Roller Banner for Keeping Duns Blooming Marvellous

 I recently designed a roller banner for Keeping Duns Blooming Marvellous. KDBM are a group of volunteers who maintain the flowerbeds in the town. I did some nice illustrations of the gardeners. They were very happy with the end result.

New Poster for notice board in Duns

 I recently designed a new poster to be placed in the notice board in Duns. It features the local places of interest and some activities that can be done in Duns. It was done on behalf of Duns Community Council and Keeping Duns Blooming Marvellous.

New Logo Design for the "Half Fast Social Climbers"

 I recently designed a new logo for a cycling group based in North Carolina called the Half Fast Social Climbers. They cycle on rough gravel tracks. They were pleased with the result of this design.

Tetley revise their logo and packaging

 I notice that Tetley have changed their logo and updated their packaging. The tea brand have changed their logo ever so slightly. They have, in my opinion, softened the look by joining the "etl" within the logotype. This curvy approach is more informal and has a friendlier look and feel. Also, their packaging is now all card, which is a big plus for recycling.

What is the world's biggest brand?

 Is the world's biggest brand Apple or Amazon, Coca Cola or maybe Microsoft? A few years ago I would have said that Coca Cola was the biggest brand, but is Apple bigger? Certainly by market capitalisation Apple are the biggest at $2.73T, but are they the most popular brand? The brand equity of Apple has a premium appeal as a premium brand, but Coca Cola is affordable to almost everyone. Also, Coca Cola is ubiquitous where it can be found in the slums and in the boardrooms across the globe. By popularity, I would say Coca Cola is the biggest brand, but for how long? 

New signage for the Loaning at Whitsome

I recently designed some signage for Whitsome Enhancement Group to be positioned at the Loaning in Whitsome village, Berwickshire. WEG are a new client to me and they were very pleased with my designs. I designed a map board and 3 other interpretation panels to go with it. There are 2 other additional signs to do. 

New Logo Design for Bryneich Coppice Management

I recently designed this logo for Bryneich Coppice Management. My client asked for a tree illustration like the tree of life, so I designed something that was based on that idea. It was an enjoyable project to work on and my client was happy with the end result.

Next is a strong and trusted brand

 Next, the retailer will release an earnings report on the 21st of September. They expect profits to be ahead of expectations. The brand is well respected and has a very good reputation for quality fashion. They don't do many discounts, which has enabled them to enjoy a premium position in the market. In the book Brands and Branding, Tom Blackett says 'Brands that keep their promise attract loyal buyers who will return to them at regular intervals.' This is very much the case with Next. They have not joined the race to the bottom as the discounters have done. I believe Next is a quality brand and will be around for a long time.

Poster design for Duns Players performance of One Man, Two Guvnors

 I recently designed this poster for Duns Players. One Man, Two Guvnors is on at the Volunteer Hall, Duns from 8th to 11th November 2023. 

Poster for Duns Flowerbed Trail

 This week I designed a poster to promote Duns Flowerbed Trail. The trail will have a series of signs at each flowerbed, which is maintained by the volunteer group called Keeping Duns Blooming Marvellous. The trail signage is expected to be in position by early September.

Tandem Bank refresh their website

 Tandem, the app based bank have improved their website. I quite like their simple and neat design layout. Their use of icons and thoughtful typography, along with some easy to navigate features make it a straightforward an simple site to browse. The bank offer fixed rate and instant access savings accounts. They also offer loans for greener home improvements. Overall I think Tandem have matured as a challenger bank and their recent refresh shows how they have a strong sales model.

Brand Alignment issues with Co-operative Bank

 It was reported in the press this week that the Co-operative bank will be taking on the mortgage book of Sainsbury’s bank. This is seen as a positive move by the Co-operative bank, but there is a brand alignment issue that will need to be addressed. The Co-operative bank has no ties with the Co-operative group any more, but people will still assume it has. Until the bank changes its name there will be an association with the Co-op group. People will expect the same ethical standards associated with the Co-op group. Will what the bank tries to say, be aligned with the customer experience?

