Paul Smith
Verified Expert in Design
Designer
Hertford, United Kingdom
Toptal member since November 23, 2022
Paul is a seasoned designer whose expertise bridges the gap between brand design and brand strategy. Solving business and communication problems through design, he builds identities and brands that transform organizations. Paul has worked across multiple sectors and geographic locations for some of the world's biggest agencies and on huge global brands, but he also enjoys being hands-on and involved with independent, ambitious younger businesses and startups that want to perform even better.
Portfolio
Work Experience
Director
Sun Street Creative
- Developed a new brand that unified several separate Luxottica Group eyecare and eyewear brands worldwide. Implemented this globally together with local marketing agencies.
- Created a new brand for Seguros Tranquilidade, one of Portugal's top three insurance companies, including redesigning all communication platforms, agent high street shops, and integrated advertising campaigns.
- Designed a new brand for Seguros LOGO, the online direct-to-market brand of Seguros Tranquilidade.
- Redesigned the visual toolkit for Ray-Ban, including refinements to the logo and a review of all brand, product, and lens technology architectures.
- Created a new brand for Nok Nok Labs, a Californian-based company that transformed online authentication globally. Changing how we recognize people online is game-changing and requires a brand that behaves in a game-changing way.
- Delivered a new brand for AppSense, a market leader in user virtualization. User virtualization allows the whole desktop environment to live in the cloud.
- Developed a new brand for Kim, a platform that enables knowledge workers with no software development expertise to automate processes, workflows, documents, and dashboards in a matter of hours or days with zero IT development.
- Created a new brand, UX, and UI for Itriom, a new platform that helps UHNW families embrace change by defining and implementing a clear unifying purpose on which all the families agree.
- Helped global accounting firm PWC create a series of digital tools which moved much of their audit function online. This included customizing existing platforms and also custom applications.
- Helped global financial services firm Aon produce a range of credentials presentations for its mergers and acquisitions risk mitigation offer. The range of decks clearly differentiated between different services whilst retaining a family feel.
Visual/Graphic Designer
Carrier - Digital Foundry Design Research
- Redesigned a set of 150 pictograms covering various internal functions and product offerings.
- Created a toolkit of illustrations that built on the theme established by the pictogram design.
- Designed a series of new presentation slides and created a style for charts on infographics.
- Created a series of email mastheads and layout templates.
Visual Designer
TriStar Technology Group LLC
- Created two exhibition stands detailing the Tristar value proposition.
- Designed a new illustration/supergraphic device to act as a recognizable supporting brand identity element.
- Developed a series of pictograms to better illustrate various areas of the value proposition.
Visual Designer
Alcole LLC
- Redesigned template structure for presentation. Provided Microsoft template for future presentations.
- Redesign key infographics and charts, including detailed activity timeline.
- Restructured key elements of the story to create a clearer understanding of the client's value proposition.
Packaging Designer
Game Beauty LLC
- Created pack layouts for a game-themed range of eye shadows and lip glosses.
- Designed the gift pack design as well as individual stand-alone designs.
- Prepared detailed artwork for the manufacture of all elements.
Presentation Designer
Berilo, S.R.L.
- Improved an existing pitch deck for a cybersecurity showcase, enhancing its ability to communicate the expertise and market position of the business.
- Created a custom set of pictograms and adjusted core visual identity assets, including modifying existing logo design.
- Edited copy to create a more concise and meaningful story.
Visual Designer
Twomagnets Inc. dba Clipboard Health
- Designed a series of adverts and a display booth design for a healthcare recruitment trade show.
- Created a promotional mailer leaflet and postcard set.
- Developed and modified various aspects of clients existing visual toolkit, including colour palette, typography and image style.
Creative Designer
Nokia - CSP Networks
- Created a new name, Nokia Corteca, for an integrated multiple-product suite.
- Defined criteria for the new name and provided multiple options.
- Tested new name in relation to different product attributes and marketing ideas.
Visual Designer
TriStar Technology Group LLC
- Designed a booth backdrop informing on the key value proposition of Tristar. Applied the basic regard style of TriStar's new website to the booth design.
- Designed the credentials deck, once again creating templates for key slides and chart styles.
- Designed posters detailing research material and key clinical facts.
Logo Designer
Skippet.com
- Created a new logo and basic visual toolkit, including supporting typeface, color palette, and image style.
- Defined a broader idea and expression, which helped implement the new brand.
- Suggested a wider verbal language using elements from the main logotype.
Presentation Designer
RealPage
- Redesigned key slides from the credentials deck explaining the basic proposition of the business.
- Created a new basic slide structure for the credentials deck.
- Redesigned key slide that showed team members and board hierarchy.
Creative Director
Landor Associates
- Led the team that rebranded UK retailer Marks and Spencer, covering general merchandise and food ranges. A major part of the project was redefining the various clothing sub-brands.
