It all started with Betty the bee
Award-winning honey producers Bermondsey Street Bees were growing and over time, their well-conceived brand and packaging had become disjointed. I was brought in to give the brand a framework, to include the company’s consultancy work on beekeeping.
The first thing I did was recommend replacement of the company’s found image of a bee with a unique mark. Engraved by illustrator Chris Wormell, Betty is a bespoke bee who’s hard to copy.
The typography was driven by Bermondsey Street Bees’ love of old trademarks. Collaborative research was followed by the work of simplifying the existing array of typefaces down to just two, and brand guidelines were set out.
There’s been advisory work too, on the booklet Planting for honey bees and most recently, design concept work for the new Bermondsey Street Bees website, developed by Lewis Design.
And, never one to pass up an opportunity to learn something, I’ve been up to the rooftop hives to see the bees at work.
