ABOUT JOINED UP THIKNING
A designer who’s worked both around the world and locally to Jersey and the UK – for companies who want to, and do, sell their products around the world.
I’m a brand creator, art director, advertising creative, creative director and typographer. I’m based in Jersey, Channel Islands.
My specialism is branding. Be that new brand creation or re-branding.
I can and will deliver a “full agency service” by which I mean you give me your brand or initial idea and I’ll design and create that as well as then getting in the specialists to deliver (and I’ll project manage them) – be it for web and online development and marketing, or product and range creation – for both the multiples globally as well as independents.
I cover all industry areas: Homeware, Food, Electronics, Financial, advertising and marketing and more.
My past and initial experience spans everything from working in the national media such as: The Guardian, GQ, Elle, Arena, Arena Homme Plus, Punch magazine as well as The Face & Select music magazines.
I then moved from media into design and advertising agency work as a freelancer. Initially for notable London Ad agencies, and then progressing to setting up and running, in partnership, a design agency (Design United) which was based in initially in Soho before a move to Upper Street, Islington, for about 10 years.
We serviced global brands such as Lloyds Register and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, amongst others, creating and delivering international advertising campaigns, change management solutions and more, before I re-located back to my home in Jersey in 2009.
Size is not important! I’ve delivered logos and identities for small local start up companies to global corporations.
I’ve designed product and packaging, for food brands in particular, which has stood the test of time and are still going strong 15 years later and with millions of sales globally.
I work for many of the key advertising and design agencies both in London and Jersey – but, I remain, Joined Up Thinking
MY PASSION
I’m an award-winning designer and branding expert. Covering design in all major industry sectors, and with a complete understanding of both print and online. I create and update brands to last for 10-20 years (not 1-2) through beautiful form, function, strategy and execution.
HOW MUCH?
Every project is different as is every client.
There is a set hourly rate for services for regular clients, and I price projects on a case by case basis.
For one-off and new clients I can either operate to a fixed budget or for an all inclusive fee.
This will depend on your business and the stage you’re at in terms of long or short term, but either way, I can and will be flexible.
GETTING THE BRIEF RIGHT
In order to supply design which will satisfy not only the client but the target market to make any solution successful, it’s vitally important to understand and identify WHAT, WHO & WHY you’re designing for. Larger companies provide specific briefs – which is ideal. SMEs though sometimes need help with this early stage, and that is something I’m happy to do as it’s a vital element to providing the best end solution.
STAGING THE PROCESS
Design that will deliver will always require multiple stages of the process to get to a result that everyone is happy with. I break down the process into 3 stages normally. Once the brief is agreed, a first stage may involve 2-3 options. Followed by a review and clarification and comment from the client side, leading to a final proposition.
DELIVERY
Once stages 1-3 have been completed, then delivery of all materials in terms of logos etc are then supplied on all formats for the client to use. They’ll be configured to both online (RGB: PNG and JPEG) as well as Print (CMYK & PMS) at their respective resolutions.
MY COMMITMENT
I’m committed to providing the very best design solution for every project and task I take on. I think far ahead, I design for the future.
Through a staged process, with your feedback, I design to get the result right so that you won’t need to re-design in 5 years, as well as to keep servicing your design needs for many years. I’ve got clients I’ve been working with for 15+ years – That’s longevity.
PEOPLE I WORK WITH
#No 1: IAN MIDDLETON
Ian is a brand, communication and marketing specialist with impossibly wide experience. His work and experience spans the Electricals, Audio, Gift, Home, Food, Retail, and Fragrance sectors.
Ian’s worked with some of the biggest names in retail, helping them get new products to market with the minimum of fuss. He’s a Creative Director, International Sourcing Consultant, Packaging Specialist, Designer, Copywriter and more. He helps companies improve their product development and packaging processes, lowering costs and improving productivity.
Services for retailers and brands: brand strategy • customer journey analysis • brand development • brand retunes • activations and cross channel marketing campaigns • digital platforms • experiential events • packaging and packaging process • copy platforms and rich content.
Services for agencies: brand strategy and development • pitches and presentations • creative director services • copywriting • design • team development • special project co-ordinator
PEOPLE I WORK WITH
#No 2: Two Expert Coders & Developers
I'm a front-end and UI designer as well as being a freelance operation.
But for certain and bigger / web and technical projects to make online and mobile apps I involve and sub-contract experts in their field who know what they're doing and have a proven record in delivering technically and cost-effectively. And I've fully tested that by working with them on projects.
I'm not revealing WHO is in this department as it's taken me about 4 years to find someone with both the technical expertise and correct mind-set for back-end development, and with whom I've got an established working relationship with having developed two websites together recently.
Why the secrecy? Partly as He insists on it for the moment as well as the fact that the last time I found such an expert coder and developer the agency I was working for at the time literally employed him on the spot and he was then un-available for the projects I then wanted him to do for me 🙁
Having also designed UI interfaces for Apps I also have an app developer who's equally excellent in his skills and, should the project require, I can call on. Again, Name withheld.