- Headed the team that rebranded the leading child protection charity, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC).
- Directed the team that rebranded the London Stock Exchange.
Design Director
Interbrand
- Led the team that created the new brand idea for Hays, recruiting experts worldwide, which was implemented across all brand touchpoints and global locations.
- Led the team that rebranded the Institute of Mechanical Engineers with the new brand idea Improving the World Through Engineering. This was implemented across all brand touchpoints and included redesigning key office spaces.
- Won a Transform Award for the rebrand of North Devon College, now Petroc College, which had a transformational effect on the college and significantly increased student intake and graduate success.
- Worked on several brand management work streams for Irish retailer Musgrave. This included strategic planning for shop displays and promotions.
- Worked on brand implementation for global accountancy and consulting firm KPMG.
- Rebranded anti-virus software business Kaspersky in order to create further differentiation in their marketplace.
Design Director
Wolff Olins
- Participated in rebranding Credit Suisse, which followed several acquisitions by the bank, including the investment brand First Boston. The overall aim was to create a unified global brand with a series of specialized business units.
- Led the team that rebranded the British white goods retailer Hotpoint. The brand idea, Designed for the Real World, was implemented across all touchpoints and influenced product design across all ranges.
- Directed a team that managed the rebrand and brand implementation of three General Motors brands, including Vauxhall, Opel, and Saab, as well as redesigning multi-brand General Motors showrooms.
- Headed the team that rebranded Altice Portugal, formerly known as Portugal Telecom or PT, and its sister company PT Multimedia. The rebrand was implemented across the Portuguese mainland and islands, including retail spaces and infrastructure.
- Rebranded the Tokyo Metro, designing the symbol and the signage system.
- Created a new brand for French bank Société Générale to reflect recent mergers and acquisitions and clarify their overall offer.
- Assisted with the rebranding of Birmingham University, creating a strong graphic system that helped communicate the purpose of the university.
- Handled several workstreams on the rebranding project for GE, including GE Money, GE Aerospace, and GE Health.
- Created a refreshed identity for global glass manufacturer Pilkington.
- Rebranded Indesit company brands, including Indesit (the product brand) and Scholtes (luxury kitchen appliances). Rebranded the Ariston Thermo Group, including one of its subsidiaries, Elco.
Senior Designer
Ingleton Thomas
- Participated in rebranding the Dutch company Center Parcs Europe, with the company's new symbol and identity toolkit still being used today.
- Rebranded several literature projects for worldwide food grower Geest, including designing the company's annual report and accounts.
- Rebranded the British engineering company Smiths Industries, covering all brand touchpoints across all market areas of the brand.
- Rebranded NatWest Markets, helping them to define a new offer within NatWest Group.
- Worked on a series of literature projects for S. G. Warburg.
Designer
Negus & Negus
- Assisted in creating annual reports for British Airways and British Gas.
- Contributed to several branding projects for British Airways, including rebranding the UK domestic service, CityFlyer.
- Assisted in rebranding the Scottish Robert Gordon Institute of Technology in Aberdeen, now known as Robert Gordon University.
- Contributed to the rebranding of Waterford Crystal and Wedgwood China.
- Developed a new identity for Birmingham University, creating a new contemporary coat of arms and implementing it across all major touchpoints.
- Created the visual identity for a leading firm of venture capitalists, MTI ventures.
