Adam Hutchinson

Are you signed up to our weekly newsletter? It’s filled with insights into all things branding and design, giving you all the details of how you can maximise your business value through implementing strategic branding. With the odd freebie thrown in along the way, of course! Stay ahead of the curve and elevate your brand with our exclusive tips and resources. Sign up now to unlock the secrets of successful branding!:

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Are you signed up to our weekly newsletter? It’s filled with insights into all things branding and design, giving you all the details of how you can maximise your business value through implementing strategic branding. With the odd freebie thrown in along the way, of course! Stay ahead of the curve and elevate your brand with our exclusive tips and resources. Sign up now to unlock the secrets of successful branding!:

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We visited London Tech Week to see how leading tech brands are turning up and presenting themselves in 2024. Despite AI being displayed on every surface there, I think it's fair to say that we can't rely on AI to do everything for brand and experience at events. Copywriting clearly pulled from ChatGPT. Pixelated imagery that hasn't been upscaled or artworked properly. Midjourney images printed 3m tall so you could see the weird squiggles it does in the detail. Branding in the tech world needs to be slick in appearance and flawless in execution. Your messaging needs to be simple and you need to stand out from the sea of blue. It's easy to be forgettable when everyone is saying the same thing and people notice the imperfections when it's not done right. Next time your brand signs up to an event, consider how AI can help but make sure you've got a team of experts that pay attention to the details. Or give us a call, YeahNice.

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Design your portfolio for the job you want to get, not the jobs you’ve had. This is the advice I have shared the most with people who are looking for new roles across the creative industry. It’s something I come across every day; "I want to move into a more brand-focused role” - so take out the campaign activation projects, and add in brand creation. "I want to step into more 3D motion rather than just 2D” > create a reel full of 3D. Yes, there are absolutely a lot of transferable skills in every walk of design, but agencies and companies need to see the work they are potentially hiring you to do. Portfolios are your identity and your first impression, so make it count, and tailor it to the roles you want. It’s far from 'one size fits all.’ I’m not saying a variety of projects and skills is a bad idea, but if you have six projects, and only two are relevant to the role you have applied for, you're likely position yourself as second against someone who has six projects specific to the role. But what happens if you don’t have specific examples? Self-initiated projects are such a valuable thing to do; don't be afraid to push the boat out while doing them. Tailor your portfolio/reel for the job you want, not what you have done (if you want the same job, happy days!). Is this something you do, or do you try to make a simplified 'one size fits all' portfolio? I'd be happy to take a look at your portfolio/reel and offer any advice I can, just reach out >> [email protected] #design #branding #motion #motiondesign #portfolio #digitalportfolio #reel

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When we start to design a logo, it’s really important to know a little bit about the elements, because they’re the fundamental building blocks of the logo. In this podcast, I discuss how colour, font, words and symbols influence how we design a logo and more importantly, how infusing our logo with emotion can create success: https://loom.ly/w5mzM4M Also available from Starling's Murmurs where you listen to podcasts including: Apple Podcasts (and associated sites), Amazon Music, Podcast Addict, Podchasers, Pocket Casts, Deezer and Player FM. #podcast #logo #logos #logodesign #brand #branddesign #message #communication #intention #emotions #symbols #StarlingsMurmurs

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Let's Talk About Niches… I have one and I'm so proud of it! I have been running my own design studio for over 7 years now and I have learnt who I love to work with, and in turn, who I produce the best work for!   It's taken me years to get the confidence to learn what my boundaries are in terms of the work I want to take on - it's scary when you are worried that if you turn down a project because it doesn't feel like the right fit, that you are turning down money and what if you NEVER WORK AGAIN! Sounds dramatic, but it really can feel like that as a solo business owner.   The work I do, I share with my audience and community on socials, and in turn, this attracts the new clients I take on. And this is how my niche has become more and more clear to me and to my clients.    I LOVE working with women. Entrepreneurial, excited, emotional, passionate, creative women. Women with ideas and vision, who I can support, guide, lead and encourage - to enrich their ideas, their products, their businesses and their goals with beautiful, hard-working, targeted, elevating design work. Stand-out-from-the-crowd work, that speaks to exactly who they need it to speak to.   And I am passionate about small business. From kitchen table start-ups to teams of people who have been set up for a few years and looking to elevate and grow. I love the richness small business brings to the commercial and service industries landscape. The individual thinking. The dedication to crafting a wonderful customer experience. It's so heart-warming in a world of soul-less corporations. Plus, I'm an insider having run my own indie e-commerce business for 8 years.   I have a portfolio bursting with this kind of work - and it attracts more of the same.   I had a discovery call this week and after discussing how we were both obsessed with working with female-founded entrepreneurs, she actually asked ME if I thought we would be a good fit. This felt huge. It was important to this client that I felt passionate and engaged about her project, that I wanted to work with her and would be inspired by the brief.   And that is why having a niche as a designer, works. Jack of all trades, master of none - as they say!

