Branding Archives | Bristol Creative Industries

The initiative combines a structured business accelerator with a unique creative placement scheme, providing practical tools and structured support to drive sustainable growth across the city’s thriving music scene.

Why Two Step Matters

The Two Step Programme addresses two significant challenges in the city’s creative sector. Currently, 60% of UK startups fold within their first five years (Forbes, 2024), while only 1 in 10 UK workers in the creative industry come from working-class backgrounds (The Guardian, 2024). By providing targeted resources for music businesses and opportunities for early-career creatives, the initiative seeks to help participants overcome these barriers, equipping them with the skills and connections needed for long-term success.

For Rhombus Studio, this project was more than just a branding opportunity, it was a chance to give back to the creative community that helped shape the studio’s journey. With the founders’ deep roots in Bristol’s music scene and a passion for supporting grassroots initiatives, the collaboration felt like a natural fit.

The studio aimed to create a visual identity that not only captured the essence of Noods Levels’ DIY spirit but also provided a professional, flexible design suited to the programme’s potential growth beyond the music sector.

Crafting the Visual Identity

The brief called for a bold, simple, and flexible brand that could resonate with both businesses and individuals. The design needed to reflect Two Step’s dual mission: supporting local businesses while fostering creativity among young talent.

Colour was key in shaping the visual identity, crafting a vibrant palette with limes and oranges to symbolise creativity and optimism for young creatives, while blue and purple represent collaboration and innovation for businesses. This energetic palette was paired with bold, chunky typography that delivers a clear, impactful message while maintaining a friendly tone.

At the heart of the visual identity is the ‘two-step’ frame, which became the focal point of the brand. It symbolises the programme’s twofold mission: supporting local music businesses while creating pathways for new creative voices from diverse backgrounds. The frame serves as a flexible design element, adaptable across various formats from digital assets to printed materials.

A Bold Identity for a Promising Future

The final visual identity is bold, clean, and perfectly aligned with Two Step’s mission. It speaks to both businesses and creatives while leaving space for the programme to grow into new areas. Rhombus Studio is honoured to have played a role in an initiative that strengthens Bristol’s music community and creates meaningful opportunities for the next generation.

Stuff, the Bristol based creative studio, played a key role in the official launch of Brabazon at a prestigious event in London, officiated by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Stuff has been working with YTL Developments (UK) Limited for the past 5 years, looking after the advertising, marketing, branding and design needs for Brabazon – the exciting redevelopment of the former Filton Airfield.

For the launch event, we were responsible for creating and producing an impressive array of marketing materials to fill the Royal Lancaster Hotel’s Westbourne Suite, highlighting the scale and ambition of the project to the 250 plus guests.

Alongside this, we produced a dramatic 90 second film that captured the rich history of the site and showcased all of the exciting developments coming over the horizon at Brabazon. The film was played on stage as the climax of the afternoon’s proceedings, marking the signing of the investment agreement between the UK and Malaysian governments.

Joe Baker, Managing Director of Stuff said “We’re very proud of all the great creative work we produce for Brabazon and to be part of such an incredible project and historic moment.”

Fiasco is excited to announce that Gabby Luciani has joined the team as Account Director. Gabby brings over 10 years of experience working as a creative producer and account handler at some of the finest small and mid-sized agencies across London and the South West. With past clients that include YouTube, Activision, Nike and WWF, Gabby’s breadth of commercial experience, combined with her passion for creative collaboration, makes her a fantastic addition to their growing team.

“Gabby’s varied experiences have given her the perfect mix of commercial experience and know-how. I have no doubt she’ll play a key role in driving the agency forward as we approach our 15th year in the business.” – Ben Steers, Co-founder and Executive Creative Director.

Gabby adds: “Joining Fiasco feels like the perfect opportunity to contribute to a team that’s not only brimming with creativity and ambition, but also deeply committed to delivering meaningful, impactful work for their clients. I’m thrilled to be part of an agency that’s constantly pushing boundaries and focused on thoughtful growth. ” – Gabriella Luciani, Account Director.

Fiasco is a design agency that works at the sweet spot of brand and digital. People are at the heart of everything they do. At Fiasco, each and every team member brings a unique perspective and every voice is heard. You can read more about Fiasco and Gabby, over on their site here.

Why be a square when you can be a Rhombus?

Bristol-based strategic design agency Rhombus have launched their refreshed brand to better align their visual language with their evolving purpose. Known for their work in crafting transformative brands, websites, and campaigns, the studio has repositioned itself to emphasise collaboration, creativity and strategic problem-solving.

For Rhombus, design is about finding the right balance between strategy and creativity to solve problems, inspire audiences, and drive meaningful change. As their work has grown, so has their purpose – partnering with progressive organisations and people who are on a mission to do things differently.

What’s stayed the same?

Despite the visual overhaul, Rhombus maintains its strategic approach to projects, which the studio describes as a balance between insight-driven strategy and creative execution. This involves viewing each project through a lens of problem-solving and potential, whether in the context of branding, web development, or campaign creation. From crafting distinctive visual identities to building engaging websites and powerful campaigns, their work is designed to spark change, grow audiences and connect brands with the people who matter most.

