We all know that branding is critical to success, and although this is true for all businesses, it is especially true for businesses that sell products rather than services. But it’s no surprise that many struggle to understand the nuances of branding and how best to apply the elements of great branding to their business.

So, we’ve put together some key information to help make the concept of branding that little bit easier to digest…

So, What is Branding?

In its simplest form, branding clearly states what your business is, and what people can expect from it. Branding will help your business to create a distinctive and long-lasting perception in the minds of consumers. And when done really well, branding can make your business, products and services more desirable than those of your competitors.

See that wasn’t so scary, was it?

But let’s dig a little deeper into this. The objective of effective branding is to not just make your company more attractive to customers. It also ensures that your company, service or products are more memorable than your competitors.

The final trick of effective branding is to make sure that the brand’s personality is appropriate to the audience. It’s important that professional services look professional instead of silly or unprofessional. That fun products don’t look overly corporate or dull. And that luxury venues give the impression of premium and do not come across as cheap.

If branding is done well, it reaps significant rewards. Great branding will capture more attention, be remembered more than the branding of competitors and will start to develop that perception, allowing you to build rapport through your branding to attract and retain customers and stakeholders.

Types of Branding

Branding is one of those terms that can mean different things to different people. Some people interpret branding as brand’s name, some will interpret it as a logo, and some will see the overlap between branding and marketing and assume that they are one and the same. As branding covers such an incredibly wide and diverse range of activities, elements, assets and more – it’s easy to see why there is much confusion…

But generally, you should try to treat the phrase branding as a ‘catch all’ term – as a broad way of describing the area of your branding efforts. But let’s take a closer look at the main areas of branding that you might already be familiar with:

Corporate Branding – Branding at company level with the aim of effectively communicating key information about the business, such as; who they are, what they do, who they do it for and why they do it.

Personal Branding – Branding for an individual person with the aim of cultivating a public persona that accurately communicates personality.

Product Branding – Branding for a specific product, with the aim of shaping how the product is perceived, to ensure that the product ‘connects’ with the customer.

Service Branding – Similar to product branding, service branding aims to shape how the service is perceived, to ensure that is appeals to the right customers.

But remember this is not an exhaustive list, there are many other types of branding, such as geographic, cultural, retail, online, offline and more. And then we have the elements of branding, think of these as the building blocks that make up each area of branding;

Brand Identity – this is how the brand identifies itself, through a name, logo, tagline and more.

Brand Image – this is the perception that people hold of the brand, based on how the brand presents itself.

Brand Positioning – this is the chosen target market segmentation.

Brand Personality – this is the personality and qualities behind the brand.

Brand Equity – this is the value of the brand, covering both tangible and intangible value.

Brand Experience – this is the culmination of the customers experience with the brand.

Brand Differentiation – this is the way in which the brand stands out from competitors.

Brand Communication – this is the messaging that the brand delivers through various mediums.

Brand Gap – this is the difference between what a brand promises in its communications and what it actually delivers.

As you can see, there are lots of different types of branding, with many different layers, meanings and structures. And yes, it is complex, but the more you understand about the complex nature of it, the easier it is to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your own branding.

Here at PHd Design we are branding experts, so if you are looking for support with branding your business, or if you’re looking for branded designs for your next marketing campaign – please get in touch with our team.

Within each industry, there is a great amount of competition. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of businesses each competing to hold and grow their market share. There are of course many, many factors that can influence each company’s success – but one factor that is often overlooked, and more importantly underestimated is product packaging.

So let’s take a closer look at the impact that product packaging can have on sales…

Information

What better place to give potential customers all of the information they might need about your product, than on the product itself?

When people are unsure whether or not to purchase a product, they will often pick it up to inspect the packaging and learn more about it. They’re looking for something very specific – information that confirms whether this is the right product for them. In short, they’re looking for a reason to commit to the purchase. So, your packaging should communicate exactly what the product is, instructions for use, ingredients, where it was manufactured, how the products should be stored, use by dates etc.

Customers feel more confident about their buying decisions when they know exactly what they’re buying. And if your packaging covers this information clearly, a customer is more likely to make a purchase. And if you opt not to include this information, it is likely that you won’t be able to convert a good number of those potential customers into sales for your product.

Branding

It goes without saying that branding is an important component of product packaging – but why?

If your business or brand is already well established and well known, the brand name and theming will carry some weight and could help to sway a consumer to purchase your product. They already know and trust your other products, and automatically assume given their past experience with your brand that this product will be equally as useful to them. Or at the very least that it is worth their time to purchase and try the product.

But of course, branding is more than just a colour palette and a logo. A good brand identity will give an accurate representation of your brand and core values, to those people who may not yet be familiar with it. Therefore, packaging should always be designed with customers in mind.

