Mining. Naturally.
Not only did these plants radically reduce the number of polluting metals in the soil, they ‘processed’ the metals into a form that could be extracted and used in manufacturing without further processing.
Our relationship with Brunel began when we were invited by our long-term collaborator Impeller Ventures to sit in on a briefing by the lead scientist on the project, Lorna Anguillano. We were frankly blown away by the science and the potential it had.
Our first task was to create communications material for a Friends & Family trial of the seeds. The idea was to get a limited group of people to grow the plant mix in a small (1m x 1m) area of their garden, harvest it and return it to Lorna and her team for processing.
The successful trial proved that the plants could be grown and harvested by anyone with the right instructions. It also identified several operational challenges that would need to be overcome before Phyona could offer pytoming as a service.
While the scientists and business strategists tackled the process challenges, we worked to create and develop an identity to be used when the business launched.
We coined the line ‘Mining. Naturally.’ leveraging the tension between the word mining - a process linked to environmental damage - and the word naturally to create intrigue and draw those interested to learn more about Phyona. The colour palette features greens and blues drawn directly from nature and is supported by bright highlights and earthy tones. The tone of voice is straightforward rather than science-heavy and focuses on the benefits these plants and Phyona’s services deliver to customers and the wider environment.
Since Phyona came out of stealth mode in early 2023, they have; raised over £400k in funding from Innovate UK and various EU grants, travelled to the US, Korea and Japan to meet potential partners and started projects with several UK councils clearing historic mining and allotment sites of contaminating metals.
Project deliverables
Identity design, website design & build, marketing material