While the studio’s external identity has evolved, its core values and processes remain the same, providing clients with the same thoughtful, collaborative approach they have come to expect.

What’s new?

The Rampersand: The new logo integrates an ‘R’ with an ampersand, symbolising the studio’s focus on people and process. It’s about collaboration between their team and partners, and the transformation that creates for organisations and individuals alike.

Basel Grotesk: The introduction of Basel Grotesk as the primary typeface reflects a blend of modern aesthetics and historical design influences. Inspired by modernist typography, it is bold, flexible and designed to elevate the studio’s visual language.

A new colour palette: The updated palette features a range of colour, each with a specific purpose: Process, Optimism, Transformation, Play, and Rigour. This deliberate selection reflects both the diversity of Rhombus’ work and the intentionality they bring to every project.

From raves to rebrands, Rhombus’ journey to becoming an agency has been anything but traditional. It began in Bristol’s vibrant DIY music scene, where they learned to build brands through a hands-on approach. Designing rave posters provided their first design experience, with their signature brand colours paying homage to the day-glo stock they once plastered across the city.

An evolution with purpose

This transformation is not about change for the sake of it, but a deliberate step forward to align who Rhombus is with what they stand for. Their work is about finding the perfect balance – creativity and process, imagination and rigour, people and purpose.

They remain the same studio, but with a renewed purpose to shape brands that don’t just look great but move all of us forward.

Following a competitive pitch, SIM7 has been selected by SNG (Sovereign Network Homes) as a key agency on its framework to supply property branding services over the next four years.SIM7 will work in partnership with SNG’s marketing teams, providing creative, branding and design services to drive the off-plan sales of Shared Ownership and private sale homes. This work will involve branding SNG’s schemes, developing high-profile digital and OOH campaigns, and creating assets across all channels.

SIM7 will join a handful of leading UK agencies, selected to support SNG’s ambitious growth plans.

One of the UK’s largest Housing Associations, SNG will invest £9.2bn in the next decade, building 25,000 new homes – as well as regenerating estates and improving the sustainability and quality of existing homes.

Says SIM7’s Simeon de la Torre, “As an agency with extensive property sector experience, not to mention specific knowledge of the Shared Ownership market, this is a perfect partnership for us. We’re excited about working on some of the biggest schemes in the UK, and empowering property branding by delivering the effective, messaging-driven creative that we’re known for. From property CGIs and video to scheme-specific branding, we’re looking forward to capturing and conveying the essence of the new communities that SNG is building.

“SNG is one of the best names in the industry for sustainability and social value, and the SIM7 team are all keen to help SNG deliver good, affordable homes for all.”

SIM7 is an award-winning creative agency that uses language to empower design. We drive growth by creating brands, campaigns and strategy – for marketing teams around the world. Our experience in the property sector extends to estate agents, national associations, Registered Providers, mortgage brokers and more.

For more information, contact Simeon de la Torre [email protected]

My name is Michael James, I am a driven postgraduate part of the Bristol UWE Alumni. I am known for:

Thriving in social environments and building strong professional relationships.
Demonstrating an unwavering work ethic and relentless pursuit of goals.
Embracing challenges as opportunities for growth and learning.
Balancing academic rigor with a love for sports and active lifestyle.

My current area of work is UX/UI design and digital marketing, with a passion for enhancing brand images in the digital space. Currently exploring opportunities to collaborate on projects that push the boundaries of digital design and marketing. Keen to contribute my skills to forward-thinking teams and exciting initiatives in this dynamic field.

Hey! What?, the Bristol-based marketing and communications agency renowned for its bold creative work, we’re appointed by Miss Millie’s Fried Chicken to create a new brand and positioning.

Known for their flair in disruptive branding and storytelling, brand and creative agency Hey! What? have collaborated with the much-loved South West fried chicken chain to elevate its profile as the brand continues its national expansion.

This partnership marks a major milestone for Miss Millie’s, which has been serving customers for over 30 years and is in the midst of a revitalised growth strategy. Hey! What? has developed a comprehensive brand and campaign that celebrates Miss Millie’s roots while embracing the brand’s modern vision.

Hey! What? delved deep into Miss Millie’s archives to rediscover the brand’s original identity, which prominently featured the Mildred mascot (inspired by Colonel Sanders’ daughter). Recognising that the mascot no longer felt contemporary, the team made the bold decision to retire it, instead focusing their creative energy on crafting a hand-drawn, timeless typographic marque.

Alongside the identity, they have developed a comprehensive design system and more youthful tone of voice which positions Miss Millie’s alongside the more on-trend high street chicken brands in the market.

Read the full case study to get an overview of the full suite of work and the branding process from start to finish.

Bristol creative agency SIM7 has swept the board this awards season, scooping three prestigious international prizes for a brand campaign which ‘redefines executive education marketing’.

The trio of awards, all won for the IESE Business School’s Real Leadership brand campaign, include first place in the Brand Campaign category at the Digital Communication Awards, Best Integration of Purposeful Marketing at the CMI Content Marketing Awards, and a ‘Búho’ award for Brand Strategy at Educafestival.

