John wanted a website to help bring in new clients and raise his profile as a top golfing coach across Huddersfield and the North West of England. It was important for John that the website conveyed a professional and approachable image, one that reflected his expert and personal coaching service.

Working closely with John and Peter McEvey (who developed the brand and identity), design(function) researched the competition within the local and wider Golf industry to establish a visual direction for the websites design. A keyword strategy was also developed to help the websites visibility within Google for popular (and relevant) search engine searches. Once this style and keyword strategy were approved by John, design(function) designed and developed a responsive website that ensures a consistent user experience across desktop and mobile devices. The site is designed with clear call to actions, to help guide visitors through to key pages and to help prompt conversions, in this case to get in touch with John by email.

Working with Peter and Ben Renshaw at CreativeNorthWest, two videos were filmed and directed by design(function) to use within the website and on in-store video screens.

Val required a new website to replace her existing flash website and to use this as an opportunity to explore how we could refine the brand. Val had concerns over the ‘bee’ element portraying a feminine image and wanted to revisit the brand message.

We decided to detach the bee from the main wordmark and introduce the hexagon or honeycomb shape as a narrative device. To help balance the sharp angles, we changed to a more relaxed and warm serif font. Teal and Purple were then chosen as complimentary secondary colours and to colour code Vals three main services.

With extremely positive feedback, we look forward to the new site going live later this year.

With a severe shortage of foster carers in Britain, especially the North West of England, developing the brand and strategy for How To Foster held that extra bit of importance. 

The brand is kept simple, with the logo integrating child-like drawings of a foster carer and child, highlighting the life changing relationship and bond brought about by parenting.

Alongside the web design and branding, design(function) created a social media campaign for facebook and twitter. The website also detects mobile devices and displays information in a more accessible format.

Connected Liverpool aim to make Liverpool the first smart city in the UK and required a bold and simple brand with colourful campaign artwork; something that would help communicate their vision on future technologies.

With an extremely tight deadline, design(function) created the brand and identity of the initiative, including the main campaign artwork (a large composition of vector stock imagery with bespoke landmarks) and numerous Mobile App concepts, alongside a 150 page strategy document to support stakeholder meetings.

The process of adoption can sometimes take years, it can be evasive and emotionally draining but it’s a life changing process and ensures both parent and child are a suitable match.

Kirklees Council required a educational video to aid them in communicating this process in a clear and concise manner. Interviewing successful adopters, the film provides an honest and balanced account of their experiences. While the stills of the interview are taken from the concept pitch, the rest are from the finished product.

design(function) was involved in researching and conceptualising the initial pitch, film direction / art direction, editing /colour grading and producing the motion graphics which tied the five steps of the adoption process together. Finally, producing a bespoke DVD that opened with a short highlights video and transitioned seamlessly into the chapter menu.

Katie and I are extremely pleased with all your help in working towards completing our DVD. [..]  We are pleased with all the ideas and help we have received from your team to create an effective DVD.  We are also pleased with how quickly things have moved with the DVD from initial meeting stage.
Lucy, www.kirklees.gov.uk

Old Hall Strip is a comic strip appearing weekly in Englands biggest regional newspaper, the Liverpool Echo. Creator and Illustrator Ilan Sheady required a website to promote the comic, archive strips and encourage more letters and emails from the local community.

Bill Mitchel and Natalie Wood are the fictional main characters of the strip and from the start were the focal point of the site. It was important to convey each of their personalities and mannerisms, along with the comics tone of voice and it’s mandate to help promote community events.

The site was designed and built on the wordpress cms system and allows Ilan to update the site via desktop or mobile. The style of the site references old newspapers, relying on a simple layout and typography.

HOBO’S provide mobile hairdressing in South Liverpool and required a contemporary brand and identity to help expand their growing client base and update existing customers on their services.

Along with business and referral cards, a simple one page website and A5 rate card were produced. HOBO’S have enjoyed a busy new year off the back of the referral cards and lots of positive feedback over the business cards and branding.

Ardwick Football Club are a community based initiative run in partnership with M13 Youth Project, based in the heart of Manchester, England. Rooted in community development and the creation of opportunity for all of their players and staff. They required a team emblem that embodied their geographical area, modern approach and desire to build and shape community.

M13 Youth Project were keen to incorporate the symbol of the dove within the logo and this was certainly challenging. Contact sports such as football, often portray masculine or aggressive creatures within their brand; something to help stir passion amongst it’s fans. The shape used avoids the typical, relaxed forms usually associated with this bird and instead, captures the dove in flight. A cotton branch then ties the emblem to the industrial heritage of the city.

Spire Elland Hospital provide quality healthcare treatment to private and NHS referred patients. I was assigned to conceptualise and pitch a bespoke Rich Media advertising campaign. 

A broad production with art direction, video & sound editing, motion graphics and advanced interactive flash offering an exciting project to work on. Spire were also provided a 4 minute promotional advert that plays on their in-house TV sets.

Ocean Colour Scene are an indie-rock group from Birmingham, they also happen to be my favourite band and this fansite was in dire need of a facelift.

OCS are renowned for their passionate live performances, so it seemed fitting to design the website around the striking and dynamic live photography captured by Tony Briggs and Stefan Durr. Special thanks to both Tony and Stefan for their support on this project.