from the desk of idle hands
A dispatch from inside the studio.
we’ve had some thoughts about branding, design, creativity, and all that good stuff, and this is where we share them.
between projects, running the studio, and y’know that life thing that goes on outside of work, we fit them in when we’ve got something to say of real value. whether it’s An actionable insight that we think could help brand owners and designers, or we just got some really cool work that we want to talk about more, we’ll post it here.
you can check out the archive and sign up below.
Your Brand Should Do More Than Just “Stand Out”
Standing out is easy. Being remembered is hard.
So… What do You Actually Get From a Branding Project?
A breakdown of what branding projects actually include and why they scale with the business.
Bad branding means more than just looking bad
A pulse check on whether you have a "bad brand" and what you can do to fix it for free.
Running on Empty (And Why Rest Isn't Enough)
A take on alignment, creative energy, and working on the right things.
How We Find Your “Brand Core” and Why It Even Matters
Why getting clear on your core makes for better creative work, and how to actually do it.
Building a Business that fit’s Your Life.
A personal take on growth, balance, and staying smaller on purpose.
Design Taste VS. Design Skill
Just because you like design, doesn’t mean you’re good at it.
Brand Guidelines Are a Starting Point, Not a Finish Line
A Case for Stress-Testing a Brand Before Freezing It.
the archive
Here are some of the OG issues when we used to send this out as a weekly email. There are some gems in there, so have a rummage around!
-
ISSUE: 020
A 20th issue pivot
-
ISSUE: 019
Brand Identity or Visual Identity? Blue-Collar Grit & a Rocky Mountain Pit Stop
-
ISSUE: 018
Timelines, Retreats & The Game-Changing Free App
-
ISSUE: 017
Why Media Matters, Design Cheat-Code & Our Studio Rotation
-
ISSUE: 016
Starting a Brand, Summer Sign Off & Vibey Tunes
-
ISSUE: 015
Why premium matters, what we're building, and a brand that does it best.
-
ISSUE: 014
Building Trust, Rad Dads & A Dang Good Collab
-
ISSUE: 013
3 Rounds that Dial It In, How to Eat an Elephant & Our Favourite Salty Goods
-
ISSUE: 012
Non Creative Life, Drams & Cabins
-
ISSUE: 011
Our Project Game Changer, Spicy Branding & Design for less than lunch
-
ISSUE: 010
When Creative Meets Strategy, The Archive & Be Like Buck.
-
ISSUE: 009
Blue Collar Brands, Race Day Ready & The Best Fonts Ever.
-
ISSUE: 008
What we use, who we are and how we keep projects sane.
-
ISSUE: 007
Start with a Damn Plan, Moroccan spice, and Matty Matheson’s fridge of dreams.
-
ISSUE: 006
Brand Style Guides, A Minimal Identity Pivot, and Alpine Cabin Calm
-
ISSUE: 005
Free File Guide, a Brand Built for the Mountains & Our Favourite Doom-Scroll Blocker
-
ISSUE: 004
Our IG Cheat Sheet, an Identity with Horsepower & Our Fathers Day Wishlist Hint.
-
ISSUE: 003
Authenticity: Buzzword or Secret Sauce? Joyful Ice-Cream Packaging & Flow State Tunes
-
ISSUE: 002
A Logo is not a Brand, Blue Collar Grit with Country Club Flair, & DIRT.
-
ISSUE: 001
An Introduction to From the Desk: Who the hell is Idle Hands?