Don’t copy the biggest sites out there!
Just as many small businesses are considering their website set-ups, branding and structure, Guild member Chris Dawson of tallhatDesign shares some wise observations on why the biggest aren’t necessarily the best, and other approaches for your design decisions in his latest blog post here: tallhat.com/2020/04/dont-copy-the-biggest-sites-out-there/
Who are you/ what do you do?
My name is Chris Dawson, I have run tallhatDesign for more than 18 years here in Bath, straddling the marketing/visual design and technical production spheres. Coming from a Digital Agency background working with clients such as Guinness, Peugeot, The British Tourist Authority, I now work with a mix of direct clients and agencies – some local to Bath, others much further afield. My aim is to provide high-quality design services in an honest and pragmatic way, cutting through the noise and speaking to clients on their terms, defining and clarifying the communication problems they need to address and creating solutions that simply work.
Through tallhatDesign I offer a one-stop shop supplying branding, website design and production, print work (and with a host of experience project managing or art-directing photographers, illustrators, developers, social media managers etc.)
I’ve created brands and websites for hotels, architects, conferences, biz consultants, bands, software companies, sculpture trails, estate agents, photographers – the list goes on.
How long have you been a member of The Guild?
Since December 2013, almost the very beginning! I’m not quite the oldest member though.
What do you get up to when you’re not at the Guild?
Outside of work I am a big fan of live music, I love a good gig – obscure bands, genres off the beaten track, and I like to play a bit of guitar here and there.
My spare time (though I don’t have much with 2 teenage kids) also gets taken up with photography, designing puzzles, walking Meg the black Labrador, and 5-aside footy (quality questionable).
Tell us a couple of your favourite things
I love a nice IPA, or any beer “by gravity”. And peanut butter.
Find out more about tallhatDesign, Chris Dawson and his work here: tallhat.com
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