The Covid-19 pandemic forced businesses to adapt quickly if they wanted to survive the economic downturn and new ways of working and living. Desk Space member Ex D adapted so rapidly it not only survived but founded a new personal-care brand, Rescue Brand, with the modus operandi of reacting quickly and social responsibility.
“The idea of Rescue Brand is to be able to respond to emergencies,” says Ex D and Rescue Brand co-founder Nick Hudson.
Within days of the coronavirus crisis sweeping Australia in mid-March, hundreds of thousands of people had lost their jobs, stores had sold out of hand sanitiser and face masks were few and far between. Technology platform Ex D, which stitches together global and local supply chains, jumped into action. In three days of these events, Ex D founders Nick Hudson and Nick Benson had established Rescue Brand, employed nine people and established a supply chain for importing much-needed sanitiser, masks and antibacterial wipes. The team is made of people who lost their jobs due to Covid-19 and its economic impact. Radio producer Tom Birmingham is now leading the media for Rescue Brand, and JackArchdale, who recently moved back to Sydney and was in the process of interviewing for media positions, is driving sales.
Rescue Brand is driven by social responsibility to the community. On Saturday 6 June, Tom, Nick and Jack handed out sanitiser and masks at the Stop Black Deaths in Custody & Black Lives Matter March in Sydney. Spurred by the protests across America, tens of thousands of people gathered in the CBD to protest the death of Indigenous people in police custody, despite coronavirus concerns.
The Rescue Brand team wanted to support the cause in a helpful and meaningful way. “We got in touch with the Indigenous Social Justice Association who organised the march and said we wanted to provide support, could we hand out sanitiser?” says Tom. He, Nick and Jack took 600 bottles of 60ml sanitiser and 200 face masks to hand out to the crowd.
“We had hand sanitiser, so we wanted to do good for the sake of doing good. This is part of the DNA of Rescue Brand,” says Tom
Rescue Brand foresees and is planning for the increased demand for face masks for bushfire season, but otherwise it will continue to react quickly to emergencies, importing necessary products rapidly when needed. When crises don’t demand, Rescue Brand will operate as personal-care business and continue to employ the unemployed and serve the best interests of our community.
