goodcarbon Capital (GCC) is a global financing solution for climate impact, founded in 2021. Their mission is:
“Together, we shift the focus of global capital to restore and protect our precious ecosystems.”

GCC develops and provides investment solutions for large-scale projects around the globe; that are good for business, good for humans, and good for the planet. They are part of a unique business ecosystem together with the goodcarbon marketplace platform, Oceans 2050, and the Institute for Abundant Oceans. goodcarbon Capital’s role in the portfolio is enabling high-impact Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to scale, by providing access to climate-conscious investors.

Fellow were engaged to design GCC’s identity, in a way that breathed life into the financial sector. This space can be familiar of industry jargon, facts and figures, and corporate design. The climate change market can also be a hazard of businesses that take advantage of consumer concerns–resulting in greenwashing. goodcarbon Capital’s brand needed to signify the industries they are in, but in a way that shows the true focus they have on humans and the planet.

Research
As a brand in the climate change space, it’s a relief to see GCC have such a positive outlook–with more of a ‘doer’ attitude than a ‘thinker’ mentality. When approaching their tone, Fellow identified that a balance needed to be struck between ‘financial vehicle’ and ‘conscious entity’. The identity needed to be premium in order to gain traction with investors, and have digital elements to demonstrate their tech foundation. Fellow’s research centred on finding graphic elements to support these objectives, as well as how a human element could be brought into the identity.

Exploration
Fellow started developing a central concept of ‘Connected Components’. The south-London studio looked at visual cues from the digital space and used ‘button-style’ graphics to highlight importance. Fellow elected to use gradients to show the parallel between nature’s interconnectivity and the web of transactions that take place at any given time. This approach gives GCC a fresh and unique perspective we don’t often see in the finance space.

Development
Fellow used colour and photography to signpost sustainability. Photography is scaled to show either macro areas of landscapes and human action, or micro details of natural textures. Showing people was a key photographic consideration, as by protecting the environment GCC supports the communities that rely on natural resources. As a starting point, Fellow used natural colours and then tweaked them to add vibrancy and vitality to the palette–allowing the brand to sit comfortably within the tech space. The palette is skewed towards blue tones to match the brand USP of focusing on Blue Carbon initiatives. Fellow also developed a bespoke iconography set and illustration style–its style and approach existing uniquely from any competitors.

Implementation
Fellow have become trusted brand partners for GCC. With the brand finalised, Fellow then rolled out key marketing and communication collateral including presentation templates, social templates, and brand guidelines. The studio has also supported GCC with messaging and writing guidance, to ensure that the brand is human and relatable across visual and verbal communication. The new website is set to launch in 2022.