Unicef’s Marble collective democratises big data

Unicef has partnered with design consultancy Jones Knowles Ritchie to design Marble, a collective aiming to repurpose big data for the public good. The visual identity employs playful animations to simplify scientific findings and other typologies of data, to build towards a more ethical future.

Corporate data is often privately held and difficult to access. Marble, a new collective announced by Unicef, challenges corporations to make it more accessible, through pathways which can help repurpose big data for public good. Marble’s mission is conveyed by the animations conceived by Jones Knowles Ritchie (JKR), which show coloured little marbles bouncing across mazes, punctuation marks and the custom logotype itself.

By putting together visual arts, corporate data and scientific research through lively images, Marble simplifies data regarding epidemics, suicide rates and additional issues regarding children in need across the world. Through the collective and its efforts, Unicef hopes to inspire change in future generations.

JKR’s mission won’t stop at Marble; the creative agency aims to extend the collective’s reach across the design community. “The ability to translate, visualise and communicate data creatively is so powerful,” JKR’s global chief creative officer Tosh Hall adds. “It allows us to transform sheets of numbers into actual pathways for positive change that were otherwise unimaginable.”

The collective’s visual identity – which includes a logo, a website and several online animations – builds on contrast to send its message, employing a fun attitude to introduce serious topics and findings. The colourful marbles in the organisation’s videos symbolise the data, struggling to find clear pathways to break free and reach the public.

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