TEMPLO

Pali Palavathanan is Co-Founder and Creative Director of TEMPLO, a cause-led branding and communications agency committed to using the positive power of design for social change. TEMPLO works in close collaboration and co-creation with chosen clients to deliver authentic, attention-seeking and impactful communications.

Inspired by his childhood experiences growing up as a child refugee, he has partnered with the likes of the United Nations, GF Smith, Climate Change Committee, Amnesty International, V&A, International Truth and Justice Project and Venice Biennale to tackle issues across climate change, human rights and community empowerment.

His work has won awards at The Art Directors Club of New York, Tokyo Type Directors, Brand New Awards, Benchmark and Design Week Awards. He’s also helped to award others as a judge for the D&AD, Brand Impact Awards and Design Week Awards.

Pali speaks regularly on branding and design for events including Brand New Conference (London and Chicago), It's Nice That's Nicer Tuesdays (London and New York), Birmingham Design Festival and RGD's Design Thinkers Conference.

Pali's Talk

Lived, Not Learned: Cause-led Branding

Frustrated by marketing gimmicks and tokenistic gestures? In this talk, Pali Palavathanan, Co-Founder and Creative Director of TEMPLO, will argue that the most powerful storytelling today is purposeful, rooted in authenticity and empathy.

Drawing on his background as a child refugee, Pali shares how his personal journey has informed his creative approach – grounding ambitious projects in experience that is lived, notlearned. With nearly twenty years collaborating with organisations such as the United Nations, GF Smith, Mayor of London, Climate Change Committee and the Venice Biennale, he unpacks what it takes to build brands that do more than look good, but make an impact – for people and the planet.