This year is one that won’t be forgotten in a hurry, that’s for sure. At least we can tell our grandchildren a weird and wonderful story one day, of how the world was turned upside down. But we did it everyone, we made it to the end, experienced a global event, and now the only way is up. Pull up a chair and let’s give you a quick rundown of our year. There was plenty to celebrate in the end.
The highlights
Even though the past 12 months have seen some lows, there’s also been a lot of highs. From launching our new website to exciting client wins, we even opened the doors to our new studio – see, there’s plenty of reasons to open the bubbly and see out the end of 2020.
We moved
We spent six years slowly outgrowing our old studio; we were never truly in love with the old space, so it was time for pastures new. From wearing woolly jumpers and gloves in the winter (yes, it got that cold) to peeling our arms off our desks in the heat of summer, we decided it was time to call it a day, packed everything up, and took a short trip down the road to our new home.
Since then we’ve slowly been decking the place out with some rather expensive glass panelling, stamping our identity on the place, and creating areas for the team to work and play in. Bonus – we also get to share it with several herds of sheep.
COVID hit
What a year it was to make a move. Back in late March, and three months into a new lease, we wondered if we had made the right call on moving to a bigger space.
As lockdown hit, the healthy pipeline we’d established over months of hard work dried up almost overnight. Budgets were slashed and businesses retreated, we couldn’t blame them, but that didn’t stop our worst fears from spiralling. We spent a few weeks in a mild state of panic, wondering if we’d even make it to the end of the year or if this was going to be the new norm?
Eight months on and a few more grey hairs later, things are almost back to normal, thankfully! And while we have an amazing, bright, spacious studio – a space for collaboration – we’ve come to realise the impact travel has on our lives and the environment. That’s why we’ve moved to a three day office week, with two days working remotely. It feels like the perfect balance and something we’re all benefiting from already. So as they say – every cloud.
We got old
With a few more grey hairs kicking about, it’s no surprise to hear that we turned 12.… that’s almost a generation! Unfortunately, this year we couldn’t celebrate in style. Boris said don’t go out, then said we could, but who really knew the rules and what he wanted from us? We’re still figuring it out.
Time for a refresh
With a rebrand last year, we finally got some time during lockdown to revisit our website. You know how it goes, clients come first. So in the end, everyone’s favourite, Corona helped us out. It gave us the chance to launch a new website to celebrate passing our twelfth birthday.
It also gave us the chance to identify who we work for. From start-ups and growing brands to large corporates, we’ve nailed the art of working with these three segments, whatever stage they are at on their journey. From building brands to taking a product to market to helping them tell a story, we’re there to help with our creativity.
Partnerships and mergers
One change we’ve noticed from the fallout of COVID has been the rise in partnerships and mergers – smaller studios coming together to lean on each other and buyouts to become a part of a much larger agency.
We’ve been approached several times, almost going all the way to becoming part of a big agency. In the end, we went with our gut. With 12 years under our belt, some fantastic new clients this year, and a huge number of long-term working relationships spanning back to day one, we couldn’t give up the reigns just yet. But, we’ll never say never. We can see the opportunities a merger would bring for everyone in the team, just not today.
Instead, we’ve seen new partnerships blossom this year. One of the biggest is with Travis Perkins, becoming an official service provider to their digital department. We’ve already seen a new site launched and will have a few more ready in the new year, along with new branding and UX on the company’s online shop. It’s been an enjoyable eye-opener working with such a large national brand.
Winning ways
With honourable mentions at Awwwards, special kudos awards at CSS Design Awards and several sites of the day at The Best Designs, we’d say this year has been a success.
Metal & Gas
Building iconic vehicles through bold design, original styling, purposeful engineering and a genuine passion for the drive, Ohio based Metal & Gas asked us to create them a beautiful online showroom off the back of our success with their Classic Ford Broncos brand.
The brief was simple; create a stunning new WordPress website that encapsulates their spirit and shows the quality of their cars.
Adige
Adige Design’s mission is to uncover special artisans, unique materials and products, and incorporate them in any development, home or office.
We created a striking new WordPress theme design, working with the existing brand. Light areas contrasted with dark and full-width images capture the essence of the brand and the craftsmanship behind the work and who they work with.
Factotum
Whether you are looking to grow, wanting to set up, or you’re recovering from challenging circumstances – Factotum helps business owners to turn ideas into actions.
Factotum needed new branding, a WordPress website, and digital assets to help them stand out in their space. They also needed an agency that would work closely with them, offer advice, and go the extra mile. They came to the right place.
Neck of The Woods
A team of filmmakers and storytellers with a passion for video production and helping people connect, Neck of The Woods creates story-led video and animations for innovators, educators and change-makers.
This project wasn’t just about a new lick of paint; it was about finding the right way to represent journeys, storytelling, bringing people together, and connection. Every piece of design and every small decision about the brand was made with that goal in mind. Each piece has its own story, and they all come together to create something that we’re excited about.
What’s up next?
No more COVID? Let’s all hope that in 2021 we can breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy life to the full again. Add in a few lessons we’ve learnt along the way to change our habits, and next year looks pretty damn good.
Hopefully, we’ll be able to welcome new and old clients to the studio and maybe even meet up for a drink to celebrate those wins we’ve enjoyed over the past 12 months. Here’s to a new year!
Want to share your goals and ambitions for next year then drop us a message and let us in on your plans.