Each welcomed entries from around the world. Fierce competition for the top spots came from Ketchum, MSLGROUP, Weber Shandwick and a rollcall of other major global agencies.

Says Professor Dr. Ana Adi, Chair of the Jury for the Digital Communication Awards 2024, “IESE Business School’s Real Leadership campaign redefines executive education marketing. Through digital platforms, it boosts global visibility and underscores the school’s core human values, cleverly critiquing the past decade’s ‘hustle’ mindset. This campaign establishes a new benchmark for the future of leadership training”.

Campaign rationale
The brand campaign takes an honest, authentic and human approach which was conceived as an antidote to the clichéd ‘business speak’ creative that has dominated the sector in recent years. Assets include OOH adverts deployed across the world in Europe and Latin America, a major podcast, landing pages, brochures, Google Max ads, campaign videos and more.

Oriol Gil, IESE’s Brand & Content Senior Manager says, “The world of MBA and executive education is changing fast, with a more nuanced audience profile and expectations. SIM7 created a major campaign for us that pushed the boundaries of our brand guidelines and created a completely new strategy”.

Results
By using an authentic narrative and tapping into the genuine concerns and
motivations of business leaders, it resonated with IESE’s core audiences and has delivered substantial results in the form of awareness, enquiries and admissions. Its main campaign video has attracted 3+ million views, and season one of its podcast consistently ranks in the top 30 of the Spotify/Apple leadership and management charts.

SIM7’s Simeon de la Torre is proud of the campaign and the recognition it has earnt, “ As an agency that works with higher and business education clients around the world, winning these three awards is a huge honour for us. We knew from the start that this had to be a campaign with cut-through, and that pure creativity wasn’t enough.

“It was a huge strategic branding exercise that brought together all our skills in messaging, design and positioning, which ultimately spawned something really different with a big dollop of humour and heart”.

SIM7 is a Bristol-based creative agency that works with clients around the world in sectors including education, property, technology and more: sim7creative.co.uk

Founded in 2017, the agency uses language to empower design and drives growth by creating brands, campaigns and strategy. SIM7 currently employs six people, has increased its turnover significantly in the past 12 months and is set to build its international client base even further
in 2024/25.

It’s that time of year again when we turn our attention to BringYourOwnBold (BYOB). It’s our annual virtual summit for brand, marketing and creative folks that want to elevate your game with sessions designed to:

Our ethos was to create a summit people want, cluing you up on the latest shifts in your world – empowering you to build better brands and deliver more effective marketing.

When we talk about embracing your bold – it’s not the lazy definition of in your face, being daring or courageous. We’re inviting you to tap into your approachable confidence, your strength, and your unique vision. A bold that’s authentic to you and your brand.

Join us for 2 days of fresh perspectives and inspiration through expert sessions, panel discussions, and insights from people who love to think and do boldly.

It’s for everyone, but let’s be honest – we’ve got a soft spot for the B2B tech crowd. Our content clicks with brand, marketing and creative folks as we get the unique challenges you’re up against – BYOB is here to help. But our speakers are top-notch, and their insights will spark ideas no matter your industry. So if you’re curious, jump in—the water’s fine.

Werkshop Weekender (formerly known as Werkhouse) is finally back! This year they’re changing it up, and the torch for hosting has been passed on to Halo.

The weekend, where future designers, copywriters, and strategists are given the chance to connect with the industry and get a taste for agency life first hand through a real brief, is happening in Bristol on 16th and 17th November 2024.

As Halo takes over the mantle, they are continuing to dial up the focus on diversity and inclusion. The weekend is open to anyone over 18, no matter their previous experience or education, and all applications are being judged blind.

Werkshop Weekender

Werkshop Weekender brings together professionals from some of the best studios in Bristol and Bath, with curious individuals looking to enter the creative industries. Participants are divided into squads to tackle a real life brief from a client in the charity sector, developing ideas and communicating their concepts, with the support of assigned team leaders and on hand professionals.

Applications open on 2nd September and close on 1st October, but if you for any reason need more time to finish, please contact Halo at [email protected] and they’ll do what they can to accommodate you.

The Werkshop Weekender team has made it clear; the weekend isn’t for those with experience. It’s for those with an interest in communications, design, and commercial creativity. They aren’t looking for professionals, they’re looking for those with a curious attitude and drive, who want to gain insight into agency life.

Go to the Werkshop Weekender website to find out more and to access the application when it opens.

Bristol-based design studio Rhombus is proud to have supported the launch of Noods Levels CIC’s Two Step Programme, a unique initiative aimed at empowering local music businesses and emerging creatives.

Why Two Step Matters

Crafting the Visual Identity

A Bold Identity for a Promising Future

Why be a square when you can be a Rhombus?

What’s stayed the same?

What’s new?

An evolution with purpose

Hey! What?, the Bristol-based marketing and communications agency renowned for its bold creative work, we’re appointed by Miss Millie’s Fried Chicken to create a new brand and positioning.

Werkshop Weekender