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Great roundtable workshop discussing the pros and cons of AI in the creative workplace. I think I'm going to embrace AI rather than fight it. Thanks to University of Exeter for putting on the day. Also both speakers were excellent and I met some great people. #AI #creativity #workshop #learning

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Want to know more about our recent work on the RSPCA rebrand, you can see the whole session on Youtube link below.

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Over the years, visual design has taken many shapes styles. Articles and blog posts always decree the next big trend and what's going to be a popular design style for the next year (as we approach the new year, they'll start appearing more often). My take is that minimalism is here to stay. With the continuing blend between digital and traditional design, and more and more interactive functionality, the key factor of minimalism for a better user experience will dominate for the foreseeable future. Human-computer interaction is only going to grow. Do you think minimalism will continue to dominate design trends? #design #DesignTrends

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Your portfolio should be an extension of your craft, not just a mirror of your employer’s brand. Product designers fall into the trap of letting their portfolios act as a shrine to their current company’s processes, colour schemes, and frameworks. Yes, your role was crucial, but is it you that shines through? A portfolio is your personal canvas. It’s where your voice as a designer can speak. It’s the space to show your problem-solving, your creative process, and the things you’re most proud to have contributed. Employers aren’t hiring your company’s design system. They’re hiring you.

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Want to hear what it was like to be part of the early stage Apple design team? Look no further. Here is Episode 2 of 'Design Beyond Pixels'!! 🎙️🚀 In this week's episode, I welcomed Bob Baxley. Bob is one of the most well known and inspirational design leaders amongst us, so you definitely do not want to miss out on this one! Full link to the episode in the comments! #productdesign #uxdesign #AItalks #AI #Podcast

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Fellow creatives! Sharing a few of Bamboo Crowd's design tips which, as a creative recruiter who's worked with many hiring managers over the years, I can attest are important when showcasing your work during an interview 👀 #DesignTips #InterviewTips #PortfolioPresentation #Designers

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One of my favourite tools at the moment to create supplementary images for course development and design is Recraft.ai With the ability to generate art that matches a customised colour palette and the ability to create cohesive image sets, it's ideal for making your course content look polished and on-brand. And with 50 free tokens a day to generate content, the only limitation is your imagination. #ai #learningdesign #instructionaldesign #recraft #brandassets

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It is 2024 and you most likely work in the world of design - your algorithm will likely feed you some commentary on an industry in decline. Recently I wrote a comment on something of a similar theme which attracted some attention that creativity is under siege. You can tell me whether design is a creative sport. Yesterday Rodri (he plays football for a team really good at football) won an award. It is something that if you are over the age of 12 you shouldn’t give a fuck about. … but it is interesting. It’s an example where efficiency is being projected as superior to creativity. My dad euologised about Best. Then we had Maradona. My brother had the collar up like Cantona and I grew up on Okocha & Ronaldinho. Rodri is the anthesis of this. It’s like we have decided to McKinsey everything. We had Shane Warne, Jonah Lumu, and none of them captured imagination like Michael Jordan. The music was experimental, you could watch a film not knowing the ending within the first 15 minutes. It’s a struggle to find an industrial designer not wearing something a little extra these days over a black t-shirt (the irony of my profile picture …) At least we still have Simone Biles. My point here is that in most facets of your life - creativity is projected as inferior to efficiency. It is a Tuesday morning. Let’s not go all deep and meaningful. … but seriously, where is the originality & creativity? and how do we get it back? _ #industrialdesign #designtruth

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Sometimes it’s too hard to sum up a brand project with words or a few images… So we made it into a video instead. Watch the Hugh James brand story below to see how we brought who they are to life for their clients and their team. 🎥 🎬 👩‍🎨 👏 #brand #professionalservices #brandstory #brandpurpose #employerbranding

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Reflecting on my journey in design recruitment, It’s incredible to see how far I've come from a junior simply reading job descriptions to now crafting them with intention and strategy. I remember the days when my role was limited to taking notes during client meetings. Today, I’m collaborating closely with hiring managers, Heads of Design, and C-suite executives, not just to fill roles but to shape hiring strategies that elevate teams and drive projects forward. The turning point for me was realising that to recruit effectively in design, I needed to understand the disciplines enough to speak its language and anticipate its needs. That insight transformed my approach, and now, I genuinely enjoy the unique position I hold. So, if you’re searching for the perfect role or struggling with design hiring due to a lack of internal expertise, I’m your go-to resource. #productdesign #digitalrecruitment

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Episode 2 of The Design Journeys Podcast featuring Tom Malloy from Elvie is now LIVE on Spotify! Some of the takeaways from this episode include: 🤝 Meeting the right people and seizing opportunities can lead to exciting career opportunities. 🧡 Working on projects that have a positive impact on people's lives. 🤩 The importance of inclusive design and creating products that are accessible to everyone. 🙌 Creating an inclusive interview process is crucial for finding the right candidates and ensuring a fair evaluation. Find it by searching "The Design Journeys Podcast" on Spotify or comment below and I'll post the link :) Listened to the show? Let me know what you think in the comments! #podcast #designjourneys #designcareers #elvie

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