Lady Bay Studios Branding
Brand and signage design for Lady Bay Studios in Nottingham
Project
We designed a branding and signage for Lady Bay Studios a Nottingham co-working studio. The office is owned by Landscape designers DSA Environment + Design who wanted to make the office a creative hub for design professionals.
We created an umbrella brand which drew on the distinctive shape of the 19080’s building. The brand was then applied to office signage, as well as a marketing brochure, website and social media.
Swain Architecture Website
Website design and brand management for a Nottingham architectural practice
Project
We created the Swain Architecture website as well as designed their marketing materials including brochures, stationery, signage and the curation of their social media. In short we ensure that everything presented to the public is on-brand and represents their business.
We are proud brand directors and agency partners of Swain Architecture, a Nottingham based architectural practice. We monitor and apply their brand design to all their external communications in a way that expresses Swain Architecture’s design credentials and positions the business as being both professional and approachable.
Swain Architecture Website
User Experience
Simpkin Burley created a new digital user experience for Swain Architecture. As a design business, it was key that the visual feel of this website was representative of their high design standards.
Website Design
We created a clean layout in which we could add rich lifestyle imagery (courtesy of photographers Emily + Katy). Our design was based around explaining how to work with a residential architect and inspiring residential and commercial clients alike.
Positive Results
A Marketing Tool
As standard for Simpkin Burley websites, we ensured that Google Analytics were installed so that monitoring of marketing and campaign results can be monitored. We trained the Swain team to use the content management system and Analytics so that they can review our performance themselves.
Return on Investment
Within the first few months of launching the website visitor figures have more than doubled. Search engine listing has also improved, and Swain now rank on the first page in many searches. In turn this has meant more and better quality enquiries for our client and their growing business.
Office Signage Design
Simpkin Burley designed bespoke signage to be applied throughout Swain Architecture’s creative studio in Derby. The signage was designed to reflect the Swain brand as well as be a striking backdrop for video conferences and photography.
Brand Guardians
Simpkin Burley have been acting as Swain Architectures brand director for a number of years. We manage their marketing suite of materials including brochures that explain their services to potential clients and business stationery for the Nottingham based architectural practice.
Social Media
For visual businesses Simpkin Burley can provide social media management. Swain Architecture have a large back catalogue of fantastic imagery and a target audience who are eager to new ‘house inspo’. We post monthly digital campaigns, showing case studies and giving insights into the people and process behind the designs. We manage Instagram, Facebook and Linked In, and have grown their following as well as driven engagement which has led to strong growth of new enquiries.
Manchester Airport Group
Creative partner, designing marketing and advertising campaigns for Manchester and Stansted International Airports
Project
Simpkin Burley is a Manchester and Stansted International Airport creative partner to Manchester Airport Group (MAG). As well as ‘in-house’ campaigns we have also supplied creative for international travel brands such as Virgin Holidays and Singapore Airlines.
Working alongside MAG’s marketing team, we have created marketing and advertising campaigns, informational designs, promotion for their services and facilities, including large scale signage and wayfinding.
Manchester Airport T3 Wall
Large Scale Infographic
At Manchester Airport we used the existing Manchester Airport brand in a fresh and bold way to create an information corridor to promote their pre-flight services. We divided a 24 metres terminal wall into individual ‘fly poster’ designs, creating visuals and messaging that spoke to people on the move.
Design Impact on the Move
We combined striking imagery with simple statements that could easily be digested while walking. By taking this design approach, we were able to communicate a lot of information in a concise way.
Destinations Campaign
Promotion
To raise awareness of the many routes offered by Manchester International Airport, Simpkin Burley designed a versatile flyer. The design concept was influenced by an airport departures board.
Event Marketing Collateral
The flyer was designed to be updated and could be given different colour treatments to tie in with events that the airport attended as a business. The flyer was used at a several off-site events like Manchester Pride and events to promote their routes and services.
Price Guarantee Mark
A Mark of Quality
To promote food and beverage (F&B) tenants within their terminals, Manchester Airport engaged Simpkin Burley to design a price guarantee mark. The mark signified that operators of restaurants and bars were pricing competitively with the high street. The campaign aimed to dispel the myth that airports’ operators heavily mark up their food and beverages.
A Complementary Brand
The mark was designed to sit with Manchester Airports F&B tenants’ brands. This meant considering versatility, shape, size and end-user applications.
Creative Partner
Brand Guardians
With a working relationship dating back years, Simpkin Burley’s mission has always been to contribute to the strength and clarity of the Manchester Airport Group brand. Working with the company’s existing corporate identity, we consider ourselves responsible for the presentation of MAG’s brand in a consistent and creative way. We aim to tell their story and enable them to communicate clearly.
Support for Business
Working behind the scenes we have also worked on business presentations and tender support to ensure that Manchester Airport Group’s business runs smoothly and profitably. We also provide on-hand support for some of their airline and F&B partners.
The Alternative Adviser
A bold and distinctive financial services brand design for a wealth planning business.
