Brand strategy | Visual identity | Website | Corporate narrative and PR

Tharsus’ purpose is to make “tech that matters.” In April 2020 nothing mattered more than finding solutions to the emerging global pandemic. The business wanted to do something in the fight against Covid which leveraged their experience in developing new uses for technologies and launching products at scale.

Their answer was Bump, a powerful data-driven social distancing system, which would help people keep distanced in their workplaces and enable accurate track and tracing.

In a few short weeks an initial consignment of Bump systems were designed and manufactured and delivered to trial partners for intensive testing.

At the same time we needed to develop a brand strategy and communication plan for Bump, together with a comprehensive visual identity and design system that worked across digital platforms, product and packaging. Crucially, the design needed to work for any application, in any sector, anywhere in the world.

The entire brand process had a timeline of less than four weeks.

Bump went into scale manufacture just 12 weeks after the idea for it was conceived. An astonishing feat given the challenges of lockdown and one recognised by the Royal Academy of Engineering who singled the project out for a President's Special Awards for Pandemic Service

As spring turned to summer it became clear that one of the biggest misses to society during the lockdown would be large sporting events. 

London Marathon Race Director Hugh Brasher, was searching for a way for 2020’s race to go ahead in some form, even if a mass participation event and central London crowd wouldn’t be possible. Realising innovative technology would hold the key, he worked with Cord and Tharsus to help create a biosecure bubble

In October 2020, with Bump deployed across the Elite runners, their support teams, and the London Marathon Events team, the 40th race went ahead, successfully and safely.

(collaborator: OPX Studio)