Identity Designed #011
It was a real pleasure working with Welsh craft brewery Polly’s to redesign their logo and can labelling. Backdrop illustrations by the talented Phill Blake. More on the design process soon (must update the portfolio).
Great to connect with so many of you on LinkedIn following my last newsletter, and many thanks to the teachers who got in touch about The Process review copies. As of this month, the book’s shipping in the US and Canada. Shout-out to Counter Print for very kindly stocking it, too. Love their work.
Features from Identity Designed
The Dinner Ladies needed a rebrand that would not only pay respect to their unique origin story but bring their visual and verbal identity up to speed with their growth as “Australia’s tastiest frozen meal service.” More from Universal Favourite, Sydney.
The Apex identity “is loud and urgent to stop people from buying bogus wheels. The arching curves and high-contrast colours catch the eyes on the track — where it matters.” More from Gold Front, San Francisco.
Champ is a small boutique hotel in the heart of the Mexican city of Hermosillo. “The muted palette was inspired by the arid northern Mexican region, where the vastness of the land and the sky reign supreme.” More from Jesús López, Hermosillo.
And from Logo Design Love
On his logo for The World Games 2025, John Fairley said, “Integrating the panda’s face into the logo establishes a strong connection to Chengdu whilst evoking a sense of familiarity and affection among audiences globally.”
Sam Lachlan of Red Dot Studio with an eye-catching use of negative space in this logo for Zelman Meats — Misha Zelman’s steakhouse in Knightsbridge, London.
Last, not least…
AI can’t give you good taste. Prime writing from Elizabeth Goodspeed.
What is a Brand? A 50-year-old film from 1974, with discussion as relevant today as it was back then. Via Paul Bailey (LinkedIn).
Two somewhat opposing perspectives on entering design awards, first from Robot Food on why awards are a dangerous addiction that agencies need to avoid, and second from the late David Abbott in his last ever interview — “What I think of awards.”
Graphic artist Olha Protasova got in touch to share Abetka — “typeface alphabet of the Ukrainian identity.” Quite the collaborative project.
If you’re publishing short videos on social media, designer James Barnard shared useful tips to speed up your workflow using Adobe Premiere Pro.
I answered a few questions for a Readymag article, the fight to end free pitching in design. “Pro bono work, for example, is a swap. You give up your fee, and the client gives up the ability to ask for changes. It’s good for both sides. The client gets free use of work that you want in your portfolio — work that persuades others to pay you.”
Allan Peters, author of the bestselling Logos That Last, gave a very personal short talk titled Do Not Let Fear Be Your Master.
Paddy Gilmore made me smile with this look at funny business names.
Insightful chat on the NDA podcast, hosted by Katie Cadwell, about working in-house instead of at an agency — in-house outcasts. Via Blair Thomson (LinkedIn).
And finally, on AI, I’ll sign off with a quote from the book Hacking the God Code: “We must never forget that, although artificial intelligence is powerful, and in many ways formidable, it is nothing compared to our innate intelligence and everything that the human mind is capable of visualising and bringing to form.” — Patricia Cori
Your support
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If you already have, thank you very much!
Thank you. You are very kind. Keep making all of your beautiful designs and living in your unique country. ~ Julie : )
I am actually a graphic designer by trade. I don’t feel as though I reached my full potential stopping my career about 20 yrs ago to raise my kids. They are 18 and 21 now. Even though I’m not doing any design work now I still have a passion for it. I just loved seeing those cans that you redesigned and I love typography. I’m running on but, again, your work is so well done and it makes me happy to see it. Have a great weekend ~ Julie