Securing a future for Malawi's wildlife at the heart of brand and website refresh

Lilongwe Wildlife Trust (LWT), Malawi's leading conservation organisation, has launched a new identity and redeveloped its website to raise awareness of pressing environmental threats and the urgent need to protect wildlife. The work was carried out by sixredsquares, a UK-based agency founded by "a bunch of scruffy graphic design students" 15 years ago and whose client list today boasts Bloomberg Television, YMCA and Sky Arts.

The revamped brand aims to engage a global audience and highlight LWT's crucial work. Owen Williams, managing director of Sixredsquares, emphasised the project's alignment with the agency's values of making design a force for global good. "We were immediately drawn to the passion of LWT's mission. This is the kind of positive change we want to be a part of, and those shared values helped us connect from the first meeting," he said.

As for the brand refresh, Peter Cass, creative director at Sixredsquares, said: "It wasn't just about adding cute animal images; it was about building an emotional connection to the cause LWT is fighting for." The updated brand features bolder, modern typefaces, an expanded colour palette, and new graphical assets, providing more flexibility and opportunities for LWT. The logo was also adjusted for better legibility at smaller sizes, and a new landscape lockup was developed, modernising the charity's proposition without too many changes.

The new website, designed to showcase LWT's work and impact, adopts a bold, visually-led style using a library of imagery and statistics. "We wanted the passion and personality of the Trust to shine through," said Williams. "Their work demands attention, compassion, and action, so we used an assertive approach to messaging and design to reflect these principles."

Cass noted the importance of the website's agility, allowing LWT to quickly update content and respond to topical issues. "In a fast-moving environment, adding new stories, statistics, and educational articles can make a difference in securing new donors and partnerships. The charity wanted autonomy to stay at the forefront of discussions on Malawi's environmental threats."

Pádraic MacOireachtaigh from Lilongwe Wildlife Trust praised the project: "The design refresh has modernised our brand, giving us a striking visual identity. The new site makes it easier for donors and volunteers to connect with our work."