Partisan is a studio of creative professionals who listen, think and create to help businesses define their brand position, engage audiences, transform and grow. We do this with insatiable curiosity, insightful creativity, frank advice and genuine care.
We can help.
Our broad capability set has been developed from working with clients to deliver brand and investor communications for more than 25 years. Our approach is simple; we take our clients’ commercial agendas seriously, and work collaboratively and strategically to develop design and communications solutions that are noticed and get results.
Partisan is a Melbourne-based, creative studio with a heritage in corporate and investor brand communications. We provide strategic creative services to ensure our design thinking aligns to brand and business objectives.
Frank and fearless
The name Partisan reflects our commitment to the cause of each client. We are a close-knit team of creative professionals committed to producing outstanding work, which is appropriate, responsive, strategically informed, distinctive and effective.
Considered and purposeful
We create brands and communications that help clients achieve business objectives, and we use design as a tool to put the pieces together so their communications engage the right audience, say the right thing, build trust and encourage action.
Strategic thinking and design process guide our activity and ensure our work is distinctly relevant and compelling. We employ proven systems and procedures, which allow us to be thoughtful and risk conscious whilst also allowing our creativity the freedom to exceed the ordinary.
Partisan Design Group P/L
Office 9, Level 1
297–301 Napier Street
Fitzroy, Victoria 3065 Australia
Laser Group is the leading electrical and plumbing contracting network across Australia and New Zealand.
Originating as an electrical contractor business in New Zealand, they approached us when they were establishing a presence in Australia with their electrical franchise business and expanding their service offering to the plumbing sector. They had recognised that their existing brand depiction of a lightning bolt was neither a comfortable fit for plumbers nor provided any strategic support to the business.
Partisan were engaged to develop a new brand identity which could ‘talk to’ electrical as well as plumbing members and one which would better position them for the future. We were asked to refresh the existing colour palette but to retain the Laser name and develop a motif which could take them to the next stage of their growth and lead internal and external brand communications.
The marketplace was changing, customers were expecting a savvier level of customer service and technology advancements were changing the way they worked, they needed a brand which could help them navigate the changing environment and engage their stakeholders for the long-term.
Working closely with insights from the ELT, we developed some keen brand thinking and values to attribute to the brand and to lead our creative exploration. We created a badge of excellence for members to wear with pride. Designed with a nod to the original brand motif, but now star-shaped and encapsulated within a softer water-coloured shape, the new symbol represents the brand’s commitment to quality and reliable service.
Brand identity
• Art direction
• Brand development
• Brand identity
• Brand strategy
• Concept development
• Copywriting and editing
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Key message development
• Project management
• Website design
Neo Dia are a Melbourne based start-up fashion label who design high fashion garments inspired by the architectural principles of light and shadow, as celebrated in the work of Gehry and the Bauhaus movement.
Founders Gavin Lowes and Becky Chua approached Partisan to develop a brand identity that would reflect their unique approach and inspiration. We developed a clean, linear brand reminiscent of geometry and layering as distinctive to the Neo Dia style.
Partisan styled and art directed seasonal campaign imagery and designed and produced lookbooks, as well as collateral for point of sale such as bags, swing tags, business cards and promotional material for use at trade shows.
Brand identity
• Art direction
• Brand development
• Brand identity
• Concept development
• Consulting
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Styling and pre-production
Echelon are a security business offering surveillance, protection and security guard services. They approached us to develop a brand that would position them as a premium service, to cater to corporate clientele for events, corporate functions and venue security.
The result was an identity which could communicate Echelon’s high standard of professionalism, strength of security service and diversified offering, while steering away from the traditional symbolism typical of other industry participants.
The mark was designed to reflect their diversified offering and service options, whilst at the same time providing a visual foundation for their internal communications framework. Working with a customised chunky-set typeface we maintained a confident tone to the mark tempered with a multi-coloured motif and bold graphic style across a range of touchpoints. The client was particularly fond of the treatment on their business card - printed on a heavy board-weight uncoated stock that he felt was so much “more ‘human’ than gorilla!”
Brand identity
• Art direction
• Brand identity
• Brand development
• Brand strategy
• Brand workshops
• Concept development
• Consulting
• Copywriting and editing
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Key message development
• Editorial planning
• Image editing and retouching
• Photographic management
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Typesetting and proofreading
SEEK is the global leader in the creation and operation of online employment markets. We developed their Annual Report from concept to publication. SEEK had grown from a small Australian online business to expansion into the global marketplace of education and employment, and on their expansion reaching nearly 4 billion people worldwide. Earlier Annual Reports work focused on the playful nature of their brand and positive company image; this report reflected their more mature global brand position by being tonally slightly more sophisticated in both content and design.
We used a multiple exposure photographic treatment to reference the new people and places encountering each other through jobs in the ‘cloud’, and packaged it in a finely executed editorial structure, the SEEK corporate visual identity and an accessible typographic format.
This report was so much more than just the facts and figures typical of annual reporting – it helped tell their story as a truly international business. Annual Reports are often complex information documents, with a production focus on accuracy and risk mitigation. Partisan were able to take the document to a new level of engagement with investors, helping them to realise the vision of the business through sophisticated imagery and astute and pragmatic storytelling.
