Case studies

An ‘unsinkable’ identity

FLOAT, located next to the cultural hotspot of the Port of Piraeus in Greece, is a flexible living concept. The development, which includes modern rooms, canteens, libraries and co-working spaces is aimed at a young generation of students, professionals and digital nomads. London and Athens-based creative agency Marlon Tate – best known for their eye for storytelling –was brought in to not only develop the brand’s identity, but also its name and strategic narrative. So then, why FLOAT?

Urban infrastructure and nature

Energy Networks Australia (ENA) serves as the primary voice for Australia’s energy networks, representing stakeholders who supply power to homes and businesses nationwide. Eager to lead Australia towards a brighter, more sustainable energy future, they joined forces with the team at Melbourne-based brand and user experience studio Oliver Grace to give ENA’s presence an updated look – all while staying true to their role as the trusted voice of Australia’s energy networks.

Inside FEW Issue 2

A conversation starter and a bridge between Finland’s majority population and minority groups, FEW is a magazine that centres on marginalised groups, where a representative of the featured community curates each issue. Through interviews, stories, and visuals, it strives to close gaps between cultures, challenge stereotypes, and foster understanding. Under the direction of guest Editor-in-Chief and human rights activist Ujuni Ahmed, the second issue brings unique perspectives on Somali culture to light, reshaping its portrayal in Finnish media.

The design team – consisting of Marina Veziko, Tino Nyman, Tytti Halonen, and Matilda Diletta – collaborated closely with Ahmed, who, during in-depth discussions regarding the culture and history of the Somali diaspora in Finland, identified key themes for the magazine to explore and selected individuals from the community to feature.

Turn up the volume

Located just behind the National Gallery of Victoria, the Melbourne Recital Centre (MRC) is an iconic venue in Melbourne’s Arts precinct, which itself is about to undergo a massive redevelopment. “With a diverse program featuring hundreds of performances each year,” says Tim Kotsiakos, Founder & Creative Director of MASS, “spanning classical and contemporary music – the MRC is beloved by those who know it.”

However, newer audiences needed convincing. Following extensive upfront research, Victoria-based design practice MASS understood that the challenge in updating MRC’s brand was to honour its reputation among its core audience, mainly classical music enthusiasts. At the same time, it needed to attract a younger, more diverse audience who might view the venue as “too stuffy,” and hold preconceived notions about it, partly due to its name.

New life for a Canadian classic

In the seafood space in Canada, Diana’s Seafood has long been a name that many know and love. For over 45 years, Diana’s has been synonymous with responsibly sourced, high-quality seafood. The brand has continued to be a chef’s favourite, making its way into Michelin-starred kitchens. But now, it wanted to bring its classic seafood recipes to the family dinner table, a shift that was accompanied by a rebrand led by Montreal-based design studio Wedge.

Upending the rules

For many people, buying and selling homes can feel daunting and all-consumingly complex. Hjem (‘house’ in Norwegian), developed by Norway’s leading real estate agencies, promises a more specialised and intelligent solution. A simpler and fundamentally better experience for buyers and sellers alike, it poses a competitive alternative to the current market leaders.

With a strong mission statement, “simplify the housing journey,” Hjem needed an equally clear and consistent brand image – something straightforward, distinctive, and scalable that could be consistently applied across all outputs. Oslo-based design agency Netlife positions Hjem’s unique solution – a smart, user-friendly platform – as a “Magical Partner,” a companion that facilitates the home journey for everyone, fostering a sense of security and ease in an otherwise complex process.

Interviews

Is studio branding getting more flexible?

Welcome to The Shift, a series presented in collaboration with one of the world’s leading brand-building platforms, Frontify. Here, we’ll dive deep into the realm of flexible, dynamic branding. We’ll be tapping into the sharpest minds in design – from visionary studios to leading independent designers – to understand what it takes to build a dynamic identity.

For chapter five, we look at the swelling wave of design studios adopting fluid, flexible identities for themselves, defying the long-standing thought that a studio’s identity should hide behind the quality of its work. Why are studios leaning towards expressive identities that turn the lens towards them? And what do these identities tell us about the changing landscape of studio branding? We picked the brains of the teams at MullenLowe, NOT Wieden+Kennedy and Mother Design to find some answers.

Jowey Roden on gaming branding

The gaming industry is one filled with so much excitement, competition, and visual wonder that you can be forgiven for not always paying meticulous attention to a game’s identity. However, whether it’s the logo of an e-sports team or a new wordmark for downloadable content (DLC), these brand assets play a crucial role in world-building and extend beyond the screen. But, in an ever-evolving, innovative and immersive digital field, conceptualising brands for the gaming world is not always as simple as creating a nifty symbol and colour palette.

So, what do brands need to do differently in this space compared to other industries? Sharing his thoughts is Jowey Roden, Chief Creative Officer at Koto. Having worked with some of gaming’s most iconic names (Call of Duty for Activision, League of Legends for Riot Games), he knows a thing or two about capturing the attention of gamers and ensuring they return to their universes again and again. After all, 40% of total playtime goes to games over eight years old. What’s the secret sauce to this success?

Newspaper Club

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Mockups

“Evolution doesn’t mean reinvention – it means expansion.”

Jowey Roden, Koto
27th March 2025

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