Here’s a truth most companies refuse to admit: if your designer needs a full, hand-holding brief to do their job, you’ve already hired the wrong partner. Think about it. You don’t hire a top lawyer and then tell them exactly how to argue a case. You don’t hire a surgeon and walk them through every incision. You hire someone with skill, experience, and instinct to solve the problem themselves. Design isn’t different—it’s a craft that requires interpretation, not just execution

Every designer has seen the complaints about “design by committee.” The story is always the same — a brilliant idea watered down by too many opinions until it’s a shadow of what it could have been. It’s an easy frustration to share, but it’s built on a misunderstanding of what the job really is. In business, feedback doesn’t come from random voices. It comes from the people who understand the customer, the numbers, the brand, and the risks. They know what’s at stake, and they

Oldwalls Gower promotes itself as a premium wedding destination — a place built around emotion, celebration, and once-in-a-lifetime moments. But the marketing design being used to sell that experience didn’t communicate any of it. A dark, heavy layout, no sense of romance, no visual story, nothing that reflects the feeling people are actually buying into. That disconnect is where brands quietly lose enquiries. Not because the product is wrong — but because the design doesn’t

Most marketing emails completely undersell the businesses sending them. Not because email isn’t effective — it remains one of the highest-performing marketing channels — but because it’s rarely treated with the attention it deserves. Inside many organisations, email design becomes an afterthought. It gets handed to someone who isn’t a designer, isn’t a marketer, and already has three other priorities waiting. The result is something rushed, generic, and disconnected from the

There, I said it. After more than 20 years working both in-house and within agencies, I’ve come to a simple conclusion: most businesses don’t actually need a full-time graphic designer. They think they do — but they don’t. Design work doesn’t arrive in tidy, predictable 40-hour weeks. It comes in bursts — new campaigns, seasonal pushes, a brand refresh here and there — and then it quiets down. Yet many companies still keep a designer on payroll year-round, trying to justify t

When a company is built around innovation, its brand needs to look  innovative. That was the driving idea behind the identity design for Dominate.ai  — a lead generation company harnessing cutting-edge technology to connect businesses with opportunities faster than ever before. The goal wasn’t to create something loud or complex. It was to distil the company’s forward-thinking energy into a single, confident mark. The result is a strong, adaptable “D” that carries movement, f

The brief was simple: create a few ads to promote solar panels. But as with most briefs, there was an opportunity to do something more. In a market crowded with technical claims and energy jargon, we saw a chance to make the message human. Rather than leading with kilowatts and price tags, this campaign speaks to everyday moments that resonate with almost everyone. Watching a film. Playing games. Charging your car. These are the real-world benefits of cheaper, sustainable ene

When it comes to social advertising, design isn’t decoration — it’s performance. In the crowded world of Meta feeds and stories, you have...

When Cruise Nation needed a rebrand, the brief was clear: create an identity that feels fresh, fun, and instantly captures the spirit of...

Hiring a full-time designer can be a game-changer for a business. But let’s be honest — it’s also a big investment. Salary, National Insurance, holiday pay, sick leave, equipment… it all adds up quickly. For many small and mid-sized companies, that’s simply not realistic. That’s where Twelve Point’s Design Partner package  comes in: for £749 a month , you get the benefits of an experienced designer embedded into your business — without the overheads of a full-time hire. No co

Making Motorpoint’s Message Unmissable Email marketing is one of the toughest places to grab attention — you’re competing against...

How great design builds trust — and opens doors When a company like Influencer  asks you to help them pitch to Samsung , you know you’re...

Over the years, I’ve helped reshape brands, launch new products, and drive real commercial results — from helping grow Tatami Fightwear’s...