BRAND CONSULTANCY, STRATEGY AND DESIGN SERVICES

Straight Forward is a London brand design consultancy working with corporate, consumer and challenger brands around the world.

We help brands make better decisions — then turn those decisions into strategy, identity, packaging, advertising, marketing, digital design, innovation and internal communications people can actually use.

Our work helps brands get found, understood, lived and loved — and far easier to choose.

Because a brand only grows when people know what it is, why it matters and how to connect with it.

What we do

We work across the full life of a brand — the thinking, the look, the launch and the way it shows up every day.

Eight services. One aim: brands people recognise, understand and come back for.

Brand Strategy

We help brands decide what they stand for, who they’re for and why anyone should care.

That means positioning, proposition, portfolio thinking, brand architecture, messaging and the choices that shape how a brand grows.

Strategy gives the brand a clear point of view. It makes decisions easier. It gives every part of the business something to build from.

Brand Identity

We create the name, look, voice and assets that make a brand recognisable.

That can include naming, visual identity, tone of voice, brand guidelines, distinctive assets, design systems and brand worlds.

A strong identity makes a brand easier to spot, remember and trust — on pack, in a pitch, on a shelf or on a phone screen.

Packaging Design

We design packaging that works hard in the real world.

On shelf, in hand, in a basket, on a thumbnail. The pack is often the brand’s most-seen piece of communication, so it has to do more than look good. It has to help people notice, understand and choose.

We create packaging for new launches, redesigns, range systems, limited editions and global brand portfolios.

Advertising, Marketing & Brand Activation

We create the advertising and marketing campaigns that put brands into the world and get people to act.

That includes launch campaigns, shopper marketing, retail activation, promotional ideas, social campaigns, brand experiences and always-on communications.

The aim is simple: earn attention, build memory and turn brand intent into action.

Brand Worlds

We build the bigger world a brand lives in.

That means the stories, characters, settings, rituals, codes and behaviours that make a brand feel like one thing wherever people meet it.

A strong brand world gives teams more to use. It helps the brand show up with consistency, energy and imagination.

Innovation

We help brands make their next move.

That can mean new products, new propositions, new formats, new occasions, portfolio strategy or new brand platforms.

Good innovation isn’t just a new thing to sell. It’s a clearer reason for people to come back.

Digital Design

We design the digital side of a brand.

That includes websites, digital brand systems, content, product experiences, campaign pages and the assets people actually use.

The work needs to be easy to find, easy to use and unmistakably part of the brand.

Internal Communications

We help the people inside a business understand, use and live the brand.

That can include internal launches, brand books, toolkits, training, presentations, culture work and communications that help teams make better brand decisions.

A brand only works on the outside when people inside the business know how to use it.

How we think about brand: Connect in FULL®

Connect in FULL® is our model for building brands people choose. It sets out the four jobs every brand has to do.

Found

Easy to notice, recognise and remember.

Understood

Clear what it stands for, who it’s for and why anyone should care.

Lived

Shows up consistently in the real world — from pack to pitch deck to shelf.

Loved

The small moments people notice, remember and come back for.

Found. Understood. Lived. Loved. Not three out of four. In full.

Frequently asked questions

What does Straight Forward do? Straight Forward is a brand design consultancy. We help brands with brand strategy, brand identity, packaging design, advertising, marketing, brand activation, innovation, digital design and internal communications. Our work helps brands become easier to find, understand, use and choose.

What kinds of brands do you work with? We work with corporate brands, consumer brands, global portfolios, established businesses and challenger brands. Some clients come to us to launch something new. Some need to simplify a complex brand. Some need to grow, reposition, redesign or bring a team around one clear direction. The challenge changes. The job stays the same: make the brand easier to choose.

Where are you based? We’re based in London and work with clients around the world. Our studio is at The Foundry, 5 Baldwin Terrace, London N1 7RU.

Do you work internationally? Yes. We work with global and local teams across markets, categories and regions. That often means creating brand strategy, identity systems, packaging systems and campaign tools that can travel without losing what makes the brand distinctive.

