Journal Entry

29 January 2012

Posted in News & Events

Who we are

Almost a week has passed since our website has launched and we thought that this might be a good opportunity to talk a little bit more about our new brand and positioning. We've always maintained that we want to become the premier landscape design and project management service in the country and we wanted the way we portray ourselves to the world to reflect that ambition.

Firstly, we had to design a logo. We needed something sophisticated and elegant enough to match the work we deliver, but also strong enough to stand its own in a crowd of competitors. Hundreds of sketches and scores of digital mockups later, our brand mark was born. It's a simple, continuous letterform of NJD — Nick James Design — that feels fluid and structural at the same time. It's almost Möbius strip-like, with all of the ends connected, which is representative of the never-ending cycle of the seasons and nature.

When that was complete, we turned our brand mark into a striking branding device that speaks to our location in New Zealand, which is rich in Maori history and symbolism.

The brand mark is finished with a strong, structural typeface (Tungsten) that exudes confidence and drive. Intentional offset placement of the logotype paid homage to New Zealand's majestic landscapes. Another typeface, Chronicle Display, was added to bring out our unique personality and strengthen our brand voice. Both typefaces were designed by the legendary foundry Hoefler & Frere-Jones.

We added a vibrant colour palette that works in defined sets (of light on dark, or reversed out) and set up some guidelines on our brand voice and social media strategy to create a complete new brand that is ready to take on the world. With those elements in place, we created a minimal and simplistic website that focuses on the work more than anything else. And now we've reached the point where the whole world gets to see who we are and what we're about. Expect to see great things happen here in the future and look out for us around the greater Auckland region. We hope you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look at what's gone into branding Nick James Design.

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Nick James is an experienced residential and commercial landscape contractor who has been involved with some of the most respected developers and designers in the country for the past 20 years.

At Nick James Design, we offer an all-encompassing design and construction management service, providing planning, coordination of trade services and a safe and efficient on-site environment. For the residential client we provide comprehensive guidance and cost efficiency for all aspects in the design and construction of your landscape development.