A woman with short blonde hair wearing a white blouse, sitting against a plain white background. 
about 
big bite

Big Bite is me — Michael Braithwaite — and a constellation of sharp collaborators I bring in depending on the shape and scale of the work. I started Big Bite after years of watching organizations invest in clever messaging that didn’t stick, and funders try to measure narrative impact on marketing timelines. I wanted to build something that treated narrative as what it really is: cultural infrastructure. So here we are!

My background sits at the intersection of cultural analysis and cultural production, strategic communications, and systems design. I came up through visual and critical studies, curatorial programming, and cultural criticism before shifting into narrative strategy and communications. That early lens still shapes how I work: I see narrative as an expression of the deep beliefs that tell us what’s normal, who belongs, and most importantly, what’s possible.

At Big Bite, I help civil society make sense of those patterns, and design interventions that work with and are rooted in culture. My work spans six continents and every possible political context, but you can still think of me as your friendly neighborhood world-builder.

Beyond work, I’m endlessly curious about how people make meaning through stories, art, the small rituals that hold our days together, or Netflix animated features. I read a lot of sci-fi, walk near trees whenever I can, and keep a rotating collection of furniture design experiments going. For me, it’s all part of the same practice: seeing where our collective imagination drops breadcrumbs, and following the trail.

our principles

  • Contemporary line art drawing of three women's faces with colored abstract shapes behind them.

    Imagination

    Every shift begins with the ability to picture something new. We treat imagination as infrastructure, and the foundation of narrative and systems change.

  • A minimalist line drawing of two hands surrounding an eye with celestial elements like the moon and planets.

    Clarity

    Clarity is a form of care. It makes complexity navigable, and decisions easier to trust.

  • Abstract line drawing of a woman's face with a cup, an ear, and geometric shapes in beige, green, and red tones.

    Dignity

    How we talk about people shapes how we treat them. Every message is a chance to affirm our shared humanity.

  • A minimalistic line drawing of a woman with her eyes closed, touching her face, with abstract beige and orange geometric shapes in the background.

    Curiousity

    Inquiry fuels better strategy. We ask, test, explore, and suggest, but we never prescribe. Even better, we stay open to surprise.

  • Minimalist line drawing of a woman's face with colored abstract shapes highlighting parts of her face and head

    Belonging

    Change takes hold when people see themselves as co-architects of it. We design strategies that invite more people in.

  • Abstract line drawing of a woman's face with a flower, using continuous line art with colored circles in brown, beige, and reddish-orange.

    Play

    Even serious work needs fun. Play creates the space for creativity, connection, and learning to happen. Joy fuels the work for the long haul.

Our Team

At Big Bite, collaboration isn’t a structure,  it’s a relationship. Sometimes that means teaming up with longtime partners, sometimes it’s a focused solo sprint. Either way, the work is grounded in trust, longtime mutual respect, and curiosity.

  • S. Westlake

    CREATIVE STRATEGIST & WRITER
    FOUNDER, FLANNEL & BLADE

    Our consistent collaborator for all things creative placemaking and savvy messaging.

  • Katherin Machalek

    FILMMAKER &
    HUMAN RIGHTS PROGRAM DESIGNER    ,
    LARGE-SCALE NARRATIVE ANALYSIS,
    POLYGLOT

    Our go-to for international creative collaborations.

  • Jennifer M. Boll, Esq.

    NONPROFIT ATTORNEY
    & ADVISOR    , HARRIS BEACH MURTHA

    Our number one source for up-to-date legal risks under this political administration.

 

ready to start?

Drop us a line

✉️ michael@bigbitecommunications.work

Let's have coffee!