Fresh Laundry: The Creative Production Studio’s Bold New Design System
After almost 20 years in business, with 12 represented by the same branding and design system, it was time for a refresh at creative production studio, Laundry.
Specialising in 2D/ 3D character work, kinetic typography and VFX, the studio was in need of a reimagined visual identity that’s representative of the size, scale and sophistication of the studio today. Previously iconised by a monochrome clothespin logo, the redesign needed to speak to the studio’s existing client base, whilst appealing to a generation of new, younger clients.
Marking a new chapter, the reimagined design system and typeface was created by Studio K is bold, colourful and playful, retaining the clothespin graphic whilst introducing a number of other bright visual emblems, including a pencil, an apple and a palm tree. The fluorescent design represents Laundry’s commitment to “design, craft and collaboration”.
To learn more about the freshly laundered design system and why it was the right time for change, LBB’s Abi Lightfoot caught up with ECD PJ Richardson.
LBB> Hi PJ, thanks for speaking with us! First-up, tell me about the thinking behind Laundry’s rebrand, why was it the right time for it to happen?
PJ> After about 12 years of the same studio design system, we felt we needed a fresh new rebrand to represent the much larger studio we have become. At first, surprisingly, it was not because of its aesthetic. Rather, we needed a design system, rules, and sets of templates that could easily be scaled across our now much larger team without so much oversight for the smaller parts. At the same time, a unique challenge emerged. Laundry has somehow managed to continue in business in advertising for almost 20 years. The branding challenge was that we were leading the studio with our revered clothespin logo. But by being in business so long, a whole generation of clients, especially younger ones, have emerged who have no idea what it means or who we are. So pair those two things with, as creatives, the excitement of a fresh new look and a firm thinking emerged as to why it was the right time.
LBB> What does the rebranding mean for Laundry? Does it mark a new chapter in the company’s story?
PJ> The rebranding indeed represents a new chapter. We are the same bold, colourful, and fun motion design, animation, and production studio we have always been. We never want to abandon who we are in that. But along the way, we developed more polish, sophistication, and consistency. And above all else, a much larger, tech-forward, and buttoned-up team we wanted to make sure came through because it hadn't been that obvious.
LBB> PJ, you led the rebranding, were there any key visuals or aesthetics that you were inspired by?
PJ> Yes and no. I have fallen in love with timeless, yet modern branding even outside of motion design. It's a passion of mine personally, especially European and UK branding work that focuses on bold, confident minimalism, especially around tech and Scandinavian fashion. I am also a huge fan of Stephen Kelleher and Studio K for the exact same reasons. I had gathered tons of inspiration that paired that with our colourful happy nature as a studio, along with a lot of shape work from current brands like Google and MOCA, and past movements like the Bauhaus that created emotion with shape and color in a functional way.
As we progressed through the rebrand process with Studio K however, because they are such a strong partner, it became apparent I had to leave a lot of my leanings and biases at the door and simply discover as the process a design choice that was just right for Laundry. It meant saying yes to a direction I hadn't pictured in my head, but a much more grounded and strong one, in my opinion.
LBB> How is the new identity representative of what Laundry is today, and your creative ambitions as a company?
PJ> The identity is representative of our commitment to creative excellence with a bold, playful twist, but with the polish and maturity of who we are now as a studio. Even more importantly, it represents our dedication to design, craft, and collaboration as a studio. We think of it a bit more like a museum now, where we set a design-driven foundation with the branding, but let the work and the strong collaborations and commitment to people and artistry lead.
