Highground is a strategic design assembly, purely driven to elicit the maximum return from the most effective message construct. We work very hard to create visual harmony across all media platforms that consistency delivers excellent returns.
With decades of experience across a diverse array of almost every business sector in a multitude of household brand names, start-ups and SME’s, we consistently deliver award winning results for clients.
↳ If you’d like to discuss how Highground can help design for your business, please get in touch.
People
Highground are comprised of principle partners Nic Heywood and Alasdair McDonald, collectively, over 30 years’ experience in the domain of strategic brand design. We are underpinned by a collective of highly creative designers, creative photographers and skilled coders:
Our team includes: Nic Heywood (design / brand management), Alasdair McDonald (design / illustration), Stuart Farmington (coding), Ben James (coding), Allan McPhail (photography).
Business & Brands
From the BBC to IBM, NTL to Nike, we’ve helped design icon work that is globally recognised. A shortlist example of clients appears below:
Advance HE, AkzoNobel, Aer Lingus, Airfix, Alnwick Garden, Bagpuss, Bang & Olufsen, BBC, Bodycare, British Airways, California Tan, Centre for Access to Football in Europe (CAFE), Comcast, Dermalogica, Digital City, DHL, Fake Bake, Herbal Essentials, Hobbycraft, Humbrol, IBM, It’s a 10 Haircare, Jet2, KAEFER, KLM, London Midland Railway, Manchester United FC, Marsdens Beers, Nike, NTL Telecomms, Parcel2Go, Philip Kingsley, Porsche Racing, Postman Pat,Protocol National, Red Driving School, Ringtons Tea, Rockliffe Hall, Sage Accounting, Shopacheck, St. Tropez, TFM Radio, The University of Sussex, Thunderbirds, TUI, USA Property Direct, Virgin Media, Wordly.
History
July the 7th, 1995, was the day we graduated, then somehow managed to deliver an urgent folder design for a university, then a leaflet set that when placed together, spelt out the words optimise, maximise, realise. It’s a mantra we try to keep to today.
We began our journey during our university days, collaborating on various commercial projects alongside our design work. Determined to establish our own business immediately after graduating, we braved months of financial struggle. As the years passed, we witnessed a significant shift in the design world. Print media, once widely utilised, has become a luxury reserved for high-end brands, while the digital realm has taken over. Luckily, being self-confessed ‘geeks’, we found ourselves perfectly suited to this new landscape. The geeks have indeed inherited the earth, and we happily occupy a small chair at the end of that table.
Over the course of three decades, we’ve turned our luck into something approaching respectability. Of course, we’ve worked hard for that luck (but not before 9am), taking pride and finding joy in our graphic ‘art.’ Our designs have played a crucial role in the success of numerous projects, receiving global recognition and prestigious awards. For example, Parcel2Go, a once humble DVD delivery service in suburban London, has now become the leading independent UK delivery service. Pineapple Support, an organisation dedicated to aiding adult performers, has become the undisputed authority in its field worldwide.
Though the list of accomplishments is extensive, tradition dictates that we mention just three. We take particular pride in our work with CAFE (Central Access to Football in Europe), which started with discussions and sketches and developed into the premier resource for disabled access to football stadiums across Europe. This initiative champions the concept of ‘Total Football – Total Access’ and is backed by the FA and UEFA. Ultimately, we believe that good design and effective communication, when combined, can be a powerful force for good. And that is precisely what we strive for every time.
In summary, what began as a small endeavor has remained small in terms of core team size, but the volume and impact of our work have far exceeded our humble origins, and serves in various languages across several different countries. It is a great privilege to undertake projects for prestigious clients like IBM and Comcast, to create albums that climb the charts, to design award-winning websites seen by thousands, and to have our products on the shelves of Fortnum & Mason. Not to mention our logos affixed to bridges in Japan and our digital screens displayed at Champions League matches at Barcelona FC, and so on. Our extensive design history equips us with an abundance of knowledge, allowing us to approach every project with expertise.
Whether we’re designing a leaflet for a local hairdresser or working on campaigns for household brand names seen by thousands or even millions, we are dedicated to delivering the same level of commitment. Witnessing the successful realisation of a design and the value it brings to our clients is an incredibly satisfying experience, particularly because, thanks to our earlier stroke of luck, or the other term for it; hard work, our design continues to achieve a high level of success.
↳ Read about the design services we offer
