ED STONE
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Opia - The Science of Sales Promotion
Context: For 17 years Opia has helped the world’s biggest brands grow via sales promotions. Visually, they had a defined identity, however it wasn’t cutting through with their audience and didn’t reflect the energy they have as a business - a business that is hard to define, so when we were briefed to revamp Opia’s marketing we knew we had to provide a distinct positioning.
Following a messaging workshop and stakeholder interviews, we recognised Opia’s unrivalled understanding of both consumer behaviour and data trends.
Big idea:
The ‘Science of Sales Promotion’ positions Opia as experts in their field, combining their knowledge of consumer behaviour and data trends to create a formula for sales success. This concept is brought to life with a vibrant identity that augments their existing brand with a unique glitched-out, abstract aesthetic which is seldom seen in B2B spaces. When writing and laying out the design of the white paper, I wanted to lean into an editorial approach to further disrupt perceptions and add an additional layer of value, giving the target audiences something that they may later refer to, rather than download and forget.
Project:
Campaign identity, brand positioining
Brief:
Transform Opia’s marketing
Deliverables:
Campaign name, messaging and visual identity, advertising assets, landing pages, white paper
My Role:
Creative lead, Art Direction, Graphic/Motion Design
EFL - Together against discrimination
Context: In the fallout of England’s defeat at the Euros, the English Football League (EFL) were spurred into action to take a stand and show support to players and fans of all backgrounds and ethnicities.
A physical activity involving the fans was proving problematic from a health and safety perspective, so the team at EFL needed an always-on initiative that was clear and impactful.
Players taking the knee before a game is a powerful display of solidarity against racial discrimination within football, however, there is a disconnect between fans and players as it is not safe to take a knee in the stands, making a united front against racism and bigotry impossible.
Big idea:
“Together against discrimination” is a simple yet powerful statement that compliments the EFL’s existing ‘Not today or any day’ initiative. Visually it conveys the immediacy of the moment, with its rough-and-ready stencil aesthetic that evokes both protest and humanity. Monochromatic visuals punctuated by a pop of yellow for key messages made fans take notice.
Project:
Campaign identity
Brief:
Articulate the EFL’s hard stance against racism and discrimination in football
Deliverables:
Campaign name, identity, social assets, in-stadia, television and merchandising
My Role:
Creative lead, Art Direction, Graphic Design
WWF - Climb for your world
Context: The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) needed a mark that could build recognition for their new fundraising product and we rose to the challenge. In partnership with running app Strava; WWF wanted everyone to use their workout routine to virtually climb Mount Sabyinyo in the Virunga National Park and raise money for the endangered mountain gorillas there.
When we began sprint workshops, the driving thought was around exploration and classic logos that capture this idea perfectly. From lifestyle brands to the final frontier, we had fertile ground to draw inspiration from.
Big idea:
While sketching the mark, the most compelling idea was the duality of the activity - you can be climbing Primrose Hill and summiting Mount Sabyinyo, saving the endangered gorillas at the same time. Capturing this duality in the final design, was a must. We arrived at a brand identifier that worked wonderfully as a logo, but also as a badge - something participants could ‘collect’ as they completed different challenges.
It was essential that the mark have longevity, allowing it to be recycled for other activities in future, should the product range expand and include other adventures. It also needed to hold its own next to one of the world’s most iconic logos - the WWF panda.
Project:
Product launch
Brief:
Brand identifier for AR fundraising product by WWF UK and Strava
Deliverables:
Brand identifier, marketing concepts to support roll-out
My Role:
Creative lead, Art Direction, Graphic Design
YouView - The bigger picture
Context: Even with a 10-year track record of innovation and shareholders including the BBC, ITV and BT, B2B brand YouView is little known among its target group of future tech talent. Our brief was to stand out from the crowd and inspire the next generation of software engineers, analysts and product managers.
YouView brings great TV into the nation’s living rooms and it gives employees the chance to harness their passions and channel them into their best work yet. The company vision is to develop well beyond TVOD services so reaching the next generation of tech talent with a focus on curiosity is essential.
Building on YouView’s compelling, if underutilised brand identity was key to developing the Employer value proposition (EVP) and articulating their vision for the business.
Big idea:
“Be a part of the bigger picture” encompasses YouView’s heritage along with its vision of the future. It can be adapted to speak to specific audiences within YouView’s employee demographic by adapting the call to action: “Create the bigger picture”, “Develop your bigger picture”, “Dream the bigger picture.”
Project:
Employer brand development.
Brief:
Help YouView to stand out in a crowded sector, inspire and attract the next generation of software engineers, analysts and product managers as potential employees
Deliverables:
EVP brand identity, including, hero graphics, web assets, recruitment portal assets, social ad creative
My Role:
Creative lead, Art Direction, Graphic Design
Corinthian Benefits
Context: Corinthian Benefits takes great pride in finding the best pension solutions for Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across the country. They are well known for friendly, supportive and personal approach to their clients. To coincide with the launch of their employee focused product, ‘my corinthian’, they needed an updated look and feel along with an complimentary identity for the new product.
