
<p>Client and friend Seed Biggar just launched their new online shop at <a href="https://knitboneceramics.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">knitboneceramics.com</a>! We did the branding photography (#allFilmAllTheTime) and configured a Shopify theme to match the brand and take the shop live.</p>



<div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="883" src="https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Screen-Shot-2023-12-05-at-11.48.03-AM-1024x883.png" alt="" class="wp-image-135" srcset="https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Screen-Shot-2023-12-05-at-11.48.03-AM-1024x883.png 1024w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Screen-Shot-2023-12-05-at-11.48.03-AM-300x259.png 300w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Screen-Shot-2023-12-05-at-11.48.03-AM-768x662.png 768w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Screen-Shot-2023-12-05-at-11.48.03-AM-1536x1325.png 1536w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Screen-Shot-2023-12-05-at-11.48.03-AM.png 1860w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



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<p>I want to talk about this project partly because I want to show off our film photos of Seed&#8217;s beautiful work and bright studio, and partly because it&#8217;s a great example of what we mean when we say your website needs to be accessible for your customers AND for you. </p>



<div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">All the Tools You Need, None You Don&#8217;t</h2>



<p>Seed, artist and owner of Knitbone Ceramics, reached out a little while ago after subscribing to Shopify for their online shop. They&#8217;d hit a wall, and were looking for some support to learn the system and get the shop up and running in time for the holiday rush.</p>



<p>Despite being marketed to small business owners with the promise that they can set up and administer their own shops, most website builders aren&#8217;t super intuitive (especially if it&#8217;s not your job to know about a variety of website builders). It&#8217;s not uncommon for clients to come to us at their absolute wits&#8217; end when their chosen website builder won&#8217;t behave. </p>



<p>Your website should be your favourite tool. Powerful, versatile, and just the right size for you. It shouldn&#8217;t be shrouded in mystery. While we pride ourselves on our ongoing client relationships, we don&#8217;t want you to have to call us every time you want to update your website or make a small change. This philosophy guides the software and services we use. It also informs our approach to the training we offer, regardless of the tech stack.</p>



<p>Here&#8217;s how we approached this project.</p>



<div style="height:50px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Step 1</h2>



<p>The first step (as with all our projects, big or small) is to learn about the brand. Seed was looking for a free theme, and Shopify has a decent selection, so I needed to know more about how the site should feel (clean, calming, photo-forward) and who it should speak to (pottery collectors, people interested in one-of-a-kind work, appreciators of experimentation, creative expression and the beautiful imperfections inherent to handmade objects).</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Step 2</h2>



<p>After choosing a theme and doing the basic set up, we had our first in-person meeting (conveniently coincided with shoot day on the mainland!). I gave a demo of the theme itself and went over the basic functions like how to add products and group them into collections, and how to access the page layout customizer. Then we proceeded to shoot a handful of rolls of film, and I left the draft site with Seed to poke around in.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Step 3</h2>



<p>We met over Zoom a few weeks later, and both of us showed up with a list of things to go over and questions to ask. We went through each item and reviewed the things we&#8217;d first looked on shoot day. It meant the meeting was thorough and efficient, and Seed left with the knowledge they needed to make the site match their shop vision.</p>



<p>We picked a launch date and we scheduled a final site review so I could give feedback, Seed could ask final questions and we could both ensure every page looked tip-top and ready to go forth into the world.</p>



<p>This multi-step situation is really important, because in the majority of cases, it doesn&#8217;t matter how thoroughly you address every detail of site function. A person still needs to get in there themselves, play around, check out the options. Only then will they know what questions they really need to ask to become confident using their website.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A New Approach</h2>



<p>In the past few years I&#8217;ve been involved in so many projects where the intention was to be client friendly, with software and design geared toward you updating your own website whenever needed, but the reality was that clients felt intimidated by their sites and defaulted to calling the developer to make simple changes. That&#8217;s an expensive and disempowering way to manage your site. When we launched Flegg Creative, we knew we wanted things to be different for our clients.</p>



<p>If you&#8217;re looking for support with your website and are curious about how we can help, drop us a line! <a href="mailto:hello@fleggcreative.ca">hello@fleggcreative.ca</a>.</p>



