The Design Studio

Big brand thinking for all.

Over our thirty year history, we’ve made a name for ourselves as a design studio that can make the difference between a brand that becomes part of the fabric of our culture and those that simply fade away. We treat design as a strategic tool and bring discipline to design with an approach that is imaginative, systematic, logical and objective. Our work includes: Brand Strategy, Brand Identity, Name Generation, Advertising & Marketing Campaigns, Web & Digital Design, Film, Art Direction and Packaging.

This process involves the interplay between design and business strategy. The studio also collaborates with some of the industry’s leading creatives and thinkers of contemporary culture.

Jay Flaxman

The design studio was founded by Jay Flaxman, a creative with a rich and varied brand pedigree, building an impressive portfolio in Automotive, Food and Beverage, Property, Fashion and Music to name but a few. Jay is passionate about delivering hard-working, strategic design, and is a seasoned practitioner in creating holistic brand experiences that frame a message or entity and are ruthlessly consistent from every angle.

Over an impressive career, Jay has immersed himself in the varied cultures of the brands he’s asked to collaborate with, enjoying the opportunity to help shape both verbal and visual language, often being invited to contribute at the earliest stages of brand or product development. His experience means he’s also able to provide the level of guidance and support that is crucial in the formative stages of a startup.

He has also demonstrated to some of world’s biggest corporations that good design is good business, branded and directed three of the country’s most revered Michelin starred chefs and contributed to the repositioning of an iconic British luxury car company. In 2012 he revived the popularity of a much loved fashion brand and made it relevant to a younger audience.

He has also created highly successful brands in the food and beverage sector that have become huge success stories. His most recent posts have been as the creative force behind recent campaigns for Canon Europe, Brand Director of startup, Ése London, as well as Brand Strategy and Creative-Director-at-large for Abacus Marketing, producing strategic design for the likes of global brands such as Saint Gobain.

Jay is often retained to act as Brand Guardian for client organisations as well as holding stakes in a select number of brands that he has been responsible for creating or reinventing – further evidence of his commitment to the studio’s contribution.

“Brilliant service, held our hands through the process of the comprehensive rebrand of our identity. Couldn’t recommend more highly.”

Josh Katz, Owner – Berber & Q

“I had a great experience working with Jay and his team. Their approach to my branding and design project was instinctive, and they graciously took time to consider and respond to feedback. To this day, I’m still getting compliments about the logo they designed. In short: I’m a big fan of their work!”

Teun Hilte, Shared Studios, NYC

“We recently had the pleasure of collaborating with Jay to produce two photographic campaigns in Cape Town. His creative direction was top-notch, translating the brief into a visually stunning photoshoot that highlighted and elevated the products benefits. From location scouting to model selection, it was evident that Jay had a keen eye for detail. He ensured everything aligned perfectly with the overall vision for the shoot. We highly recommend collaborating with Jay’s Studio – a leading marketing agency.”

Gavin Schneider, Gavin Schneider Productions, SA

“We briefed Jay Flaxman on the rebrand of our identity and website for our prestigious luxury homeware brand. The brief was delivered on time, and the results were superb.”

Justin Homewood, The Water Monopoly

“I’ve worked with Jay and his studio many times over the course of my career and can only speak highly of their creativity and professionalism. From concept to development and then execution, followed by a post production process that has always been seamless. Jay in particular has always articulated his ideas very well and been a fantastic segue between artist and client. Very happy to recommend this studio.”

Josh Olins, Photographer

“Outstanding experience with Jay and his team! Their professionalism and dedication surpassed our expectations. From the first contact, they showcased an in-depth understanding of website design. Their highly skilled and creative team guided us throughout the entire process, from conceptualisation to the final implementation. Great attention to detail and prompt responses to our queries, resulting in a bespoke, functional, and visually appealing website that perfectly embodies our agency identity. We highly recommend FLXMN to any agencies seeking quality web design services, backed by a professional and dedicated team.”

Isabel Luque, Lotus PR/W Communications