Archives: Branders

Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) hosts beach cleanups in Cornwall annually, but they turned their attention to a more ambitious goal: expanding the effort nationwide to organise the largest clean-up event in the UK, and possibly Europe. They launched the Million Mile Clean, calling on each of their 100,000 members to cover ten miles of beach, street, mountain, or river. Will Kinchin of Will Works created a brand for them, that physically connects with the environment (see the amazing sand art by creative team Sand in your Eye, below!) and inspires positive change. We talked to Will about his journey from being a rollerblading graphic design student to becoming a surfing studio owner and how he has used his creative talent for philanthropy.

Fergus O’Sullivan, founder of NICE RICE, discovered that traditional rice farming harms the environment, producing the second-highest emissions after beef. He collaborated with Christian Eager and the team at Red Dot Studio to create the NICE RICE brand, aiming to stand out with great design and convey an important message. We talked to Christian about his path to becoming a designer, creating this brand and what he thinks about the current branding landscape.

Jamie Clarke is an independent lettering artist and type designer with over 25 years of experience, based near Bristol, UK. He started a career as a designer after completing a degree at art school, then entered the working world when the web was in its infancy. Working for a few web startups, he later joined Microsoft as EMEA Head of Design. Jamie co-founded London design agency Thin Martian, which grew to over 20 employees and attracted top global brands. After a decade at Thin Martian and the acquisition of the agency, he pursued his passion for type design; meticulously crafting illustrations to tell visual stories, with lettering often taking the spotlight. His designs have captivated an expanding audience among branding agencies, book publishers, and packaging designers.

The Norfolk Coast Partnership oversees the protected Norfolk coastline, which encompasses an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Marine Conservation Zones, and Sites of Special Scientific Interest. It’s an area popular with tourists and one that grapples with coastal erosion. They wanted to ‘make waves’ with their rebrand; inspired by the National Parks in the U.S and wanted to create a lifestyle brand which was an intentional step away from the ‘council style’ feel of many UK natural areas.  Following a competitive tender process, they appointed Lantern, experts in destination branding, to realise this vision. We spoke with Founder, Ryan Tym about his journey in taking on this project and the insights he has gained as a designer, from the beginning of his career to now.

The Bike Fitters are shaking things up with a ‘tandem’ business model (yes, we fully intend the pun!). They offer a bike fitting service which is all about keeping cyclists safe and comfortable but they’re also offering a chance for enterprising individuals to get in on the action through franchising. Chris Bailey is the mastermind behind their standout branding; a Nottingham-based designer whose work has made waves internationally. This piece dives into how his expertise in brand design has played a pivotal role in The Bike Fitters’ unique approach, plus some career moments that have made Chris the designer he is today.

The Australian project “Act of Treason” involves the cultivation of 600,000 agave plants imported from Mexico and planted near Australia’s Airlie Beach, emulating the tropical and conducive climate for agave growth similar to that in Mexico. While the product cannot be called “tequila” due to geographical indication protections, it is instead branded as “Australian agave spirit”. Part of the proceeds supports the Whitsundays environment, adding a positive twist to the brand’s rebellious image. The farm also serves as a tourist destination, offering tours to understand the production of Australian agave spirit. We had a chat with Sam Lachlan, Creative Director and co-founder at Red Dot Studio about the project and to find out more about his design world.

Shivering Mountain Distillery resides in the heart of the UK’s Peak District National Park, in the beautiful Hope Valley and overlooked by Mam Tor, the majestic peak known locally as the “Shivering Mountain”. They collaborated with James and the team at The Allotment, to create the premium gin brand from scratch, that would not only create local pride in the gin but also appeal to national and international audiences. The result is a uniquely distinctive and authentic gin brand that is highly sought after by the premium retailers, the hospitality sector and gin lovers around the world.

Wildwood Trust has two parks in Kent and Devon, welcoming over 200,000 visitors each year. These parks serve as a sanctuary for over 200 species, nestled within the beauty of ancient woodlands. Hannah and her team at Ditto Creative have created a charming and wholesome brand that perfectly captures Wildwood’s essence, presenting a friendly and inviting face that resonates with both conservationists and park-goers.