Author: Treefrog Design

Treefrog were commissioned to create a range of concepts to promote a young persons/student film competition – a joint venture between CVP and Canon.

Each concept was required to comply with stringent brand guidelines and be brand consistent with 2 sets of directives given by the brand partnership. At the same time, the concepts needed to be both distinctive and eye catching, and appeal to the demographic of the competition.

The chosen concept visually represented the demographic and conveyed to title of the competition with its sense of movement. This concept was rolled out across a wide range of promotional collateral for both digital and print.

Assets to complete the Canon website launch was given priority with phase 2 – web banners, HTML E-mail templates and headers, Social media templates and posters quickly following to help promote the inaugural event.

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How much does a website cost?…it’s a question we are often asked, but one that’s difficult to answer due to the many variables that can affect the price.

• Do you have an existing identity, brand or style in place?
• Do you require a purely brochure style site to give you the online presence in order to present your products or services and reassure potential customers?
• Do you require the site to act as your main marketing drive, that will sell or generate leads?
• Is there any functionality that is required, such as booking forms, or sales check outs, or are there specific third-party integrations?
• Not to mention how big is the site, is there an existing site map or specific user journey already mapped, and how many pages are required?

Our success comes from listening and interpreting your unique requirements. Every business is unique, so every website that we create is tailored to your individual needs. In order to provide an estimate for your website that’s fit for your specific purpose, it is essential we establish the answers to these and other questions. This is the only way we can answer the question of “How much does a website cost?”. We can then ensure we are quoting on a website that will provide you with the best ROI, deliver results, and help your business gain a competitive edge. That is why we have developed  a comprehensive online briefing sheet. Once completed and your specific needs are understood, we can then advise on the best route forward and provide an estimate on the work involved. 

How much does a website cost? What if I have a limited budget?

Having worked closely with organisations of all sizes, we are well aware that what may be right for one company isn’t always right for another. Our websites are built from scratch, designed by top designers, built by expert developers and strategised by SEO savvy content advisors, but it maybe that your business does not have to go that far to create an online presence that is adequate for your needs. There are lots of companies that offer off-the-shelf templated designs, or online builders that can help you create your own website. Whilst these vary in terms of the level of professionalism and sophistication, in the right hands, some maybe sufficient to create a basic online presence that’s adequate for your immediate needs or current budget.

What website builder do you recommend?

Our particular favourite is Squarespace – you may have seen this advertised on UK TV by Idris Elba. Their software allows users to access pre-built website templates and drag-and-drop elements to create and modify web pages. As with anything you get what you pay for, and these type of sites will never be at the level that could be attained by building a bespoke and truly unique site from scratch. Whilst certain functionality can also be added, it is limited and the more specific you want your site to look or perform certain functions the less likely this route will be for you. Ownership is also another consideration. As with any website template builder, a Squarespace site sits on their platform and uses their software to build it, so its never yours to keep and can’t be transferred elsewhere. Think of it as an indefinite rolling rental, where you pay a monthly subscription fee to Squarespace for the use of their software and hosting. As long as the limitations are understood, for start-ups or businesses with a limited budget this route may well be all you need.      

How can I make a web template site look as good as it can be?

Whilst in theory these can then be built by anyone without any design or coding experience, in practice, without these skillsets these sites can look unsophisticated and generic. In the right hands however, with a designers eye and a coders expertise they can be modified to look slick and professional, adapted to be less generic and align with your existing brand. For a one-off fee Treefrog can build a site for you using on the Squarespace platform, you then simply continue to pay your monthly subscription direct to Squarespace. Please get in touch to discuss your specific requirements, we will then be able to advise if this route could work for you and be sufficient for you current needs.

A logo or identity sits at the core of everything, but your brand is much more than rolling out your logo once a year to adorn the obligatory Christmas card.

Your company’s brand is the combined and overall look of all its communications, all the elements of your brand that make it recognisable and different, and the more distinctive all these core elements are, the stronger your brand will be. The stronger your brand is, the more likely it will be picked out of the pack by customers so getting all these individual assets right is vital.

At Treefrog we have developed a range of packages to suit all businesses and budgets, ranging from logo packages through to a complete brand development. The key differences are highlighted below:

A logo/identity package:

• Your logo is developed by means of a briefing sheet to identify the key requirements of the logo.
• From that information we develop a number of different concepts from which you can choose from.
• The number of concepts and re-iterations are dependant on the package chosen.
• The different packages are defined by the studio time allocated which is reflected in the number of concepts and re-iterations included in the chosen package.

