Studio Renton A&A

How did Studio Renton come into being?

We'd been working together on various projects as creative freelancers, but as things grew we decided to take the next step and set up Studio Renton as a limited company. That was in 2015. It was a good way to push ourselves and keep moving forward, but also, as demand for our services has grown, we needed to have a dedicated workspace. It got to the stage where we'd outgrown working from coffee shops and it was time to launch our own creative agency.

What services do you offer?

We describe ourselves as a full service design studio which means we do everything from graphic design for print and online, including branding and logos, through to creating digital content, including websites, apps, video and photography. We do everything in-house too, rather than outsourcing elements, which means we can help clients with all their different needs, and manage the quality of what we're producing really carefully.

What kind of creative background to you come from and how have you grown?

We both started in photography and branched out from there, with Gary specialising in the video side of things and Jono the design aspects - although we very much work together on things. Our ethos is simply to produce great work and help our client's businesses grow. The more successful we help them to become, the better things are for us. As a result, we've grown through word of mouth, with clients recommending us to others.

What kind of clients do you work with?

We have a diverse range of clients, from start-ups to huge corporates, including one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies. Some are local and others are further afield, as we have clients in London, Switzerland and the US.

As a small design studio, how do you get your foot through the door of large companies?

Many corporates are actually really open to working with younger companies as they're looking for innovative ways of doing things, and as a small company we're perfectly placed to innovate.

Why did you choose to open a studio at Sneinton Market?

We were looking for a studio around Nottingham and the Creative Quarter area, and were really excited when we first saw our space here. Being at street level is really important to us, as we want to be seen and for people to walk by and pop in and meet us, so that was a real plus. Also, we liked the fact that the spaces at Sneinton Market are blank canvases and we've been able to create our studio just the way we want to, rather than inheriting an existing office space. The community spirit is great down here too, and even though we've only been here a few weeks, we've already seen several more businesses move in. It's good to watch Sneinton Market grow and be a part of that.

Your space looks fantastic, what was your vision for it?

We knew we wanted to keep things minimal but we also wanted to create two distinct spaces that work well together, a place for working and a place for meeting and talking to clients and each other. We've already had meetings here and our clients have been really impressed. It's good to be able to chat to clients but also show them work in progress as part of that. There's a sense of creativity and productivity you can't get from meeting up in a coffee shop. Here, they can see and become a part of our workspace.

More generally, why did you choose Nottingham?

Gary has roots in Nottingham even though he moved down from Yorkshire and I (Jono) was born and bred here, so we both really like the city. These days, because so much happens in the virtual world, businesses like ours have the luxury of deciding where they want to work, gone are the days of having to be physically near your clients. We chose Nottingham because over the last five years or so, the creative industries have really taken off here, and there's a real buzz around the place. We've seen a lot of small creative businesses start up and do well here so it made sense to follow suit! The fact we have both local and global clients, including clients in London, illustrates how it's possible for businesses like ours to reach a vast audience, while benefiting from being in the place you want to be.

It sounds like you've already achieved big things, but what are your plans for the future?

We want to carry on growing, while still doing what we love - creating great work for our clients. We have a team of freelancers we work regularly with, but I think we'll be looking to take new creatives on more permanently, sooner rather than later. Opening our new studio is a big part of that. I think we'll also be collaborating with some of the other creative businesses down here...it's great to be surrounded by other like-minded people.

Creatively speaking, what do you think the next big things in marketing will be?

Interestingly, things are moving in two directions. We work closely with new technologies like augmented reality, but equally, old school marketing methods using printed materials are increasingly making a comeback, because they cut through the noise of digital promotions such as web ads. To us, innovation doesn't just mean 'latest' - it's about taking a fresh approach to everything, whether that's a new iPhone app or a printed brochure.

Studio Renton's doors are now open, if you fancy swinging by and saying hello...they're on Avenue C down here at Sneinton Market, with a shiny new sign and a beautiful interior...

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