In all our annual report work, we take stringent care with our content management and employ proof reading as part of our typesetting process to mitigate risk and ensure consistency of communication. Designers work in concert to; develop clear graphics, easy-to-navigate layouts and typography, and enhance key messages that deliver the company story coherently, with clarity and on brand.
Annual report
• Art direction
• Concept development
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Editorial planning
• Image editing and retouching
• Photographic management
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Typesetting and proofreading
United Energy and Multinet Gas are one of Victoria’s largest energy distributors, servicing customers across east and south-east Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula.
Our capability in the branded environment space was highlighted when United Energy and Multinet Gas moved into their new office space, one that the electricity distributor had occupied some 30 years earlier. Partisan had been consulting with them on a number of brand development projects and were engaged to apply our thinking to the new workspace.
Partisan seamlessly translated a new visual identity into their new surrounds, in concert with architectural improvements by Resource.
We took into consideration effective wayfinding through use of colour and clear signposting. Coloured feature walls provided warmth and relief from the stark whites and greys typical of an open plan office backdrop whilst the use of a continuous line graphic provided a sense of unity and cohesion throughout. Imagery and meeting room names were derived from iconic locations across the company's distribution area to both educate new employees and to remind others of their constituency.
Branded environment
• Art direction
• Brand development
• Concept development
• Consulting
• Copywriting and editing
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Image editing and retouching
• Key message development
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Typesetting and proofreading
• Workspace branding
Operating from a home garden in Ocean Grove, Bella Bunches offer unique, quirky and personalised bouquets of flowers and fruit for weddings and events.
Partisan created an identity that would reflect Bella Bunches’ unique approach to floristry and capture their passion for crafting distinctly personal pieces. The identity of the owner needed to come through so we co-wrote key pieces of brand language to establish the right tone and flavour and used hand-drawn lettering style for key text and the logotype. We worked with the client to style some select pieces for a low budget shoot and created a series of colourful and dynamic digital collages that were used in the brand rollout, across stationery, local advertising, livery and a suite of sales and marketing collateral.
Brand identity
• Advertising and design
• Art direction
• Brand development
• Brand identity
• Concept development
• Copywriting and editing
• Creative direction
• Illustration
• Image editing and retouching
• Key message development
• Photographic management
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Styling and pre-production
• Tone and voice development
• Typesetting and proofreading
• Website design
Aussie Drink Drive (ADD) is a Department of Human Services accredited educational program operator that provides counseling and professional support to drink drive offenders in Victoria.
We were engaged to refresh their website and develop a new brand communications campaign to roll out over their digital platforms.
Due to the sensitive nature of the subject matter and significant confusion in the market, generating a strategic approach to engagement and the distillation of complex issues was critically important.
Our solution was to develop a series of animated illustrations complimented with approachable copywriting to deliver authentic, non-threatening and accessible messages. Assembled in a clear and concise style, using core brand colours - reminiscent of road signage and the VicRoads authority brand - materials supported a range of engagement activity focused on the core principle of making it easier for clients to 'help themselves' by working with ADD.
Brand communications
• Art direction
• Brand development
• Concept development
• Consulting
• Copywriting and editing
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Illustration
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Typesetting and proofreading
• Website design
AED Limited is an oil and gas development company established to acquire and commercialise oil fields and inspect prospective oil deposits.
Drawing inspiration from the explorative nature of their business and the shape of natural underground oil pockets, we developed a unique and timeless typographic logo motif. The mark was further brought to life with embossed embellishments rolled out over their corporate stationery.
We went on to produce a suite of investment market collateral and a range of printed and digital corporate communications.
Services:
Brand identity design
Brand communications
Layout and design
Print management
Stationery design
The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) is responsible for operating Australia’s largest gas and electricity markets and power systems. As Australia’s independent energy markets and power systems operator, AEMO provides critical planning, forecasting and power systems information, security advice, and services to its stakeholders.
Partisan were engaged to design and produce an annual report that positioned AEMO as a trusted industry leader during a time of unprecedented change and uncertainty in the energy sector.
The chosen concept used cityscapes from key national locations to help reinforce their national position (and the organisations vision for ‘Energy security for all Australians’). Working with the AEMO Communications and Corporate affairs team and within strict corporate brand guidelines, we produced a report which delivered a consistent tone and style, accessible layout and typography, and one which built confidence with its constituents. The document featured infographics throughout to highlight key data, and help deliver key facts and figures relating to the years activity in a more engaging fashion.
Our knowledge of the Australian energy regulatory landscape and extensive stakeholder communications experience enabled us to deliver a mature solution which delivered clear, effective communication of material, meeting the requirements and expectations of AEMO within strict timeframes.
In all our annual report work, we take stringent care with our content management and employ proof reading as part of our typesetting process to mitigate risk and ensure consistency of communication. Designers work in concert to; develop clear graphics, easy-to-navigate layouts and typography, and enhance key messages that deliver the company story coherently, with clarity and on brand.
Annual report
• Art direction
• Concept development
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Editorial planning
• Image editing and retouching
• Photographic management
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Typesetting and proofreading
Beon Energy Solutions are a retail energy business specialising in utility and infrastructure, commercial, and residential energy solutions Australia-wide.
Partisan were engaged to develop a corporate brand strategy to drive and inform development of a new brand and name for the unregulated business.
A key challenge was to create a distinctive brand for a start-up company needing to set itself apart in an increasingly competitive energy landscape.
