Stuart Smith had always wanted to ‘do his own thing’ – not out of any desire for power or world domination – but so that he could work with clients who help bring people together.

After many years working in branding agencies across a variety of sectors, he joined the in house team at an international development charity as Creative Director. Following a surprise redundancy in 2012, he chose to turn the situation into an opportunity, and took a risk.

Since starting The Smithy Creative, Stuart has been able to use his experience in branding, strategy, fundraising and design to deliver results for so many more charities and organisations.

Here’s how…

The craft of collaboration

Stuart works directly with clients and their teams, building trust and longterm relationships. While Stuart is the hands-on strategist and creative director of The Smithy Creative, there are occasions where a bespoke team of trusted communication craftspeople – designers, artworkers, copywriters, web developers and photographers – are brought together to help deliver a project.

This small, but scalable model has proved highly effective – and economical – in achieving the very best results for our clients.

The craft of clarity

In any project, the core of the challenge often becomes the launchpad to solutions. But finding that ‘core’ happens in numerous ways. It might be just a few questions for a design project, or through workshops, interviews, research and strategic analysis to craft a full rebrand and visual identity system.

In all scenarios, understanding the audience and what makes an organisation unique helps craft a rock solid foundation for creativity. In short, we bring clarity out of complexity so that everyone is on the same page.

The craft of creativity

Having crafted a clear foundation, we create big ideas that unite people and bring brands to life. We carefully craft design and communication solutions that are beautiful, effective and engaging to the target audience – helping organisations to stand up, and stand out at every touchpoint.