AWESOME DESIGN.
COLLECTIVE WORKING.
NO FAFF.
COLLECTIVE WORKING.
NO FAFF.
50% of children have been exposed to porn by the age of 13 (Children’s Commissioner for England). One in five children claim to have been pressured or blackmailed into sharing revealing images (InternetMatters.org). 81% of 12-15 year olds have been exposed to a harmful online experience (based on Ofcom research, 2022). There has been a 27% increase in self-generated inappropriate imagery and a 65% increase among 7-10 year olds (IWF, 2023).
In short, safeguarding children online is a huge challenge, and it’s only getting harder.
And yet, technology is an essential part of children’s lives.
HarmBlock, created by SafeToNet, is the only technology that blocks explicit content before a child sees, shares, or records it. It’s the gold standard in online safety. It can be embedded into a device’s operating system, making them safer from the moment they’re switched on.
To make sure that it can protect as many children as possible, SafeToNet needed a strong brand identity for HarmBlock so that it could build brand equity. It wanted to prevent its technology from being white labelled–HarmBlock needs to be visible to both consumers and tech firms so that SafeToNet can build demand for this essential technology.
In the right environment, humans can develop and grow properly, instead of being stunted and damaged. Now more than ever, it is crucial to protect young people in their vulnerable early years–to create a safe environment for them to thrive in. That’s what HarmBlock does: it gives everyone the best chance to flourish.
Using this as a starting point, we developed the HarmBlock sapling to symbolise giving every child a chance to grow and thrive online. We used the semiotics of technology brands—with black as a canvas alongside positive, almost neon colours—to bring the identity to life in the digital world. We developed an identity that reflected the online world and the criticality of HarmBlock’s mission, but inflected it with a human approach.
We created a clear icon system so that SafeToNet could explain HarmBlock’s features and benefits in a clear, simple manner.
We built a responsive website with a clear mobile design, as most of SafeToNet’s users accessed the old site on mobile. We created an exciting user journey to explain a deeply complex technical product that makes it feel credible and attractive to investors and partners.
COLLABORATORS
Branding – Helen Hartley
Web Build & SVG animations – Anthony Jocelyn
Mix & Music – Got Moves
FEATURES
“Creating the SafeToNet and HarmBlock brand was a journey, and we couldn’t have done it without Helen and Anna. They went beyond the typical client-agency relationship, becoming true partners who poured everything into this project.”
Lara Chapple, CMO, SafeToNet.