We guided senior management through several brand development workshops to identify organisational values and goals. Using strategic outputs we conceived the name ‘Beon’, in simple terms to underline a future-focused intent to look ‘beyond’ the now, as well as a promise to ‘being on’ – their commitment to being a reliable and responsive business.
Partisan created a bold and dynamic mark to deliver the confidence required for a new brand in a busy market. A key feature of the brand mark was its stretchy ‘signature’, devised to imply their proposition of ‘Energy from every angle’ an output of their vision to be an agile, flexible, and capable business. Much like their business, the mark was adaptable to different environments and could be animated for a variety of media. The brand colour, inspired by the morning sun, provided brand distinction in a competitive marketplace and a positive engagement for constituents.
As part of the brand development we designed and delivered a range of support materials for the identity including; extended visual language, tone and voice brand guidelines, and a range of collateral to be implemented across print and online.
Brand identity
• Art direction
• Brand audit
• Brand development
• Brand identity
• Brand strategy
• Brand workshops
• Concept development
• Consulting
• Copywriting and editing
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Image editing and retouching
• Key message development
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Tone and voice development
• Typesetting and proofreading
• Website design
The Civic Group brings together some of Australia’s most respected and experienced communications, media and political experts. They are industry leaders in designing and implementing strategies that influence and activate public opinion, policy makers and stakeholders.
Partisan were engaged to create a no frills brand identity to present the perfect face to their new company name.
We developed a sophisticated typographic identity to evoke a timeless sense of experience and corporate know-how, fitting for a top–tier PR firm managing high-profile corporate, political and shareholder campaigns. We also developed an accompanying suite of corporate collateral and a clear and concise brand guidelines document to ensure the identity could be self-managed and applied effectively across all touch points.
Corporate identity and stationery
• Brand development
• Brand identity
• Brand strategy
• Concept development
• Consulting
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Project management
This beautiful gate-fold covered Annual report, which we designed and produced for Cbus, won Gold at the Australasian Reporting Awards.
Cbus are Australia’s largest super fund for the building and construction industry. At the time of this annual report, Cbus were in the process of further extending their market reach to include the white collar segment of the building and construction industry. This was to inform much of the decision-making around imagery and tone of the report.
We took the opportunity to the welcoming brand message front and centre of the structure of the book, and art directed the cover shot to feature blue and white collar at a Cbus property site, set against the iconic backdrop of Sydney Harbour. Locations were key to raising awareness of Cbus increasing national breadth of membership.
The inclusive narrative was further developed throughout the body of the document with a number of photographic spreads dedicated to delivering key concepts of investment, confidence and growth. Each, featured stories from a variety of different members (representing of the diversity of the Cbus membership base) and provided visual pause between key segments of the book. A full set of Financials was also prepared, as well as a member-focussed summary book.
In all our annual report work, we take stringent care with our content management and employ proof reading as part of our typesetting process to mitigate risk and ensure consistency of communication. Designers work in concert to; develop clear graphics, easy-to-navigate layouts and typography, and enhance key messages that deliver the company story coherently, with clarity and on brand.
Annual report
• Art direction
• Concept development
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Editorial planning
• Image editing and retouching
• Photographic management
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Typesetting and proofreading
The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) are the legislated peak body for local government in Victoria. They are responsible for supporting and advocating the interests of councils and councillors.
Partisan were approached to design and produce a series of communications introducing local councils to a new insurance scheme, MAV WorkCare.
Working with the client PMO we developed an editorial plan for documents to deliver clear and effective communications. Page layouts were designed in keeping with the MAV corporate guidelines and featured charts and pullout information throughout to highlight critical data and figures. We adopted a simplified two column grid and typographic approach to help keep content accessible and easy to read, and packaged the documents with a distinct campaign visual identity.
Information memorandum
• Concept development
• Design development
• Editorial planning
• Image editing and compositing
• Infographic development
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Typesetting and proofreading
Having helped Cbus win Gold at the Annual Reporting Awards, we were engaged the following year to help design and produce their first Integrated report.
Working closely with The Civic Group and Cbus PMO we developed a suite of visually compelling tools and diagrams to better illustrate strategic models and complex information. These would form critical design features of the document and drive its overall tonal position.
Partisan managed the design process from conceptualisation to design and typesetting with integrated proofreading services ensuring all materials were handled with care and published content was accurate and on brand.
We delivered printed and online solutions that delivered key messaging to reinforce the Cbus brand position, and provided an improved typographic composition, clear signposting and index references that would help readers easily navigate through the new reporting framework. The theme ‘Building value’ was a reference to their continued success as a high performing industry superfund and a declaration of their strategic intent during an early phase of their own transformation.
Annual integrated report
• Art direction
• Concept development
• Copywriting and editing
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Illustration
• Key message development
• Editorial planning
• Image editing and retouching
• Infographic development
• Photographic management
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Typesetting and proofreading
CitiPower and Powercor is one of Australia’s largest energy distributors and a prudent investor in new technologies in the energy sector. As part of its ‘Networks for the future’ strategy, the Company were trialling, installing, and testing a range of both residential and large-scale batteries across its network.
Partisan were approached to develop a suite of communications which could engage and inform stakeholders with cautious optimism and help position the business as future-focused.
A key challenge was to communicate the new developments as being exciting, whilst considering customer and community sensitivities to perceptions of risk, disruption or additional cost.