<p>And without further ado, have a look at some of Knitbone&#8217;s photo collection! We&#8217;re pretty proud of these ones.</p>



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<figure class="wp-block-gallery aligncenter has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex">
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="201" height="300" data-id="147" src="https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083413-24-201x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-147" srcset="https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083413-24-201x300.jpg 201w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083413-24-686x1024.jpg 686w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083413-24-768x1146.jpg 768w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083413-24-1030x1536.jpg 1030w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083413-24-1373x2048.jpg 1373w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083413-24-scaled.jpg 1716w" sizes="(max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="300" data-id="144" src="https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-07-300x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-144" srcset="https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-07-300x300.jpg 300w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-07-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-07-150x150.jpg 150w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-07-768x768.jpg 768w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-07-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-07-2048x2048.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="300" data-id="142" src="https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-05-300x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-142" srcset="https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-05-300x300.jpg 300w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-05-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-05-150x150.jpg 150w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-05-768x768.jpg 768w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-05-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-05-2048x2048.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="300" data-id="145" src="https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-09-300x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-145" srcset="https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-09-300x300.jpg 300w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-09-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-09-150x150.jpg 150w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-09-768x768.jpg 768w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-09-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-09-2048x2048.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="300" data-id="150" src="https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083414-23-300x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-150" srcset="https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083414-23-300x300.jpg 300w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083414-23-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083414-23-150x150.jpg 150w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083414-23-768x768.jpg 768w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083414-23-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083414-23-2048x2048.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="300" data-id="146" src="https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-10-300x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-146" srcset="https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-10-300x300.jpg 300w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-10-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-10-150x150.jpg 150w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-10-768x768.jpg 768w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-10-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083415-10-2048x2048.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="201" height="300" data-id="148" src="https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083413-28-201x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-148" srcset="https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083413-28-201x300.jpg 201w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083413-28-686x1024.jpg 686w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083413-28-768x1146.jpg 768w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083413-28-1029x1536.jpg 1029w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083413-28-1373x2048.jpg 1373w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083413-28-scaled.jpg 1716w" sizes="(max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="201" height="300" data-id="149" src="https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083414-09-201x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-149" srcset="https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083414-09-201x300.jpg 201w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083414-09-686x1024.jpg 686w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083414-09-768x1146.jpg 768w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083414-09-1030x1536.jpg 1030w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083414-09-1373x2048.jpg 1373w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083414-09-scaled.jpg 1716w" sizes="(max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="201" data-id="151" src="https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083414-28-300x201.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-151" srcset="https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083414-28-300x201.jpg 300w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083414-28-1024x686.jpg 1024w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083414-28-768x515.jpg 768w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083414-28-1536x1030.jpg 1536w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123083414-28-2048x1373.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="201" height="300" data-id="152" src="https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123003080-14-201x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-152" srcset="https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123003080-14-201x300.jpg 201w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123003080-14-686x1024.jpg 686w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123003080-14-768x1146.jpg 768w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123003080-14-1030x1536.jpg 1030w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123003080-14-1373x2048.jpg 1373w, https://staging.fleggcreative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/EF011123003080-14-scaled.jpg 1716w" sizes="(max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px" /></figure>



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Why training is crucial piece of our accessible website process


<p>The conversation around accessibility, including the definition of web accessibility, is shifting from a binary between disabled and non-disabled users to a more nuanced understanding of the fluid nature of access needs over time. This broader way of thinking about accessibility is good for your clients, for your business and for the world we want to live in.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Expanding How We Think About Access</h2>



<p>This way of thinking isn’t new, and in the world of industrial design it’s known as the curb cut effect. The project of grading sidewalks down to street level was begun with the intention of accommodating people in wheelchairs (and was the result of a huge amount of work and advocacy by disability organizers in California), but it soon became clear that curb cuts benefited far more people than just wheelchair users. It benefits people pushing strollers, people pulling rolling luggage or grocery carts, it benefits those who use walkers and people who are recovering from injuries such as broken bones and sprains. In short, it benefits virtually everyone at one time in their lives or another.</p>



