War Child UK has appointed BigSmall as its brand strategy partner following a competitive process, as it looks to sharpen its voice and drive greater impact for its work supporting children affected by conflict. The partnership will focus on a strategic brand refresh communicating War Child’s message with emotional resonance and the aim of increasing awareness, deepening engagement, and growing support across the UK. War Child has strong recognition and a powerful legacy, and with more than 520 million children around the world impacted by war, its work is needed now more than ever. This work with

BigSmall will enhance War Child’s brand following the organisation’s audience insights work, to continue to grow its fundraising, advocacy, partnerships and campaigns work. The project commenced in April and will continue with a phased rollout through the summer, starting internally before extending across external communications.

Helen Pattinson, CEO, War Child UK “War Child has always had a powerful story to tell. This work now is about sharpening that story so more people understand the urgency of what we do and feel moved to stand with us. Right now, 1 in 5 children around the world, from Gaza to Sudan, Ukraine to Afghanistan are affected by conflict. Our work aims to provide specialist mental health support, protection, education, and more to these children, all while standing up for their rights. BigSmall’s ability to cut through complexity and land a single, unifying idea made them an ideal partner for us to achieve our goal of reaching more people with our message, in aid of children affected by war.”

Lucy Taylor, partner business & brand, BigSmall, added, “War Child operates in one of the most morally undeniable spaces in the world. The challenge isn’t relevance, it’s clarity. When a causeis this important, you need one idea that people can understand instantly and act on immediately. That’s what we’re here to do; get to the point, and help War Child go big with it. ”

Best Day brewing, the US’ fastest growing non-alcoholic beer brand, has named Bakery as its Agency of Record. As the brewery’s creative partner, Bakery will lead the development of a new brand platform, conceptualize an omni-channel campaign, build and shape seasonal programming for key tentpole moments, and develop a redesigned packaging system.

Founded in 2021, Best Day Brewing is leading the charge of an NA industry that surpassed US$1 billion in sales last year. Known for a full-flavored range of craft brews that includes Imperial IPA, West Coast IPA, Hazy IPA, Kölsch, Electro-Lime, and American Pilsner, Best Day Brewing beers are available online and in 46 states at over 15,000 locations.

“Non-alcoholic beer is one of the fastest-growing categories in the country. As an early player, Best Day has emerged as one of the established leaders, now the #2 pure-play brand and one of the fastest-growing in the segment,” stated Tate Huffard, founder of Best Day Brewing. “We’ve gotten here by breathing fresh life into what was a tired category, pairing a fun, irreverent brand with genuinely great-tasting beer to redefine how people experience non-alcoholic beer. As we continue to scale rapidly, it’s critical that we partner with teams who can help us build what comes next. Bakery has built brands in competitive consumer categories that go on to define the conversation, not just join it, and they know how to build the marketing system that gets them there. That’s exactly why we brought them on.”

Bakery is known for delivering bold ideas and standout work that helps brands tap into the cultural zeitgeist to reach new heights. For Best Day, the agency will help the brand to build on its success so far, developing not just a marketing campaign, but a new brand system that gets consumers excited. 

“Best Day isn’t riding the NA wave, it’s building something that will define the category,” noted Jacqueline Thompson, partner and COO of Bakery. “The brand has a real point of view, a loyal community, and a business model that’s already working. Our job is to make sure the creative and the marketing system are strong enough to match where this brand is headed.”

The first work from the partnership is expected to debut this summer, with additional campaign rollouts to follow this holiday season, followed by a brand refresh in 2027.

In Australia, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers has appointed Orphan as new creative partner, following a competitive pitch.

Maurice Blackburn CEO, Jacob Varghese, said the appointment reflects the firm’s commitment to connecting with Australians who need trusted legal support.  “Maurice Blackburn has a long history of standing up for everyday Australians and helping people access justice when it matters most. Orphan demonstrated a strong understanding of our brand and our purpose, and we’re looking forward to working together.”

Maurice Blackburn general manager marketing, Stephen McKeown, added, “Orphan impressed us with their strategic creative credentials. They quickly understood who we are as a firm and the responsibility we carry in advocating for people who have suffered injustice.”

Orphan founder and chief creative officer, Ant Hatton, commented,“We’re very proud to be partnering with the team at Maurice Blackburn and to have the opportunity to work on such an iconic Australian brand. From our very first chat, it felt right to us – there was a shared sense of ambition and belief. We can’t wait to get stuck in and work alongside Stephen and the team to create work that genuinely moves the needle for the brand.”

Cover image by Kaya on Pexels