Enterprise and Innovation Task 4

Who else is out there? - How good are they?

Who am I competing against? / What do they offer?
Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of three practitioners or design agencies as objectively as you can.

I Love Dust :

Strengths - Work across many different types of media eg. Illustration, Graphics, Products, Type, Animation - this makes them very flexible and adaptable to wide variety of clients. They collaborate in-house and with global brands.
Weaknesses - It's difficult to pin point any weaknesses with I Love Dust... they cover many areas of design in a slick and polished manner. Their work is mostly for a modern, younger audience, perhaps lacking more traditional aspects - but do they even need to have these?
Opportunities - Further expansion, look into new media eg. Apps / more moving image etc
Threats - Competitive design scene in London, need to work hard to maintain presence against rivals.
Other - A great 'all round' design agency' with a wide variety of work that is really well considered and presented.

Ice Cream For Free :

Strengths - Distinctive collage and illustrative based style, strong identity, big clients established already such as Adidas and Wired Magazine.

Weaknesses - Specific style could theoretically be limiting but at the same time it is ICFF's unique selling point.

Opportunities - Expand into other areas such as products, moving image etc? Still a young company - only been in existence for 5/6 years and so probably room for further expansion.

Threats - Threats would come from more 'all round' design agencies but ICFF's style seems to have caught attention very quickly and so clients are likely to be confident in the result they will get from them. 

Other - A relatively new and unique design agency based in Berlin, Germany, with a strong and recognisable identity.

Raw :

Strengths - An 'all round' design studio that works across many media platforms such as illustration, type, web, printed media. Use traditional and modern processes. Keen to appreciate individual clients needs.

Weaknesses - Difficult to pin point a particular weakness. How does the Manchester design scene (where they are based) compare with London?

Opportunities - Keep up with developing technology .. apps etc? Chase some big name clients.

Threats - Need to maintain a strong presence in competitive design scene.

Other - "We create thoughtful pieces of design and creative communications, with a focus on craftsmanship and collaboration." - This sounds like me!


What makes me better? / What makes me different?

When evaluating working professionals and design agencies and then comparing yourself against them, it's difficult to make a snap judgement and see where you are better or different to them but it's too easy to say that what you can offer is already being done.
The only thing that really makes me different is me - my ideas, my thoughts, my interests and my opinions. I think it's important for me to do what I enjoy and work with subjects that excite me. A certain 'style' of work or a specialist area that I focus on could be established over time as I gain experience but I don't think it should concern me at this point. Many other designers out there probably may well already offer some of what I can, however, it will be in the way that I promote myself and convey my message and to whom I send it to that will make a difference.