Additionally, it is important to ensure that the overall design looks good. Surprisingly, many products fail to achieve this. Your packaging needs to be visually stimulating, engaging and most importantly appropriate for the product and in line with your branding. Because in a crowded marketplace with a number of direct competitors, all with very similar, and in some cases near identical products – these features will help your product to grab the attention of potential customers. And if you don’t convert potential customers into a sale, your competitors will.

Pricing

Financially speaking, you might think of packaging as nothing more than a cost. But did you know that it can be an important factor in how to price your product?

A well designed, well executed and high-quality packaging will reassure buyers that the product is also well designed and high-quality. And of course, a higher quality product can easily justify a reasonable increase to the price point. But if your packaging is not up to scratch, there is a good chance that potential buyers will assume that the brand, or even the product itself isn’t good. Because if it was a good product, the company would surely have sufficient money to invest in their packaging…

The Power of Packaging

For many businesses, the packaging of their product(s) is an afterthought – especially when a product has been on the market for some time. But packaging can make a powerful impact on sales, and it’s worth remembering that the impact is not always a positive one.

Great packaging can boost and sustain sales, grow a brand’s reputation and open doors of opportunity to your business. An interesting design and quality production will help to catch a potential customers eye, which in a crowded marketplace isn’t always an easy thing to do. But bad packaging that is poorly designed or executed can not only fail to attract potential buyers, but it could actively put off potential buyers and damage your brands reputation.

If you are looking for support with packaging design, our friendly team of designers here at PHd Design can help. We have 30 years of experience with packaging design projects and have a proven track record with most industries and products covering both new product launches and also for brands looking to improve their existing packaging. If you would like more information, please get in touch.

Updated November 2024
This post was originally published in 2022 and has since been updated to reflect the latest insights, industry trends, and business considerations.

One of the big decisions facing business owners and marketing managers alike when building a brand is whether to hire an in-house graphic designer or work with a design agency. It’s a choice that comes with a lot of questions, especially when budgets and long-term brand goals are on the line.

To make things easier, we’ve broken down the key considerations and benefits of working with a design agency compared to hiring in-house.

The Benefits of Working With a Design Agency

1. Cost Efficiency

Hiring an agency can often be more cost-effective than employing an in-house designer. While that might sound counterintuitive at first, let’s look at the numbers:

Recruitment Costs: According to Glassdoor, the average cost to recruit a new employee is £3,000. Add onboarding and training time, and you’re looking at a hefty initial investment.
Salary: As of 2024, the average annual salary for a graphic designer was around £28,000 (Reed). To compete in today’s market, you’ll likely need to offer more than the average.
Tools and Software: Beyond IT equipment, designers need specialist software like Adobe Creative Suite, which can run upwards of £600 per year per user.

On the other hand, design agencies work on a per-project basis, meaning you only pay for what you need—no salaries, no recruitment costs, and no extra subscriptions. Agencies also come equipped with infrastructure and tools, so you won’t need to foot the bill for new tech.

2. Reliability and Continuity

If you hire a single in-house designer, what happens if they’re unwell or need extended leave? Everything design-related could come to a standstill, delaying projects and impacting other departments.

Agencies, by contrast, have entire teams of designers. If one designer is unavailable, another steps in seamlessly—ensuring your deadlines are met without compromising quality.

3. Experience and Innovation

Agencies attract top-tier talent and create collaborative environments where creativity thrives. Designers working within an agency benefit from peer feedback, constructive critique, and exposure to diverse projects across industries.

An in-house designer working solo may lack this dynamic, which can lead to tunnel vision. For fresh perspectives and innovative ideas, a design agency is often the better choice.

Plus, let’s face it: even the biggest brands—think Coca-Cola or Apple—outsource their creative projects to agencies. They do it because agencies deliver superior results, and they’re not wrong!

When Might In-House Design Be a Good Option?

While we’re clearly fans of agencies (we might be a little biased!), there are situations where in-house design makes sense.

High Volume Needs: If your business produces a constant stream of design work, having someone in-house might be more efficient.
On-Demand Edits: If you frequently need quick, small edits to marketing materials, an in-house designer can offer a faster turnaround.

Even so, many businesses use a hybrid approach: hiring an in-house designer for day-to-day tasks while partnering with an agency for large-scale projects like branding or website design.

Should You Hire In-House or Work With an Agency?

The choice ultimately depends on your business goals, budget, and workload.

That said, we firmly believe that in most cases, partnering with a design agency is the smarter move. Agencies are cost-effective, reliable, and deliver work that drives results. Plus, with PHd Design being ranked in the Top 100 Creative Agencies in the UK, we like to think we know what we’re doing.

If you’re ready to explore how we can help your brand stand out, let’s talk! Whether it’s a rebrand, packaging, or a bespoke website, we’ve got you covered.

Ready to Make the Right Choice for Your Brand?

Whether you’re considering an agency for the first time or looking for a creative partner to elevate your brand, we’re here to help. Schedule a consultation today and discover how PHd Design can deliver cost-effective, reliable, and innovative design solutions that drive results.

