Puzzlewood Communication

I have had the great pleasure of working with Rebecca at Puzzlewood for… gosh, more than 5 years now. First we worked together at Ballard Power Systems, and then when we both decided to head out on our own, she asked me to develop the visual identity for her communication consultancy, Puzzlewood Communication.

Intrigued by the name? So was I! Turns out that one of Rebecca’s favourite places in the world is the Forest of Dean. And within the Forest of Dean, you’ll find a place called Puzzlewood, which, according to Lonely Planet Britain, is  “an extraordinary area with a maze of paths, eerie passageways through moss-covered rocks, hidden dead ends, weird rock formations, tangled vines and gorgeous untamed scenery. Since I’d never been there, the first I did before starting the design process was take a peek at this special place — thanks to the magic of the Interweb. Look! So pretty!

photo by Naomi Hobbs

Now, Rebecca believes that effective communication grows from the seeds of understanding who, what and why. Who are you talking to? Why are you talking to them? And what do you hope to achieve by doing so? So taking that seed idea… and thinking about the old oak stands of the company’s namesake, we developed a logo that brings it all to life:

That typeface is Gill Sans, by the way. Not just to reflect Puzzlewood’s location (the forest, not the company… and it’s in England) but also to reflect Rebecca’s own heritage (she’s British-born). Its geometricity (is that word?) gives us round shapes that are warm and welcoming (just like Rebecca). And all those straight lines reflect her “let’s cut to the chase” approach to telling it like it is. Never underestimate the power that your chosen typeface has to communicate something about the brand experience you’re trying to build!

Next we moved on to business cards, choosing to really play up that wonderful, fresh green in her colour palette:

Her letterhead is completely uncluttered so that the content can shine:

And her website projects that same open, friendly feeling:

Rebecca and I continue to work together — we both share a passion for helping organizations tell their stories effectively. We blog (along with Sarah of Light the Lamp) at See Hear Talk, and you can follow Rebecca on Twitter. too.