In the dynamic world of digital marketing, standing out requires a blend of creativity, innovation, and a personalized touch—qualities that define Visions Design.
In an exclusive interview with
Website Planet, founder Daniel Cordwell shared how his agency has thrived for over a decade by crafting bespoke solutions that reflect each brand’s unique identity. With a team of long-standing designers and a commitment to elevating user experience, Visions Design challenges the cookie-cutter approach prevalent in the industry.
Their award-winning projects, like Cocreatd, showcase how aligning design with purpose drives exceptional results.
What sets Visions Design apart from other digital marketing agencies?
I started this business 12 years ago, coming from a design and marketing background. Being a creative agency is deeply embedded in our values and foundation, which significantly shapes the decisions we make in the studio. Some of my design team members have been with me for over eight years, and their creativity is a key factor that sets us apart from other agencies.
Another distinct aspect is our approach to tailoring and creating bespoke solutions. Many agencies rely heavily on themes, essentially reskinning them, which results in websites that don’t feel uniquely crafted for the brand or business. This often leads to repetitive designs and a flat user experience.
At Visions Design, we focus on elevating the user experience by creating bespoke designs that truly reflect the brand’s identity and personality. This ensures users spend more time on the site, have a better overall experience, and ultimately result in improved conversions.
Can you share the story behind your award-winning Cocreatd project?
This is an interesting one! We generate new business through various sources, using a wide range of marketing strategies ourselves. In this case, I was recommended multiple times on a LinkedIn post by an individual named Oliver Yonchev.
Oliver was previously the Managing Director at Social Chain, a company co-founded by Steven Bartlett, who is well-known in the UK and a judge on the program Dragon’s Den, where entrepreneurs pitch for business funding. Oliver later became the CEO of Flight Story, a company he created with Steven Bartlett, achieving great success. Recently, he decided to launch his own venture focused on creating new businesses and brands, particularly in the AI space.
After being recommended, I went down to London to have lunch with Oliver. We really hit it off as our values aligned perfectly. Since then, we’ve been working together on three or four live projects. One of these was creating the Cocreatd brand and website. This project has been a significant success, earning us multiple awards for its design and execution.
How do you approach creating bespoke branding solutions for clients?
As I mentioned, I started this business over 12 years ago, and my background is deeply rooted in branding. Over the past decade, I’ve gained extensive experience at various levels, and working with my studio team—some of whom have been with me for over eight years—we’ve refined a robust process for creating bespoke branding solutions.
Our approach starts with workshops and tailored questionnaires that we send to every stakeholder involved in the project. This ensures that each decision-maker has an opportunity to share their input individually, avoiding the dynamics of group meetings where some people may struggle to voice their opinions.
Once we’ve gathered this information, we use it to guide group work and collaborative exercises. We also follow tried-and-tested methodologies to analyze and synthesize the data. This process allows us to craft a truly bespoke branding solution that aligns with the client’s unique needs and goals.
What trends in web design and development are you most excited about right now?
One of the biggest trends right now is AI, and it’s something we’ve been actively integrating into our business over the past 12 months. We’re using AI more and more on a daily basis and have even incorporated it into some of our systems.
While many people are apprehensive about AI, fearing it might replace roles within the industry, we see it as an opportunity. By harnessing AI and using it effectively, we can enhance efficiency without compromising quality. It allows us to deliver great work at a much faster pace.
We’ve already applied AI to our own website and are now exploring how we can help our clients leverage its benefits to improve their projects and processes.
How does your team ensure a balance between creativity and functionality in your projects?
That’s a great question, and it can sometimes be a challenge. Personally, I’m a natural creative, and I admit the studio can get a bit frustrated when I dive into tangents exploring new ideas. I love pushing the boundaries of creativity, but I also recognize the importance of ensuring that our work not only looks great but functions seamlessly.
To maintain this balance, we focus heavily on the discovery stage of every project. We define clear outcomes and objectives from the very beginning. Throughout the process, we continually refer back to those objectives at various stages, ensuring that we stay aligned with what we’re aiming to achieve.
This structured approach helps us keep both creativity and functionality in harmony, ensuring the final product is both visually appealing and purpose-driven.
What’s your process for delivering impactful designs?
Our process starts with the discovery stage, where we work to uncover the core purpose of the brand and the company itself. We aim to understand their personality and values, which helps us express these elements effectively through design.
A great example of this approach in action is the recent Jaguar rebrand. Initially, the rebrand left many people—both within the industry and regular consumers—confused. However, when you delve into the reasoning behind it, the strategy becomes clear. Jaguar shifted from an older, traditional look to something modern and dynamic to reflect their focus on electric vehicles and to attract a younger audience.
This example highlights how aligning design choices with a brand’s purpose and target audience creates an impactful result. By grounding our designs in a strong understanding of a brand’s identity and goals, we ensure that they resonate and deliver meaningful outcomes.
Find out more at:
www.visionsdesign.co.uk
