Behind the Scenes: Global Network Initiative
I started working with Global Network Initiative in early 2021, thanks to a referral from an existing client.
They already had their colors, logo and fonts in place – how much do you love that reddish orange against the shades of teal?! – but needed help exploring how they could apply their branding in ways that would keep different pieces interesting and fresh while still fitting into a shared overall look and feel.
The first piece we teamed up on was a report on network disruptions for advocacy in Africa. They had a lot of great information and content. I came in to help them make it look spectacular.
In this instance Global Network Initiative was publishing the report but not authoring it, so they wanted the visuals to be adjacent to their brand but still offer flexibility. My goal was to create visuals that were eye-catching but didn’t distract from the content.
I familiarized myself with GNI’s branding by reviewing their existing design materials and consulting with staff members to learn what elements had been positively received. Based on the existing brand and the feedback, I created two design concepts to help the client zero in on the specific graphic elements and layout they were looking for before laying out the full report.
That first project went really well, and we’ve continued to work together since then. Since my first collaboration with Global Network Initiative, we’ve joined forces on several design projects including:
a report about the use of personal data during the pandemic in Latin America
one-pagers about what the organization’s achievements
membership brochures
a more user-friendly version of their existing Assessment Toolkit describing a methodology to evaluate ICT companies’ efforts to apply the GNI Principles
One interesting challenge is representing the intersection between technology and human rights at the core of GNI’s work. We found a visual balance of the two by incorporating clean, modern graphics representing technological elements like networks, while also layering the graphic elements in an imperfect, dynamic way that alludes to more of the human experience.
Another interesting challenge that comes up is since GNI is an international-oriented organization, sometimes the pieces require the layout to be formatted in various different languages. Fortunately, this doesn’t require me to know multiple languages. I took French in high school but wouldn’t say I know it too well now!
The most rewarding part of working with GNI is getting to learn about and support the important work they do to protect freedom of expression and privacy rights online.
“Working with Christy not only has enhanced our messaging and content visually but helped us think more creatively about how we can present our work to different audiences. Christy is a good listener, asks good questions to enhance any project, and is simply joy to work with,” said Rocío Campos, GNI Communications Manager.
CHANGE MAKER OF THE MONTH
This month, I’m spotlighting and supporting Fight for Right, an organization fighting for the rights of people with disabilities in Ukraine. They are currently working to facilitate evacuations and the provision of resources to Ukrainians with disabilities during the war.