Sam started life as a freelance Graphic Designer and Art Director over 12 years ago. In this time, she’s been involved in a diverse range of projects for clients including BMW Financial Services, Nationwide, Canon and Motorola. During recent years she’s offered her big-brand thinking to a selection of smaller businesses and start-ups. Each has benefited from her creative and pragmatic approach to branding and corporate identity.
During 2005, Sam was invited to become founder Creative Director for 375 Creative Resource Group. After taking the company from a small team to a respected agency, Sam decided it was time for a new challenge. So, in November 2006 Sam founded Gravity. With many clients following suit, Mike Cannings soon joined her, and they now work together creating identities, websites and printed materials for their broad client base. From establishing new brands and maintaining consistency to managing every aspect of projects, Sam’s skill resides in transforming businesses by developing brands.
Over the past nine years, Mike has worked for many top organisations, including BMW, Hewlett Packard and the South West Regional Development Agency. During his time at 375, Proctor and Stevenson and SteersMcGillan, he’s managed everything from branding and literature to illustrations and web design. One of his most notable branding projects involved designing a new corporate identity that helped transform Southampton Institute into the new Southampton Solent University.
Before joining Gravity, Mike spent three months in Australia working for clients such as Australia Post and HIF Health Insurance. Since returning, he’s bursting with creativity and brimming with enthusiasm for new challenges.
The most-recent addition to the Gravity team, Laura brings almost a decade of project management experience to the studio, which means that she’s seen (and effortlessly dealt with) just about everything that the industry can deliver.
Boasting a broad range of experience both agency- and client-side, she has worked with Sam and Mike before at Proctor & Stevenson and 375, and is known for her organisational and planning skills, as well as her friendly and helpful nature – all of which makes a big difference when timescales are tight.
Laura is unerringly process-focussed, with a meticulous eye-for-detail, and it’s these skills that have earned her the respect of big-name former clients such as Sky, Hilton, L’Oreal and the BBC. She’s well-used to all the issues that can crop up at the 11th hour, and has a head for problem-solving, organising, and generally making projects run like clockwork.
Or, to put it another way: you’ll love working with her. We do.
It was a pleasure finding someone who listened to our ambitions, respected our history and designed an identity to be proud of. We enjoy a superb working relationship with Sam, who we now consider an extension of our marketing team.
Simon Furber
Managing Director
CCT