Winners revealed in the 2023 DBA Design Effectiveness Awards
The Gold, Silver and Bronze winners in the 2023 DBA Design Effectiveness Awards have been revealed, along with the coveted Grand Prix.
The DBA’s Board of Directors is fundamental to the work we do. Elected from the membership, our Directors possess diverse experience of bringing design to the strategy-setting c-suite of business. They work closely with the DBA’s management team to develop the strategy and frameworks by which we support the sector to drive design ever further up the agenda in business and government, and together as an industry can build universal confidence in design investment.
“Having been a member of the DBA Experts Register for some years now, as well a close friend of the organisation for over a decade, I’m delighted to be joining the Board to assist with the macro communications strategy for the DBA.
The cumulative value and/or output of what I do day-in-day-out with the team at TDC is to underscore the significance of design as a sector, as well as helping to inspire younger generations to understand they can have a wholly viable career path in the field given the pantheon of specialisms across the industry.
The DBA represents a sector lynchpin and it is an honour to join the Board. I relish the opportunity to apply and share my knowledge, working in partnership with the DBA team to further develop the communications strategy.”
“Design – as a strategic business practice – has so much potential to create value, for brand and businesses – as well as for the humans in these ecosystems. I see much greater potential than is presently being delivered. I believe that design is, presently, under-leveraged and under-appreciated by too many companies, brands, and business leaders.
The DBA is uniquely positioned to continue to be a catalyst, a beacon, and an enabler for these challenges. I believe that I would add value to the amazing credibility and standing that the DBA already enjoys, and positively contribute to challenges and opportunities facing the design industry.”
“Having been a DBA member for over 20 years, we have always valued the contribution of the association to the design industry and the knowledge and insight it provides to its members. More specifically, I’d like to see a focus on digital and tech higher on the agenda and promote diversity in this area (particularly women in tech).
During the pandemic, we’ve seen a significant rise in the importance of design within the healthtech space we operate in. For us, this has led to a significant increase in demand at a time where we are facing a creative and digital skills shortage. This skills shortage is something we’re keen to help tackle through the DBA.
Aside from the skills agenda, my interest in joining the DBA Board of Directors lies in giving something back in return for the support the association has provided to us and many others over the years.”
The DBA Board of Directors is Chaired by Warren Hutchinson, Chief Experience Officer & Founder at Else.
After many years of service, the Board Directors stepping down this year are The Engine Room’s Lesley Gulliver and Spring’s Erika Clegg. The DBA would like to offer our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Lesley and Erika for their commitment to, and support of the DBA over the years.
Further details about DBA Directors, other members of the Board and its role, can be found here.
Our Members’ Forum takes place on the first Monday of each month, at 4 – 5pm. If you would like to attend, get in touch here.
Due to bank holidays our next members forum will be on Tuesday 3 May.
Your website is your shop window. Even if most of your new business comes through word-of-mouth, clients will still take a look at your website before making contact.
Their greatest frustration is not being able to quickly understand what the agency’s strengths are – what is the main thing you are good at and can add the most value in?
You need to clearly and concisely, without resorting to industry jargon, explain what you do and your point of difference from the thousands of other design agencies.
Clients are extremely time pressured.
But there are opportunities for agencies armed with this knowledge. Those with concise, clear communications illustrating how they can solve specific problems, can cut through.
Those who understand the client’s market and specific issues can help build longer term strategy into their solutions. By helping the client, rather than adding to the noise, the agency can become a valued partner.
Clients do not have time for speculative new business meetings. They want to feel like they have ‘discovered an agency’ rather than being sold to. Which begs the question – how does an agency make sure they are the one that is discovered? Content marketing is the key – to draw clients towards you. But it needs to be relevant, insightful, authentic and real.
The top 3 new business door openers are:
And through all of this remember that 90% of clients believe that the best agency new business approaches are like an ‘informed discussion’.
87% of clients with a weak relationship with their agency cited client service issues as the reason. Agencies which work hard on developing clear and concise reporting methods to keep their clients informed on progress have an advantage.
The report asked clients which area of their business they wished their agency knew more about. The results give agencies an idea of the questions they need to ask and the skills they need to develop to really become valued partners with their clients.
DBA members can watch a recording of the What Clients Think Report launch, delving into the report’s findings.
Access the DBA webinar recording here.
Download your copy of the 2022 What Clients Think Report produced by Up to the Light in association with the DBA.
On Thursday 30 June from 12pm BST, our 2022 winners will find out if they’ve won Gold, Silver or Bronze at the DBA Design Effectiveness Awards 2022 winners announcement.
The online event, which is free and open to all, is a fantastic opportunity to find out what makes a DBA Design Effectiveness Award winner, so you too can prepare your case.
Tune into the live broadcast to celebrate the power of design and toast the success of our 2022 winners. Register here.
