Business is many things – challenging, rewarding, innovative, intelligent, plodding – but it is also beautiful. A new book by design agency Dragon Rouge affirms just that.

‘Business is Beautiful’ examines case studies four companies in five areas. The selected businesses range from energy startups in Africa to established players like Rabobank and 3M to Condé Nast and London’s own Zetter.

The book was conceived of about a year ago by a Dragon Rouge team looking to define its philosophy in a more tangible way, and in the process escape from the tendency to write about business in terms of science, not art.

“We are looking for a different way to understand what makes businesses successful without resorting to yet another tool of exact measurement,” Jean-Baptiste Danet, CEO of Dragon Rouge writes in the foreword.

The case studies in the book sprawl from businesses that succeed in sustainability and innovation to those that communicate authentically or with their own unique voice. None of the businesses were existing Dragon Rouge clients at the time of publication.

“It has quite a human element,” strategy director Nick Liddell, who did the lion’s share of the writing, said at last night’s book launch. He notes the inability of formulaic business tomes to appreciate the perhaps more intangible quality art, design and communication can have on business.

The launch itself was held at the Zetter Townhouse in Clerkenwell, one of the book’s case studies. Famed designer Noma Bar created the identity and illustrations for the book.