Project
Simpkin Burley designed a visually strong brand for this financial planning business. We used contemporary type combined with a black and white colour palette to demonstrate our clients clarity of message. The bold style of the brand instils a strong sense of quality and trust. The concept of plain-speaking advice is conveyed by a graphic device inspired by a keyboard shortcut.
The identity was applied to an extensive suite of applications. This included stationery, corporate literature, a website, video marketing, office signage and advertising campaigns as well as a monthly lifestyle magazine.
A Complete Brand Suite
Consistency
One aspect of brand design that we’re passionate about is ‘message’. By ensuring all business communications are ‘on brand’, a business looks professional, consistent with good attention to detail. We believe consistency leads to brand recognition.
Comprehensive Brand Suite
For this project we created brand guidelines to ensure the identity was applied consistently. For the brand launch, a full set of stationery was created which demonstrated the high-end nature of the business. Business cards, letterheads and postcards were all produced by A14 Print Finishing and used quality, embossed, GF Smith paper.
Agency Partners
On-call Support
Simpkin Burley is on call for The Alternative Adviser for adhoc marketing and design campaigns. This can be as simple as occasional advertising for forthcoming events or the production of their monthly lifestyle magazine.
Escape Magazine
Escape Magazine contains articles that relate to the lifestyles of our client’s customers. Rather than a typical e-newsletter, our client wanted to share something that was special and tailored to their clients. The format of the magazine demonstrates a personal touch and attention to detail the business has designed into every step of their customer journey.
Pelham Waterside Branding
A comprehensive residential branding project close to the waterside in Nottingham
Project
Simpkin Burley created a comprehensive residential branding design for Pelham Waterside, a housing development close to the River Trent in Nottingham. We worked alongside PR & Marketing agency Big Old House, for their client Pelham Homes. The project is designed to appeal to a target market of first-time buyers and families.
We targeted the customer journey of home buyers with an extensive marketing and advertising campaign. Brand applications included a launch event, sales brochures, welcome pack and advertising campaigns. On-site signage included a 75 metre site hoarding, branded flags, welcome totem signs, sold/for sale signs and even a custom made branded welcome mat!
The Design Concept
The Nature of Waterside Living
The waterside area of Nottingham has been transformed in recent years and there are now many new residential developments. Many of these projects have used identities that represent water as a theme. Our concept was to do something different and show the true nature of waterside living. We designed a brand that visualised rich vegetation and a connection to nature. We believe this represents the true nature of a waterside experience.
A Contemporary Colour Palette
We designed a colour palette that featured colours found in contemporary interior design so that the brand appealed to the target audience. The same colour palette was later used by interior designers Claude Hooper in the showhome which contributed further to the strength of the brand.
Project Team
Architecture: CPMG Architects
Interior Design: Claude Hooper
Construction: United Living
Marketing & PR: Big Old House
Photography: Appature Images
Wayfinding as a Methodology for Design
Introduction
We believe that wayfinding is more than just a service that we provide. Throughout years in the design industry the way you design a wayfinding project has led us to work in a specific way and had a profound effect on our process. Because of this, we wanted to explain what it is and how it can improve your design project.
What is Wayfinding?
A Built Environment Dicipline
People often ask whether wayfinding is a made up word or an ‘Americanism’. Neither is true. In fact, it’s an industry recognised term for design that most people use every day without even realising. Wayfinding is an aid for navigating an environment. This can be anything from an arrow in a corridor to a complex set of designs for a series of built spaces.
A Way of Thinking
Once you start figuring out what people want, where they need to go, and how they’re likely to try to get there, wayfinding can become a useful tool. This process can also be applied to websites, adverts or brochures.
How Can Wayfinding Benefit All Design Processes?
Selective Disclosure
The design process behind wayfinding allows designers to think about the end user and consider what they might want to know at any given point. In wayfinding design, we call this ‘selective disclosure’. It means placing information only where and when people need to see it. It also means not adding anything that isn’t needed and could distract someone.
The Benefits
By thinking in this way, you can create an intuitive user experience. This can lead to, increased revenue, higher footfall, repeat custom and better trust in a brand.
A Built Environment Specialist
The built environment relies on wayfinding to complement the layouts of spaces and make them easy to navigate.
Simpkin Burley’s Expertise
Simpkin Burley’s Founder and Creative Director, Dan Simpkin, has lots of experience with wayfinding tactics. He has worked in the architecture industry for almost 20 years. This is why customer journey plays a key role in Simpkin Burley’s approach to all the creative work they create for their clients.
Added Value for Your Project
A Better Thought Process
It’s easy for a graphic designer to go through the motions in terms of research, concept design and developing ideas to create a perfectly adequate design.
There is a Better Way
However, using wayfinding as a methodology for design allows us to plan customer journeys for a number of target customer journey types and incorporate their needs into the final design. This often makes a more rounded design and allows us to engage with people in a way that others aren’t.
Find Your Way With Us
Exceeding Expectations
Wayfinding allows us to take a step back from a client’s brief and determine creative solutions that improve the final design and surpass our clients expectations.
Contact Us
If you’re interested in developing your business or development’s brand identity, get in touch. We can help you to lead your customers on a meaningful and rewarding journey.