Week 1: Business Foundations
Your personal research tasks are for deeper critical reflection and demonstration of your thinking and working processes.
These are the research tasks for this week, please share your findings on the ideas wall and on your blog:
Reflect again on a range of studios, individual practitioners, businesses and brands that inspire you.
Consider your own positioning as a designer alongside these examples.
Week 1 My own research
Task for week 1 - To get an answer to what business I’d like to be I had to be honest about my current positioning (Chris Do style!)
I already have an established business, organically grown, and doing okay, but due to being constantly busy (and maybe a bit complacent), there are a lot of key business factors I have never put in place - time to right the wrong.
I talked to my course tutor Teresa, who first made me address my errors. It was like design therapy!
1. I listed all the business mistakes I felt were holding me back and stopping growth as a company.
2. Secondly, I noted down what my USPs were, why did my I have good client retention, and what were my solid skills and characteristics.
3. Last of all, I wrote down how I was going to right the wrong. This will help me prioritise my business plan. I also need to consider what kind of design studio I want to be. I looked into the market leaders to find their USPS and company ethos.
This away
Bath-based branding agency working across a wide variety of sectors and not specialising in particular fields.
Link to company website
https://thisaway.co/
Type of work they do
Predominantly Brand delivery and definition and all the sub categories that come within this. i.e Website, copywriting, film, photography, print and environment branding.
Recently featured in Design Week for their Team GB logo for
How do they present themselves?
”Our nimble approach means we can work with clients both large and small. The one thing that unites the businesses we work with is the desire to make a bold change.”
Cool Facts about them
Their Knowdonia project has won the coveted wood pencil in the naming category at the D&AD Awards 2022. Proof that a small studio can certainly punch above its weight.
Also - They have just unveiled a new identity ahead of Paris 2024 Olympics. Thisaway has positioned the brand around the diversity of Team GB athletes through an extensive suite of graphic illustrations in a bid to keep it relevant when the games are not being held.
“We help big brands refine, refresh (& sometimes revolutionise) the way they communicate, so they can continue to thrive in a changing world.”
Quote from website
Design Bridge (and partners)
Redefining what design is and what design can do. For brands, businesses, people and the planet.
Link to company website
https://www.designbridge.com
Type of work they do
Brand - Strategy, Identity, Experience and Guardianship
Design ethos - How do they present themselves?
”We believe design is your most powerful means of driving positive change. It answers the big questions the world is asking. Questions that are bigger than brand, bigger than media, bigger than communications, bigger than technology.”
Cool facts about them - sustainability - they are pushing to be different in their work
Sustainability is no longer a ‘nice to have’. Brands that put success before people and planet, don’t succeed at all. What can you do to make a real difference? How can you define strategies that are specfic and measureable?
“Design is the result of deep, diverse and long-standing collaborative partnerships.”
Quote from website
Conclusion:
I think what was conclusive about all the research into the other studios was that I had a golden opportunity to create a business plan as a completely new practice focusing on all the research, my values, work ethics and inspirational creative models.
I just need to work out what that is and narrow that down to 3000 words?!
All the things I’m doing wrong
Why do current clients come to me for my services?
Studios that inspire me
ustwo
Absolutely love their business ethos, which genuinely looks like they are having too much fun in their creative studio. Also love they are putting together a manifesto about their values.
Link to company website
https://ustwo.com
Type of work they do
Design, Tech, Strategy, Delivery, and Product
How do they present themselves?
”We help our clients to conceive, design, and build digital products that users love”
Cool facts about them
The structure is an employee-owned business. Where the employees get to retain and reflect and be part of the guidance of the future of the business. Mills and Sinx, and shareholder Marcus Woxneryd reduced their equity in ustwo studios and transferred the majority ownership of the business to all current and future employees.
“Being able to maintain our values, culture and drive our destiny as a collective really feels like the future.”
Lizel Louw, Client Partner
How can I get better?
“It started with two childhood friends, Matt “Mills” Miller and John “Sinx” Sinclair, working together as “ustwo” back in 2004, exploring and building digital products when they were just starting to become a thing.
ustwo’s evolution is an unusual one which serves us well. We’ve built a comprehensive set of creative and strategic skills. We apply everything we’ve learned – and continue to learn – to crafting beautiful products.”
“Pentagram continues to inspire with its philosophy, vision, incredible body of work, and passionate teams. Year on year, the company continues to receive accolades from all over the creative world, confirming their winning formula: a unique structure and designers who ‘whether working independently or collaboratively, always do this in friendship.’”
“They stretch, evolve and adapt your brand, so you can reach new audiences. ”
“We believe our strategic creative thinking applies to all industries and brand challenges, from global sports brands and companies with purpose, to disruptive startups and national education services.
”
“Design Bridge and Partners and Starlight Creative reveal how they captured the energy of the Eurovision Song Contest through a vibrant, fun identity.
The visual expression is a sound wave of many hearts that beat together as one. A universal concept that is as culturally relevant and accessible in the UK and Ukraine, as it is across the world. ”
Made by James - James Martin (instagram)
Link to the company website
https://themadebyjames.com/
Being on a ‘Global graphic design course’ I can’t help but mention the ‘non-conformulator of brand identity systems, educator and creator and Instagram superstar!’ (As described on his website).
Design ethos - How does he present himself?
Comes across as a sole trader/freelancer, but I’m sure he must have a great team behind him. I first noticed him from his catchy instagram videos. Short, muted videos about how he answers a logo brief, problem and conclusion in a time-lapse video.
Cool facts about him
Very catchy video and makes logo design look easy. I recently took his logo legends course and was so pleased to see the research and theory he puts into his logo design. He has just published his first book.
Type of work he does
Mainly logos and identity design.
Pentagram
Probably the most famous design agency in the world.
Founded by partners Alan Fletcher, Theo Crosby, Colin Forbes, Kenneth Grange and Mervyn Kurlansky in north London in 1972. The business structure is simple – equal partners, sharing wealth, wisdom and workspace. Now there are four times as many partners with studios over the globe each partner heading a small team.
Link to company website
https://www.pentagram.com
Type of work they do
Identity, strategy and positioning, products and packaging, exhibitions and installations, websites and digital experiences, advertising and communications, data visualizations and typefaces, sound and motion.
How do they present themselves?
”Our conviction that great design cannot happen without passion, intelligence and—above all—personal commitment, and is demonstrated by a portfolio that spans five decades, many industries, and clients of every size.”
Cool facts about them
They boldly claim to be the only major design studio where the owners of the business are the creators of the work and serve as the primary contact for every client.
“Being able to maintain our values, culture and drive our destiny as a collective really feels like the future.”
Lizel Louw, Client Partner
Mr.D
London based specialists in masterbrand propositions.
I worked with Mr. D as they launched a new logo and strategy for a local client I work with. I was incredibly impressed and it was one of those “I wish I’d created that” moments.
Link to company website
https://mrd.london
Type of work they do
Identity, strategy campaigns and toolkits. Brand strategy and multi-touchpoint systems, Brand creation and evolution. Ongoing brand management and guardianship.
How do they present themselves?
”Pushing your brand in new directions.”
Facts about them
Members of the DBA. (Is this something to investigate and be part of?)
“We help big brands refine, refresh (& sometimes revolutionise) the way they communicate, so they can continue to thrive in a changing world.”
Quote from website