Since the beginning, we were faced with many unknowns. Although exciting, the space of IDEA is complex and oftentimes messy. We know that Be Equitable’s work deeply affects people’s lives. This was a responsibility we didn’t take lightly. And if we’re going to do it right, we’d need to recognise where our expertise ended and where Be Equitable’s began.

While we could leverage our design, strategy, and storytelling expertise, Be Equitable brought their diverse lived experiences, backgrounds and decades of expertise in IDEA. They added texture and cultural nuance that we would have otherwise missed without their perspective.

A memorable moment for our team was presenting design concepts that incorporated significant historical B&W imagery. When sharing this with Be Equitable, they questioned whether B&W imagery made these relatively recent events feel too far in the past. They challenged us to consider how we could represent history in a way that doesn’t feel removed from the context in which we live today, and the role of the brand in keeping these stories alive. Without their insight, this is something we may never have considered. This was one of many encounters that will shape the way we approach our work moving forward.