Not quite ready to chat? Join our fortnightly newsletter for the latest insights, success stories, and tips to help your business thrive – click here to subscribe.

This year marks a momentous milestone for our team here at PHd Design, as we celebrate 30 years of award-winning designs.
But how did we get to where we are today?

It All Started With a Pencil…

Our managing director Peter Howard, founded PHd Design back in 1992, with the vision of creating a design legacy. The
original office was based in the spare room of his parent’s house, and with limited resources, Peter went to work building up his
fledgling business.

These were the days before designers had the digital array of tools that make the design process as streamlined as
it is today. So each design was painstakingly hand-drawn at each stage of the design process.

The Digital Renaissance

As digital tools and technology became more readily available, PHd Design purchased their first company Macintosh
computer and began to move into digital design.

Demand for design work was so high, that the business quickly moved from Peter being a ‘one-man band’
as the company took on its first employee to keep up with the ever-increasing project list.

Innovation in Design

It’s safe to say that we’ve never shied away from taking giant leaps in the name of creativity and to help really deliver the
‘wow’ factor to our projects. Back in 1999, Aston Manor Brewery – the UK’s largest independent cider company came to us
with a design brief for the packaging of their newest product ‘Blackadder’. The design was for a snake to be curling around the
bottle from top to bottom, printed on a shrink sleeve.

So our team took on the challenge, building ‘pre-distortion’ into the design so that when the print was shrunken onto the bottle, the
design would still look fully proportional and true to the brand. This practice is common now, but at the time, PHd Design was the first
design company in the UK to design a 330ml drink package in this way.

And the following year, we won our first major design award from a big player in the industry; Design Week.

To the Barn

As the business continued to grow, it became clear that a larger and more professional creative space was needed. And
so the move to a studio space in Lichfield was made. This location was a perfect fit, as the studio is nestled in the
peaceful town of Riley Hill, making it easily accessible to Birmingham and the wider Midlands area.

The move really helped our creative team to continue to thrive, and over the next few years, we continued to dazzle
our clients and win numerous awards for our designs and creativity.

Award-Winning Agency

We enjoyed many milestones in the years that followed, from working with our 1,000th client to completing our 10,000th
project. But our proudest achievement was being ranked in the ‘Top 100 Creative Agencies’ in the UK. With just
over 125,000 design companies in the UK, to be ranked in the top 100 – essentially making us one of the top 0.1%
was a huge honour for our small graphic design agency based in Lichfield.

We’re also the only agency in Staffordshire to have made the list.

From these humble beginnings came the thriving agency we know and love today. It’s exciting to see how far we’ve come,
and we can’t wait to see what the next 10 years will bring for our team and our clients.

This is exactly what it sounds like…
a 100% free graphic design project (wow huh)!
All done by our team of excitable, experienced and award winning creatives at PHd design (a rather fabulous little company ranked inthe very prestigious list of UK’s top 100 designers).
This is going to be a quarterly event, where we offer free design project to an industry that we think needs a little helping hand. Anything from branding or marketing material, through to packaging or signage!

We’re looking for new companies, new services, new products, new ideas or even just a new location.
We want to help you with anything design… from branding or marketing material, through to packaging or signage!

Don’t forget to share this with anyone else you know who might be in for a chance to win,the more the merrier!

This is exactly what it sounds like…
a 100% free graphic design project (wow huh)!
All done by our team of excitable, experienced and award winning creatives at PHd design (a rather fabulous little company ranked inthe very prestigious list of UK’s top 100 designers).
This is going to be a quarterly event, where we offer free design project to an industry that we think needs a little helping hand. Anything from branding or marketing material, through to packaging or signage!

This competition is open to any company that is trying to make an environmental difference.
Whether your van’s going electric, your packaging losing the plastic, or your new product is eco-tastic… this could be for you! This is your chance to think of the things you always wanted to do but never had the time orthe budget. We want your daydreams, your odd ideas,your game changing plans.

Don’t forget to share this with anyone else in your industry,the more the merrier!

See some of our previous work!

Click here

This is exactly what it sounds like…
a 100% free graphic design project (wow huh)!
All done by our team of excitable, experienced and award winning creatives at PHd design (a rather fabulous little company ranked inthe very prestigious list of UK’s top 100 designers).
This is going to be a quarterly event, where we offer free design project to an industry that we think needs a little helping hand. Anything from branding or marketing material, through to packaging or signage!

This competition is open to the entire food and drink industry.
So if you feed people (whether in a restaurant, food stall, or supermarket shelf), or if you get people drinks (calling, brewers, distillers, bottlers, and pubs) this is for you. This is your chance to think of the things you always wanted to do but never had the time orthe budget. We want your daydreams, your odd ideas,your game changing plans.

Don’t forget to share this with anyone else in your industry,the more the merrier!

See some of our previous works
for the food and drink industry!

Download the case study

Share the festive fun