Duns Flowerbed Trail

 I recently completed a large project for Keeping Duns Blooming Marvellous. It is called the Duns Flowerbed Trail. I designed 15 signs, a map and 2 leaflets with many illustrations of plants. The signs are to be positioned at each flowerbed in Duns, which are maintained by the volunteer group called Keeping Duns Blooming Marvellous. This was a very enjoyable project to work on and I learned a lot about different plant species. My client was very pleased with the end result.

Flyer design for Aitchisons Convenience Store

 Last week I designed a flyer for Aitchisons Convenience Store at Bridgend Service Station in Duns. They have recently improved the choice and selection of food available to grab and go when getting your fuel.

Lilies on the Land Poster

 This week I designed a poster for the performance of Lilies on the Land by Duns Players. It is being performed as a radio play on 27th, 28th and 29th of September 2023, at the Volunteer Hall in Duns. The story is based on the real lives of The Women’s Land Army. Tickets are available at www.dunsplayers.org or Nairn's Duns or at the door on the night. It took a while to draw the illustration in Adobe Illustrator and the photo I had to work with was very low resolution, but my client was pleased with the overall design.

New Flyer Design for Century Property Services

 I recently designed this flyer for Century Property Services, based in Essex and London. This design is focused on their cleaning service, but they also do many other services. This was a great project to work on and my client was very pleased with the design. On this occasion the client organised their own printing. I think they have a strong brand and I wish them well.

Update to Colonel Anne Flyer

 The Colonel Anne flyer design has been reworked. This version is much better. Colonel Anne is showing at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh from August 11th-19th (not 13th) 2023 at Venue 45.

Flyer design for production of Colonel Anne at the Fringe 2023

 I recently designed this flyer for the production of Colonel Anne, which is on at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh this August from 11th/12th and 14th to 19th. This drama is being put on by Duns Players. This was a great project to work on and my client was happy with the end result.

New Banner Design

 I recently designed this banner for the Community Led Planning group in Duns. They are having an open discussion about what people of Duns need for outdoor activities. The client was very pleased with the design.

Poster for the Big Community Lunch on May 7th

 Last week, I designed this poster for A Heart for Duns for the Big Community Lunch on the 7th of May. The event is part of the celebrations for the Kings Coronation. There will be a market and food stalls for people to enjoy in the Market Square in Duns. My client was very pleased with the design.

New Car Wrap

 A few weeks ago I designed vehicle graphics for Healthy Homes and Beyond IAQ I designed 3 options for my client and they chose the first option. Then my client had their car wrapped by InVision Sign and Print. I think the overall finished wrap is great. Bearing in mind that it is a black car, they did a fantastic job of wrapping the whole vehicle.

Watson Consultancy - Website update

 Today, I have updated my Watson Consultancy website. I've added new images and made some other changes. My mission is to create effective brand development for small to medium sized businesses. With my strong commitment to a high level of excellence, I allow businesses to reach their target audience with an accurate brand message. My brand purpose is to enable businesses to flourish through engaging design.

Spring Market Poster - Volunteer Hall, Duns on the 26th of April 2023

 Two weeks ago, I designed this poster for the Spring Market, which takes place at the Volunteer Hall in Duns on the 26th of April 2023. I quickly came up with a concept for this design and it didn't take too long to sketch out. Once I had done the sketch, I scanned it and traced it in Adobe Illustrator. The text etc was added in Indesign. I supplied the poster for print and web usage. My client was A Heart for Duns and they were very happy with my design.

Colonel Anne Image - for Duns Players

 I recently designed this image for Duns Players, who are putting on the show 'Colonel Anne' at the Fringe Festival this summer. 

Leaflet design for FBS Solar

 I recently designed a leaflet for FBS Solar. They are a great team to deal with. They liked my design with very few changes.

Marketing Materials for Healthy Homes and Beyond IAQ

 I recently designed some marketing materials for Healthy Homes and Beyond IAQ. This organisation does many things, one of which is advising people on the air quality of their homes. They also lobby Government on changing building regulations because of toxic materials used in the home. My client was very easy to deal with and I was able to create designs for them and then proceed to production. They got a roller banner, counter, tote bags and folders printed. My client was very happy with the finished results.