best brand design of 2016

Year in review: Our best brand design of 2016

As 2016 draws to a close, we’re looking back over a busy year at some of the work we’re particularly proud of. Here I pick out the projects that make up our ‘best brand design of 2016’.

Previously I had posted about our favourite websites of the year, this post is reflecting on the brand identity work we’ve completed and a few projects which really stand out for me as being successful.

One general theme that stands out for me is that… there is none! Once again we’ve worked on the most extrordinarily random series of pieces of work. Everything from personal trainers in London, lawyers in California and lifestyle gurus in Spain… it takes all kinds to make our year.

I can’t wait to see what 2017 holds!

 

1. 365 BODY TRAINER

Personal trainer Charlie Knight approached us to devise a complete brand launch for his new fitness business. Immediately intrigued – in part because we had never done a project like that before – we set to work.

 

Our best brand design of 2016: 365 Body Trainer

We had this idea about the turning phases of a stopwatch which made it to the final design.

The idea is that as the PT stands over you while you are sweating and behaving like a crazy person – sprinting, jumping, lifting and so on – they are timing your progress.

The three shapes in the ‘365’ design measure this out into thirds. As an add-on, a brand pattern that we devised to go with the logo repeats this design over black and white photography to give a finished, super-sharp piece of brand work.

 

2. SAAM STUDIO

Denim designer and consultant Matthew Saam needed a distinctive and individual brand for his business based in downtown Los Angeles.

We had this idea about the fabric lines on denim possibly playing a part in the logo, then that making a brand graphic theme that could appear on other collateral such as the website and stationery.

 

Our best brand design of 2016: Saam Studio

It’s definitely a bold design and the end result feels very sharp and new.

Our idea was less to be completely ‘fashion’ (as so much of what the studio does is consulting and project management of denim for large brands themselves) but possibly ‘have that edge’ to the overall design.

As such I think it works really well – and actually I can see the logo stamped on a leather belt loop itself one day…

Read more about this project

Visit the website

 

3. LONDON BASE

London Base is a new kind of concierge service for property owners in the city who either are frequently away from the UK or have an investment property they are keen to see fulfil its potential.

The business needed a distinctive brand look that was ‘very London’ – and so we had this idea of illustrating a lion door knocker. These are all over the city – particularly on the most famous address in town, 10 Downing Street.

 

Our best brand design of 2016: London Base

So we drew a symmetrical flat graphic of the knocker – and this is the end result. Instantly this idea leapt out, cat-like, as the answer to all of us.

He’s quite ferocious I think.

The logo is particularly individual and memorable and somehow captured something of this city. And as an added bonus, there’s no way you’d not take this company seriously.

Read more about this project

Visit the website

 

4. RIVERA EMPLOYMENT LAW

Another job in Los Angeles, Rivera Employment Law is a startup business based in Santa Monica.

Principal Kevin Rivera wanted an elegant new company identity that stood apart from other firms locally and had, in his words, ‘a European sensibility’.

Our best brand design of 2016: Rivera Employment Law

The key orange graphic shapes detach and appear on our web design as floating ‘parallax’ elements which once again is a kind of design you’d rarely (never) see associated with a law firm.

But the end result is still serious and trustworthy, something you definitely need in a legal web design and has ended up fulfilling its brief of creating a contemporary look for a Californian firm.

Read more about this project

Visit the website

 

5. LIVE PURA VIDA

I’ve always had a soft spot for custom-drawn type and this project was the one this year that really stood out in that regard.

Live Pura Vida is a new lifestyle business run by diet and health guru Laura Bolton. We knew at the outset that the design always had to include a hummingbird but couldn’t quite figure out how until we realised it needed to feel like a natural extension of the typography.

 

Our best brand design of 2016: Live Pura Vida

The end result is an elegant, warm brand logo which feels comfortable and familiar.

This too, like all the other logos on this post, is an inherent part of a custom website we created with Laura’s recipes and photos and which went live over the summer.

Read more about this project

Visit the website