Making Fairness Actionable

Helplessness is in your head

Right now, the world is feeling more and more unfair. Issues seem like they're spiralling out of our control. And topics like global trade are too daunting and complex for people to act on. While many of us understand the wider issues of exploitation that take place, it can feel like anything we could do to help would just be a drop in the ocean.

This is where Fairtrade comes in – they believe fairness is the catalyst for a better world. Every drop in the ocean has a ripple effect, and if enough of us take action, we can make waves together. But to get there, we need consumers to have a stronger personal connection to the Fairtrade brand. To see for themselves the issues producers face, and how – together with Fairtrade – they can help.

Do It Fair

Fairness is the one thing we can all influence to regain a sense of balance in the world. From small everyday acts to campaigning for global change. Do It Fair is a flexible brand platform that brings to life the many actions consumers and producers can take to build a fairer future, and what fairness means to the real people behind the products we know and love.

Grow it fair. Pick it fair. Sip it fair. Brew it fair. Chew it fair. Whatever you do, and however you do it – Do it fair.

Over to the audience

We established a Creative Council of 18-25 year olds with an interest in social and environmental impact – and a basic knowledge of Fairtrade – early on in the process. We then tested our work at regular intervals to ensure the campaign remained clear and engaging throughout each round of development.

Their input helped guide the concept and identify elements that they felt were missing. Collaborating with our council, it became clear that we needed to be more explicit about what ‘Fair’ actually means for Fairtrade workers. And how Fairtrade is helping tip the balance towards a better future for people and the planet. The ‘reaction’ part of our strategy couldn’t just be ‘making the world a better place’ – we needed to explain what that looks like in ways that people could relate to.

Say it. Then say it again in a different way.

To create a holistic, multi-year brand platform, our messaging needed to be able to flex. Our approach followed a strategic ‘action’ vs ‘reaction’ structure, which allowed us to formulate headlines that spoke specifically to different actions and the positive impacts they could have, while keeping the messaging consistent across multiple moments and channels.

Bold. Memorable. Inclusive.

The campaign identity was designed to be bold and memorable. Moving away from typical environmental visuals, we chose clean lines over textured brushstrokes or organic patterns for a more modern feel. We also brought in intricate and playful stickers, inspired by the look of fruit sticker designs, with the goal of engaging a younger audience in a visually fun and fresh way.

We worked in collaboration with illustrator, Tea (@teadayblogs), to create a suite of stickers which could work across the entire campaign. This meant finding simple ways to symbolise a number of problems and solutions within the trade industry. These contemporary stickers used the bright tones of the Fairtrade colour palette, bringing a distinctive and illustrative style to the campaign.

Typography also plays a strong role in the campaign’s visual identity. We aimed to replicate the instant readability of product stickers to clearly communicate our core messages. This meant creating bold typographic stickers using Degular Black to deliver our messages with a punch. This typographic approach was especially important for social media, where grabbing attention quickly is key.

We’ve also used animation throughout the campaign. Adding movement and interactivity to make content more dynamic, engaging and shareable.

One of our key focuses was featuring the producers themselves and making sure their voices were heard. Highlighting their truths and stories was key to showing the real-world impact of Fairtrade, as well as the challenges many tea growing communities still face. The campaign emphasises what fair truly means for farmers and producers, reinforcing the importance of ethical practices and direct support.

Bringing it to life

The platform will run online and around the UK for the entire year, punctuated by three key brand moments – a national tea campaign which launched on National Tea Day, Glastonbury, and Fairtrade Fortnight.