graphic design edinburgh Archives

Campervan in the Hebrides for a StudioLR meeting

27th February 2019

A worthwhale trip to the Hebrides…

[5 min read]

StudioLR is working with the Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust to create the Hebridean Whale Trail. On the surface this is a somewhat counter intuitive proposition – creating a land based trail to watch sealife.

Scotland is one of the best places in the world to see whales. There are many places they can be spotted from shore and with 2020 being the Year of Coast and Water the brilliance of this project is that it will encourage people to go and see these magnificent creatures, and if they don’t they’ll have a wonderful time anyway. So with excitement I set off to the west coast to find out more.

As a city boy at heart, I only took the stereotypical essentials. Insufficient clothing and footwear, laptop & smartphone (with selection of ill fitting cabling) and of course my dog and campervan. I was fully aware these items would almost certainly attract ridicule from all on my trip – putting people at ease is a big part of the collaborative process.

After many hours on the road, and two ferry trips, I found myself with the client at Ardnamurchan lighthouse. A stunning location, particularly on a wild day in January.

After admiring the views and scoping out a load of exciting visitor experience interpretive ideas, my soft southern side started to notice I was wet and cold. But with no cafe open (it’s winter) we headed to my campervan for our follow up meeting, with me smugly making fresh coffee and sharing some hobnobs. It was the perfect site meeting.

From conversations with several members of the team in Tobermory my brief visit made me realise the brilliance of the trail intent. By encouraging people to visit amazing and remote locations across the west coast of Scotland, most of which you have to reach by ferry, you are forced to slow down while being constantly on the move. What better way to see these beautiful creatures than by doing as they do – steadily travelling through our Scottish waters.

Not only will attracting visitors to the trail encourage people to engage with our special sea-mammals but the project will also have many spin-off benefits. Not least economic – boosting local businesses and services.

I didn’t see any whales on my trip but I look forward to returning as we work on developing the trail over the next few months.

Mark Wheeler, Design Director

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3rd May 2018

The brand experience at Terex Trucks gets the Big Nod (the grand prix)

“Creativity for an audience in a place where you wouldn’t normally expect to find creativity” – Mt RAINEY, chair

Last week, we were over the moon to be standing on the stage at the Nods Awards in Glasgow to be picking up two awards for the Terex Trucks brand experience.

Including:

Best Brand Experience
The Big Nod (grand prix)

Here’s Nic and Dave picking up the Big Nod (sponsored by Jura) from Muriel Gray:

About the winning work:

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3rd May 2018

Nicola Laurie: Young Designer of the Year nominee

We’re very proud to announce that our youngest team member Nicola Laurie has been nominated for Young Designer of the Year in the The Drum’s Design Awards, entered globally.

A FEW Words about Nicola:

It’s easy to be fooled by her youthful appearance; StudioLR designer Nicola Laurie has the confidence and wisdom of a designer who’d far outweigh her in design-years.

In little over a year since joining us after graduation, Nicola (Nic) has gone from strength to strength. Her systematic approach brings complex ideas and source materials together in a clear and concise way – demonstrating a rare maturity. As a result, she was promoted from junior designer to designer in a very short time. She has been instrumental in a wide range StudioLR’s highest profile projects, including the branding of the D-Day Story, museum now open. Nic also played an important role in rebranding Investors in People Scotland to Remarkable. And the design of an identity and visitor experience of the new Playful Garden at Brodie Castle for the National Trust for Scotland.

Nic is already confidently taking the lead and managing projects. Most notably in developing the brand and packaging for a new premium drinks product. The client commented: “I can safely say I could not have asked for a better start to the branding journey. It is GENIUS”.

Nic was also our main designer on the global event launch of a new industrial vehicle for Volvo which took place in April. It was a resounding success with Volvo and their customers, her brave ideas and impressive brand understanding made this a Volvo event to remember.

To top it all off, Nic is a creative idea powerhouse in the studio she churns out diverse creative ideas with enviable ease. No doubt she is one to keep an eye on.

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3rd May 2018

Inverewe: great experiences get great results

[7 minute read]

We’ve got some great news! We’ve been shortlisted for a WON a Gold Marketing Society Star Award in the Design category [UPDATED].

The Star Awards focus on projects which deliver measurable results to clients. Our shortlisted Inverewe project for the National Trust for Scotland is a wonderful success story that we’re delighted to share with you.

Here are a few snippets from our submission:

Inverewe Garden in Wester Ross is an award-winning, world class garden. But a world class garden no longer guarantees an audience.

The National Trust for Scotland took the decision to open Inverewe House to the public – for the first time in its history.

We worked with them to unlock the vibrant eccentricity of the garden’s founder Osgood Mackenzie – developing an identity and visitor experience to attract a new generation of visitors.

Launched in 2016, the work was evaluated throughout 2017.

Ambition:

Create an experience of marvel for all ages. A day of inspiration and wonder that leaves visitors with a sense of admiration for the place and its creator. Departing without doubt that they’ve been immersed in something special. Something worth sharing.

Key Objectives:

Increase visitor numbers and spend
Attract a much wider demographic – families, younger couples, non-enthusiasts
Maximise visitor experience, enjoyment, interaction and learning
Promote community engagement and involvement
Tell the story of the garden’s creator Osgood, his daughter Mairi Sawyer, and the house and garden
Conserve and respect the integrity of the place
Bring key stakeholders on the journey, involving them in the process

We created a vibrant identity with colours inspired by the garden’s plants, eccentric typography inspired by Victorian Circus posters, and playful language that draws poetry from botany.

We then brought the identity to life across the site and throughout the house. Packed full of multi-sensory and interactive elements, there’s a surprise in every nook-and-cranny. From sculptures made of gardening utensils to a recipe printed on the kitchen ceiling; from the giant tea pot outside the café to the tiny drawings on the dining room plates; from the gun-room ring toss to the phone that rings when you walk past (go on pick it up)… There’s something for everyone to discover for themselves, and we guarantee you won’t spot it all in one visit!