Education
Master's Degree in Information Graphic Design
Middlesex University London - London, United Kingdom
Foundation Degree in Art and Design
Bedford College - Bedford, United Kingdom
Skills
Tools
Figma, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft PowerPoint, Adobe CC, Adobe Creative Suite, Adobe, Photoshop CC, Illustrator CC, InDesign CC, InDesign CS6, InDesign 2017, Photoshop Design, Photoshop 2018, Sketch 4, Microsoft Word, Google Slides, Photo Editors, Maxon Cinema 4D, Adobe After Effects, OmniGraffle, Adobe Premiere Pro, Principle, Adobe Experience Design (XD), Premiere Pro CC, UX Tools, Canva, Sketch
Languages
Visual Design Language
Industry Expertise
Marketing, Information Technology, Consumer Products, Banking & Finance, Professional Services, Telecommunications, Technology, Luxury Goods, Fashion, Advertising, Aircraft & Airlines, Automotive, Oil & Gas, Cybersecurity, Real Estate, Sales & Marketing, Health & Wellness, Food & Beverage, Investments
Platforms
Web, Adobe Suite, Webflow, Shopify, Google Ads
Other
Information Design, Typography, Graphic Design, Illustration, Brand Strategy, Brand Design, UX Design, Advertising Design, Writing & Editing, Packaging, Branding, Web Design, Logo Design, UI Design, Company Naming, Taglines, 2D Graphics, Identity Design, Visual Design, Brand Identity, Brand Guidelines, Letterhead Design, Color Palettes, Presentation Design, Clean Design, Competitive Analysis, Data Visualization, Brand Architecture, Information Architecture (IA), Print Design, Email Design, Social Media Design, Creative Direction, Art Direction, PowerPoint Design, Pitch Decks, PDF Design, PowerPoint Templates, Color Theory, Ads, Editorial Design, Ad Design, Websites, Iconography, Icon Design, Flowcharts, Startups, Tone of Voice, Information & Communications Technology (ICT), Presentations, B2B, Style Guides, Mood Board Design, Layout, Design Direction, Collateral Design, Storytelling, Brand Books, Social Media, Communication Design, Marketing Design, Mockups, Stationery Packages, Stationery Design, Visual Assets, Landing Page Design, Infographics, Sales Presentations, Copywriting, Content Writing, Creative Design, Layout Design, Pitch Books, Digital, Print, Naming, Strategy, Brand Logos, Design Systems, B2C, Sales Pitches, Poster Design, Printing Materials, Color Schemes, Brochure Design, Banner Ads, Finance, Workshops, Package Design, Graphics, Brochures, Communication Strategy, Communication, Report Design, Strategic Design, Promotional Leaflets & Flyers, Print Marketing Design, Rebranding, Brand Positioning, Design, Banner Design, Digital Design, Digital Ad Design, Billboard Design, Value Proposition, Symbols, Icon Sets, Collateral, Visual Storytelling, Social Media Kits, B2C Marketing, Feature Films, Diagrams, Executive Presentations, Advertisement Design, SaaS, Corporate Branding, Email Templates, Financial Data, Company Portfolio Design, Portfolios, Consulting, Stakeholder Interviews, Marketing Collateral Development, Product Positioning, Market Positioning, Value Proposition, Marketing Collateral Development, Pitch Decks, Sales Pitches, Content Writing, Templates, Corporate Design, Pitch Deck Design, Trade Shows, Merchandising, Illustrator 2024, Business Card Design, Conceptual Design, Ad Banners, Design Guidelines, Design Libraries, Artistic Skill, User Experience (UX), Product Design, Dashboard Design, Dashboards, Prototyping, Design Thinking, User Interface (UI), Wireframing, UX Wireframes, Web App UI, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Tablet UX, Mobile UI Design, Agile, Software Branding, User Journeys, Conversion Rate, Annotated Wireframes, User Research, Landing Pages, Interactive Prototypes, Merchandise, UX Writing, Content Strategy, Component Libraries, UX Strategy, Presentation Boards, Website Redesign, Print Advertising, Print Ads, UI Branding, No-code Development, Motion Design, Social Ad Design, Digital Marketing, Web UX, UIKit, Point of Sale, Digital Creative Direction, Dynamic Websites, Responsive Web Apps, UI Components, Web App Design, Box Packaging, Fundraising Strategy, Social Media Covers, LinkedIn Marketing, Notebook Cover Design, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Legal Technology (Legaltech), Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), Squarespace, Social Media Campaigns, Label Design, Business Development, Digital Magazines, Digital Publication, Image Manipulation, Social Media Content, White Papers, Art, 3D Design, Photography, Drawing, Hand Sketch, Hand Drawing, Artwork, App Design, Web UI Design, Logotype, Web Marketing, Web UX Design, Interior Design, UX Branding, Brand Development, Symbol Design, Pictograms, Motion Logo Design, Web UI, Visual Identity, Oil Painting, Pottery, Sculpture, Optics, Eye Care, Eyewear, Motion Graphics, Mobile App Design, UX Research, Mobile Design, User Flows, Design Strategy, Booth Design, Display Booth Design, Home Decor, Technical Writing, Market Research, eCommerce Design, 3D Interior Design, Mobile UI, App UX, App UI, UI Style Guides, Mood Boards, Videos, Images, Charts, Platforms, Web Platforms, UX Flows, Enterprise Startups, Web Layout, Identity, Data-informed Visual Design, Social, Social Hubs, Social Impact, Digital Marketing Design, Stationery, Promotional Material Design, Promotional Websites, Print Marketing, Credentials Deck, Pitch Presentations, Elevator Pitches, Icon Animation, App Icon Design, Web App UX, PDF, Responsive Layout, Responsive UI, Responsive Design, Data Flows, Data, 2D Visualization, UX Prototyping, UI Prototyping, Brand Standards, Brand Stewardship, Interactive Charts, Type Design, Vector Illustration, Character Design, Fintech
Experience
- Identity Design - 20 years
- Packaging - 20 years
- Brand Strategy - 20 years
- Company Naming - 20 years
- Advertising Design - 20 years
- Writing & Editing - 20 years
- Brand Design - 20 years
- UX Design - 10 years
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