Working in consultation with the Corporate affairs team we created a number online and printed documents which featured relevant landscape imagery and simple typography as well as custom infographics and diagrams to help simplify key concepts and to explain opportunities and benefits provided by the technologies to the network. Language and layout reflected the careful but confident approach the company was taking with respect to building its ‘Networks for the future’.
Brand communications
• Art direction
• Brand development
• Concept development
• Copywriting and editing
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Illustration
• Editorial planning
• Image editing and retouching
• Infographic development
• Photographic management
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Typesetting and proofreading
CitiPower and Powercor is one of Australia’s largest electricity distribution networks, delivering electricity to more than a million homes and businesses across two distribution networks in Victoria.
Partisan were commissioned to design and produce a Business summary which could communicate business operations and activity across the two often contrasting networks, reflect on the years performance and position the business with confidence for a rapidly changing future.
The Business summary was expected to be largely retrospective of the year, but there was a strong desire for it to aid future positioning for the business without losing sight of what was important. The theme and title “Re:” was devised to acknowledge a regard for the past, present and future through three key drivers of the business year-on-year; performance, innovation and investment.
We art-directed large feature-spread photography of iconic imagery that referenced key locations and activity across the two networks, and demonstrated the range of complex operations delivered by the organisation. We used bold typography and language to deliver a confident tone and to introduce a sense of authority to an aspiring industry leader.
In all our work, we take stringent care with our content management and employ proof reading as part of our typesetting process to mitigate risk and ensure consistency of communication. Designers work in concert to; develop clear graphics, easy-to-navigate layouts and typography, and enhance key messages that deliver the company story coherently, with clarity and on brand.
Business summary
• Art direction
• Concept development
• Copywriting and editing
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Illustration
• Editorial planning
• Image editing and retouching
• Photographic management
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Typesetting and proofreading
CitiPower and Powercor own and manage the poles and wires that deliver electricity to more than a million homes and businesses across two networks in Victoria. They are among Australia’s largest electricity distribution networks.
With the energy industry undergoing significant transformation, and inline with a core business strategy to ‘drive and embrace change’, we wanted this years review to acknowledge the company as a reliable operator and to position them as a partner for change.
Adopting an editorial magazine-style, we highlighted the organisation’s contribution to urban and regional communities and featured case studies to celebrate customer and employee achievements throughout the year.
Accompanied by purpose-shot reportage-style photography, the document was designed to deliver an authentic piece of engagement both as a reflection of their genuine relationship with customers, communities and employees, and of their honest ambitions for the future.
The theme ‘With Energy’ is both an acknowledgement of their commitment to stakeholders and a promise to lead transformational change with enthusiasm.
Annual review
• Art direction
• Concept development
• Copywriting and editing
• Design development
• Editorial planning
• Image editing and retouching
• Infographic development
• Photographic management
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Typesetting and proofreading
CitiPower and Powercor required collateral in the form of supportive documents and fact sheets to support their sales staff in communicating with potential customers. The challenge for Partisan was to communicate the breadth of offered services to a diverse and far-reaching customer base in single documents that were easy to reference and hand out at point of sale.
Using the theme “Take Control of Your Energy”, we developed brochures and fact sheets targeted towards three different customer types – residential, business and large-scale commercial.
Services:
Layout and design
Typesetting and proofreading
Photo retouching
Project management
CitiPower and Powercor are two of five Victorian electricity distributor business brands, each operating a separate license covering somewhat contrasting geographic areas in Victoria, largely distinguished as urban and rural respectively.
Partisan were engaged by Corporate affairs to design and develop an evolving suite of materials as part of a campaign to engage with stakeholders and customers in the lead up to, and during, a Regulatory reset period. The organisation was consulting with community and stakeholders across both networks to gain valuable feedback to inform the development of their Regulatory proposals. They needed a design and communications strategy that would both support the collaborative process and meet the needs of a specific set of stakeholders and brand.
Due to changes in the regulatory environment, this was the first time the organisation would be communicating with stakeholders in this way - we wanted to establish dialogue with stakeholders. The campaign concept needed to help start the conversation and be adaptable over the longer term. The suite of communications needed to be; engaging, educational and informative, whilst at the same time meet regulatory requirements and strict schedules for production.
We used customer-focused imagery and language, to build intimacy with the audience and developed a campaign brand defined by a quotation mark motif to emphasise the importance placed on having a conversation with stakeholders. Critically, “We hear you” was used to position the communications at the earlier consultation part of the process whilst “Our response ability” was used in later publications, to position the company as responsive to customer and stakeholder needs (responsible), as well as responsive to new technologies in the market (capable).
Partisan developed a range of supportive graphics to help clarify complex topics, and delivered templated solutions so that each branded identity could deliver on brand. Copy and headlines were written in plain english to maintain an authentic brand position and to keep the communications accessible to a diverse audience. In all our document production, we take stringent care with our content management and employ proof reading as part of our typesetting process to mitigate risk and ensure consistency of communication.
Stakeholder communications
• Art direction
• Campaign development
• Concept development
• Copywriting and editing
• Design development
• Editorial planning
• Image editing and retouching
• Infographic development
• Photographic management
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Typesetting and proofreading
Powercor Australia are the largest electricity distributor in western and regional Victoria. They approached us to develop some high level conceptual thinking and strategy for their latest community engagement campaign.
