DNS is a network of agencies linked by our sustainable and ethical outlook, as well as our creativity. We are passionate about sustainability. We think that creativity, humour and optimism can help create a better future – that’s why we’ve chosen a name that ridicules the idea that sustainability needs to be dull, boring or worthy – Do Not Smile.
In essence, we're like-minded people who enjoy working together.
And it just so happens we're based all over Europe. We have almost 100 creative members of staff. We're the size of one large agency, but as multi-facted and colourful as each of the countries we're in. We can offer a truly international perspective to any project. We can draw from cross-cultural experience, different languages and specialist expertise – a whole host of French, English, Belgian, Spanish, Italian, German, Danish, Greek and Turkish ideas and skills.
Addressing critical issues in times of multiple crises
Our world faces an environmental emergency, significant social unrest, and a series of challenges in corporate governance. To address the significant environmental and social challenges we face, it is critical to highlight the importance of communication and solution-finding through dialogue related to sustainability.
Does mobility transition only work in big cities? Certainly not. In the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis (RBK) [a municipality in the West of Germany] it is already in full swing. Many people use the numerous offers such as bus, car-sharing and rental bikes. But most people still prefer to use their own cars. So while the RBK continues to actively promote attractive alternatives, we are making sure that people in the region know about them.
80 million people in Europe are living with disabilities. Striving for a more inclusive society in digital age it is obvious that web accessibility should be a matter of course.
Spotlight on Fair Fashion! The fashion industry has an image problem. And rightly so in most cases. So it's all the more important that the seal for ecologically and socially sustainable fashion has been around since 2019: Der Grüne Knopf (The Green Button). It helps people to orientate themselves when shopping on the German fashion market. Today, 94 companies already sell products labelled with the Grüner Knopf. 260 million Grüner Knopf products have already been sold.
Wind power has boomed over the last years. Not so in Austria. In this country wind power projects companies are still facing steady "headwind" from local authorities while at the same time lacking the support of a future-oriented legislative.
Every two minutes a child dies on malaria. Although the disease is cureable – provided that patients are treated with proper medicine.
Together we developed the brand-new ‘smart with school waste’ project - an interactive website that guides schools towards greater sustainability and less waste by means of a useful roadmap. – make sense Amsterdam
We helped Les Carrières de la Pierre Bleue Belge to identify and reinforce all its sustainable assets in order to differentiate itself. Through strategic counselling and the development of positive communications tools, Belgian bluestone achieved a higher profile, stronger brand recognition and improved market results.
Belgian start-up Soil Capital is dedicated to supporting farmers to adopt regenerative farming practices by 2025. It helps those that farm over large areas to capture CO2 in the ground to not only increase soil health but to solve the effects of climate change. Its ultimate goal? To convert one million agricultural hectares to regenerative agriculture across France, UK and Belgium.
Do sustainability, cooking and football go together? Absolutely! To mark the 2024 European Football Championship in Germany, the BMUV (Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection) is sponsoring a recipe competition for trainee chefs - the KochCup. Its aim is to give sustainably produced food and planet-friendly dishes a permanent place in chef training.
‘we’re not perfect yet, but we go for better. tap water is without a doubt the best option in our fight against waste, but it isn’t always readily available. and sometimes you just crave something different. that’s where b-better water comes in’ – make sense Ghent & Amsterdam
As a global leader in animal nutrition, Nutreco has long been committed to sustainability. Nevertheless, their sustainability and communication teams were not used to working together. The company needed internal and external communications campaigns to showcase its sustainability report and 2030 roadmap – how else would people know about its incredible plans?
Thanks to a collaboration with Ecoavantis between 2020-2022, we were able to create synergy between the two teams to help them better communicate their sustainable development strategy and achievements.
The Swiss multinational, headquartered in Geneva, provides inspection, verification, testing and certification services. It has more than 100,000 employees across the world.
SGS wanted to improve internal communication around its sustainable development strategy, "Sustainable Development Ambitions 2030", and help raise employee awareness of climate change to make sure they were doing as much to help the planet as possible, both inside and outside of their professional lives.
A long-term campaign that promotes sustainable mobility and responsible forestation through one of Italy’s most ambitious cycling routes: the Ciclovia dell’Appennino, a 3,100 km route crossing 14 regions, 26 protected areas, and over 300 municipalities from Liguria to Sicily. The project combined infrastructure, digital innovation, public engagement, and environmental education, building a unique narrative around cycling, sustainability, and the future of the Italian landscape.
