After calling upon the creativity of graphic design students from across East Sussex, Essex, Kent, Medway, Southend and Thurrock, the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) has a new vibrant brand to help tells its important story.
Devising SELEP’s new visual brand
The design brief for students – with the incentive of a £1,000 prize for the winner – was to devise a new brand and icons for the organisation. Students were tasked with creating a brand that would highlight SELEP’s role as a progressive partnership, with a strong business voice that is looking to attract investment and growth, and present this part of the South East as outward-looking.
A total of 24 submissions were made by students from further and higher education institutions across the area, with each then reviewed by the senior management team at SELEP. Seven entries were shortlisted, with four making it to the finals to be judged against industry branding standards for being distinctive, recognisable, attractive, versatile and relevant.
Our winner
The winning submission was by Anastasia Pirogova, a third year student, studying for an honours degree in Graphic & Digital Design at the University of Greenwich.
Christian Brodie, Chairman of SELEP, said: “This was much more than simply producing a new logo, it had to help position the organisation, partners, and work in many formats, and have clear guidelines for its use.
“Across our area we have a burgeoning community of creative businesses, and while we could have put out the brief to them, we wanted to give the opportunity to the creatives of tomorrow to show us what they could produce. The standard was incredibly high and we are delighted with the winning submission.”
Commenting on behalf of the University of Greenwich:
Nickie Hirst, Director of Enterprise & Design, said: “This competition brief offered our young creatives the opportunity to engage with industry in a real and genuine way, liaising directly with a client to understand their requirements and building confidence and networks for their future careers.
“Winning this competition, combined with the unique opportunity to develop their idea into a full brand proposition, is an instant validation of their talent. We are very proud of our competition winner.”
The new branding will now be rolled out across the SELEP area and will appear on all of the partnership’s future marketing material.
Photo from left to right: Adam Bryan; SELEP Managing Director, Chris Brodie; SELEP Chair, Anastasia Pirogova; Winning Design Student, Professor David Maguire; Vice Chancellor, University of Greenwich.