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The Newsletter 128
Projects, jobs, mockups, books and more
Elliott Moody
June 24, 2024
Case studies
An ownable ‘Stop Arrow’
Stop the Traffik is a global charity dedicated to ending human trafficking by focusing on prevention and data-driven intelligence gathering. In a major visual overhaul, the organisation worked with the team at London-based design agency Fold7Design to reinvent its identity, culminating in an all-encompassing design system that is both distinctive and evocative of the organisation’s core mission.
Like product like brand
“Some projects take months. Some have over 10 rounds of revisions on logos. But sometimes, you need something by Friday,” says FCKLCK’s Managing Director, Tarryn Blackwood, reflecting on the studio’s experience crafting a brand for Süti. The Belgium and Amsterdam-based studio delivered a name, positioning and identity for Süti in a record time of three days, but not without some considerable groundwork from the client. Before the name for the brand was finalised, there was only a prototype for a lightweight protective accessory for an iPhone – unlike a phone case that offers heavy-duty protection, Süti’s ‘PhoneBacks’ protects the iPhone against the odd scratch, without hiding its design with unnecessary bulk.
Greater clarity
First Street Foundation is doing some critical work – the tech non-profit collates and provides physical climate risk data which is used by leading experts across many industries and government agencies in the US, as well as everyday Americans. Its product, Risk Factor, provides information about any property’s environmental risks from flooding, wildfire, wind or extreme heat, helping citizens understand how climate change affects their home, business, or overall well-being, arming them with vital data. The organisation wanted a facelift and reached out to New York-based design studio View Source to help them find an image that encapsulates the current essence of the company and its work.
Go with your gut
Fuman has created an impactful identity for Viva, a drinks brand, with the intention to challenge the norms and stereotypes commonly associated with health products. The brand’s identity, designed by the New Zealand-based multi-disciplinary design studio, is characterised by a bold typographic direction and a vibrant colour palette, embodying an unconventional and lively spirit that injects a much-needed sense of fun and rebellion into the wellness-focused market.
Crisp and structured
By harnessing cutting-edge technology, erthos® is developing efficient biodegradable substitutes for plastic. The visual identity of this pioneering biomaterials company has been redefined with the help of New York-based creative studio WØRKS – encapsulating their innovative approach to sustainability through biodegradable plastic substitutes – and has been timed strategically to coincide with erthos® transitioning from a materials supplier to a technology-driven material studio.
Interviews
Design Office
One look at the website of Motion Sickness, and it’s pretty hard to not get sucked right into their body of work. The New Zealand-based advertising agency, launched by Founder & Executive Creative Director Sam Stuchbury has mined its “culture of disruptive creativity” to shape a series of witty campaigns for leading brands. Interestingly, they’ve also used their craft to unspool societal issues in New Zealand and present them in an approachable way, often laced with a bit of humour – case in point, their viral ad for internet safety that drives home the message in a way that one probably won’t forget.
As their creative horizons have widened to include branding projects, Motion Sickness has launched a new arm of the agency – Design Office. We sit down with Stuchbury, who explains how Motion Sickness and the design agency “live in the same house, but sleep in separate beds,” which allows for “a marriage of unique combined strengths, while retaining the emotional space to be one’s own self,” he adds. Together, we take a look at the Design Office, its scope of work, and ‘Design Translator,’ a little treat on its website.
Crown Creative
Crown Creative is a multidisciplinary creative studio with a distinct focus on the intersection of design and hospitality. With bases in Belfast, London, and New York, their work spans strategy, design, and interiors, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to creating meaningful, strategic, and aesthetically pleasing experiences – from their partnership with The Dead Rabbit, the renowned NYC Irish pub, to their ongoing work with Hilton. Creative Director Ryan Crown sits down with us, detailing the latest exciting developments at Crown Creative, along with some insights into the day-to-day running of the studio and the perks of working with the hospitality sector.
News
London’s new flexible workspace
Situated in the heart of London’s design district, Beton, a flexible workspace by Spacemade, joins the company’s extensive offering of spaces. “We loved the building,” says Co-founder Jonny Rosenblatt of the brutalist structure that now houses the workspace. “When we first looked at it, it was the Italia Conti Dance School and was still functioning as such, but they wanted to move location. It’s steeped in history and has been home to some of the greatest British performers and actors of recent years. The building needed a reinvention, and for us, a flexible workspace felt like a natural fit for the building.”
Mockups
“Humour is an effective tool to cut through the noise, and with more advertising than ever before, it’s much harder to get attention than you realise.”
Sam Stuchbury, Design Office
20th June 2024
Books
How to...
In today’s world, graphic design permeates our daily lives through logos, packages, signs, publications, and websites. But have you ever wondered about its origins, its distinctive aesthetics, and its purpose? These questions find their answers in the career monograph of renowned graphic designer Michael Bierut.
Bierut’s book explores how graphic design can be employed to sell products, convey information, enhance aesthetics, evoke emotions such as joy or sadness, and occasionally even make a profound impact on society. Drawing from his extensive portfolio, he delves into the intricacies of more than 36 projects, providing a comprehensive account of their conception, execution and final outcome.
Jobs
