We combine research and strategy with thoughtful design to create, communicate and build brands and identities that transform businesses and deliver measurable value.

Explore, Discover, Consider, Choose

10 October 2008

Vibrant, bold and fun is how we'd describe the materials we recently designed for the 2008 NUI Galway Open Day. The campaign, which included a poster, programme, bookmark, postcard, t-shirt, bag and press advertising, was aimed at potential students and provided them with information about the Open Day. We took a typographic approach, which, combined with a distinctive colour scheme, ensured that the materials would stand apart from the other university collateral at the student fairs.

2009 UCD Prospectus

24 September 2008

Third time's a charm! This year's edition of the UCD Prospectus retains the same striking design style as the previous year's but has had a white facelift... a big departure from last year's black! The basic structure and content remain the same but there is a much stronger emphasis on student testimonials to impart the real university experience to prospective students. The design also accommodates an extended Arts and Science section making it much larger and more detailed than last year's publication. We also applied the new white-based colour palette to the core exhibition stand which was featured at Higher Options, the annual three-day, third-level education recruitment fair held in the RDS. 

 

National Organic Week

17 September 2008

BFK have created the brand identity and strapline for National Organic Week which takes place on 15th - 21st September this year.

The new mark and strapline will appear on all the elements of the extensive media campaign which has the primary aim of promoting awareness and improving consumer confidence in buying organic food, while placing particular emphasis on the benefits of choosing local and seasonal organic products.

Funded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Week is co-ordinated by Bord Bia on behalf of the Organic Market Development Group.

SEUPB corporate identity

17 September 2008

We have created the new corporate identity for the Special EU Programmes Body. SEUPB is a cross-border body managing the PEACE and the INTERREG EU programmes and also involved in the cross border elements of other community initiatives that contribute to the economic and social well-being of Northern Ireland and the Border Region.

In creating this identity we had to resolve a number of interesting and complex branding challenges. The SEUPB brand mark almost never appears on its own. It is always one brand within an inter-related coalition of partners, governments and EU organisations. Up to now its programmes have been better known. Under new EU regulations brand marks for programmes are optional. We have rationalised and clarified the identity system so that SEUPB no longer use any programme  marks, only programme names. In the long term this policy builds the SEUPB brand with all of its multiple audiences.

Our evolved brand mark design delivers greater impact and will help to create a refreshed perception of SEUPB. The tri-lingual name now appears in a sans-serif typeface that optimises legibility and strikes the correct balance between contrasting with, and complementing, the corporate typeface. The new symbol is an evolution of the two doves used in their previous brand marks. We have taken the essence of what exists at present and updated it with additional detailing and a contemporary three-dimensional treatment that adds visual interest.

We have also created new standardised EU-ERDF brand marks for application to all SEUPB material. These incorporates the EU flag and the European Regional Development Fund text within a white bounding frame and are also available in Irish. This treatment conforms to EU usage guidelines and ensures standardised applications across all SEUPB communications.

We have also defined the usage of the Northern Ireland Executive mark and Ireland’s EU Structural Funds Programmes mark. SEUPB needs to include both of these governmental accreditation marks on many communications, such as literature, project billboards and commemorative plaques on buildings.

We are now developing a suite of comprehensive identity implementation usage guidelines and framework systems for their advertising and literature that will meet all of SEUPB's ongoing design requirements.

AIB Investment Managers brand identity

03 September 2008

BFK has developed a new business unit brand identity for AIB Investment Managers, differentiating it as the investment management arm of AIB Group. The main objective of the brief was to reposition AIBIM to sell and grow more aggressively in an increasingly competitive domestic and international marketplace while complying with the requirements of the AIB Group master brand identity guidelines.

The new AIBM brand identity takes an understated, elegant approach by establishing a library of graphic images and adopting a serif typographic style to fit with the positioning of AIBIM's serious, professional approach to business. The images visualise the concept of growth, unify all communications and embody AIBIM's commitment to excellence. The images have been specially customised using the new suite of muted colours in the AIBIM colour palette.

One of the main challenges of the brief was to provide a system of templates to facilitate the production of client communications in-house. Following a review of the day-to-day AIBIM client communications we felt that consideration must be given to the presentation of investment information, with attention to detail being key. We investigated the options and produced templates in Microsoft Publisher, along with guidelines for the creation of fact sheets, monthly market updates and client-specific updates. Each new communications item now has consistent branding and layout, is uncluttered and is easy to read.

AIBIM is now fully equipped to produce on-brand communications with a considered edge to position the business unit as a key competitor in the investment world.