Kirsty discusses balancing family life with running her own business, her passion for meaningful design, and the challenges she’s overcome as a female designer.
Could you please introduce yourself as well as your Background?
I’m Kirsty Grafton, I’ve been working for myself as Graft Creative for the last three years. Before working for myself, I worked at design agencies around Sheffield and Leeds for a decade, and also as an in-house designer for a university for a couple of years.
I initially wanted a career in design because it seemed like a perfect balance of creativity and logic. At school, my favourite subjects were always maths and art – it might seem like an unlikely combination, but I love how design uses creativity to solve problems and create clarity.
I’m a married mum of one, enjoying the challenge of balancing family life with running my business, as well as fitting in as much travel and socialising as possible!
Since going freelance a few years ago I have gradually specialised more and more in working for the charity sector. Typically, I work with medium-sized charities that have limited design capacity in-house. Particularly, I love working collaboratively on their campaign designs, brand development, and bringing to life often quite hefty documents like impact reports. I love working with organisations with heart, making positive change in the world.
In your opinion, what unique perspectives or contributions do you think women bring to the design industry?
I think every woman is a unique being and brings her own experience and knowledge to the table. Some of the most inspiring women I’ve worked with have the attitude of getting cracking with work, being proactive and always pushing things forward. I also really respect any person who is straight-talking but without an ounce of ego or bravado. Someone who can empathise with everyone’s perspective, acting as a true team player by giving everyone in the room a platform to speak.
What is the 1 thing that you’d like to pass on to your peers as well as the future generation of talent within your sector?
Your style, preferences and opinions are as valid as anyone else’s. Just because your designs don’t fit into the ‘cool’ box, aren’t the latest ‘trend’, or look a certain way, doesn’t mean they should be discounted. It’s important to stay inspired by external influences, but also to be true to yourself. Keep pushing what you’re doing and trust your gut and opinions.
Have you encountered any specific challenges as a female designer, and how did you overcome them?
I found the transition to being a parent in the design industry a particular challenge. I really loved my previous agency role, particularly how sociable it was, but I just couldn’t see how the two worlds of parenting and agency life could comfortably co-exist.
Agency life often means being very responsive to clients’ needs, meaning that work can often land at the last minute, or jobs can take longer than planned. At the agency, my role was full-time – and I was concerned that if I returned part-time to the agency then I might miss out on the meatier projects because of being less responsive. I wanted to ensure I still got to work on creative, rewarding jobs, but respecting my boundaries and parenting balance.
Unfortunately, agencies were not designed to work alongside flexible working when I needed it, and I hope that this is now starting to change with the flexible working bill coming into place.
I would say to anyone in a similar position – remember that you don’t have to stick with the same setup forever. You can go back to work part-time, and then increase your days as your children grow or your situation develops. Don’t worry that your work-life decisions will define you forever. In reality, the period of having a young child or children is relatively short compared to your long working life.
However! Having said that… I think stepping out on my own was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I am naturally risk-averse so wouldn’t have made that step unless circumstances forced my hand, but I love the feeling of working with the clients I want to, planning my own time, and being in control of my own business and output.
What is your take on the importance of role models?
I’m sure the quote ‘If you can’t see it, you can’t be it’ has been brought up in this series before?! I think having women at all levels in the design industry is important for the next generation of designers to feel it is the right industry for them and that they can make valuable and meaningful contributions.
It’s a shame that over my experience in the design industry, I’ve not worked directly with many women who’ve progressed past management to leadership positions.
Personally, I don’t envision management as being part of my future, but I still think I would have benefitted from being around more women at the entry-level of my career. Agencies would benefit from having more women steering the ship, signalling to young women who are just starting out in the design industry that they will be taken seriously and can aspire to the senior levels in the future.
If you’re inspired by the stories and wisdom shared in our ‘Women In Design’ series and would like to contribute your own experiences, we’d love to hear from you. Creatives at all levels, please email us and your story could be the next we feature.
The photo above shows the Bristol WordPress team at WordCamp Bristol in 2019 – a moment when the community was thriving. By less than a year later the World had changed and, despite best efforts, Bristol WordPress People had ceased to operate. There has been a void in the city’s WordPress community since.
It’s time to reignite the spark
The exciting news is that a small group of us have been meeting to discuss how we can reignite this once-thriving group. I’m happy to announce that Janice Tye, one of the original organisers of Bristol WordPress People has re-instated the official Meetup and scheduled some networking events at the King William Alehouse, 20 King St, Bristol BS1 4EF. Whether you’re an old friend or a new face, you’re invited to join us:
At its peak, Bristol WordPress People was a hub of inspiration – hosting expert talks, lively networking sessions, and delicious food thanks to sponsors like Atomic Smash and 34SP. This was more than just a meetup; it was a friendly, creative community where people shared knowledge, learned new skills, and helped each other thrive.
Now, we need your help to bring it back to life.
Whether you’re a seasoned WordPress pro, someone curious to learn, a website owner in search of advice, or someone with tips and stories to share, we need your help to revive our once-loved group.
Let’s rebuild this community together. Join us at the King William Alehouse and help shape the future of Bristol WordPress People.
See you soon!
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?
Each change is intended to communicate Rhombus’ values more effectively:
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.
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.
If you would like to learn more about myself and have any positions open..
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”.
Notes
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.
The creative sector is rapidly evolving, with new talents and innovative minds shaping industries such as graphic design, media production, games and animation, art, photography, performance, theatre, fashion, and design. To ensure this sector remains vibrant and continues to thrive, it’s crucial that we support the next generation of creatives, offering them the resources and connections to jump-start their careers.
