Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Well what a splendid year it's been... From new logos for school dinners to websites for global retail brands, we've been kept on our toes! But that's the way we like it.

So far 2010 promises to be even better with many more exciting projects lined up already. We are looking forward to meeting as many new clients, suppliers and friends as we did in 2009 (if not more) so see you all then!

Happy Christmas Puddings!
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ASDA Marketing Academy

Great news - we've just won another great job for Asda. We'll be working with our trusty web team developing an intranet site for Asda's marketing team. Over the next couple of months we'll be designing and building an academy the marketing team can use to train their new and existing staff in a simple and structured way.

We're looking forward to starting the project... will be hefty but the web team will get their teeth into it in no time!

Academy Design Phase

We have now completed the initial design phase for the Marketing Academy. Keeping within the strict Asda brand guides is always a challenge, however after a few meetings and discussions we agreed on this basic look to the Academy header. We are not able to show you any official content so have mocked up all text and headers. They're big fans of green over at Asda!

Kate Rusby

Need to tell everyone about Kate's Christmas album Sweet Bells so we made a poster. Building up her brand as we go!

Sweet Bells Poster

Calendar Artwork Samples

We've been working with an online bank for the last few months updating their brand with new corporate colours, devices and finally a range of ten characters (I've shown a few of the characters we developed earlier in the blog). These characters are now beginning to be set in scenarios and used throughout their corporate literature. Here's a couple of pages from a promotional calendar we've been working on over the last few weeks... It's great to see the characters out and about!

A Couple of Sample Pages

Damien and Mike

This album was actually released at the beginning of this year and somehow I managed to miss it off the blog completely... better late than never I suppose! You can buy the splendid album here and listen to them here.

Mike and Damien have been nominated at this years Radio 2 Folk Awards for Best Duo... best try to catch them in a Folk Club near you! Massive congratulations to them and well deserved in my opinion!

Album Cover

Inner Spread with Disk and Booklet

Moll Springs Water

There is soon to be a new bottled spring water brand based near Huddersfield. It'll probably look something like this! Maybe you could all pop back in a month or two and see how it develops... a sort of visual cliff hanger

 

Kate Rusby Goodies!

We've also been hard at work making lots of goodies for Kate. Here are some mugs that are available now and some tee's that will be available soon. There are also bags and Christmas cards to come but we'll have to be a bit more patient for those... after all it's not quite Christmas.

Tees

We're not quite decided on colours yet but here's a sneak preview so you can be saving up!

Mugs

Everyone likes a nice mug or two!

Kate Rusby - Sweet Bells

We've been feeling festive for a month or two already thanks to Kate's Sweet Bells album. It'll be available to buy from the 2nd of November so get buying!

Sweet Bells

Here's the cover design and a couple of spreads to whet your appetite!

New Illustrations

We've been working over the last few months developing new branding for an online bank. As a part of this we commissioned Argentinian illustrator Joaquin Croxatto to create some new friendly, characters to help launch the new brand. Here's the first 3 characters. 

3 Characters

...and relax!

Phewee... it's been a very busy month or two so apologies for neglecting the blog. We seem to be catching up with ourselves now though so I thought I'd grab a quick moment or two to update you all on the work we've been doing with some old clients and some new.

Kate Rusby Brand Development

After some playing and tweaking we are proud to announce that Kate Rusby's new branding and illustrations are now ready to launch. There will soon be mugs, t-shirts, bags and all sorts of other merchandice available to buy from the Pure Records Shop. I'll keep you updated. 

Until then, here's a few of the things we've been working on.

Logotype

Kate Illustration

Instruments

ASDA.com

I've just noticed that the new look asda.com site is now up and running. Although we didn't do any graphic work for this site, Design by If built the temporary homepage earlier this year with the help of one of our web wizards Ian. The temporary homepage allowed Asda to thoroughly test their new look site before it's recent launch. It's good to see it finally up!

ASDA.com new look homepage

Here's a look at the new look site.

New work for Pure Records...