Il bio dentro di noi (“Organic Inside Us”) is a national advocacy campaign designed to demonstrate the positive impact of an organic Mediterranean diet on human health. The initiative combined scientific research with powerful storytelling, to raise awareness about the role of food in maintaining and restoring the body's natural balance—starting from the microbiota.
Renewi is a waste-to-product company that arose from the merger of waste service providers Van Gansewinkel and Shanks. With the name change, this new Belgian and international player wanted to rid itself of its old image, create a new greener identity and make an active contribution to a sustainable society. The waste management company aims to be the authority in circular enterprise and thinking. To involve Belgian entrepreneurs in this narrative, in 2017, Renewi went looking for a communication partner that shares the same values.
Turning waste into new useful materials. The Brantner Group puts the basic principles of a circular economy into practise. To put best practises, insights and inspirations into circulation gugler* developed a customer magazine.
Your Nature is a magnificent eco-resort set in 280 hectares of lakes and forests in the north-west of Belgium. Springtime was appointed to create a communication and event concept for the launch, the press conference and the open door weekend.
Umicore specialises in, among other things, recycling precious metals and producing rechargeable battery materials and emission control catalysts. The group understands its social responsibility and uses its technological know-how, scientific expertise and connections to help transform the sector.
On the basis of an external report of eight forest regions, We developed a communications strategy together with the main partners. The strategy covered all aspects of the communication loop, starting with the brand identity and positioning to a complete communications package, which included internal methodology, stakeholder engagement, marketing mix (advertising/PR/social media), as well as post-campaign evaluation.
A whopping two thousand litres of water are consumed for the production of a single T-shirt. H&M reduces this impact by collecting old clothing and then repurposing it in new pieces. During the World Recycle Week, the clothing giant sought to urge the world to bring in as much old clothing as possible at an H&M shop. – make sense Ghent
Regenerative Alliance, a Swiss-based non-profit, supports leaders and entrepreneurs working towards a regenerative economy. It prides itself on helping business leaders grow and foster deeper bonds with self, society and nature. For this particular project, the organisation’s main goal was to attract CEOs from medium and large European companies to take part in its first two innovative Regenerative Alliance Summits in 2019 and 2021. Once signed up, summit attendees would experience an immersive and inspiring event, focused on opening their eyes to regenerative practices.
UNFPA has been operating in Turkey for 50 years. During this time, the organisation has managed a wide range of rights campaigns from birth control to women’s rights, and from discrimination to body- and health-related rights. In 2022, the organisation wanted to create a special campaign to celebrate its 50th anniversary and increase awareness of the UNFPA’s global goals.
In 2022, Silverback supported Coop Italia in the development of Oasi Urbane (Urban Oases), a project aimed at highlighting the environmental and social value of reclaiming urban green spaces. The initiative brought together 150 young people from cooperative associations across Italy for three days of workshops, training sessions, and fieldwork.
2019 saw Creative Concern lucky enough to work on two major projects launched during UN Climate Week in New York. One was a major report on urban transitions for the World Resources Institute and C40, while the other was a global campaign for the World Green Building Council. The World Resource Institute is a non-profit organisation working with global leaders to ensure people and nature can thrive together.
Transforming complex environmental issues into powerful, inclusive experiences. Accendiamo il futuro (Let’s Light Up the Future) is a two-day event in Rome focused on energy in all its forms: environmental, social, and symbolic. The initiative brought together more than 100 young green activists under 30 from across Italy’s cooperative world, along with students from an art high school.
3Ci (formerly UKCCIC) is a partnership between Connected Places Catapult, Core Cities UK, London Councils and other local authorities across the UK aimed at securing long-term finance for achieving net zero. With their change in name, 3Ci wanted a whole new look and brand that would make them stand out from the crowd and help them deliver their ambitious national net zero commitment to connecting places, systems and finance to find investible solutions.
A campaign by Myra İstanbul for İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality and WRI Turkey. The “Promise to Istanbul: Walkability Vision” campaign promotes a walkable, liveable city vision for one of the world’s largest metropolitan areas. At the core of the project is a manifesto, stating “Walkable, liveable Istanbul will be planned jointly. It will be accessible, barrier-free and sustainable for all,”.
Ahead of the 2024 Greater Manchester Mayoral Election, Creative Concern was commissioned by Clean Cities Campaign to create a campaign calling on candidates to pledge to clean up our air.
Greater Manchester is one of the most polluted places in the UK. Levels of nitrogen dioxide are reported higher here than anywhere else in the country, and well over the UK legal limit.
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