A complete brand development package:

The brand redevelopment is a more fully inclusive service whereby we carry out research and in depth strategic reasoning to provide a brand strategy to your whole business rather than just a single stand-alone logo.

• A full research & discovery project is undertaken prior to any design work. We learn your business, your customers, your services and your competitors. The logo is then derived from the information obtained from the Market research, Strategy and Brand positioning analysis carried out prior to any logo work.
• This research then helps us build a criteria that the branding must hit, this then defines what the logo should look like.
• The logo is shown as a part of an overall brand strategy and shown in the context of secondary styling with mood boards illustrating a range of collateral to illustrate the logo as part of the overall brand implementation.

The strategy behind brand redevelopment includes the following stages/steps:

1. Audit & research

The project starts by learning about the heart of your business and discovering what makes it tick. We establish your personality, values and attributes – these are key to defining your brand effectively, consistently and succinctly.

2. Defining the brand

We provide analysis and reporting of opinions of key stakeholders, customer profiles and key competitor brands. By defining the key attributes & core values of your brand we can then define the market opportunities and identify the optimal space for your brand to occupy.

3. Creating the brand

Only now can we start to bring your brand to life and move forward with your most important asset – your identity. We then support this by establishing the key elements that you can use to communicate your personality and brand values to the world.

Primary identity development: Based on our research and analysis we present 3 concept routes.

Secondary styling: Effective brand identity is achieved by the consistent use of key specific elements to create a strong and recognisable brand that can stand alone even without the logo. That’s why we surround your identity with examples of secondary styling to your flesh out the brand, establishing some of your most important brand assets.

4. Protecting the brand

Once we have established your brand you need to ensure that it is always presented in a consistent and professional way. Our brand identity guidelines help to ensure your brand remains consistent and avoids inconsistencies that may weaken or confuse your brand.

How we can help your business gain a competitive edge?

Treefrog have a wealth of experience creating identities and building brands for companies of all shapes and sizes across the globe. We learn about the heart of your business and discover what makes it tick. Then, by drawing from this learning process, we can create a whole range of relevant, distinctive and cohesive brand assets to ensure your business looks truly awesome.

Get in touch to find out more about our identity or complete branding service and discover how we can help your company stand out from your competitors and gain a competitive edge.

First impressions count, wrong impressions last, and there are no second chances. Your logo has a primary role in the representation of your company, so getting it right first time is vital.

It’s a jungle out there, and for any business the only thing that may distinguish you from your competitors is your image. Your identity is not just a visual representation of your business name, but should embody the identity of your company, its personality and reputation not only to your potential customers, but your current or future staff and potential partnerships.

Your logo needs to work hard, and may be required for any number of purposes including print, signage, and online media. It’s therefore essential that careful consideration needs to be given to all possible uses, ensuring a consistency is achieved across different processes and requirements. Using a trusted and experienced design agency with the right knowledge and expertise will ensure your logo design will reproduce correctly and meet the demands of all media and ensure your business looks truly awesome.

If you have no strong opinions – don’t worry, if the designer has understood your company and your brief correctly they will be more than happy to propose ideas and directions for you, don’t be afraid to leave it to them, they are the experts. Remember creating a logo is not necessarily about creating a logo that you like but rather crating something that is right for your business – a logo that truly embodies your company and presents itself in the correct way. Of course at treefrog, we always try to achieve both.

Finally, if the proposed designs don’t hit the spot, don’t worry, don’t be afraid to say so, but try to be constructive. Perhaps there are certain aspects that they can mix and match. There may be colours or fonts that you can work with?

Ultimately, the designer will need to understand which route they need to take so that you are happy with the end result. An effective design process is really all about clear communication from start to finish. The better your communication the better the final outcome, so keep talking to your design team.

How we can help your business create the right and lasting impression?

Treefrog have a wealth of experience creating identities for companies of all shapes and sizes. We can bring your business to life with a mix of analytical thinking and creative flair that helps you connect with your customers through print, web and a cohesive digital strategy.

Get in touch to find out more about our identity and branding service and how we can help your business grow and help your brand gain a competitive edge.

