How to exploit a story about a sorry toaster for self-promotional gain
[This was originally a one-pager for a client. It’s basically a bio thinly veiled as an article*]
In 2009, a designer called Thomas Thwaites tried to build a toaster from scratch. He even mined his own iron ore. The end result was as awful as you’re imagining, but the point of the project was to reveal how little we understand such a familiar product and how much we take its functionality - and existence - for granted.
Thwaites’ project is a good analogy for how I approach my work. There’s a lot of assumptions, jargon and faulty wiring when it comes to brand strategy. People often throw around words without pausing to think about what they even mean. I’ve worked hard to dismantle the more ambiguous aspects of brand strategy and identity so I can help guide founders and CMOs through the process in plain English. Even better, the resulting ‘toaster’ actually works (and doesn’t burn the place down) because, fortunately devising a strategy is far easier than constructing an electrical appliance.
If you’re reading this then you’re probably building an exciting business. But you need help translating all those things you know to be exciting about it into terms that resonate with customers and galvanise the efforts of your teams.
My specialism is making sense of multifaceted businesses, distilling them into deliciously meaningful concepts and showing you how to bring those concepts to life through your comms, services and products. Unlike an agency, I can embed myself in your business (less so during a pandemic of course) and adapt my approach to fit your needs. You’ll also get a director-level practitioner from start to finish instead of them just appearing at the start and the end.
For full brand identity projects, I partner with Dan Greene of Greene and Sons, a seasoned Creative Director of Wolff Olins origins. Between the two of us, we can do the whole piece from research to strategy to concept to design. Just us, you, and honest, candid conversations.
Here’s what my clients say about me when I ask them to say nice things about me: thehumanhalf.com/testimonials
*I did warn you.