As part of the broader Citipower and Powercor diversity and inclusion initiatives, they wanted to recognise and celebrate the important role of women in regional communities. The campaign would focus on Powercor’s contribution to regional Victorian life by linking strongly to their Country Festival partnership with the AFL Country Games.
We developed the ‘Game Changers’ concept to link these ideas, and created a suite of communications calling on regional communities to nominate women who were driving and embracing change in their community. The award winner would be celebrated at an awards night during the Powercor Country Festival AFL Blockbuster game between Essendon and Geelong football clubs.
The campaign needed to meet complex brand objectives and work across a variety of media. The challenge was to execute an engaging campaign strategy in a tight timeframe, delivering online and print materials in collaboration with other service partners. We met the brief with a dynamic, lively design using the arrow motif to bring together concepts of searching and finding, driving forward in different directions, and to complement the AFL Country Games mark. Our colour palette was an expansion of thinking being developed for the dual branded entity and with deeper considerations to concepts of diversity and inclusion.
Campaign branding
• Art direction
• Brand development
• Brand naming
• Campaign development
• Concept development
• Consulting
• Copywriting and editing
• Design development
• Editorial planning
• Illustration
• Image editing and retouching
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Typesetting and proofreading
CitiPower and Powercor are Australia’s largest electricity distributor, with more than 2,000 employees across central and western Victoria.
Partisan were engaged to design and develop an internal communications campaign and stakeholder framework to equip employees to better engage with their external stakeholders. The campaign was part of a broader cultural change within the organisation as they sought to improve service delivery and involve stakeholders, customers, and the wider community in consultative decision-making.
We focused on providing employees with a fun, memorable framework that provoked dialogue and encouraged conversation around the office. We achieved this with a lighthearted and witty approach, simplified imagery, bold typography, hand-written annotations, and conversational style copy. Printed and digital collateral as well as promotional items such as badges and lanyards were used in early engagement forums with employees.
Stakeholder engagement
• Art direction
• Brand development
• Campaign development
• Concept development
• Copywriting and editing
• Design development
• Editorial planning
• Illustration
• Image editing and retouching
• Infographic development
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Typesetting and proofreading
Established as a family business in 1999 with integrity and passion as core values, Dacland are a privately owned Victorian development company. They want to change the way people perceive the property development industry and want to develop communities where people can feel connected.
Lochaven is a residential community outside of Melbourne built by the Dacland Property Group. Originally known as Strathlea, Dacland acquired the land from the Macnab family who had owned the land for over a century across three generations and they wanted in some way to retain that heritage and pass it on to the next generation of residents.
Dacland engaged Partisan to develop a piece of brand communications to reaffirm their brand proposition of ‘A real sense of place’. They wanted to honour the Macnab family and to celebrate their century-long contribution in the community.
Partisan devised a unique piece of storytelling to embellish the development at Lochaven with a sense of place and to emotionally engage with new residents and prospective buyers. A key part of the communication was delivered in the form of a Photobook titled ‘From Strathlea to Lochaven’. It was designed to bring to life the story of the Macnabs and their history with the land, so that readers could emotionally connect with the location - supporting Dacland’s brand proposition of 'We create places where people love to be'.
Using a collection of artifacts, photographs and quotes from the family archives, we wove together an image-rich book, finished with a stitched binding embellishment. Inspired by their Scottish heritage, we used the unique linework from the McNab family tartan as a central design element to add a touch of craft and lead the viewer through the book.
Brand communications
• Art direction
• Concept development
• Copywriting and editing
• Design development
• Editorial planning
• Image editing and retouching
• Photographic management
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Typesetting and proofreading
Dacland is an award-winning, Victorian developer of quality residential communities. Since 1999, they have grown from a family business to established property developer, with twelve developments across Melbournes’ fringe under various stages of completion.
Dacland engaged Partisan to design and produce a profile document that business leaders could take to potential investors. The document needed to outline the story of their remarkable growth, reaffirm their brand position and build confidence with investors.
Partisan designed and produced their inaugural Corporate profile to reflect their achievements and position them for investment. As Dacland grew from a small family business to an established property developer, they maintained core values of family, connection and belonging to create an ethos to inform not only each of their developments but of their continued engagement with developing communities and stakeholders. Establishing a strict corporate brand style, we reflected some of this ethos in an honest display of facts and figures and an editorial structure which led with a Message from the CEO and featured; project summaries, a development projects performance overview and track record declaration.
In all our document production, we take stringent care with our content management and employ proof reading as part of our typesetting process to mitigate risk and ensure consistency of communication. Designers work in concert to; develop clear graphics, easy-to-navigate layouts and typography, and enhance key messages that deliver the company story coherently, with clarity and on brand.
Corporate profile
• Art direction
• Concept development
• Copywriting and editing
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Editorial planning
• Image editing and retouching
• Photographic management
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Typesetting and proofreading
SEEK is Australia’s largest online jobs, career and recruitment business.
Partisan were engaged to design and produce their Annual report following a period of challenge for the business as they navigated a difficult investment environment and transformational change.
Our strategy was to celebrate SEEK employees, whose dedication and committment had helped the company expand and grow to become a market leader. The concept featured photography of employees engaging with key messages displayed throughout the report to further reinforce the brand proposition of ’SEEK and you shall find’. In keeping with core brand values, subjects were shot in a playful manner, injecting a sense of fun and positivity and maintaining a confident positioning for the report.