I'm very pleased to say that I am looking forward to working on a variety of new projects with Pure Records over the next few months... branding, album artwork, websites and all sorts of fun! There are no finished pieces yet but for now here's a sneak preview of some developmental work...

Early stages of style development

A sneak preview without giving too much away! 

Twitter Account

I'm proud to announce that Design by If has a new twitter account! I'm looking for friends so please go join me at http://twitter.com/designbyif! Thanks!

Soupa!

Great news... I'm now a member of Soupa Creative Network based in London. The network is a little community brimming with really talented and creative people so I'm chuffed to be involved. Soupa was founded by Jo Spencer and Dan Conway in 2006 and has become an inspiring place for people to share thoughts, ideas and projects. 

I've put a few projects up there that are not included here in the blog so go have a nose around my new Soupa page to see some new things. Here's a sneak preview...

Zjaki

Logo identity for a Jazz singer based in Leeds.

Lost skills...

After recently spending some time with some great illustrators while on a trip to China, i've been inspired to pick up my pencils once again... it's been some time so look out for the odd scribble here n there. Here's one to get you in the mood...

Pencil on paper

Susans

A new catering company based in Whitby, North Yorkshire. Susans will cater for any special occasion from weddings to just a simple picnic on the beach. Her classic logo identity is dressed with modern almost punk like branding. Her one request was that the logo feature a Yorkshire Rose and a Thistle - the final logo has three Yorkshire Roses (one for Susan and each of her daughters) and a Thistle (representing her late husband Alan). 

Logo Type

Sticker 

Susans sticker can be used to brand anything from an envelope to small children! 

Business Cards / Price tags

Due to budget and space restraints we made Susans business cards double up as price tags - the space on the reverse can have either contact details or prices scribbled down. 

Illustration

Packaging

Susan will sometimes be sending her tasty treats off in the post so she will wrap up her wares in this pink paper and fix/brand it with a nice sticker.

A5 Flier

Blog Header

Susan has set up a new blog so we can see what she gets up to. Her first event is on the 29th - 31st May in Nottingham where the new branding will be rolled out so i'll be looking in to see if it all goes to plan!

Discarded logos

Here's a couple of the logo ideas we left behind...

Munchin

Munchin is soon to be launched in canteens in up to 160 primary schools in Kirklees in an effort to encourage children to eat healthily. There will soon be exciting things like floor stickers, wobblers, place mats and posters... will keep you posted!

Logo Identity
This is the chosen logo identity - the children themselves were part of the judging panel!

Discarded logo option...

Here's one that got away - this one was one of my favourites, it seems a shame for it never to be seen!

Munchin is now up and running.

Munchin has now been launched in primary schools all across Kirklees. Many corridors and canteens are in the process of being updated and children and parents have been given letters, leaflets, postcards and menus illustrated with the new Munchin brand.

Here are just a few of the items we've produced over the last year.

Pasta and Potato bar launch postcard

This postcard is to promote the opening of Pasta and Potato bars in various schools across Kirklees. On the reverse is a popular pasta recipe to encourage and enable parents/guardians to continue their children's healthy eating at home.

Healthy Eating Certificate
The children will gain stickers each time they order one of their five fruit or vegetables a day from the canteen. When enough stickers have been collected one of these Healthy Eating Certificates will be awarded. I'm thinking of setting up a similar system in my office!





Sticker detail




Floor Graphics
Many schools will use signage throughout the school promoting the canteen and it's healthy food. These floor stickers are just one of the ways they can do this. There are also wall mounted Menu Boards, Theme Boards, and Freestanding Boards available.





Internal Literature
The staff at the council catering company now have all manner of branded internal literature from binders, binder inserts, dividers, corporate stationery and even calendars. This way it is easier for them to organise themselves and the schools.


Binder Cover and Dividers

Calendar

Mgami

Games platform

Logo Identity

Character development 

Business Cards

Login page

Website template

Mgami required a versatile web template from which they could edit and update their information.