Designing works for use on vehicles – should be so much more than just popping a logo, phone number and web address on the side. We think it is a fantastic medium to show off your message, communicate events, and get your brand across.

There is a good case for keeping things simple, for some business depending on what they do, and how they do it. But for businesses that offer something remarkable, using every inch of their vehicles to talk about their themselves is a smart move. It doesn’t need to cost a fortune – but can bring in new enquiries or visitors, and even help customer retention too.

We’ve designed a number of vehicles – each one communicates their respective brands in different, engaging ways to grab the attention and communicate the message in an instant.

Shelf – for Ocado. Illustrated jars, tins and packets communicate the offer in a fun, on brand way.

Deer Train Safari Van – for World of Country Life. Showing off one of the star attractions at the park, and entertaining in a double-take sort of way.

Coffee Beans – for Wogan Coffee – using thousand of beans to show what Wogan Coffee do. Everything starts with the roasting.

Street – Ocado. A visual way to communicate home delivery.

It doesn’t need to cost a you a fortune, you just need the right people on your side with the know how – to do the job effectively and efficiently, and who get the job done right. If you’re thinking about giving your fleet (no matter how big or small) a facelift, and you’d like to hear how we can help you get your message across effectively – call us on 01395 220074, or email us for a quote.

We’ve just found out that one of our Product Design for Spearmark – the Disney© Cars Cutlery – is the Best Seller in the Childrens Cutlery category on Amazon.co.uk – and has been for some time too!

We designed this in 2009, creating the shapes from scratch – and the design has been used since that date – meaning that the product is enjoying great sales, even after three years on the market.

The customer reviews have been very positive too:

A summary of the reviews from Amazon.co.uk:

“disney cars cutlery set lovely idea and my son absoloutly love them :0) the design make is fun also for my son to eat and find since using them he feeds himself alot more”

“My 3yrs old loves it as he is creazy about the Cars characters now. It looks and feels like good material so the pictures shouldn’t rub away after some time. We use it in dishwasher and it’s fine.
Very happy with this purchase.”

“Kids love these and although small the handles are chunky enough to give a good grip. Perfect stepping stone to normal cutlery.”

“My little nephew s cars mad and this cutlery set was perfect for his little ands. He uses them all the time.”

“Strong handles, sensible blade length, good to grip. Has encouraged 2yr old to enjoy sitting and eating at table longer.”

See more of our Product Designs for Spearmark.

Purchase a set here, or drop in to our studio to see more of our Product Designs.

The vans we’ve created shows their passion for everything coffee. Starting with – roasting for over 40 years and two generations using an ex-Lyons Coffee Probat roaster in Bristol (for those in the know – the Rolls Royce of roasters), Wogan Coffee have built a reputation for outstanding coffees, right across the country. Chances are – you’re probably sampled some of their excellent roasts, without even knowing it!

Using their fresh Bristol roasted beans meant the studio wall full of the rich aroma of Coffee (and still is!). We dreamed Coffee beans for a few weeks!.

See more of our works for Wogan Coffee.

Our thanks go to our friends at Guy Newman Photography for photographing the finished mural, before we put it on the vans – thanks!.

The brief was to create something strikingly different, that would really get noticed when just being driven, or being used as a promotional tool at events and shows around the area.

Taking the existing brand, but using this in a differently – we created something that associates their famous ‘Deer Train Safari’ in a fun and engaging way, whilst also communicating some of the other assets of the park – the goats, the animals and also some of the adventure play zones. We built in a ‘blackboard’ area on the rear of the van too, that can be updated regularly – without the need for an expensive re-wrap. Simple, but effective.

Tony Collins, Park Manager said “we simply love the design that Greenland Studio produced for us. It really does get noticed, and fits with the park perfectly”.

Hands-on Health is a great business. I’d like to show you why. You may be thinking ‘well, you’re biased’. Yes, I did work on the business, bringing it to life. My part of the story is, for a large part – done. But no, I am not biased. Why? Put simply – everyone else who has seen or tried Hands-on Health is saying the same thing – it’s a great business. It feels right.

Hands-on Health offers many different therapies – including massage, back pain treatments and even thai-chi.

Thankfully, I was involved from the very beginning. The clinic is based in an old shop that used to be a stationers. The building was a run down, unloved, and forgotten about Victorian shop, almost abandoned by the local community. It was a sorry looking state. Part of the brief was to bring the place to life, and to add something back by making the clinic stand out, yet not look garish. And of course to change the use of the retail space into a clinic, something that requires a larger degree of privacy than afforded by the 1.7 metre high windows.

It’s been a dream of Albie McMahon’s – to open a clinic offering a multi-disciplinary team approach to health and fitness – for many years. His belief is that health is all encompassing. So, when he outlined the specification for Hands-on Health, he made sure that it was just that – healthy. Healthy to the very core. In fact – he went so far with making the clinic a healthy place  that everything – from the paint, varnish and flooring to the massage oils and cleaning products – is as eco-friendly as possible. The rules were Albie’s.

