One of the most frequently requested services for designers is to make a client or brand seem bigger better and (occasionally!) more professional than it is.
This detail is especially important when you’re dealing with clients who are freelancers. a lot of the time we are required to make a ‘one man band’ seem like a quartet or even a small orchestra.
This can be tackled a number of ways and while it can be a limiting factor, I always see it an opportunity to show the potential of a client and build it into the design.
This was put into practice with Suki Fuller and her company Miribure. After a consultation with Suki, we came up with the brand outline and a clear vision for the company, before moving on to design the logo and collateral assets, which included business cards
The logo incorporated elements of the brand ambition and direction of the company, Suki loved the final result (especially the tablet wallpaper!) and felt it gave her confidence to present her and the company as she had envisioned it.
Now, how much my design had to do with this I couldn’t say, but within a year she was featured in Forbes and the Financial Times as one of the most influential BAME women in Tech.
Another example is Realism, a market research company run by Jo Cleaver. The brand ethos is to cut the bull (I’m paraphrasing!) and present a practical, no nonsense approach to marketing and brand consultancy.
I had a very loose brief and, I have to admit, a great company name and vision. I had a lot of fun designing this brand. For Realism, I did a full brand guide, with a website and collateral such as business cards, letterhead and even cartoon characters for a blog post – I know it sounds weird – told you I had fun!
But, if forced to choose, the logo is what I’m most proud of, especially the way it plays with your sense of perspective and shape. I always keep coming back to it, so much so that I have started to create a full 3D render. From a simple design sketch to a complete brand, working with small outfits can give you the flexibility to test new ideas and really push the boundaries of your creativity.