In all our annual report work, we take stringent care with our content management and employ proof reading as part of our typesetting process to mitigate risk and ensure consistency of communication. Designers work in concert to; develop clear graphics, easy-to-navigate layouts and typography, and enhance key messages that deliver the company story coherently, with clarity and on brand.
Annual report
• Art direction
• Concept development
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Editorial planning
• Image editing and retouching
• Photographic management
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Typesetting and proofreading
SEEK is Australia’s largest online jobs, career and recruitment business.
Partisan were engaged to develop their Annual report at a time when SEEK were expanding into the global market largely through an acquisitions investment strategy, and they wanting to signify to stakeholders their ambitions in the global market place through reporting interests in in North America, South America and Asia.
In a challenging financial environment it was important to manage the tonal position of the document, with prudence over confidence. We avoided glamorous imagery (using mostly street-level footage) and kept the brand undercover. To reflect the global expansion, we used region specific location imagery relevant to the different markets and injected in each a little bit of the ’SEEK and you shall find’ mantra as a discovery of the brands arrival.
In all our annual report work, we take stringent care with our content management and employ proof reading as part of our typesetting process to mitigate risk and ensure consistency of communication. Designers work in concert to; develop clear graphics, easy-to-navigate layouts and typography, and enhance key messages that deliver the company story coherently, with clarity and on brand.
Annual report
• Art direction
• Concept development
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Editorial planning
• Image editing and retouching
• Photographic management
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Typesetting and proofreading
HC Mobile Communications are a retail telecommunications service provider who engaged Partisan to develop a new brand identity to reflect changes in their business relationships and renewed vision.
Partisan were engaged to manage the rebrand process from audit through to execution of collateral. Working with the founding directors, we conducted strategic workshops and developed a brand strategy to inform our creative exploration and brand development.
A key part of the strategy was to introduce a subtle visual connection to their new alliance with Vodafone since moving away from Telstra arrangements. The challenge was to differentiate the company from larger competitors, and develop a campaign that would entice customers to move to a smaller, more agile and responsive company.
Our campaign focused on critical messages for the switch; fuss-free, time sensitive and cost-effective, and presented the company as responsive, approachable and easy to connect. HC was to stand for high-quality care without the 'bs'.
We developed a typographic motif that reinvigorated the classic phone and cloud symbolism and a brand palette that would stand out in a busy telecommunications advertising space and gain subconscious connection to their new retail partner. Deliverables included; brand identity logotypes and livery, advertising, stationery, web site and marketing materials.
Brand identity
• Advertising and design
• Art direction
• Brand audit
• Brand development
• Brand identity
• Brand strategy
• Brand workshops
• Campaign development
• Concept development
• Consulting
• Copywriting and editing
• Creative direction
• Editorial planning
• Illustration
• Image editing and retouching
• Key message development
• Photographic management
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Styling and pre-production
• Tone and voice development
• Typesetting and proofreading
• Website design
Partisan were approached by a wedding photography group named Amber to rebrand for growth. Critically their existing name caused some confusion with customers and did not represent the future ambitions of the group as a passionate team of photographers.
Working with key team members we conducted strategic workshops and developed a brand strategy to inform brand naming and development and identified future marketing activity for the business. We renamed them Truly Madly to evoke the essence of their proposition to customers.
Truly Madly’s unique selling point is their passion for 'shooting from the hip', capturing the often irreverent moments that occur when people get together for celebration. The new name, typography and visuals, play on their energetic style of candid photography that comes from the journalistic expertise their photographers, and their frantic dedication to exposing humanity’s moments of madness.
Our design solution included an initial look and feel for their online presence, editorial advertising and countertop material for point of sale advertising at key venues such as events and bridal shows.
Brand identity
• Art direction
• Brand development
• Brand identity
• Brand naming
• Brand strategy
• Brand workshops
• Concept development
• Consulting
• Copywriting and editing
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Illustration
• Key message development
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Website design
Pizizi is a startup online software solutions business targeting the trade services sector.
When it comes to choosing a software solution, it can be difficult for any business to know the things they should be on the lookout for and what it is they’re going to need, more so for typically resource-poor smaller-scale trade services businesses. With this decision often representing a significant financial outlay as well as an important crossroads for small business looking to grow, it was important for this startup brand to be obvious in its core proposition and to follow through with a brand led CX and UX strategy.
Partisan were engaged to develop some strategic thinking to inform the new brand name and identity development through to software interface development. We wanted to create a brand name which was distinctive and evocative of its purpose, and an identity which could expand across media and which stood out for the right reasons.
By listening to how the target audience spoke and focussing on the key benefits the online service could offer we invented a new word to attract attention. Avoiding typical software jargon and using traditional aussie irreverence we found a way to weave ‘easy’ into the name. The name Pizizi describes the brand proposition itself and, featuring rhythmic phonetics and a simple type arrangement, it was easy to say and memorable well before exploring any visual identity. With the brand foundations established through deep strategic investigation and brand naming, we further developed the brand through its identity, tone and voice, expanded visual language and ultimately UX interface design. The result was an engaging and distinctive brand position and an online environment which was easy to engage with.