Let’s address the elephant in the room. Pensions are not a sexy subject. So how do we make them appeal to a millennial workforce while also maintaining the brand’s track records with employers? We also had Corinthian’s existing Swiss colour palette which, despite its strength, the team felt it no longer effectively represented the business.
Big idea:
We created a dual identity that compliments both audiences, with updated marks with more ‘human’ smile motifs, a vibrant, modern colour palette and a friendly typeface.
Project:
Brand refresh
Brief:
Audit and refresh brand identity to support launch of new, employee-focused sub-brand, ‘my corinthian’
Deliverables:
Brand identity, tone of voice, Unique Value Proposition (UVP), digital and social media, website design, consultation for marketing roll-out
My Role:
Art Direction, Graphic Design, Copywriting, Creative Consultant
Future Motors ltd.
Context: Future Motors have revolutionised HVAC (heating, ventilation air-conditioning) with their energy efficient smart technology, which enables engineers to clearly track and maintain HVAC infrastructures in warehouses, supermarkets and airport terminals across the UK.
After we held a visions, values & voice workshops, we knew everything there is to know about HVAC motors and their impact on the planet in big business.
We learnt that for them, being able to power industry while leaving as little impact on the environment, is at the very core of their brand, so we created a whole identity with a mark that is as powerful as it is delicate.
Big idea:
For the brand identity, we needed to strike a balance between the hidden yet unique value that Future Motors brand provides.
The fingerprint - an often inpercievable mark of humanity, references the positive impact made by a device that remains undetected by all whom experience it.
The bolt - a universal symbol of technology and the difference between things being held together and falling apart.
Together, combined in their logo, you have a mark that symbolises a sustainable vision for the future, supported by a high-energy identity to really bring the brand to life.
Project:
Brand identity
Brief:
Brand development for a start-up tech company
Deliverables:
Full corporate identity, messaging framework, website, marketing collateral, vehicle branding
My Role:
Creative Direction, Graphic Design, Website Design
Pax8 - We’re covered, aren’t we?
Context: As pre-eminent purveyors of security and management software for the cloud, Pax8 needed a campaign to ensure they are front of mind amongst their resellers. MSPs (Managed Service Providers) have a lot on their plates, managing the security of large numbers of clients.
Security threats are constantly evolving at speed, leaving some MSPs (and their clients) exposed. We leant into this potentially prickly theme for the campaign, approaching ‘oversights’ in an empathetic way by telling an inherently human story - after all, it’s human to make mistakes.
Big idea:
“We’re covered, aren’t we?” puts a humorous spin on an all-to-familiar office dynamic where the team find their security is compromised and how, with the help of Pax8’s always-on self-service website, they can plug the gaps instantly.
To support the film, we created a Pax8 branded digital campaign, bringing the idea being protected from the cloud in a visually compelling way.
Project:
Security campaign
Brief:
Security campaign targeting MSPs
Deliverables:
Campaign film, supported by sub-campaign across digital and social
My Role:
Design Director, Art Direction, Graphic Design
Dell Technologies - Bett
Context: Dell and the NHM teamed up to take ‘Dippy on Tour’ an interactive experience bringing the dynamic dino to life in schools up and down the country. Bett is a landmark event in the education technology calendar so the team wanted to make a big splash, or er, smash(?) at the event during the tour.
Honouring this partnership, we designed and produced a stand that was a major talking point at Bett’s 2019 event, even winning an award for Best Storytelling at the World Exhibition Awards..
Big idea:
Installing the real Dippy skeleton on a stand at the Excel would have been more than a challenge - so we built our own. Capturing the imagination of pupils and teachers alike; our Dippy was a giant jigsaw model, looming out above the stand while a replica of the real thing kept a close eye.
We surrounded our precious cargo with other antiquities - fossils of Dell kit from a bygone era. Attention to detail was crucial for creating an immersive environment - even the floor tiles referenced the iconic Hintze Hall.
Project:
Exhibition stand
Brief:
Design and build an experiential stand for Dell Technologies and Natural History Museum at Bett Education Technology Show
Deliverables:
An immersive multi-channel experience including preevent communications, stand design and build, VIP ambassador area branding, social campaign and postevent communications
My Role:
Creative/Art Direction, Graphic Design, Digital Design
Lola’s cupcakes
Project:
Branding and brand guardianship in-house
Deliverables:
POS, social media, product shoots, product launches, 300-page look book, DM, advertising, retouching
My Role:
Art Direction, Graphic Design, Copywriting
The Great Escape Festival
Project:
Festival and convention programmes for Europe’s leading festival for new music
Deliverables:
Design and layout of both the festival and convention programmes (2013-2015) as well as any other collateral for the festivals from posters, charts, maps and infographics
My Role:
Graphic Design
WWF
Project:
Supporting multiple campaigns and initiatives from the inaugural State of the Planet Address, launch assets for the iconic Our Planet series with Netflix through to invitations and pledge cards for the ground-breaking documentary A Life On Our Planet with David Attenborough.
Deliverables:
Assets for print and digital
My Role:
Art Direction, Graphic Design
