20(Something) carves out Latin-inspired rebrand for Open Point
The software platform has been given a unified identity encompassing its community engagement and stakeholder management services
London-based creative agency 20(Something) has unveiled a new identity and digital platform for civic technology company Open Point, uniting two long-established products under a single masterbrand designed to serve both institutions and the public.
The rebrand marks the launch of Open Point’s integrated platform, which fuses its Social Pinpoint tool and its Consultation Manager product into one connected system. Used by more than 750 organisations across local government, infrastructure and development sectors, the platform helps manage consultation processes and stakeholder relationships around large-scale projects.
Accordingly, the challenge for the agency was to create an identity that would appeal to two distinct audiences. On one side are the developers, state agencies and infrastructure providers that are required to operate under tight regulations; on the other are the communities which are invited to participate in shaping the places where they live.
“The challenge wasn’t simply combining two products under one name,” said Will Thacker, founder and creative partner at 20(Something). “It was creating a brand that could speak to organisations managing high-stakes infrastructure projects without losing the accessibility required for genuine public participation.”
Participation is very much the organising idea behind the work. Open Point’s tools are intended to broaden access to civic processes, giving people alternative ways to contribute to consultations they might otherwise be unable – or unwilling – to attend in person.
Rather than leaning on familiar visual shorthand around democracy or collaboration, such as speech bubbles, handshakes or interconnected dots, the identity takes a more unexpected route. The creative concept is built around the idea that the tools we create ultimately shape the environments we inhabit.
This thinking led the team to the chisel. They looked to the origins of early Latin letterforms for inspiration, which have long been visual signifiers of trust and authority, carved into civic architecture and public institutions. By referencing this typographic heritage, the brand draws a line between historical systems of public decision-making and the digital tools that are increasingly relied on to facilitate civic participation today.
The resulting identity system spans branding, website design, product experience, motion and a series of brand films, creating a connected language across every touchpoint. As infrastructure projects become more complex and come under increasing public scrutiny, this rebrand positions Open Point as a new kind of tech platform, one that attempts to reconcile institutional rigour with meaningful civic engagement.