Swift and Cuckoo - Digital Design Services

Hashtags are made from a word or phrase that acts as a type of metadata tag. Users who post blogs and social media content can use these types of ‘tags’ to give the post a theme or category, and help make their posts more searchable online. In the same way as metadata on websites, the hashtag is read by bots and can therefore play an important role in making a post rank higher in SEO. Twitter was one of the first social media platforms that adopted the use of hashtags. In Twitter, I can use hashtags to denote specific topics of conversation. I can search for hashtags and see every tweet associated with that same hashtag. I can choose to adopt relevant hashtags that are already being circulated, jump on the back of popular trending ones, or choose to create my own hashtags. I can also use multiple tags in one tweet to have a further reach. As well as using tags to organise my posts, I can also use them to create brand voice. It can be used to give context or convey emotion...

I was privileged to meet Jamie Mollart, one of the Directors at one of the region's most well established and respected full service agencies, Rock Kitchen Harris (RKH). He is responsible for managing accounts and being head of client liaison. It was a real experience to meet him and hear about the company’s history as it’s been in business for over 35 years. They have developed with the times and understand that a great design or successful campaign is only possible with a vast amount of research and user testing. He walked us through a selection of past projects as well as giving us a sneak peek into secret projects happening right now. Such as… (just kidding, folks!)

Becoming a freelancer is a little like stepping off a ledge into the abyss, not knowing whether there’ll be enough work to keep you afloat, and whether your business idea is actually going to succeed. I have learned a lot about the pro’s and con’s of working as an employee or choosing to go it alone as a freelancer. With employment comes a certain level of safety and stability; which includes a steady income with rights to sick pay, annual and other forms of leave. There is also potential for promotion and some jobs include training and development, bonuses and company benefits. With freelance work, I would be able to potentially earn a lot more money and claim tax benefits, as well as choose my hours of work, therefore having more flexibility. I would be in control of who I work with, choose the company direction, and have more creative freedom. There are of course some downsides to being a freelancer. The biggest threat is financial instability, and not knowing when ...

Brand identity is the way a company wants to be perceived by it’s audience or consumers. There are several different elements that help create a brand. These include the brand name, logo, tone, tagline, and typography. These elements can help to reflect the value and attributes of a business, and also help it to appeal to right target market. A company’s brand identity can represent both the company, as well as the product or services they offer to its customers. I have learned that a good brand identity can help me stand out against other competitive businesses. In order for me to be successful in creating a good brand identity I have carried out a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis, to examine my own and other competitors brands to make sure that I minimise any threats or weaknesses and maximise on opportunities and strengths. The company’s social media presence is a great way of building brand awareness and relationships with consumers. I...

I have learned that systems and processes are the most essential building blocks of my company, and without them my business will work inefficiently and could have negative results affecting the longevity of my business. Systems and processes cover every facet of my business, whether it dealing with sales enquiries or handling accounts, or running the office. If anyone of these systems or processes are not in place they could cause huge problems for me in delivering my services. Here are some examples of systems and processes that should be organised to help keep a business running smoothly: EXAMPLES OF BUSINESS SYSTEMS Lead Generation Customer Service Office Sales Conversion Hiring E2E Website Training Shipping Pricing Accounting Information Systems Business Continuity Payroll Safety Good systems reduce time waste and helps to streamline my business so that my customers get the best service I can possibly provide. It will help me w...

I really enjoy developing new brands, and wanted to share my journey of how I created the Swift and Cuckoo Brand. The brand name was chosen to symbolise a fast service, that is creative and fun. The name was chosen to describe the overall service as opposed to the types of individual design services it offers, so that it gives the brand freedom to change and move with technology advancements. The logo was heavily developed over a long time period and many different ideas were tried out… In the end I decided to go with a typography based logo with a gradient colour fill. The gradient represents change and movement, which relates to the interactive element of the brand’s services.             The typography pairing used are Aphrodite Slim Text, and Futura Std Heavy. Aphrodite was chosen for its femininity, and it’s expressive ligatures which suggests fun, expression and movement. Futura was chosen as a good contr...