At Weston College and University Centre Weston, we’re dedicated to nurturing the talent of tomorrow through a wide range of creative pathways. Whether learners dream of becoming graphic designers, media producers, animators, or fashion designers, our courses equip them with the skills, experience, and knowledge necessary to succeed in today’s competitive job market. But there’s a vital element that makes this journey complete: real-world engagement from creative businesses.
Looking to the future, and as Sir Peter Bazalgette said:
In every scenario the Creative Industries are set to be of central importance to the UK’s future success. We have two great assets: the English language and our creativity, but the skills and business models of this sector are of increasing importance.
Employers supporting FE and HE providers offer crucial curriculum overviews which is needed for all learners. Without this, we are unable to prepare them for their future career and, simply put; they will not be industry ready. We value the support from employers who can be involved from a curriculum perspective, who offer projects, workplace experiences and more so we can provide robust, ready and industry savvy individuals. The Creative Sector businesses can inspire learners during their study through this engagement. We have found that this is especially vital for learners unable (or not looking) to go to university; or that want to stay local and contribute to their local economy. They can hear, experience and look to local employers for their next steps into industry.
How Creative Industries Can Get Involved
If you’re a local business in the creative sector, now is the time to step forward and engage with emerging talent. There are countless opportunities to connect with learners and help shape their future careers. We’re calling on creative companies to work with us by offering guest lectures, work experience placements, project work or attending our career events. Your involvement can make all the difference, providing learners with invaluable industry insights and hands-on experience that will give them the edge they need to flourish post-education.
This November, Weston College is hosting its annual careers event, which will bring together over 1,000 FE and HE students. This is a fantastic opportunity for creative businesses to meet fresh, enthusiastic talent and discover how they can contribute to the growth of local industry. Whether you’re looking to exhibit, scout new recruits, or simply share your experiences, we encourage you to take part. The event will be held in Weston-super-Mare on the 19th of November.
Why Partner with Weston College?
Weston College is passionate about supporting learners who want to stay local and contribute to the creative economy in the region. With Bristol 30 minutes away by train, learners are keen to look at exploring careers on offer. By partnering with us, you’re not only supporting the career aspirations of young creatives but also fostering a robust local workforce that can fuel innovation in your own business. Our creative pathways provide a pipeline of skilled professionals ready to make their mark in graphic design, media production, games and animation, art, photography, theatre, and more.
We believe that by building strong connections between education and industry, we can create a thriving creative community in Weston-super-Mare and beyond. We are here to support our learners but we also support business and want to listen, act and implement skills needed.
Let’s Connect
If you’re a creative business eager to inspire and work with emerging talent, we’d love to hear from you. Whether you’re interested in delivering a guest lecture, offering work experience, or promoting career opportunities, there are many ways to get involved. Your support can open doors for our learners and help develop the future of the creative industries.
For businesses interested in exhibiting at our annual careers event or partnering with Weston College in any capacity, please email us at employers@weston.ac.uk to register your expression of interest. Our passion is to support learner and industry so please do get in touch.
Zest in Bath are a firm of local estate agents established in 2008, by Glen Perry, who runs it with his wife Beth. They have since achieved a Gold award at the British Property Awards, three years running, and been voted as Business of the Year by Best of Bath.
Zest were very interested from the outset in what we could achieve for them, especially in light of the results we’ve achieved for Bristol based letting agents, Hopewell.
The Challenge
This wasn’t going to be a small website design project as the site had to integrate seamlessly with Vibra Alto, Zests’ in-house property management software. Having used the fantastic Property Hive suite of plugins on previous projects this was our go to choice for Zests’ new website.
In addition Zest required additional functionality, including an integration with Locrating, a tool that displays local amenities, sold prices, transport links and local school information such as catchment areas and Ofsted reports.
Zest has an increasing portfolio of student properties to let, so it was important to be able to display these on the website clearly. To that end we created a separate section of the website aimed at students and with distinct branding.
After the website build, we were tasked with growing the website’s search presence across a number of property related keywords in Bath. In a highly competitive and lucrative property market like Bath, that meant a lot of work to do.
What We Did
The website was a custom design and WordPress build, based on Property Hive’s standard framework, that gave us the code with all of the hooks that we needed to integrate with their property management system. Once this was done we then set about importing the data and testing the site to make sure everything was working as it should.
With Zest’s local SEO strategy baked into the web build at the foundational level, all the initial keyword research and on-page optimisation was complete, meaning we were able to start writing additional content to go up on the new site, during the build phase.
Being involved at the web build stage allows us to really craft solid optimised websites that hold up really well and see immediate bounces in ranking when they launch (just of the many benefits of having an SEO agency build your website).
The Results
As well as creating their beautiful new website, the real benefit to Zest has come from our ongoing digital marketing work, specifically organic SEO and Google Ads. The results here have been excellent, with the site now ranking second for the coveted “letting agents Bath” keyword and getting onto page one for “estate agents Bath”.
Between the new site launching in August 2022 and January 2023, we saw a 60% increase in organic traffic, compared with the previous six months. Comparing the most recent data, from 2023 with 2024, we have seen these results really accelerate:
1,316% increase in sessions on the homepage
107% increase in organic search traffic
227% Increase in organic search visibility
71% Increase in organic search leads
171% increase YoY leads from Google Ads
60% Reduction in cost per lead
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