How eco-friendly is it? Well:

• The flooring is bamboo, grown in sustainable plantations.
• The paint, sourced locally (from Nutshell Paints in Exeter), and mixed to create a colour that is not currently commercially available, is 100% natural.
• The towels are 100% organic cotton.
• The lighting is all energy-efficient.
• The wood – is kept natural – truth to the materials – but is also treated to a coat of natural wood stain and natural varnish from Nutshell.
• The fire doors – again, kept natural.
• The electricity is sourced from Good Energy, a company that generates all of its power from renewables.

And then there is the ecological stuff, that’s also from the local community:

• The polo-shirts are supplied (and embroidered) by Clothing Works, part of the Devon NHS Partnership Trust’s Vocational Rehabilitation Service in Exminster. Clothing Works provides vocational rehabilitation for people recovering from mental health issues.
• The builders, electricians, painter, carpenters, plumbers are all local tradespeople.

• A logo device in eight colour ways, that can be used for different types of communication and allows growth in the future
• A choice of suitable typefaces that work well together
• Graphic design – ensuring that this Exmouth-based clinic stands out amongst the other clinics in town (it does).
• The interior. Using soft natural tones and truth to materials (wherever possible) and a system of internal graphics for the three treatment rooms, the studio
• A solution to the problem of a long narrow corridor – which now feels shorter, and airy as a result of using graphics and colours to play down the length and increase the width
• The layout of ancillary items to maintain the look
• Design and artwork for the shop front, including all window signs and fascia boards
• The exterior, making the entrance – ‘entrancing’. Bespoke open/closed signs and a system of window graphics that keep the look minimal and fresh.
• Adverts and printed materials for the clinic
• A website, based on the WordPress CMS

I also advised on social media communication.

The work involved is substantial, no doubt. But it’s not over designed. It’s clean, minimal and fresh. Everything that a healthy clinic should be. Above all else, it’s a calm place to be – and many clients and visitors comment on how ‘restful’ it is.

A great business is defined not by what it offers, and not even how much money it makes. It’s defined by the difference it makes.

And the difference with Hands-on Health? In my opinion, it’s 100% healthy – for everyone.

Read more about Hands-on Health here.

Photos by Claire Sloane Photography & Greenland Studio

Greenland Studio in Exmouth has just been accepted as the only Design Business Association Member in Devon, and one of only twenty six approved agencies in the South West.

The Design Business Association (or DBA) is the trade organisation for the design industry in the UK. In recent years it has been placing great emphasis on promoting standards and best practice within the design industry, offering a wealth of information to clients in need of advice and guidance.

Member agencies are required to work to a strict code of conduct to protect the interests of business clients. By becoming a member of the DBA and joining its list of only four hundred recommended design agencies in the UK, Greenland Studio demonstrates a commitment to supporting clients in getting as much as possible from their agency.

Michael Greenland, owner of Greenland Studio said: “In developing my business, I strive to deliver the very best in value to my clients. Joining the DBA demonstrates my ongoing commitment to quality and provides a support network to help the business grow.”

Exmouth base Greenland Studio offers graphic design, product design and illustration, has worked with household names such as Ocado, Disney and Lavazza Coffee, as well small and medium sized businesses in the South West including the Bristol based Brian Wogan Coffee Ltd, Exeter based PR agency KOR Communications, the Devon pub chain Venture Inns and lighting design company Spearmark International.  Michael explains “Creative design, used well, gives businesses of all sizes a compelling competitive advantage, which is more important than ever in the current economic climate.”

John Scarrott Membership Director of the DBA said “We are thrilled to welcome Greenland Studio to the DBA. There are an increasing number of sole traders and small boutique agencies springing up across the country, producing fantastic work. A particular focus for us this year is to seek out and attract the businesses that share the values that DBA members work by.  Our ambition is to create an inclusive and accessible network for smaller design businesses that allows them to access all the support they need, to grow and develop, becoming the success that they aim to be, without breaking the bank. Clients looking for a high calibre design consultancy need look no further than a DBA member.”

From his Exmouth base, Michael draws inspiration from his scenic business location with its combination of sea views, clean air, great food and strong cultural identity.  Among his professional qualifications Michael has been awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Design Studies from Central St Martin’s University, London.

To view Michael’s work, please visit www.greenlandstudio.co.uk

ENDS

It’s eggs-tremely exciting! I’ve just been asked to illustrate the new Woolworths.co.uk Easter logo this year. (see it for yourself at the wonderful http://www.woolworths.co.uk website) It’s based on two wonderful original creations by Lana Scott and Saffron Mae Clarke who won a Woolworths.co.uk competition to find some eggs -traordinarily talented artists. And look what they came up with!

Easter Egg Chick by Lana Scott

Easter Egg Rabbit (and a spotty egg too!) by Saffron Mae Clarke

Here‘s the finished Woolworths.co.uk Easter Logo

Naturally, I was only happy to help, and I’ve only really added a little sparkle. The real inspiration came from the original designs. So Lana and Saffron – it’s no eggs-aduration – you’ve done a great job – well done to you both!!

Have a look at the logo for yourself on the Woolworths homepage at http://www.woolworths.co.uk – and while you’re there, why not pick up some bargain eggs, something for the garden – or even some pick ‘n’ mix!!