Brand identity and development
• Advertising and design
• Art direction
• Brand identity
• Brand naming
• Brand strategy and development
• Brand workshops
• Concept development
• Consulting
• Copywriting and editing
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Key message development
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Tone and voice development
• Typesetting and proofreading
• UX design
TroupeX is a cloud-based process management tool tailored for the performing arts industry. In order to facilitate new growth, the company engaged Partisan to design a capabilities document outlining what the tool could offer potential clients.
Building on the beautiful brand identity work Partisan established a sophisticated visual identity for company collateral and defined the core product brand proposition of ‘More arts Less admin’ as the title to their new Corporate profile.
For the printed capabilities document we employed a white foil embellishment to add to the premium feel of the document, with the addition of a customised wrap detailing the name of each client or prospect and relevant photography to suit. Further to this, a digital presentation and several stationery items were produced, including a duplexed letter-pressed business card which continued to support the premium, clean and professional brand look and feel.
Corporate profile and stationery
• Art direction
• Brand development
• Concept development
• Copywriting and editing
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Editorial planning
• Illustration
• Image editing and retouching
• Infographic development
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Typesetting and proofreading
United Energy and Multinet Gas are an Australian energy company which distributes gas and electricity across east and south-east Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula.
Partisan were engaged to develop a suite of materials for both internal and external audiences at a pivotal time in the Australian energy industry when digital smart meters were being rolled out across Victoria.
This suite of projects was output across print and digital mediums and included a wide range of collateral from community announcements, smart meter introductory information direct mail, renewed internal vision and values material and employee handbooks.
Services:
Brand communications
Layout and design
Typesetting and proofreading
Print management
The University of Melbourne is one of Australia’s leading universities, with international rankings of world universities placing it first in Australia and number 32 in the world.
The Experience Matters program is an annual event designed to encourage students to undertake experiences such as internships, volunteering and work during their degrees that would build their employability skills and contribute to their degree, career pathways and their wider community. The two-week program had over 50 events across three campuses including workshops, panels, guest speakers and an Internships and Employment Fair.
Partisan were engaged to design and develop some campaign branding for the event which included; campus advertising, printed collateral, digital marketing, and promotional items such as lanyards, tote bags and event staff uniforms. The challenge was to create a design that was able to stand out in a busy campus environment already loud with visual messages, yet consistent with the traditional deep blue of the University brand.
Our response was an eye-catching campaign that sparked student interest with a versatile bright, colourful, bold design. The separate lettering referenced the many separate opportunities that make up a student journey, as well as the diversity of events held during the program, all tied together to create a rich and exciting student experience. The campaign material was created within strict University style guides which maintained a strong professional look, yet distinctive enough to stand apart as a unique event able to draw a crowd.
Campaign branding
• Art direction
• Brand development
• Campaign development
• Concept development
• Consulting
• Copywriting and editing
• Design development
• Editorial planning
• Illustration
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Typesetting and proofreading
Australia’s top-ranked higher education institution, The University of Melbourne, engaged Partisan to design branding and collateral for their Graduate Careers Fair.
The Careers Fair provides an opportunity for students to connect with employers and find out about the range of job opportunities available, such as graduate programs, vacation work, internships and placements.
Our task was to develop a branded campaign that would appeal to students and potential employers and encourage both audiences to attend the fair. We developed a bright and bold campaign, employing a pattern of illustrative arrows representing the vibrant festival atmosphere and the abundant career opportunities and pathways presented to students during the Fair.
We also designed a range of way-finding and environmental graphics to help raise awareness for the event and to direct students through the different spaces across campus, as well as printed brochures, digital assets and a range of marketing collateral to promote the fair and inform attendees.
Campaign branding
• Art direction
• Brand development
• Campaign development
• Concept development
• Consulting
• Design development
• Editorial planning
• Illustration
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Typesetting and proofreading
Partisan have had a long standing relationship with Fashion Journal and our stylist/art director Jam Baylon is a regular contributor to the magazine.
AEMO’s intranet was being redesigned to streamline information, to be more accessible and intuitive to use, as well as to be more engaging. They wanted an identity to play a key role in developing the intranet’s character and personality, and they called it Mo.
Partisan were engaged to create the new identity. 'Mo' was designed to encourage employees to think of the intranet as useful to them and their roles and for employees to develop a positive relationship with it. Mo is gender neutral though if it spoke would probably have a canadian accent - 'ey'? Mo.
Developed to be clear and engaging, fun, fresh and friendly, Mo is also sophisticated, smart and quirky. Mo can be dressed up or down (with for instance a moustache being added in November or Santa hat in December) and loves to be animated.
Brand identity
• Art direction
• Brand identity
• Concept development
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Project management
This is Carrie. She's a clever and resourceful shopping precinct brand identity designed to deliver a broad range of internal messages to employees.
Gandel Retail Management (GRM) is a specialist property management group established when the retail assets of Colonial First State Property Trust were merged with the retail assets of Gandel Retail Trust. We created a brand identity to lead a range of communications which were to support transformational and behavioural change initiatives devised by the business. Named Carrie, she was animated for employee conferences and corporate roadshows, Powerpoint presentations, screensavers and illustrated across posters and other support collateral.