What is brand strategy? Brand strategy is the thinking that shapes what a brand stands for, who it’s for, why it matters and how it should grow. It can include positioning, proposition, portfolio strategy, brand architecture, audience definition, messaging, naming strategy and the choices that guide future decisions. Good strategy makes the next move clearer.

What is brand identity? Brand identity is how the brand becomes recognisable. It includes the visual identity, tone of voice, naming, distinctive assets, design system, brand guidelines and the wider identity tools people use every day. A strong identity helps people spot, remember and trust the brand.

What’s the difference between brand strategy and brand identity? Brand strategy sets the direction. Brand identity makes that direction visible, verbal and usable. Strategy defines what the brand means; identity helps people recognise and feel it. You need both. A clear strategy without identity stays inside the business. A strong identity without strategy can look good but drift.

What is packaging design? Packaging design is the design of how a brand shows up on pack — the structure, identity, messaging, hierarchy, claims, range navigation and visual system people see on shelf, online and in hand. Packaging has to do a lot quickly. It needs to attract attention, explain the product, carry the brand and help someone choose.

What are advertising and marketing services? These are the communications that put a brand into the world: launch campaigns, shopper marketing, promotional campaigns, social ideas, campaign platforms and always-on communications. The aim is to earn attention, build memory and create action.

What is brand activation? Brand activation is where the brand meets people directly — in store, at launch, through an experience or a sales tool. Where advertising and marketing build the message, activation brings it to life in the moment and gives people a reason to act.

What is a brand world? A brand world is the wider system a brand lives in — the stories, characters, rituals, settings, behaviours, visual codes and recurring ideas that make the brand feel like one thing across many places. A strong brand world gives teams more to use and helps the brand show up with more consistency and imagination.

What is brand innovation? Brand innovation is how a brand makes its next move — a new product, format, occasion, proposition, service or portfolio structure. We make sure innovation comes from the brand, not just from a gap in the market.

What is digital design? Digital design is how the brand works across websites, content, tools, platforms and digital experiences. It needs to be easy to find, easy to use and unmistakably part of the brand — not a separate thing bolted on.

What are internal communications? Internal communications help the people inside a business understand and use the brand: brand launches, toolkits, training, presentations, internal campaigns, culture work and practical guidance for teams. A brand only works on the outside if people inside the business know how to live it.

What is Connect in FULL®? Connect in FULL® is our model for building brands people choose. It sets out four jobs every brand has to do: Found — easy to notice, recognise and remember. Understood — clear what it stands for, who it’s for and why anyone should care. Lived — shows up consistently in the real world, from pack to pitch deck to shelf. Loved — the small moments people notice, remember and come back for. Found. Understood. Lived. Loved. In full.

How do you work with clients? We start with the challenge — the brand, the business, the audience, the category and the decisions that need to be made. Then we shape the right process around the job. Sometimes that’s a fast strategic sprint. Sometimes it’s a full identity, packaging or campaign programme. Sometimes it’s building the tools a team needs to use the brand every day. We keep the work clear, practical and built for use.

How long does a brand project take? It depends on the scale of the work. A focused sprint can move quickly. A larger identity, packaging or portfolio programme takes longer, because it needs the right thinking, creative development, decision-making and implementation. We agree the shape of the project before we begin, so everyone knows what we’re making, when and why.

How do you price your work? We price each project around the brief, scope, timing and level of support needed. The best place to start is the challenge. Tell us what you’re trying to change, launch, fix or grow, and we’ll shape the right approach.

Do you use AI in your work? Yes, where it helps the work move faster or think further. We use AI to support exploration, research, organisation, prototyping and system-building. But judgement stays human. AI can speed up the process; it doesn’t replace taste, care, strategy or responsibility.

How do we start a project with Straight Forward?

Start with what needs to change. Tell us what you’re trying to achieve, what feels stuck, what decision needs to be made or what opportunity you want to go after — and we’ll help work out the clearest next move.