Affirming Businesses
Affirming Businesses
Affirming Businesses Institute teaches businesses how to show up for their queer clients through practical, industry-specific training built around the situations that actually come up in day-to-day work. Alongside their training programme, they run a directory of certified, queer-affirming businesses, helping people find spaces where they can feel safe and welcomed.
Based in the United States, this was a project I loved working on. Getting to know Amanda and Allison, the people behind the brand, through our calls was a great reminder of how this job connects me with incredible people from all over the world.
The Brand Mark
The icon balances professionalism with personality. Curved lines and a slightly off-centre composition bring in a playful visual language, while still feeling considered rather than rigid, striking the same balance the business itself holds between serious, practical training and genuine warmth.
The concept comes from the letter 'a' in the typography, split in two to form a rainbow at the top. The off-centre composition reflects unique points of view, a reminder that we can all see the world differently and still come together.
The mark exists in three variations, positioned left, right, and centred, alongside a standalone rainbow. This standalone mark is used on certified businesses' websites and storefronts once they've completed the course, a visual signal for people to spot: finding the rainbow.
