Behind the scenes with Here Design on the project that won the Social Impact Award at the BIAs.
(Image credit: Here Design)
Untold is a charity that helps young male prisoners reclaim their story, and Here Design recently rebranded it, engaging prisoners to co-create a brand that had the potential to inspire and empower them to turn their lives around through creative education.
"Untold's existing identity wasn't effectively communicating the potential of creative education in prison. It lacked the impact needed to attract funders and partners, and crucially, it didn't resonate with the young men in prison," explains Eleanor Robertson, senior designer at Here Design. "This limited their ability to reach and engage potential participants in their incredible programmes."
Untold was the winner of this year's Social Impact Award at the Brand Impact Awards, and I caught up with Eleanor and Kate Marlow, Here Design's founder and creative partner to find out more about the creation of this very special project. For more in this series, see our How we Made page.
Kate Marlow: We got involved through our partnership with the Design Against Crime Research Lab (DAC) at Central Saint Martins. In 2021, we were introduced to the governor of HMP Isis, Emily Thomas, and the work of Untold during a workshop with young offenders. The session was incredibly inspiring and motivated us to collaborate more closely with the charity.
(Image credit: Here Design)
What was it like teaching the fundamentals of design without technology?
Eleanor Robertson: It was a unique challenge, since electronic devices aren't allowed in prison, we relied entirely on analog methods – printed materials, paper, pens, Post-its, magazines, stencils and geometric shapes. We designed an eight-week introductory course covering design fundamentals, from strategy and logos to colour theory and typography. We had to be incredibly creative in our approach, making everything visual and interactive to accommodate different learning styles and backgrounds.
(Image credit: Here Design)
How did you whittle down the ideas and choose a final direction?
KM: We started by defining five key themes through a collaborative brainstorming process: proud, bold, transformative, radical, and optimistic. We used these as criteria to evaluate design choices. We worked with the young men to refine twelve 'big ideas' down to four creative territories, which eventually merged into two concepts. The final design was chosen through extensive discussion and debate, ensuring the young men had true creative ownership.
(Image credit: Here Design)
Tell us about the process of creating the new logo
KM: The logo was directly inspired by the participants. They chose to use speech marks to symbolise giving a voice to those who are routinely silenced. Yellow was selected as the primary colour because the group felt it represented warmth and optimism. We paired this with a confident typeface that reflected pride and strength.
(Image credit: Here Design)
What challenges did you encounter?
ER: Working in a prison presented numerous challenges. Security checks were complex, movement was restricted, and we never knew exactly who would be in our workshop due to the high turnover of prisoners. We also had to be sensitive to the fact that many participants had negative educational experiences, with about a third being neurodivergent or having special educational needs. Most of the young men had never completed a project in their lives.
(Image credit: Here Design)
What did you learn from working with the prisoners?
KM: We learned that creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places. We saw how design and creative expression could be truly transformative, giving these young men a sense of purpose, confidence and hope. We were reminded that great design isn't about technology, but about strong ideas and meaningful collaboration.
(Image credit: Here Design)
What was your favorite part of the process?
KM: Watching the young men grow in confidence and take creative ownership of the project was incredibly rewarding. Seeing them develop design skills, articulate their ideas, and create something they were genuinely proud of was truly special.
(Image credit: Here Design)
How will this identity help Untold and the men?
ER: The new identity has already made a significant impact. Since the rebrand, Untold has doubled its funding, secured five new partners, and increased course enrolment. More importantly, it has given the young men a sense of agency, creativity, and hope.
(Image credit: Here Design)
What's the feedback been like?
ER: The feedback has been phenomenal. Three men involved in the project were transferred to open prisons after demonstrating outstanding behaviour and commitment. One participant, said the project made him more determined and gave him a sense of hope. Another appreciated the opportunity to express himself without criticism.
(Image credit: Here Design)
Anything else to add?
KM: This project demonstrates the power of creative education in rehabilitation. By giving these young men a voice and meaningful creative opportunity, we're not just designing a brand – we're helping to potentially change life trajectories.
Rosie Hilder is Creative Bloq's Deputy Editor. After beginning her career in journalism in Argentina – where she worked as Deputy Editor of Time Out Buenos Aires – she moved back to the UK and joined Future Plc in 2016. Since then, she's worked as Operations Editor on magazines including Computer Arts, 3D World and Paint & Draw and Mac|Life. In 2018, she joined Creative Bloq, where she now assists with the daily management of the site, including growing the site's reach, getting involved in events, such as judging the Brand Impact Awards, and helping make sure our content serves the reader as best it can.
