connect. If people don’t feel something, it won’t resonate. Numbers matter, but only when people understand the story behind them. So start with the question: what do you want people to feel?Be consistent enough to be remembered.
Your brand isn’t a one-off campaign (or a great drone shot). It’s how you show up across every touchpoint. Thread a clear story that reinforces a key emotion and carries people through to action.Don’t go it alone.
We all thrive in community — brands included. The right partnerships can take your message far beyond your own channels, while reinforcing what you stand for in new and engaging ways (think Vivobarefoot x Finisterre).Be wildly different.
Not louder — different. It’s easy to jump on trends or use the same creative libraries as everyone else… but that’s rarely memorable. Own your story, past and future, and tell it in a way that’s unmistakably yours.
Curious to hear from others in the NGO / purpose-driven space:
What’s the biggest challenge you face when trying to communicate your impact?