Helping two pioneers join together to fight climate change

REDD Positive is a partnership between Instinet and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) that funds large-scale global forest conservation and restoration projects. Thinkso and Instinet’s marketing team collaborated on naming, visual identity, and editorial strategy to build a brand for the initiative from the ground up, using an approach that balances the emotional conservation story with the hard science of climate change to tug at donors’ purse strings as much as their heartstrings. The results underscore the innovative thinking and serious commitment of the two partner organizations, as well as the state-of-the-art in data-driven, collaborative, and community-sensitive forest conservation.

An animation that alternates the new Redd Positive logo and the Wildlife Conservation Society and Instinet logos on a black background.

The REDD Positive brand was awarded Gold in the Visual Identity category at the 2023 Financial Communication Society Portfolio Awards.

Designed to appeal to the intellect as much as the emotions of potential donors and partners, the brand visuals and editorial voice eschew the typical “green” aesthetic, instead providing a clean palette and educational tone that reflect the sophisticated science and finance behind the massive forest restoration and reclamation projects needed to combat climate change on a global scale.

View the live site at reddpositive.org.

The back of a t-shirt worn by a Wildlife Conservation Society staff person with the text, Primal forests and wetlands are critical to fighting climate change.
A WCS staff person in front of a projected presentation about Redd Positive speaking to an audience.

The fresh and uncluttered visual approach extends to presentation and promotional items WCS staff use in the field, in keeping with their sophisticated yet inclusive and community-minded approach.

Two Redd Positive Cocktails and Conservation launch event food and drink servers in front of a large banner featuring the Redd Positive and Instinet logos with a large headline that reads, Investing to save and restore the world’s great forests.
REDD Positive Cocktails and Conservation launch event credentials stacked on a reception table.
Two REDD Positive Cocktails and Conservation launch event attendees greet each other.

Where do you launch an innovative partnership with the goal of restoring endangered forest land? At one of the country’s premier conservation-minded institutions: the Central Park Zoo. Dubbed (with a twist) “Cocktails & Conservation,” the event seamlessly integrated the elements of the REDD Positive brand with the Zoo’s environs—and its furry, feathered, and finned citizens.

Email invitations for the Redd Positive Cocktails and Conservation launch event at the Central Park Zoo with text about the event laid over green- and black-tinted close up images of zoo animals.

Serving as the first public introduction to the WCS and Instinet partnership and the REDD Positive brand, the launch party save the date and invitations hit just the right blend information and emotion with striking, color-saturated close-up animal photography.

A large vertical sign on a patio at the Central Park zoo greets guests in several languages for the REDD Positive Cocktails and Conservation launch event.
A Central Park Zoo attendant holding the fin of a sea lion.
Close up of a black sign with green and white lettering that says, Meet the sea lions. Charlie: teacher’s pet, Sally, the show off, and Theo, the new kid in town.
A large vertical outdoor sign directs guests at the REDD Positive Cocktails and Conservation launch event to the penguin exhibit with the headline, Waddle this way. Black tie optional.
A large vertical outdoor sign directs guests at the REDD Positive Cocktails and Conservation launch event to the tropic zone exhibit with the headline, Take a walk on the wild side.

Launch event wayfinding signs continue the REDD Positive brand experience, balancing the seriousness and science with cheeky headlines and fun asides at the sea lion exhibit.

A REDD Positive Cocktails and Conservation launch event attendee in front of a food service table. A banner with the REDD Positive Log and Cambodian forest scene is behind the table.
A guest leans forward to scan a QR code on a small with her phone at the REDD Positive Cocktails and Conservation launch event.

In the main event tent, dual exhibit/food service locations center around three areas of WCS reforestation work—Colombia, Cambodia, and Cameroon. QR codes on exhibit signs link attendees to more information about REDD Positive, the host countries, and endangered species on a dedicated event microsite.

Close up of a large vertical outdoor sign for Redd Positive Cocktails and Conservation launch event letting guests know that the tropic zone exhibit is now closed.
At exhibit bed-time, the signs are turned to redirect attendees back to the main event area. And as the event wraps up, follow up emails keep the excitement and connection of the launch event going, providing deeper dives into the effects of climate change and human intervention on forest ecosystems.

At exhibit bed-time, the signs are turned to redirect attendees back to the main event area as the event winds down. To keep the excitement and engagement of the launch event going, attendees receive followup emails with photos and highlights and are connected to the REDD Positive site for more information on how they can continue to support the initiative.