What We Do
Based in Manchester, England with a team headed up by Creative Director Chris Edmunds, United Creatives offer bespoke services for projects large and small in the fields of print, screen and spatial environment. Collaborating closely with our clients (hence our agency name) our work spans the micro to the macro ranging from carefully thought through drinks labels to brands for buildings and entire urban quarters. We work across the sectors of luxury, regeneration, food, drink, property, fashion, architecture and the arts.
In addition to our love for design for print, which encompasses a host of techniques such as vintage letterpress, large format, litho, flexo and silkscreen, we also work with a broader set of mediums that sees us go far beyond traditional paper and ink.
Our work strives to challenge the role of graphic design within the public realm. We have invented a genre of design and a technique we call ‘environmental branding’ with past projects executed in a wide range of specialist materials including compressed concrete, kiln-fired vitreous enamel, machine etched brass, slate and sustainable timber. Large format murals, narratives in cast iron and laser-cut and illustrated corten steel are as much a part of our repertoire as a printed sheet.
Our design approach has been influenced by the early grounding in Dutch design of our Creative Director and the adoption of a non-compartmentalised approach to design which has given rise to more flexibility and creativity when compared to the English model. The translation of the English word 'designer' into the Dutch is 'vormgever’, this literally means 'giver of form', a term not assigned to any one medium.
Our Clients
Testimonials
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“Chris - as always, you're a prince of a human. Thank you!!! Truly appreciate your flexibility here!!!”Tim Cooper, Brown-Forman
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“Funny and clever, Chris makes great work in the gaps that others leave behind. Graphic design for the spatial environment and a concern for craft. Who else makes savvy designs driven from this agenda? Think about it.”Christian Barnes, Director at Vista Projects Ltd.
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“Chris and the team at UC are brilliant at getting under the skin of a place, understanding it’s DNA and what makes it special, and then translating and celebrating those qualities into the public realm using site specific environmental branding, integrated art or colour, tone and texture. They also understand the realities of delivery in a harsh urban environment and what materials and details work and what doesn’t. Not only that they are jolly nice to work with.”Sophie Thompson, Director, LDA Design
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“These look FUCKING EPIC.”Jonathan Downey, Street Feast
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“This is amazing, amazing, amazing. Simon and I are high-fiving over the phone.”Malte Barnekow, The 86 Co.
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“Just want to say I’m so blown away with the new pack. I’ve got it printed, cut, stuck and sitting next to me on the desk and I’m so fucking amped about the whole thing.”Tom Baker, Mr. Black
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“I think the new menu was a most inspirational design, enthusing the historic charm with today's elegant persona of The Ivy.”Keith Donoghue - Member, The Club at the Ivy
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“The new menu for the Club at The Ivy is absolutely stunning - a great example of how a sleuth of different ideas while connecting the dots come together in perfect execution. The illustrations and design are well associated to the period of the building and are nicely topped off with the rich detail.”Mark Mason - via Identity Designed
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“I love it. Especially the graphic. Go with it. It says everything and nothing.”Sir John Hegarty
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“The menu was launched on the 8th of March and has been incredibly successful, with lots of great comments about the design.”Cas Oh, Head Bartender, The Ivy
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“This is fucking brilliant!”Jonathan Downey, The Rushmore Group
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“I love it!! Old school.”Cedd Moses, Pouring With Heart, LA
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“One take Chris. You're like the Jay-Z of graphic design.”Noshable Adam
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“Just like to say a big thank you for all of your hard work on this. Not just for some great public art ideas but also for taking ownership of the document as well as undertaking these last changes to the report. I am sure all of your efforts have been noticed by the client and that United Creatives have a future role in the further development of the Ancoats Animation Programme.”Tom Jonson, Associate Landscape Architect, URS Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited
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“The response when people see the work for the first time is amazing. I cannot wait to take this live.”Jason Whalley, Pernod Ricard
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“Another UC masterpiece.”Joe McGirr, The Boatyard Distillery
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“We just heard from La Maison du Whisky that Whisky de Table won the award for Best Design at Cocktail Spirits. Great News!”Katy Moore, Compass Box Whisky
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“Social Media mahoosive thumbs up from me.”Declan McGurk, The Savoy
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“This is too good.”Adam Lawrence, Stevie Parle Restaurants
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“I knew you were a creative genius, this looks great!”Sarah Janes, Hayman’s
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“I can’t begin to tell you how good the Decadence bottle looks. And that is before the letterpress. You and Steve are genii.”Chris Maybin, Compass Box Whisky
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“So feeling it!!”Chrissy Beaudette Tinelli, Director of Client Development MHW, Ltd.
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“On a side note, I need to take another minute out to show my appreciation for everything you’ve done for the business, from convincing me to change the name, the rebranding, marketing documentation, logo etc. Now that we’re almost fully operational through Octo I can truly appreciate how good you and your team are. It’s allowed us to punch a little bit more above our weight.”Lekia, Octo Architects
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“We really appreciate all the work you did.”Jennifer Cole, Pole Creek Ranch, Oregon
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“First off, what brilliant work you did yesterday... we took a giant leap and I love the work and where we are at.”Simon Ford, Fords Gin
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“Chris, you are mad but that’s why we love you.”Cedd Moses, Founder and CEO, Pouring with Heart, LA
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“Thanks again for all the hard work on this in such a short period of time. Incredible how quickly you were able to get under the skin of the city and help translate that into something meaningful.”Sophie Thompson, Director LDA Design
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“Thank you very much for all the time and hard work you have put into The British Association for Modern Mosaics branding design. We really appreciate it! We were very impressed with the amount, and range of styles generate, from the traditional to the very modern. I think the one chosen ticks all the boxes, especially that the main logo allows for so many interesting changes while sticking within the overall concept.”Alison Mac Cormaic, The British Association of Modern Mosaic
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“Dan, team work makes the dream work!!”Tilmann Gruber, Fox Entertainment
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“THANK YOU once again for the excellent work on the latest menu, it is incredible and a testament to your skills.”Anne Lomas, Director of Food & Beverage, Edition Hotels
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“This is perfect, thanks Jordan.”Alexandra Riley, Haymans
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“Thanks Chris; they do look the mutts nuts (the brass historical interpretation plaques). Looking forward to seeing them built into the finished job.”Tim Wood, Director Murraywood Construction Ltd
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“Chris and Jordan - you have brough a lot of enthusiasm and initiative to the arts work package - it has been a pleasure working with you both, thank you!”Rupert Teasdale, Project Manager - Southsea Coastal Scheme
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“I literally almost had a tear in my eye. What a journey to get to this point. It looks fantastic. Very strong corporate identity, distinctive artwork that lacks cheesiness and comes across as considered, a strong set of values that can be applied beyond just the design, a cohesive interior design that brings it all together... love it. An enormous leap forward.”Brandon Stephens, Mamma Roma Restaurant
Our Services
We pride ourselves on being able to deliver a diverse and growing range of design services which cover the staples of graphic design as well as a variety of niche areas. If you would like to know more about our services or would like to see a rate card please get in touch.
Services
Graphic Design
Brand Identity Design
Design for Print
Packaging Web Design & Programming
Brand Strategy
Drinks Label Design
Specialist Services
Architectural Collaboration
Signage & Wayfinding Design
Laser Cut Illustrated Steel
Environmental Branding
Public Arts Strategy
Masterplan