Can branding make death and the emotions that surround it easier on the people it leaves behind? Creative agency Lovers helped Poppy’s, a funeral company with a distinctively modern approach, to do just that.

From Lovers’ website: “Beyond a supportive emotional tone, the brand needed to give really clear, uncomplicated guidance at an informational level. Funeral companies have been criticized for a lack of clarity in their pricing structures, so Poppy’s wanted to offer a refreshing level of clarity.”

Through simple illustrations, a fresh but subdued palette, and an unmistakable sense of openness and respect, Poppy’s new visual branding communicates exactly what CEO Poppy Mardall is trying to express: how to help grieving people in the best ways possible.

Bhutan’s borders have been closed for two years. In conjunction with its reopening to tourists, the tiny country has released a new national identity system that celebrates its diversity and history.

This Fast Company article explores the benefits and challenges of creating a national brand that may raise money and stature but that also, by necessity, flattens the rich, dense sensory depth of any place.  A single story can only tell so much.