Working with STOP THE TRAFFIK and Justice & Care, Fold7Design has created a captivating identity for the first Freedom Games, which aims to unite businesses and individuals to take a stand against human trafficking.
Fold7Design has unveiled the branding for the first-ever Freedom Games, a new movement designed to unite people across sectors in the fight against modern slavery, which affects millions of people across the globe.
Commissioned by global anti-trafficking charity STOP THE TRAFFIK, in partnership with Justice & Care, the London studio created a high-energy identity to drive sign-ups for the summer-long series of fundraising challenges. Turning collective action into real-world impact was a key driver behind the project, as the organisation’s main purpose is to help dismantle trafficking networks and support survivors.
The brief called for a visual system that could motivate participation, work across a broad range of events, and convey both urgency and optimism. Fold7Design’s answer draws on the visual language of sport, inspired by the Games’ strapline, “Freedom is the finish line”.
The whole creative system was built around the Games’ strapline, “Freedom is the finish line”. Drawing on the visual language of sport, the concept embodies the energy of competition, the clarity of track markings, and the sense of movement towards a goal.
From there, the team developed a flexible design framework inspired by sporting demarcation lines. These graphic elements become the backbone of the identity and serve many purposes across the identity. They can be seen separating the names of competing teams, radiating out from key messages, or framing participant photography.
The beating heart of the identity is a motion-driven wordmark, which was designed to behave like “a victor punching the air”. The idea was to bring a sense of triumph and collective achievement to the brand’s visual signature.
Alongside the core identity, Fold7Design created a suite of 3D icons to represent the diverse range of activities participants could take on. While there’s a nod to classic sporting events, like running, rock climbing, and team games, the set also considers more unconventional challenges such as baking contests, poetry slams, and other offbeat ideas, giving teams the ability to shape their own contributions.
The message that Fold7 sought to convey through the identity is that anyone can get involved, regardless of location, age, or athletic ability. Each challenge is presented as an opportunity to raise money for STOP THE TRAFFIK and Justice & Care’s work, from preventing exploitation and supporting survivors to driving policy changes that make trafficking harder to commit and easier to prosecute.
STOP THE TRAFFIK’s CEO Rebekah Lisgarten says: “We needed an identity that would captivate our global network, galvanise participation and embody our goal: #FreedomIsTheFinishLine.
“Fold7Design stepped up to the challenge. With this energetic visual identity, the team helped us underscore the urgency and collective action. And it worked.”
Balancing urgency and optimism was central to Fold7Design’s approach. Executive creative director Tom Munckton explains: “We wanted to create a brand that could capture the collective and motivational capacity of an ambitious movement, and a visual language that could land corporate sign-ups while inspiring unique contests.”
By taking cues from sport and games, the team created a brand that feels active, inclusive, and celebratory and serves as a rallying point for people united by a shared cause.
Fold7Design’s work on the Freedom Games builds on its existing relationship with STOP THE TRAFFIK. In 2024, the studio delivered a full rebrand for the charity, overhauling its visual identity to better reflect its mission of prevention. That earlier project laid the groundwork for a brand language that could stretch from serious, data-driven reports to high-energy fundraising events such as the Games.
The Freedom Games also marks another chapter in STOP THE TRAFFIK’s ongoing collaboration with Justice & Care. Both charities operate on the frontlines of anti-trafficking work, from helping survivors rebuild their lives to partnering with police, governments, and communities to disrupt exploitation before it happens.
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