WHEN DEMOCRACY IS IN CRISIS, DESIGN IS A WEAPON
History has shown us that moments of crisis are also moments of opportunity, when movements rise, voices unify, and action takes shape. We’re in one of those right now. Public institutions, schools, museums, libraries, and cultural spaces are all under attack. This is not, however, a time to rest, give up, or wait to see what happens. It is instead a time for trust, and a little bit of risk.
For decades nonprofits, cultural organizations, and public institutions have helped shape the infrastructure of civic engagement and social progress. This, despite being chronically underfunded, overextended, struggling to cut through the noise, and now battling the threat of no government support whatsoever.
In the present era of deep mistrust and misinformation, how, then, to make these organizations not just heard but trusted once again? I believe design has a lead role to play in that fight. Strong branding, clear messaging, and bold visuals can build credibility, mobilize action, and ultimately strengthen democracy itself. As the leader of a design and creative studio, I don’t just believe we can participate; I believe we have an obligation to design change.
At ThoughtMatter over the past decade we’ve created protest posters raised high in marches, visual identities that amplified nonprofit missions, and branded spaces to redefine some of New York’s most iconic public places. Through this work, we’ve seen firsthand that design isn’t just an aesthetic choice; it’s an infrastructure for influence.
But we’ve also seen how misunderstood design can be. I’ve worked with organizations where a communications leader eager to build a strong brand hit only resistance from boards demanding immediate results. Branding is often mistaken for marketing, seen as something fleeting rather than structural or foundational. But when a brand lacks emotional resonance, it struggles to grow its audience, engage younger funders, or effectively tell the story of its impact. Design can change that—because great branding, at its core, is art in action.
Art has always paved the way for change. It has flowed freely through society, shaping cultural movements and expanding collective imagination. Today, we see this everywhere—from musicians testing the boundaries of symbolism on the world’s biggest stages, and fashion houses making bold political statements, to digital activism transforming public art into protest and resistance.
Over the years, I’ve been asked: Why would a branding studio invest in projects that don’t overtly feel like branding? I’ve come to realize that expansive, imaginative thinking is what changes minds. It enables people to see something in ways they never have before. That’s why we push and pull the levers of art, experimentation, and cultural commentary. Because real branding doesn’t just reflect the world as it is; it envisions what it could be.
Some of our most ambitious work has been rooted in this belief:
A mural promoting reproductive freedom — a critical ballot issue for the 2024 election cycle — by reinterpreting a controversial 150-year-old classical painting.
The Shithouse Artist series, creating space for employees to explore identity through expression and advocacy, as a response to Trump’s brazenly racist reference to certain countries as “shitholes” in 2018.
Our 2017 redesign of The US Constitution, coming after a divisive and disheartening 2016 election, followed by a docuseries about its role in creative life.
Digital graffiti projections during the pandemic, highlighting the impact of COVID on mental health through experiential visual representation.
Democracy Is Being Undesigned Right Now.
Many nonprofits believe what they need most today is visibility. But in a digital landscape oversaturated with calls to action, visibility alone isn’t enough. Nonprofits don’t just need to be seen; they need to be understood as trusted, effective and resilient. That means investing in branding as a form of capacity-building. It means crafting messaging that is clear and compelling. It means designing campaigns that don’t just go viral, but drive real-world impact. It means treating branding not as an afterthought, but as a strategic tool for long-term influence and as a point of differentiation.
We have a choice: allow institutions, policies, and cultural spaces to be reshaped by forces that suppress and divide, or take control of the narrative. This is our moment to build brands that unify, design campaigns that mobilize, and create messages that inspire action.
At ThoughtMatter, we will continue to focus our efforts in support of nonprofits, cultural organizations, and public institutions in order to build brands that embody ideas and values that stand the test of time. Whether it’s crafting a campaign that mobilizes voters, designing an identity that attracts funders, or creating a digital presence that strengthens community engagement, we believe branding is activism.
We are ready to fight alongside those who refuse to accept the erosion of democracy as inevitable. Because in times of crisis, imagination isn’t just an escape; it’s the foundation of action. We believe imagination is a radical act that can transform the world.
