BUILDING HOMES, FROM THE EARTH UP
EARTHENABLE.
WHAT WE DID TOGETHER
Brand strategy
Brand voice
Messaging and copywriting
Brand identity and design guidelines
Brand application and materials
Social media assets
Website
EarthEnable are creating homes that are safe, healthy, climate-resilient and beautiful. Working across East Africa, with a proven, scalable model, this organisation has impacted over 200,000 people to date and is looking to expand in the face of a housing crisis facing Africa. From earthen floors to plasters to full home builds, they are transforming communities and revolutionising the housing industry across Africa.
It’s scaleable, sustainable and hyper-local – and it’s working!
Together with the Co-Founder Gayatri Datar and her leadership team, we transformed EarthEnable into a colourful, hopeful and bold platform primed for an international stage – with a brand that reflected their story, product and impact, and ready for scale.
THE CHALLENGE:
Telling the whole story
The growth of EarthEnable has been a steady, strategic one: from solving health issues from dirt floors, applying these to wall finishes to combat rodent and parasite infestations, to adobe block building techniques, to ultimately building whole homes and communities. They have worked across stakeholders – from government, to finance sector, to local masons and rural residents. Our challenge was to create a brand identity that spoke to this holistic, comprehensive approach, that demonstrated the effectiveness of their proven model, and reflected the vibrant culture that had been created.
This was a big shift from where we met the brand, with the goal to resonate and engage clearer with the key stakeholders – allowing them to understand the complexities of the work, the potential of the model as the solution, and illustrate the transformative impact of the work.
We wanted EarthEnable to relaunch with a powerful, credible, and comprehensive identity and message – an evolution that was big enough to bring other changemakers and dreamers along with them in solving the huge housing crisis they face.
The Research:
Showing, not telling
We dove into everything we could find about the organisation – from articles to awards, videos and marketing materials. We also spoke to board members, team leaders and staff. This allowed us to get a full picture of how they operated, what they did and how they did it as well as what it meant to those involved.
Gayatri Datar is the Co-Founder. She is the effervescent ball of energy behind EarthEnable! Seeing her in action, every call out on the road, in the field meeting residents and engaging communities (all with a smile on her face!) was such an insight into what’s driving the organisation and we took a lot of inspiration from that. The team she had built around her were a reflection of this authentic commitment, drive and passion – we weren’t just told about it, we saw it. We felt this solid foundation of the team dynamic towards the shared vision would support the brand story.
“This project came to us super clearly following our discovery phase – the opportunity, what had been missing, what felt truer to the organisation and how they should show up – there was such alignment across the people we spoke with that I could see it all at once as we moved into the creative brief, which can be rare!”
Lauren Jones, Brand by Boudica
THE STRATEGY:
Building a brighter future
EarthEnable’s strategy has expanded over time – from product, to multiple applications, to complimentary products and standards, to address the building industry at large, home building to collective wellbeing and thriving communities, to the health of the planet. The brand needed to demonstrate this visionary approach that encapsulated multiple stakeholders and how they need to work together toward a common goal, no matter how uncommon the need states or contexts were.
There was also a need for boldness and sense of urgency – they needed to stand out and instil action, so the identity needed to support this more unapologetic approach in communicating not just what they do but the broader context and need for the work. This was balanced with a joyfulness and hopefulness that is rooted in the solution – affordable, accessible, sustainable.
The STORY:
Homes that are safe, healthy, climate-resilient, beautiful
The most clarity that came from the project was in the How they work and Who they are for. Telling this story in the right way, to the right audience was a huge goal for the organisation and supports the multiple, nuanced conversations, conversions and information that is required for each.
The overarching story came down to the safety, healthiness, climate-resilience, sustainability and beauty of their products and services. Each audience could see themselves in this messaging – from rural dwellers, to government policy makers, donors to private banks. We sharpened the vision and mission – this had shifted to a broader view over the years to incorporate community as a whole including people, place and planet.
Our goal was to create an identity that worked across all these audiences and needs, and so in crafting these core stories made the identity clearer, concise and more impactful as a result.
THE IDENTITY:
From the earth, up!
There is a recurring theme that was felt through this project – one of a steady build – forwards and upwards. A strategic build, piece by piece with a holistic approach and understanding of how it all fits and works together. They are in the business of earthen building materials, and so the phrase “from the earth, up” felt it told the story across different meanings.
The foundation of the identity – building blocks, tessellating together to create something strong, solid and beautiful. We took inspiration from their existing logo (we did not touch this), with its forms and colour, and created a palette of rich, earthy tones, and added a touch of brightness to lift it.
With the voice, we added a depth and boldness to it – amping up phrases, making it conversational whilst being informed and active. A balance of safe, solid, problem solving and collective action.
The impact:
Relaunch (and just in time for an international stage)
This project went live on the dawn of EarthEnable being awarded a Skoll Social Innovation award, 2025. All eyes were going to be on them for this momentous ceremony, so for them to have a refreshed look, bolder voice and clearer storytelling ready for the world to see demonstrated their next phase in scaling their solutions and impact.
For the team, it has re-energised them, giving them cohesive tools and assets to communicate consistently and beautifully. There’s a playfulness that is welcomed by the team and a rigour that allows them to have fun with the identity whilst remaining professional and smart. We look forward to seeing where this brand takes this organisation as they change the African building landscape one brick at a time.
“Quote incoming…”
Gayatri Datar, Co-Founder, EarthEnable
