We were approached a couple of years ago to produce the front-end visuals for a vibrating iPhone app aimed at frustrated, but tech savvy young ladies. The ingenious brand name was 'the iWank' and it was here that Andy and I drew the line. We just didn't feel comfortable in going down that road and despite the fact that technically it was well within our remit as designers and could have proven lucrative - we said no.

I doubt we would have been alone in that decision, but there are loads of occasions where the lines have been less distinct. We were involved in re-branding a City in Africa that is renowned the world over as being a dangerous place to go (we aren't allowed to name names but no, it isn't Dunstable, although that clearly is a den of scum and villainy). The issue is that our shiny new graphics and brand development will encourage travellers, business people and the general public into an area which has the potential to be very unsafe. The flip-side is that in investing in this community it could well assist in bringing in business and raise its profile so that it improves unrecognisably and becomes a nice place. We went ahead with this one and I am confident that the outcome was very much in the latter camp, but sometimes the moral implications need to be considered carefully.

The reality is we have to value our clients wishes, respect their fields and be professional in our outlook going forward and sometimes suck up the fact that life is seldom 100% genuine perfection. I hope that we are a morally conscious company and we would never willingly involve ourselves in any illegal or corrupt organisations, but sometimes I suppose we might skirt closer to the morality line than we'd like.

In an effort to address the balance and avoid going straight to hell 49th Floor have cultivated a close relationship with a variety of national charities and local good causes. We have been really pleased to have worked with Neil and the team at Mind (The mental health charity) as well as supporting Help for Heroes via our involvement in the Uniforce show and a multitude of other things including a profile on Pimp My Cause which I'd encourage all working designers, freelancers, account managers and printers to look into.

Today the Facebook page we designed for The Teenage Cancer Trust has gone live and whilst we are really happy with it for our own selfish reasons - please, please take a look at it because it's such a good cause and really deserves your help.

https://www.facebook.com/bignamedrop