Graphic designers are the creative forces behind the visual identity of brands and companies around the world. It's the designers who make them stand out and be embraced. Brandchef likes to get in touch with peers to exchange ideas and insights. This time, we spoke with David Airey from Northern Ireland, a graphic designer and writer who has been developing visual identities for various brands around the world since 2005.
David works for clients from more than thirty countries, from large companies to small entrepreneurs. In addition, his design books have been translated into thirteen languages and are used in schools and universities around the world. This is his vision of our profession.
Which brands have you worked for recently?
“Recently, that was Pollies, a craft brewery from North Wales. They needed a modern logo and a professional design for labels and vessels. The new design was supposed to be a step forward from their existing logo, as they will open their first location to the public in 2025.
The logo consists of two parts: the drop symbol and the Polly's wordmark. The symbol is strikingly designed, as a focal point on the labels of their specialty beers. The wordmark is designed in two subtle variants: one for digital use and standard printing, and a second version with slightly thicker lines for embroidered merchandise such as hoodies and t-shirts. The illustrations on the labels are by the talented Phill Blake.
In addition to Polly's, I've also worked for brands such as Montville Coffee, an Australian roastery, and Panem, a family business with cafes in Ireland. Both brands had already built up some visual recognition, but the appearance did not match the quality of their offerings. That's why it was important to maintain familiarity and mainly focus on refinement, instead of making a completely new design. '
What developments in the branding industry stand out?
“I notice that more and more designers are launching their own products, whether it's design courses, fonts, mockup files, or pitch deck templates. This is not surprising, given the low entry threshold into the design world and the cultural shift to working from home. It also has a psychological effect; as humans, we are spending more and more time indoors, often behind desks. On the one hand, the industry is thriving thanks to so many talented individuals and collectives. On the other hand, I see that many independent designers, whom I knew in my early years, had to find work elsewhere to pay their bills. It remains a challenging market. '
How have technological developments affected your work?
“Artificial intelligence is the most obvious change. Although I'm following developments, I'm not very enthusiastic about it. It seems that we are heading for a world where creative work is increasingly being taken over by machines. Eventually, we could run out of work and become dependent on a digital basic income linked to social credit scores. However, I believe that this rapid development of artificial creativity will actually increase the value of the human aspect in design. I expect designers to go back to more analogous techniques to develop ideas, such as hand writing, stenciling, painting, and copy-and-paste. Manual methods that lead to more personal and unique results. '
In a broader sense, how does innovation influence your field?
“Ultimately, good design is about a simple, relevant and distinctive idea. How we arrive at that idea depends on research and strategy. Although tools are changing, we, as designers, will continue to provide services to people. How we build those relationships will always be a crucial part of our work.”
David's latest design books are available at various (online) bookstores. Ask for them at your favorite store or order them online from Bruna or Amazon, for example. For more information and David's work, visit www.davidairey.com.
Does your visual identity need a refresh, or do you want to have one created? Please feel free to contact us.
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