Employee engagement
• Art direction
• Brand development
• Brand identity
• Concept development
• Consulting
• Copywriting and editing
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Illustration
• Production management
• Typesetting and proofreading
Australian Ballet 2015: A year of beauty
Melbourne Spring Fashion Week (MSFW) is one of the city’s premier events, supporting and promoting the retail, fashion and design industries.
As Melbourne’s hallmark consumer fashion event of the season, MSFW launches Spring/Summer 15/16 ready-to-wear collections and creatively showcases Melbourne as an iconic destination for fashion, retail, design and hospitality. The uniquely Melbourne event is designed to position Melbourne as the fashion capital; to provide a launching pad for emerging and established designers, models and brands, and to drive retail sales. [Working with Tooth and Claw production we styled and art directed a TVC to promote the upcoming festivities] https://drivenxdesign.com/MEL15/project.asp?ID=14157
United Energy and Multinet Gas are one of Victoria’s largest energy distributors, servicing customers across east and south-east Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula.
During a period of exponential growth the company initiated plans to engage new employees with strategic brand communications and welcome them to new premises. They wanted to acknowledge the history of the company and to educate new employees about their industrial past as they transformed into 'The intelligent utility'.
Working closely with Corporate affairs we devised a plan to create a historical exhibition at the new premises, and a Welcome pack for each of the hundreds of new employees.
We sourced a range of retired assets and artefacts from company depots across the region, and listened to stories from employees that had worked in the industry for decades. Partisan worked with artist Ben Taranto to execute their vision and create an installation which would pay tribute to a rich history of industry transformation.
We also created a journal as part of the Welcome pack for new employees. Designed with a scrapbook feel, it was a key piece of orientation collateral that documented the history of the company, whilst delivering company values and vision in a less corporate manner. The book comprised historical photography, images of artifacts and assets, handwritten facts, quotes and annotations, and provided plenty of space for note taking in a portable hand book format.
Employee engagement
• Art direction
• Concept development
• Consulting
• Copywriting and editing
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Editorial planning
• Illustration
• Image editing and retouching
• Photographic management
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Typesetting and proofreading
• Workspace branding
Chung Kong Investment Group (CKI) are one of the biggest overseas infrastructure investors in Australia and own the majority of the largest electricity and gas distributors and companies in Victoria including CitiPower, Powercor, United Energy, Australian Energy Operations, Australian Gas Networks and Multinet Gas.
CKI engaged Partisan to create an identity that would unite their Victorian holdings under the one brand, Victorian Power Networks (VPN).
We felt it was important to reflect a strong connection with Victoria and so established a brand identity and visual language reminiscent of Victoria state and Melbourne city colour palettes. The brand mark was unique, bold and cleverly crafted to reveal industry symbolism.
Brand identity
• Art direction
• Brand identity
• Brand development
• Concept development
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Production management
• Project management
GMK is a local Melbourne outfit who create handmade leather fashion accessories, each unique item is made with craftsmanship and integrity. Accessorising traditional leather fashion accessories with a myriad of found and foraged metalware and jewellery, and assembled in workshops, their pieces are bold, exquisite and edgy.
Partisan were approached to develop a new brand identity and develop a variety of launch collateral whilst providing styling and art direction for editorial-style product photography. Critically inspired by the unique nature of their artistry, the brand mark is an assemblage of graphic ‘things’ symbolic of the metal and stones adorning their products.
Brand identity and development
• Advertising and design
• Art direction
• Brand identity
• Concept development
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
Our client was experiencing rapid transformational growth and asked us to provide strategic design service support for some technology and performance initiatives they were engaged in. They wanted to map out core business functions and operations with corresponding corporate processes and responsibilities, to both educate staff and inform back office infrastructure developments.
Working closely with Corporate affairs and Business services we devised a journey map in the form of a tree graphic to illustrate core branches and roots of the business and to act as a core visual identity for related employee communications.
The piece was deployed across internal communications collateral and an interactive piece was developed to help users navigate through to different layers of information for often complex subject matter. The interactive piece was developed in concert with SMS to help the organisation embed processes and standards to support a developing management framework, ultimately helping the business to operate more efficiently and improve decision-making.
Employee engagement
• Art direction
• Concept development
• Consulting
• Copywriting and editing
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Illustration
• Print management
• Production management
• Project management
• Typesetting and proofreading
Plum Financial Services through the MLC group of companies, forms part of the wealth management division of NAB.
Partisan were engaged by Salt Marketing to help Plum bring to life a caterpillar-to-butterfly theme that the team had been wrangling with (as metaphor for their transformational change). MLC were going through a group-wide period of process optimisation and improvement and so we wanted to better represent that ideal and encourage improved process and positive performance behaviour through idea sharing.
Our brief was to refine and develop the theme whilst keeping it fun for team members and the broader workforce to engage with. Our concept was that ideas are articulated with words - each formed from a unique set of letters. We used clever typography to illustrate the caterpillar-to-butterfly theme in a more sophisticated way. We created an illustrated wall piece which encouraged and supported idea-sharing and which provided management of those ideas through to escalation and actionable process improvements within the business.
'Ideas help us fly’ was to act as a symbol for the sharing of ideas and process optimisation throughout the organisation and, following its success at Plum, across the group.
Employee engagement
• Art direction
• Brand development
• Brand identity
• Concept development
• Consulting
• Copywriting and editing
• Creative direction
• Design development
• Illustration
• Production management
• Typesetting and proofreading
• Workspace branding
