Studio Zenko

New work for the incredible @coliberateuk ✨ Coliberate is an inclusivity and liberation consultancy that enlightens, equips and empowers individuals, groups and organisations to improve their impact for positive social and/or environmental change. To bring founder Dr Christopher Owen’s eco-futurist vision to life, we created a new brand rooted in solarpunk aesthetics - a social, artistic, and literary movement envisioning a sustainable, optimistic future where humanity thrives in harmony with nature. Along with a refined logo, we created a suite of brand imagery, icons and a flexible design framework to support Coliberate’s work across their coaching, consulting, education and campaigning offer, showing a fairer and brighter future is possible, if we choose to coliberate 🙌 Full case study link in bio 👆

Last Thursday I had the joy of speaking at @process_manchester in front of the loveliest room of creatives in Manchester. I talked about my 20+ year journey in the creative industries, and why and how I made the switch from working with some of the world’s biggest fashion and lifestyle brands to setting up my own studio focused on helping good people doing good things in the charity and purpose-led business sectors. I loved sharing the stage with the amazing @jelee.jelee and @ashleigh.robertson_ @poisonivy.studio , and it was so nice to see the common thread through all of our talks of following your passions and focusing on the work that really fills the soul ✨ I had so many lovely conversations with people afterwards too 😊 Thanks to everyone who came and said hi! And a huge thanks to @maxmanngraphicdesign , @mosophdesign and @jackgdesign for inviting me to speak and for all of the work you’ve done to build this incredible space. You’ve created something really special here with community truly at its heart, and I can’t wait to attend the next one! 💛

Excited to be speaking at the fab @process_manchester next week alongside the amazing @jelee.jelee and @poisonivy.studio ✨ I’ll be talking about my 20+ year journey in the creative industries, from working with some of the world’s biggest fashion and lifestyle brands to a focus on helping good people doing good things through Studio Zenko, how a curiosity and passion for people has been a constant thread throughout all of my work, and applying commercial learnings to cause-based creative. Ticket link in the @process_manchester bio 🎟️

IT TAKES A VILLAGE 🙌 We’re beyond proud to have created the branding for new and much improved @manchestervillagepride ! Following the collapse of Manchester Pride Events Ltd last year, Manchester Village Pride will be delivered by a new not-for-profit Community Interest Company. By the community, for the community, and back in the heart of Manchester’s LGBTQ+ village where it belongs. The CIC’s board is made up of unpaid volunteers with financial backing from the Village’s array of LGBTQ+ venues, set up with the purpose to give back as much as possible to the community that Pride exists to serve - every pound of profit will be supporting LGBTQ+ charities, grassroots organisations and community services. It’s also the first UK Pride event to have agreements in place with Equity, meaning every performer will have union representation and a meaningful dialogue over the terms of their work. Pride has always been more than a party, and a new community advisory board will ensure this year’s event truly meets the needs of our diverse community and centres inclusivity and solidarity at the heart of every aspect of the event. It really does take a village to pull something like this off. Incredible work from everyone involved! 💜

New work for the amazing humans at Stockport Race Equality Partnership 💜 @srep_gm is a community-rooted organisation dedicated to promoting racial equity and inclusion across Stockport and Greater Manchester. They connect, advocate, and empower ethnically diverse communities through their range of comprehensive support services. Founded on the principle that true equality requires active engagement and systemic change, they work tirelessly to ensure that every individual, regardless of their background, has access to opportunities, support, and the chance to thrive. We worked on a full rebrand of the organisation to create a more professional identity that still retains the soul of their community-first approach - passionate, inclusive, accessible, celebratory, and firmly rooted in place and purpose. Full case study link in bio 👆

@bigecho__ is democratising innovation - making it clear, purposeful and open to all. A partnership of advisors, researchers, tech consultants, AI trainers, artists, educators, and even an improv comedian, they help teams reconnect with creativity to solve sticky problems and unlock ideas with strategic impact. We worked closely with founder @tomparson__ to create a new brand which reflects Big Echo’s agile and energetic approach - steering clear of sector cliches to create an impactful, dynamic and accessible identity with a big dose of playful personality ✨ Full case study link in bio 👆

Pride in Leadership have created a groundbreaking new report: Barriers to LGBTQ+ career progression in the UK. A first-of-its-kind deep-dive into lived experience across the career spectrum based on the insights of over 1,000 LGBTQ+ professionals. LGBTQ+ professionals face a range of challenges and barriers in their careers, from lack of representation in leadership to workplace bias and discrimination. Yet, their voices and experiences are not always fully heard or understood. This report aims to change that, with a host of data, analysis, first-person accounts and practical recommendations, as well as a focus on the strengths and opportunities that exist in creating inclusive workplaces and environments that allow LGBTQ+ people to thrive. We helped bring the research to life, creating an engaging report document and a suite of supporting materials to help launch the report and drive the change that is still so clearly needed. Check out the link in our bio for the full case study and a link to download the full report 👆

More from our brand work for @thealternativemcr ✨ Manchester’s first LGBTQ+ run wellbeing studio, offering a range of classes, PT, menstrual coaching, sports massage and recovery services for women and queer people 🙌 Oh, and they’re dog friendly too! 🐶 Check out the link in our bio for the full case study 👆 And go follow @thealternativemcr to find out more about their amazing range of studio offerings!

New work for @thealternativemcr , Manchester’s first LGBTQ+ run wellbeing studio 🙌 Catering for women and queer people who are looking for an escape from toxic fitness cultures, The Alternative focus on sustainable, holistic change to help people feel happier, healthier and more at home in their bodies. We worked closely with the founders to help bring their vision to life, creating a new brand identity and visual language, positioning statements, interior mood boards and comms guides - all embodying The Alternative’s ‘wellbeing done differently’ approach, and with the flexibility to evolve with the growing service offer. It was an absolute joy working on this one! A huge thank you to the amazing humans @paigefotia and @thealternativecoach for trusting us with your baby ❤️ Their passion and dedication to this project has been truly inspiring ✨ Check out the link in our bio for the full case study 👆 And go follow @thealternativemcr to find out more about their amazing range of studio offerings!

The category is... FUNFETTI! 🎉🎉🎉 A new personal brand for YouTuber, Trans+ healthcare professional, LGBTQ+ activist and all round lovely human @iamsteffilynn ✨ We’ve created a new wordmark, icons, colour palette, typography and motion graphics pack for use across Stephanie’s social media, education and activism work, all sprinkled with a big dose of funfetti 🎉 (the type of one-word brief we like!) Check it out across all of Stephanie’s social channels now!

A long overdue update for the Studio Zenko showreel! 🪩💃✨ Just a snippet of the work that has been keeping us busy over the last year or so, helping good people doing good things make an impact. It’s been incredible witnessing all of these brands and initiatives go from strength to strength and seeing the difference they’re making 🙌 If you’re looking to make a start, make a statement or make a change, say hey! 👋 Website refresh coming soon!

Amazing clients doing amazing things 🥰 £1 from every @bleeckerburger cherry shake sold is donated to the incredible @mermaidsgender 🏳️‍⚧️ Can 100% confirm this is as indulgent and delicious as it looks 🍒 Go get it!