_Our emerging portfolio

Californians for Safety and Justice

California has seen a wave of “tough on crime” narratives that threaten recent progressive wins on criminal justice. Emergence partnered with Californians for Safety and Justice to develop “Just Safe” – a campaign to promote the idea that safety means investing in mental health, housing, and drug rehabilitation centers, rather than police and prisons.

ACLU

The American Civil Liberties Union has been fighting for the rights of all Americans since 1919. In 2016, Emergence created the “We The People” campaign to fight against an onslaught of racism, xenophobia, homophobia, and prejudice.

Alliance for Safety and Justice

In anticipation of Florida’s 2018 ballot initiative to grant voting rights to people with past felony convictions, the Alliance for Safety and Justice sought to highlight the many barriers and restrictions that people face upon release from prison. Emergence developed “Time Done,” a multi-channel campaign and community platform telling human stories that inspire empathy.

Californians for Safety and Justice

In 2020, Californians voted on Proposition 20, a ballot initiative that sought to increase prison spending and re-categorize certain misdemeanors as felonies. Emergence created a multimedia campaign to convey the catastrophic consequences of such policies. Since Prop 20’s defeat, “Progress Not Prisons” has continued to further the dialogue on ensuring public safety through sensible and humane reforms to the criminal justice system.

Cornell Tech, home of the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute

Cornell Tech's annual HealthNext Summit, supported by Emergence's strategic branding and messaging, gathers innovators and leaders across the health tech industry to tackle critical healthcare challenges through technology.

Cornell Tech, home of the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute

Emergence Creative has been instrumental in shaping Cornell Tech’s Urban Tech Summit, which fosters a dynamic ecosystem of academia, entrepreneurship, policy, and industry to propel urban innovation and champion climate action.

Cornell Tech, home of the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute

Cornell Tech’s Health Tech Hub is a nexus for education, research, and entrepreneurship within healthcare innovation in New York City and beyond. In 2023, Emergence partnered with Cornell Tech to refresh the Health Tech Hub brand, solidify their core messaging, and create a strategy for clear and accurate communications.

Smart Cities NY

Smart Cities New York was founded in 2017 as a place to cultivate big ideas in urban innovation. Emergence co-founded the original conference and has built an evolving ecosystem of communities and events ever since. In addition to branding, Emergence has developed promotional materials, managed public relations, and expanded community engagement.

CIV:LAB

CIV:LAB’s journey is a testament to the power of strategic collaboration in addressing complex urban and environmental challenges. Co-founded and branded by Emergence Creative, CIV:LAB has reshaped how diverse sectors collaborate, sparking significant advancements in urban development.

CIV:LAB

Inspired by our work on Smart Cities NY, we saw an opportunity to establish a more connected urban technology community within New York City. In partnership with the NYC Economic Development Corporation, we pursued this mission.

Global Development Incubator

GDI needed to differentiate themselves in a crowded space of consulting firms and NGOs, tackling the siloed nature of international development and social impact. Emergence engaged with a broad set of GDI partners and stakeholders to understand the core value proposition, landscape, and strategic insights.

Convergence

The World Economic Forum, The Government of Canada, Dalberg Global Advisors, and the Global Development Incubator partnered to create a new digital platform to attract private sector investors to international development opportunities. We developed a full brand strategy and visual identity, from name and logo to web design, launch video, and print collaterals.

Hospice of the Piedmont

As a community-based nonprofit, Hospice of the Piedmont (HOP) offers hospice, palliative medicine, grief counseling for adults and children, education for medical professionals, and more. Since 2021, Emergence Creative has worked with HOP to reposition and rebrand the organization and create public-facing campaigns to change the narrative around illness, death, and grief in the community.

National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation

The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) represents nonprofit, mission-driven advanced illness and hospice care providers across the US. In 2022, NPHI approached Emergence with a need to redefine NPHI’s brand positioning for a diverse audience of healthcare providers, insurance payers, policymakers, and the general public.

19 To Zero

In 2020, Emergence co-founded 19 To Zero: a multidisciplinary coalition dedicated to improving public health in Canada through COVID vaccination and behavior change.

ICDC / University of Calgary

In collaboration with Alberta Innovates Health Solutions, University of Calgary, and ICDC, Emergence developed Moxie as part of a clinical trial exploring ways to support behavior change in individuals with chronic cardiovascular disease. Assessing patient behaviors and attitudes, we learned that “nagging” reminders about healthy living can alienate patients, so we developed a fun, quirky character to convey these messages and overcome barriers to behavior change.

Sutter Health

Sutter Health is one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the United States. Since 2019, Emergence has developed brand positioning for Sutter Mental Health and worked across multiple divisions to advance their work and story. In collaboration with the Sutter Design and Innovation team, we developed Scout – a tool to support young people living with depression and anxiety.

Partners In Health

As COVID-19 vaccinations were rolled out across the United States, predictable disparities in access became apparent. Partners in Health engaged Emergence to assist with their work in Montgomery, AL. In 2020, Emergence created “Level Up” – a campaign to encourage vaccine-hesitant populations to protect themselves against COVID-19.

citiesRISE

Emergence worked closely with GDI (The Global Development Incubator) to develop a multi-stakeholder initiative around mental health. Our research demonstrated that mental health is often discussed in negative terms, focusing on the emotional, economic, and social burden of illness on sufferers and communities alike.

Seed Global Health

Founded in 2012, Seed Global Health is a nonprofit global health organization that supports medical training and health workforce development in Malawi, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Zambia. Beginning in 2019, Emergence worked closely with Seed to reposition the organization and refresh its brand, visual identity, and messaging.

City Cancer Challenge

Originally a project of the Union for International Cancer Control, City Cancer Challenge approached Emergence as it re-launched as an independent organization. Equipped with a powerful message, visual identity, and digital tools, City Cancer Challenge connects and empowers people with a blueprint for city solutions, bringing a new approach and voice to cancer care in cities.

Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine

A worldwide organization of doctors dedicated to the promotion, protection, and support of breastfeeding, ABM approached Emergence in 2017 with a need to modernize their branding and communications to appeal to a new generation of physicians..

The Rita Allen Foundation

The Rita Allen Foundation (RAF) supports early-career scholars conducting scientific and medical research. Emergence partnered with RAF to build a new narrative around chronic pain and elevate the issue for key stakeholders.

Nature Crime Alliance

Nature crime, which includes criminal forms of logging, mining, fishing, wildlife trade, and land conversion, is a devastating yet often overlooked environmental challenge. The Meridian Institute, World Resources Institute, and Food and Land Use Coalition sought to launch a new initiative that could convene diverse stakeholders to better address these crimes.

Rockefeller Foundation

Emergence has created a series of board presentations for the Rockefeller Foundation’s Smart Power Initiative, Equality & Economic Opportunity, and Innovation teams. For each presentation, we developed a visual identity and logical, intuitive narrative to bring each team’s story to life. These teams secured large-scale funding for initiatives designed to bring power to the most remote areas of the world, reduce the poverty gap in the United States, and encourage innovation.

11th Hour Racing

In Newport County, Rhode Island, climate change has highlighted the need for more sustainable practices. To tackle this, 11th Hour Racing, Black Earth Compost, and Emergence Creative teamed up to launch a bold campaign promoting curbside composting.

East-West Seed

East-West Seed provides innovative seeds and services that help improve the livelihood of tropical vegetable farmers and promote sustainable farming and business practices. Emergence repositioned East-West Seed from a seed company into a sustainable vegetable company through creative promotions, public relations, and in-depth messaging guidance.