Grant Associates by Supple Studio

Supple Studio in Bath worked with Mud and Fitzroy Hawk to create a new identity for landscape architects Grant Associates supplestudio.com

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GETTING STARTED

Jamie Ellul

This project began when the digital whizz-kids at Mud won the pitch to design the new Grant Associates website. We share a building with Mud as well as the visual effects studio Fitzroy Hawk, which also works for Grant Associates. Mud’s discussions with the clients identified the need for a new identity and we came on board to develop that, while Fitzroy Hawk created some stunning animations in conjunction with the new brand.

To add to the coincidence, Grant Associates, a global landscape architecture practice, used to occupy the building our three companies are in. I think they liked knowing that we’re all under the same roof, and although they might have felt strange coming back to their old space at least they didn’t need to ask where the toilets are.

We met the directors and associates to understand how they work and what makes them unique, and put together an expansive competitor audit looking at visual identity, web design and tone of voice in their category. Our first recommendation to clients is always to create difference. The trend in the sector is towards sans serif all cap logotypes, dark colours and clean, white websites. We suggested an approach that’s opposite to all of this.

The new positioning statement for the brand is, “We reveal the wonders of the natural world in order to reconnect people and nature.” This gets across their commitment to using creative ecology in urban environments, reminding people that the natural and man-made can exist harmoniously.

DESIGNING THE IDENTITY