Building a brand identity requires more than selecting colours and fonts. Mixed Media Design approaches this work as a structured process that translates business values, market position, and commercial objectives into visual language. Based in Paraparaumu and serving the Kāpiti Coast, Horowhenua, and Greater Wellington Region, they develop brand systems that help businesses establish presence, differentiate from competitors, and maintain consistency across all customer touchpoints.
The studio was founded in 2010 by Gail Mylne, who brings over 30 years of design experience gathered across Auckland, Melbourne, London, and Wellington. This international background informs their approach to brand development, combining commercial discipline with creative thinking drawn from Gail’s parallel practice as an abstract artist. Their work centres on bespoke solutions; they avoid generic templates and pre-made themes, instead building each identity around the specific business, its audience, and its goals.
Their core philosophy reflects a direct principle: you never get a second chance to make a first impression. This perspective shapes how they approach visual identity work. Whether creating a new brand from scratch or refreshing an established identity, they focus on designs that work immediately and remain effective over time. Brand systems need to function across multiple applications, from business cards and shopfront signage to websites and social media platforms, maintaining recognisability and professional appearance regardless of context.
Mixed Media Design positions itself as a full-service design partner rather than simply a supplier of logos. Their brand identity work encompasses custom logo design, comprehensive brand guidelines, visual collateral systems, and animated logo variants for digital platforms. They manage projects from initial discovery through to final implementation, coordinating with print suppliers, photographers, and web developers as needed. This end-to-end approach suits businesses that lack in-house design teams and prefer to delegate visual communication tasks to specialists.
Operating across the Kāpiti Coast, they serve clients in Paraparaumu, Waikanae, Raumati, Ōtaki, and Paekākāriki, extending their reach into Levin and the wider Wellington Region. They maintain connections with local business groups including the Kāpiti Chamber of Commerce, Business Network International, and Chrysalis, reinforcing their presence within regional commercial circles. Their client base includes startups establishing initial market presence, established businesses refreshing outdated identities, and organisations requiring visual systems to support expansion or repositioning.
The studio operates using industry-standard tools including Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Acrobat. This ensures compatibility with professional print workflows and digital production processes. They also provide in-house design support for Web2Print in Ōtaki, adding capacity for on-demand design work and print management.
Developing a brand identity addresses several commercial needs for businesses operating across Kāpiti and surrounding areas. Visual consistency builds recognition over time, making it easier for customers to identify and remember a business among competitors. Professional presentation establishes credibility, particularly for startups and smaller enterprises competing against larger organisations. Clear visual differentiation helps businesses stand out in crowded markets where multiple providers offer similar services or products.
Mixed Media Design’s approach to brand development begins with understanding the business itself. Before sketching concepts or selecting colours, they explore the client’s values, target audience, competitive landscape, and market position. This discovery phase ensures the resulting visual identity supports commercial strategy rather than existing as decoration. A hospitality business targeting families requires different visual language than a professional services firm addressing corporate clients.
Their work with a Kāpiti café demonstrates this approach. The business required a complete branding overhaul including new logo design, shopfront signage, and social media graphics. The resulting identity helped the café achieve stronger customer engagement by creating a cohesive visual presence across physical and digital touchpoints. This type of project illustrates how coordinated brand systems reinforce recognition; customers encountering consistent visuals across a shopfront, Instagram feed, and printed menus develop stronger associations with the business.
Logo design forms the foundation of most brand identities. Mixed Media Design creates logos that capture business values while remaining functional across different sizes and applications. A logo needs to work when printed small on a business card, displayed large on a vehicle, and rendered as a social media profile image. They design with these technical requirements in mind, ensuring legibility and impact regardless of context. For businesses using digital channels extensively, they also create animated logo variants that add movement and interest to video content, presentations, and online platforms.
Brand guidelines represent another component of their identity work. These documents define how visual elements should be used consistently across all materials. Guidelines typically cover logo usage rules, colour palettes with specific codes for print and digital reproduction, typography specifications, layout principles, and imagery styles. Well-constructed guidelines enable businesses to maintain brand consistency even when working with different suppliers or producing materials in-house. They prevent the visual drift that occurs when brand elements are applied inconsistently over time.
Visual collateral systems extend the brand identity into practical business materials. Mixed Media Design produces complete sets of branded items including business cards, letterheads, email signatures, and presentation templates. These materials function as physical expressions of the brand, creating touchpoints where customers encounter the business identity. Business cards remain important despite digital communication methods; they provide tangible reminders and facilitate introductions at networking events, conferences, and meetings.
Print materials require particular attention to brand consistency. The studio designs brochures, flyers, posters, banners, and packaging that maintain visual alignment with the core brand identity. Each piece serves specific marketing purposes while contributing to overall brand recognition. A well-designed brochure communicates detailed information about services or products while reinforcing brand values through layout, colour usage, and imagery choices.
Signage design represents a visible application of brand identity work. Mixed Media Design creates signage for shopfronts, vehicles, events, and promotional displays. Effective signage balances brand consistency with practical requirements like viewing distances, lighting conditions, and local council regulations. They design signage solutions that comply with guidelines while ensuring businesses maintain strong visual presence in their physical locations.
Digital design assets form an expanding component of brand identity systems. The studio creates website graphics including hero images, banners, buttons, and icons for developer implementation. They produce social media graphics for Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn that maintain brand consistency across digital channels. These assets enable businesses to present professional appearances online without requiring in-house design expertise. When clients need complete website builds, Mixed Media Design collaborates with trusted web developers to ensure accurate implementation of design work.
Their work with a Levin-based startup illustrates how complete brand systems support business launches. The startup required cohesive branding to establish local presence and support online marketing. Mixed Media Design developed a brand system including logo, colour palette, typography guidelines, business stationery, and digital assets. This package provided tools for presenting consistent visual identity across all customer touchpoints, supporting efforts to build recognition in competitive markets.
Project management capabilities distinguish their service offering from design-only suppliers. Many regional businesses require design work periodically but cannot justify full-time design staff. Mixed Media Design manages individual projects or provides ongoing support as needed. Their coordination with print suppliers, photographers, and other specialists streamlines production, allowing business owners to delegate visual communication while maintaining oversight of budgets and schedules. This approach suits businesses seeking professional support for establishing their presence in regional markets.
The combination of international design experience and regional market knowledge positions them as a resource for Kāpiti businesses seeking professional brand development. Their Paraparaumu base provides accessibility to local clients while their broader experience brings perspective to regional projects. This balance supports their ability to deliver work that competes at national standards while remaining grounded in the realities of operating across the Kāpiti Coast and surrounding areas.
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Tags & Service Categories: brand identity, visual identity, logo design, brand guidelines, corporate branding, business identity, brand systems, visual communication, graphic design, brand development, identity design, brand collateral, brand strategy, visual branding, professional design, bespoke branding, Kāpiti Coast services, Paraparaumu design, regional branding, business design solutions
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