Packaging From The Start

This year we celebrate our 25th year in business as a design agency. Hampson Partnership started in August 1986 with three people, a couple of design accounts and bags of ambition. Looking back at some of the landmark projects we undertook at the time, there are a few that stand out as being real success stories. Newquay Steam Beer was one such brand.  Newquay Steam was the brainchild of the new managing director of the day at Devenish Brewery in Weymouth, Dorset.

To see my updated piece about Newquay Steam Beer, see my latest post.

Steam Beer. A brand created at the start of our design business.

Michael Cannon had the ideas and the drive to make his plans work. This beer brand was his concept and the imagery was created by the team at Hampson Partnership. Once launched, we saw its success rocket to create sales of 24 million pints in its peak year. Back then, all the visual tricks were requested to be included in the design, from woodcut illustration to gold foil brand name. We insisted at the time that the bottle should have a wire closer and ceramic top - which became its personality and most memorable feature. Things have moved on of course, but if a brand's success is measured in its resulting sales, then this brand established itself as an outright winner. For more information on this and other packaging contact us.


More drinks sector branding design

Another drinks sector project at the time was Stonehouse Cider. The name was originated at Hampsons and the pack design developed and launched by our team in those early years. The stonehouse is the place where the apples were traditionally packed and ground to make the apple juice, so it seemed a natural brand name for a west country cider product.

Inch's Stonehouse Cider  |   Designed by Hampson Partnership

New business branding

Quite recently, a friend who was starting her new veterinary practice asked if we would help with designing her business logo. Signage was planned together with business stationery and press advertising to support the start-up. Uncomplicated graphics were chosen together with a visual link to the New Forest, the area in which the practice serves. To learn more about Bransgore Vets, go here