Your company’s brand is the combined and overall look of all its communications and effective branding is achieved by the consistent use of specific visual elements to create distinction. This includes everything from specific fonts, colours and graphic elements – all the constituent parts that helps to create a strong and recognisable brand that stands alone even without the logo. We often refer to this as ‘secondary styling’ but its importance should not be underestimated.

What are brand guidelines?

Brand guidelines are a set of rules and tools that determine how you use your branding elements. The guidelines are used by designers, writers, marketing professionals and anyone else who makes use of your brand’s elements when they create marketing materials. These guidelines will usually be presented as a pdf, so they can be easily updated or added to as your brand grows.

Why are brand guidelines important?

Effective brand identity is achieved by the consistent use of specific elements to create a strong and recognisable brand. Your brand affects your business’s ability to achieve its objectives. It’s what sets you apart from your competitors and instils recognition and loyalty in your client and customers. Consistency is key to your brand’s success and the tools by which this is achieved are brand guidelines.

Do I need brand guidelines?

When distributed to service providers, brand guidelines provide tools for anyone working on marketing materials to ensure your brand remains consistent. If you use or intend to use multiple service providers then brand guidelines are imperative to avoid inconsistencies that will weaken or confuse your brand. If you are using a single branding agency to produce all your collateral, across both print and digital, then these may not necessarily be required as the branding agency should automatically act as your brand guardians.

What should brand guidelines include?

No two businesses are the same so the elements that are included in your brand guidelines may vary.

However, brand guidelines would typically include:
Logo Use
Correct Uses – Full colour, Single colour, Mono and Reversed (If required)
Incorrect Uses
Positioning – Min Size Requirements
Positioning – Min Space Requirements
Typography – Main Font Uses
Colour Palette – Primary & Secondary

…but may also include for example:
Secondary styling (overview of implementation of chosen style)
Photography style
Product branding (If applicable)
Website style (overview only)
Infographics (styling of charts, maps & icons)
Stationery (overview)
Print collateral overview ( A4 brochure cover & spread)
Print advertising (typical A4 ad)
Print advertising (typical A5 ad)
Digital advertising overview (Social Media)
PowerPoint (overview example 4pp)
Exhibitions & Signage (overview)
Merchandise (overview of mugs/pens/apparel)

How do you establish your brand guidelines?

As a branding agency Treefrog know good foundations are essential to building your brand. A logo sits at the core of everything, but your brand is so much more…

Treefrog have a wealth of experience building brands for companies of all shapes and sizes across the globe. We learn about the heart of your business and discover what makes it tick. Then, by drawing from this learning process, we can create a whole range of relevant, distinctive and cohesive brand assets to ensure your business looks truly awesome.

Get in touch to find out more about our branding service and discover how we can help your business grow and help your brand gain a competitive edge.

Hello there! Welcome to our blog. We are Treefrog Design, a Surrey design agency operating out of the village of Ripley (just outside of Woking). 

As a limited company we started out all the way back in 2003 – with the rather long winded name of Treefrog Design Associates. A few years in we dropped the ‘Associates’ part of the name and now we are known as Treefrog Design – or by those who work with us and know us best, Treefrog.

We are an all encompassing design agency. A turn of phrase which we have kind of pioneered ourselves in referencing what we do. Basically – it means whether you need branding, a logo, print related items, a website, digital marketing or something else then we are your one stop shop. 

How can you specialise in so many areas? I hear you ask. Well, every team member here at Treefrog has their own speciality roles and are simply experts in their areas. To help keep things simple if you need something design related it is best to call and ask for Phill (who heads up the design and print side of the business) and if you are after something website or digital related, including SEO and advertising then it is best to call and ask for Paul. Both of these wonderfully helpful individuals (even if I do say so myself!) can then best advise. 

A Surrey design agency built on values

We pride ourselves on being flexible and responsive. Where necessary (and possible), we will work around the clock to accommodate your requirements and pull out all the stops to keep you happy. We are well aware that what may be right for one company isn’t always right for another. Each project is tailored to its individual requirements and budget. 

We strive for is to make sure we are a ‘fluff’ free zone. While sometime we need to talk technical we will avoid the use of jargon. If something is also not right for you we will make sure to tell you – and suggest alternatives. The ethos is simple, straightforward design creativity where flair and finesse are not considered value-added extras.

Want to work with us?

If you have a project or even just a question about something potentially in the pipeline please reach out. We would love to talk to you! You can fill our our contact form or simply just call the studio.