Business | Consultancy | Project title |
Little Bellies | B&B studio | Little Bellies Rebrand |
Raw Halo | B&B studio | Raw Halo Rebrand |
Health Education England | Brand Ethos | Step into the NHS Rebranding and Website Redesign |
Sainsbury’s | BrandMe | SO Organic |
Aimia Foods | Brandon | Horlicks |
McCain | BrandOpus | McCain Street Fries |
3V Natural Foods | Bulletproof | Meridian Rebrand |
Mondelēz International – Australia | Bulletproof | Old Gold Rebrand |
My/Mochi Ice Cream Co. | Bulletproof | My/Mochi Redesign |
Billson’s | Cowan | Billson’s Rebrand |
GlaxoSmithKline | DCA Design International | Voltaren Flip-top Easy Open Cap |
Ministry of Justice | Design102 | #ItStillMatters Campaign |
Fred. Olsen | ELSE | Fred. Olsen Website Optimisation |
Bayer Healthcare | goDutch | Midol Brand Restage |
Barnardo’s | Leap | LifeLabs |
Shorts Boy Distillery | Lewis Moberly | Tidal Rum |
ACCO | Oxford Product Design | Leitz IQ Autofeed Office Shredder Range |
Mars Wrigley | Path | M&Ms 3D Confectionery Advent Calendar |
DRTY Drinks | Pearlfisher | DRTY Drinks Branding |
General Mills | Pearlfisher | Cinnamon Toast Crunch |
Westward Whiskey | Pearlfisher | Westward Whiskey Rebrand |
UpCircle by Optiat | Studio More Design | UpCircle Branding |
KP Snacks | This Way Up | KP Nuts Rebrand |
Oxford Brewery | WPA Pinfold | Oxford Brewery Rebrand |
Our Members’ Forum takes place on the first Monday of each month, at 4 – 5pm. If you would like to attend, get in touch here.
There are two ways to share your views:
The Designs Framework Survey is currently open for responses until 11 February 2022.
It is particularly aimed at those who do not consider themselves IP experts. The short survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete and is an opportunity for designers, design-led businesses, and manufacturers to have their say on the future of how designs are protected in the UK. You can complete the survey here.
A Designs Call for Views has now also been launched, seeking views on the designs intellectual property framework.
It allows those who would like to give more detailed comments on the UK designs system to share their views, providing opportunity to submit considered arguments about how the system could change.
The Call for Views launched on 25 January and will be open until 25 March 2022. You can access more information and respond to the Call for Views on design IP here.
“We would like to hear from you about what works well and what could work better. This will allow the government to consider whether changes need to be made to the UK designs system,” says the IPO.
DBA Expert and Senior Associate at D Young & Co, William Burrell says, “The release of this consultation on whether changes are required to the existing UK design law framework provides a fantastic opportunity for those already making use of registered and unregistered design rights in the UK to have their say on whether these rights are currently fit for purpose, and if not then how they could be improved to work more effectively.
Equally, for those not yet making substantial use of design rights in the UK, the consultation at least now provides a welcome opportunity to provide input on how these rights might be modified to better cover their design related activities.”
You can read more from DBA Expert William Burrell on the consultation here.
And you can also hear from our industry friends, Anti Copying in Design (ACID), on why they welcome this consultation, here.
Designs Framework Survey: take part here.
Designs Call for Views: take part here.
Image credits:
Catrin Johnson | Unsplash
IPO
William Burrell, D Young & Co
All of us have a story to tell and our community wants to hear it. Whether it’s sharing your story of how you started out; talking through a favourite case study; or sharing something you feel passionate and that’s relevant to design students and graduates.
We need a minimum of 30 minutes to 1 hour for the virtual talk. Our project director Emily handles everything else. From the invites to the community, to the tech to run the event. She can help with Q&As beforehand or during. All she needs is a brief description of the event and the speaker’s bio. That’s it.
One recent event saw Bow & Arrow designers, Megan Watkins and Charlotte Liebling telling their story about their journeys into the creative industry, ‘their wonky way in’, showing that there’s not one way.
They told us about taking part with a DCH event: “We had total freedom to share what we wanted, in a way that suited us, and in turn we have been able to access a pool of exciting design talent. As students, we remember how valuable these types of events were and so feel thrilled to have been able to take part ourselves and give back.”
The hub thrives over on the Guild platform. If you haven’t joined yet, please do. You can help here by simply sparing a minute or two of your time to drop in a comment and answer any questions that crop up. Your input could be invaluable. Who knows where your advice or insight could lead a new designer?
Portfolio reviews are a highly valued part of our community. Would you be willing to give us an hour and a half of your time to give feedback to three young designers?
We work with you to find out how you’d like to run these sessions, for example in one block, or over three weeks, and we drive all publicity and registrations over on Guild.
Dan Whetstone, associate director at Lumsden recently held some reviews and said to us: “I got all my jobs through connections, apart from my first as a graduate. Getting that first job felt impossible because I had no meaningful experience, no idea how a design business worked and no clue about what people wanted to see in my portfolio.
“The DCH portfolio reviews felt like a good way of helping people like the 21-year-old me. Where else can you be interviewed without pressure and ask questions that might feel stupid, but are actually really important?
“Every session was really rewarding. Everyone was very grateful. One person got her first job shortly afterwards. It’s easily one of the best things I’ve done.”
If your agency has an internship to publicise, tell Emily what it is, and we’ll get it posted and promoted on our platforms. Internships are a brilliant way to engage and up-skill young talent making them work-force ready, plus a very easy way to give back.
Giving your time or nominating other team members to get involved with the hub, through the hosting of events, portfolio reviews, community engagement and internships is highly valued, but equally important to us is the continued fund-raising to allow the running of the hub.
Please pop over to our Gofundme page to continue your support.
If you want to get involved in any aspect of the hub or talk about any ideas you have, please head over to the DCH website to get in contact with the Project Director Emily Foulkes.
Keep an eye out for more exciting news from the DCH coming soon and thank you to all of the industry for your support to date. We can’t do it without you!
The Design Community Hub is a cross-industry initiative, created to support talent across the design world. Find out more here.
Image credits:
Nong V | Unsplash
Anirudh | Unsplash
Bow & Arrow
Lumsden
One manifestation on the surface of our ‘business ocean’ is money arriving in the bank account… diving deeper we should look at the journey of this money and see if the key moments reveal how we might have done things better:
The invoice
Debtors
Work in progress
Pipeline
Networking
For each element of your business you need to look beyond the surface results and understand how those figures came to be as they are. What is causing the success or difficulties, and how can they be improved?
Image credit:
Chris Barbalis | Unsplash