Redefining an Agency Identity Built for What’s Next
big group had evolved significantly over the years, but its visual identity no longer reflected the agency it had become. Following a planned website rebuild, the opportunity emerged to refresh the brand from the ground up and create a more confident, flexible and strategically considered design system.
After an internal pitch process involving multiple designers, my concept was selected to lead the refresh across the entire business. As Art Director, I was responsible for shaping the visual identity system across digital, presentation and brand touchpoints, creating a refreshed design language that felt modern, distinctive and scalable while still remaining approachable and true to the culture of the agency.
The project became a defining career moment for me. Being trusted to lead the rebrand of the agency itself brought a huge sense of responsibility, but also reinforced the confidence I’d built throughout my career leading up to that point.
Building a Flexible Identity System for a Modern Agency
The refresh centred around simplicity, flexibility and deeper visual meaning. Rather than redesigning the logo itself, the decision was made to focus on evolving the wider identity system around the existing wordmark, stripping away unnecessary complexity and creating a more cohesive visual language.
A refined typography system introduced a more expressive highlight typeface alongside a modernised primary font, allowing key messaging to feel more dynamic and intentional across digital platforms. The colour palette evolved into a brighter RGB-focused aqua paired with a deep teal and soft canvas tones, helping the brand feel more contemporary while maintaining warmth and accessibility.
At the core of the system was a structured square-grid framework that allowed imagery, typography, patterns and colour blocks to work together consistently across layouts. Supporting patterns were also developed as subtle storytelling devices tied to the agency’s identity and culture, including references to the Thames surrounding the London studio and the circular form found within the big group wordmark itself.
The challenge throughout the project was balancing creativity with accessibility; creating something strategically distinctive without alienating stakeholders or potential clients. The result was a refreshed identity system that elevated the perception of the agency while remaining flexible enough to work across websites, pitch decks, social content and future brand applications.
