Danish union with more than 120 years of professional experience. Today, they are the second-largest trade union in Denmark
2022
The project
HK was losing members, especially younger ones. Their own research showed they were seen as a union for your grandma, and people working in marketing, design and IT just couldn't see themselves as an HK member. HK Lab reached out to Charlie Tango to explore what HK could look like in the future.
We built three pretotypes, three very different brand directions that HK could go in. The whole point was to test them on real people and see what actually landed. Not a redesign, more like a way of using design to answer a strategic question.
For people who don't work a straight 9 to 5. The keywords for this direction were flexible, inspiring, humane, modern, independent and international. From that I was very conscious about not putting people in boxes, no squares allowed. Everything is round and soft, because the shapes themselves should illustrate a more flexible way of living and working.
The toggle is the central element, both as a UI component and as a visual metaphor for being able to switch on and off from work. The typography mixes Manrope with Playfair Display, combining a sans serif and a serif to add a playful touch and emphasize that same sense of flexibility.
A political movement
Bold, opinionated and not afraid to say so. This direction positions HK less like a union and more like a movement. Not the old school fights between workers and employers, but the issues that actually matter to young people right now: climate, diversity, mental health and the future of work. You can engage as much or as little as you want, whether that's showing up or just signing something from your sofa.
The typography is heavy and condensed on purpose. It feels like something you'd see on a protest sign or a political poster, designed to shout, not whisper. The labels are shaped like speech bubbles, a nod to demonstrations and the idea that change starts with a conversation. The illustrations use a raw, hand drawn line style which keeps it feeling human and grassroots rather than polished and corporate.
A union that actually gets what you do. This direction was built for people working in marketing, design, IT and finance, people who couldn't see themselves in HK before. The focus is on professional development, career support and a community that matches your ambitions, whether you want to upskill, switch careers or just figure out what comes next.
A big part of what makes this direction work is the photography. Real people, different backgrounds, different industries, all represented as equals. Not stock photo colleagues in an open office but actual humans who look like they could be your coworker, your friend or you. That diversity is intentional because the whole point of this direction is that HK should feel relevant no matter what your job title says.
