Logo & Visual Identity
A logo plus the system around it: colours, typefaces, icons and layouts. We test it small, large, light, dark, on a sign and on a phone before you sign it off.
Branding
Branding & Logo Design in the North East
for Brands People Remember.
Brand positioning, logo design and visual identity for businesses in the North East and across the UK. We work out what you stand for, then design a brand that says it clearly on screens, signs, packaging and ads.
Project investment: £1,800–£3,500/project
★★★★★
5.0 Google Reviews
·
80+ North East brands
·
13+ years
Branding
No fluff. No jargon. Just proper work that moves your business forward.
Brand Strategy & Messaging
Who you are for, why they should pick you and how you sound. We write it down so your website, sales deck and ads all say the same thing.
Rebranding & Refreshing
If your brand looks dated or no longer fits the business, we fix what is not working and keep what customers already recognise.
Brand Guidelines
Clear rules for logo use, colours, type, photography and tone of voice, so staff and suppliers apply the brand the same way every time.
Why Branding Matters
Why Branding Matters
for Your Business.
Your brand is how people feel about your business before they speak to you. A clear brand makes you easier to recognise, easier to trust and easier to choose over a cheaper competitor. If you only need a logo for now, see our logo design service.
- ✓ At The Pen Shop, our brand and social work grew social sales by +1,400% in the first month
- ✓ Our founder led design and art direction for citizenM Hotels across print, web, UI and app
- ✓ Clear messaging separates you from competitors and supports higher prices
- ✓ Guidelines keep every touchpoint consistent as you grow
Branding Services
What a Branding Agency Does,
What It Costs, How to Choose.
Northern Design & Marketing is a branding agency based at the Business & Innovation Centre (BIC) in Sunderland. We have no other offices. We work with businesses across Sunderland, Newcastle, Durham and the wider North East, and with clients elsewhere in the UK and the Netherlands. Our founder, Dave Head, has 13+ years in design and led design and art direction for citizenM Hotels worldwide. This guide covers what you get, what it costs, how long it takes and how to choose a branding partner.
Branding services we offer
- Brand positioning: who you are for, who you compete with and why people should choose you
- Logo design: concepts, refinement and a full logo pack. See logo design
- Visual identity: colour palette, typefaces, icons, graphic elements and photography style
- Brand guidelines: a document or web page your team and suppliers can follow
- Tone of voice: how your brand writes, with examples for your website, emails and social posts
- Brand roll-out: business cards, signage, packaging, exhibition stands, social templates and print with finishes like spot UV and gold foil. See graphic design
Brand identity work we have done
- SurgoTech Solutions: a rebuilt S mark, a five-colour palette, one typeface, tone of voice and online brand guidelines for a North East software company
- Sue’s Café: nine logo concepts, a hand-drawn lighthouse mark, a round sign, door signage and chalkboard-style menu boards
- Swayed Greyhound: a full brand system across print, motion and digital, built over two years
- Menopause Medical: a luxury identity in emerald and champagne with an interlinked diamond logo, business cards and brand animation
- citizenM Hotels: design and art direction for a global hotel brand across print, web, UI and app
How much branding costs
Our branding projects usually cost £1,800 to £3,500. A logo refresh sits at the lower end. A full identity with positioning, guidelines and templates sits at the higher end. Smaller design jobs are charged at our design day rate of £250 to £500. You get a fixed quote before we start.
How long a branding project takes
Most projects take 6 to 12 weeks. The first weeks go on research and positioning. Then we present logo concepts, refine the route you choose and build the wider identity and guidelines. A logo refresh can be quicker.
How to choose a branding agency
- Look for work for businesses like yours, not just pretty logos
- Ask whether positioning and messaging are included, or only design
- Check you get the source files and own everything outright
- Ask who does the work and whether you will speak to them directly
- Ask how the brand will carry onto your website, ads and social content
Branding in your area
We have pages with local detail for branding in Sunderland, branding in Newcastle, branding in Durham and the North East. For other towns, see our Gateshead, South Shields and Stockton-on-Tees pages.
Branding by location and related services
Why Northern
Why Choose Northern
for Branding.
We have been designing brands for over 13 years, from local start-ups to a global hotel group. We design brands to work commercially, on the shelf, in a feed and in an ad, not just to look good in a presentation.
Global Brand Experience
Our founder led design and art direction for citizenM Hotels across every property worldwide: print, web, UI and app.
Brands That Drive Revenue
At The Pen Shop, our brand and social work delivered +1,400% social sales growth in the first month.
