Meet the design team

The design team sits at the core of our creative service offering here at ArmstrongB2B?. Our team of designers are responsible for developing creative strategy in response to our clients’ briefs and breathing life into their ideas by visualising concepts, building and delivering the creative assets required.?

We sat down with art director and senior designer James and middleweight designer Ben, to shed a little light on what goes on in their world.?

“Working at ArmstrongB2B? is all about great communication,” says James. “We are incredibly fortunate to work on some of the world’s most exciting brands in their sectors, with creative briefs challenging us every day. The work here is more about communication than anything; making sure there’s open dialogue with the account teams, followed by initial visuals and more open discussion throughout production to make sure we’re capturing the overall idea and concept and ultimately hitting the brief. It’s always a collaborative effort,” he said.?

Tell us about the design team at ArmstrongB2B??

“The team is made up of seven designers,” said James. “I’m the art director and senior designer, and I’m supported by two other senior designers, three middleweight designers and a junior. My expertise lies in conceptualisation and art direction, sketching out concepts which are then worked up between us and the 3D/motion team to create visualisations for the brands campaigns.”

Is there such a thing as a typical day and if so what does it look like?

“There’s no such thing as a typical day - and that’s a great thing!” says Ben. “There’s always a healthy variety of projects and briefs that come across my desk depending on which client we’re working on that day.?

“My days usually start with laying out the groundwork for any particular task through research and development, or the direct creation or amending of assets.”

James agrees: “There’s always a new challenge, but I make time every day to speak with the team and provide support. The days go quickly but you always come away with a sense of hard work and achievement.”

How do you approach your work with the other teams?

“As James says, communication is key,” explains Ben. “I like to make sure we can all sit down and put our heads together to figure out the best direction to go in while making sure that everyone has asked any questions they feel are relevant to the brief.”

Any words of advice for aspiring designers?

Ben comments: “Never discount any advice or feedback you’re given on a project, as even the tiniest piece can completely change the way in which you may think or see a subject matter in the future.”

James added: “It’s more important than ever to differentiate yourself from the crowd especially in a creative field like design. Being non-prescriptive to trends can help that, but it’s more important to show your unique ideas and visual language. That’s what should make you an interesting prospect to employers.”

What about work you’re particularly proud of - can you show us some examples?

Ben says this website design and wider collateral for Westley Group is one of his proudest achievements. “The client initially required a refresh of their now old website as it was not in line with their new direction, but this brief evolved into a complete digital and print campaign utilising the new visual assets we created to highlight Westley’s commitment to a sustainable future. The use of striking images and clear, concise copy makes for a compelling site.”

James added: “The overall idea was to show the company aligning with the ideas of sustainability, visualised through Westley’s own products - which are metals and alloys - working with nature to become something which embodies the commitment made. The visuals are conceptual and show the creation of a natural structure in a manmade way, aligning materials.”