Strategy Before Design
Every brand project starts with research and positioning, not a mood board.
Print, Digital and Content
Logos, packaging, exhibition stands, foil print, plus the photos and video to launch the brand.
North East Branding
Based in Sunderland,
Working Across the UK.
Our office is at the BIC in Sunderland. We meet North East clients in person and work with clients further afield by video call. Same team, same process.
£1,800–£3,500
Typical Project
6–12 Weeks
Typical Timeline
+1,400%
Social Sales (The Pen Shop)
13+ Years
Design Experience
Branding Projects
Our Work in
Branding.
Investment & Timelines
What Branding Costs across the North East.
You get a fixed quote before we start. Here’s how we structure things so you know what to expect before the first call.
One-Off Project
From £1,500
A fixed-scope piece of work with a defined deliverable — a website rebuild, an SEO audit-and-fix, a brand refresh. Quoted up front, paid 50/50 (deposit + completion). Typical delivery: 2–6 weeks depending on scope.
Monthly Retainer
£355 a day
Ongoing branding, priced on Dave’s day rate. One day a month is £355, two days £710, three days £1,065. Rolling monthly, cancel with 30 days’ notice, and a real report every month.
Strategic Partner
Bespoke
For businesses where digital is the front line. Multi-channel programme — branding alongside everything else we do (web, brand, automation, content). Quarterly strategy, monthly delivery, led by Dave with specialists where needed. Scoped to your business.
Not sure where you fit? Book a free hour with Dave. We’ll talk through your situation, give you an honest steer on what makes sense for the size of business you are, and you’ll leave with a clear next step — whether that’s working with us, working with someone else, or doing it yourself.
Testimonials
What Our Clients Say
Real recommendations from real people.
“I’ve been incredibly impressed with David’s quality of work since I started working with him back in 2014. He still amazes me with his creativity, the speed of delivery plus he always keeps his word when he sets a time frame. You couldn’t work with anyone else who could be as collaborative, as creative, as David.”
“Dave’s creativity was important to the creation of Gentoo’s outstanding new website. His designs are not only visually engaging but also meet accessible standards and user needs. He goes above and beyond to meet deadlines, displaying dedication and perseverance to ensure designs meet user needs.”
“Dave has an unmatched level of creativity and energy — when you place these two together you get a creative genius who does not stop until he takes the project from good to great. His commitment to the brand standards is contagious. I am confident Dave will be a true asset in any team.”
Branding FAQ
Common Questions
Everything you need to know about our Branding service.
A branding agency decides what your business stands for and how it looks and sounds. That covers positioning, messaging, logo design, colours, typefaces, guidelines and tone of voice, then applying them to your website, print, signage and ads.
Our branding projects usually cost £1,800 to £3,500. A logo refresh sits at the lower end and a full identity with positioning, guidelines and templates at the higher end. We give you a fixed quote before we start.
A logo is one mark. A brand identity is the whole system: logo, colours, typefaces, imagery, layouts and tone of voice, plus the rules for using them. The identity is what makes you recognisable when the logo is not on screen.
Most projects take 6 to 12 weeks. We start with research and positioning, then concepts, refinement, the wider identity and guidelines.
Yes. You get your logo and identity files in print and digital formats, and you own all of it outright.
Yes. We are based in Sunderland and work with clients across the UK and in the Netherlands, such as IRECKONU in Amsterdam. Most of the process works well over video calls.
Google Reviews
What clients say
Real reviews from businesses like yours.
I have really enjoyed working with Dave at Northern Design and Digital Marketing. Dave was quick to understand me and my wish to move away from WordPress and heavy-duty software and systems. I can now manage my own website quickly and easily on HTML5. He has interpreted my wishes - and brand values - to a T. I love my new website and brand.
Working with NORTHERN on the HERMIT UNIVERSE website has been a superb experience. Translating such a complex, visually rich and philosophically driven creative project into an immersive digital layout was no straightforward undertaking. NORTHERN approached it with embracing the concept, steady and extremely efficient work flow, patience and a genuine understanding of the vision. The result is a distinctive website that is receiving excellent, supportive feedback and captures the identity of Hermit Universe. We would very much recommend NORTHERN to anyone looking for a thoughtful, creative and collaborative approach to web design.
Dave has worked with two of my clients so far on projects I've written copy for. One was web design and development and one was a brand ID refresh and web. Design and development have been great in both cases. Simple, effective design, and incredibly fast without losing any quality. Dave cares about the outcome, is fair to clients, and listens to suggestions. All of these things are very reassuring.
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