<p>We see the proliferation of this idea–sometimes referred to as universal design–in the shift in language from handicapped to accessible when it comes to physical infrastructure. For example, larger parking spaces closer to a building’s entrance are called accessible spaces. Bathrooms with a power door opener and enough space to accommodate a wheelchair are accessible bathrooms. This includes people with permanent disabilities, temporary disabilities, age-related mobility issues, sensory challenges and more. Rather than targeting a specific group of people–a group often labeled and categorized by policy-makers rather than by the people themselves–the focus is on making such spaces usable by as many people as possible regardless of their needs.</p>



<p>We can approach building for the web in the same way.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Ability is a Spectrum</h2>



<p>For example, a user otherwise accustomed to working with a mouse or trackpad breaks their dominant arm and needs to navigate via keystrokes with their non-dominant hand for six weeks. A new parent is significantly sleep deprived for the first several months of their child’s life, and the speed at which they’re able to process information is temporarily diminished. As another user ages, their eyesight worsens and they require the option to increase text size. Ability is a spectrum and many people move back and forth along it throughout their lives. Why not build websites and applications on the assumption that we could all, at some point in our lives, require accessible features?<br><br>Studies indicate that roughly 20 percent of the general population have a disability. But that doesn’t capture the whole picture. As <a href="https://www.a11y-collective.com/product/masterclass-web-accessbility-the-business-case/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The A11y Collective’s masterclass</a>  on the business case for accessible design points out, that 20 percent doesn’t include people who are temporarily disabled or those with usual age-related impairments, and it doesn’t include those who don’t self-identify as disabled, but who may live with factors that impact their ability to use the internet, such as dyslexia or colour blindness. When you add up all those people, you’re probably looking at a much larger portion of the population.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Digital Accessibility is for You</h2>



<p>While we tend to think of web accessibility in terms of physical accessibility, focusing on keyboard patterns, scalable text and focus states, there is more we can do to improve accessibility for users with cognitive disabilities, with dyslexia and dyscalculia, and those with mental health challenges such as anxiety or sleep disorders. This even extends beyond design and code to the marketing choices businesses make on their websites. Marketing decisions such as playing on FOMO (24 hours left! Only 3 spots remaining! One-time only offer!) or using <a href="https://www.deceptive.design/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dark patterns</a> designed to trick users into taking actions they didn’t intend, can make websites and applications inaccessible for people with anxiety disorders and brain injuries.</p>



<p>Whether you live with a permanent disability or you’re just trying to order cat food on your phone while your toddler screams in the background, accessible, human-centred design makes life better for everyone.</p>



<p></p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<p>Curious about how to make your current site more accessible? Send us a message at <a href="mailto:hello@fleggcreative.ca" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hello@fleggcreative.ca</a> to talk about an accessibility audit!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><br> </h2>


The Digital Curb Cut Effect


<p>The other day I was in a workshop about Canadian accessibility laws (spoiler: they’re largely toothless but if you sell things online and ship to the US, you can be sued under American legislation) and the conversation turned to familiar technology invented as assistive devices. I thought it might be fun to share a few here.</p>



<p>When it comes to physical infrastructure this is called the curb cut effect, and if you look at the origins of the things we take for granted, you&#8217;ll start to see examples throughout our digital daily life as well. Here are a few that have probably benefited you at least once today.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Keyboards</h2>



<p>We begin way back in 1808. While there is some controversy around who is the true inventor of the letter transcribing machine, aka typewriter (epistolary drama!), there’s a good case to be made for Italian inventor Pellegrino Turri, who built a device for his blind lover Countess Fantoni da Fivizzano so she could more easily write letters. The first commercially produced typewriter was called the writing ball (the keys were assembled in a ball shape above the writing paper) is usually credited to Rasmus Malling-Hansen, who was principal at the Royal Institute for the Deaf in Denmark</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Text Messaging (short message service, aka SMS)</h2>



<p>Texting as we know is just the latest in a line of innovations that began with the teletypewriter</p>



<p>Robert Weitbrecht was born deaf and grew up to be a physicist and an engineer working in radio communications. He used Morse code to communicate with hearing people via radio, but hit up against its limitations when trying to communicate using a conventional phone. Starting with a teletypewriter (TTY) that could only receive messages, he developed the technology that allowed the TTY to both send and receive messages through a regular telephone.</p>



<p>This evolved into the short message service, and the first text message as we know it now was sent in 1992 from a computer to a cell phone. It said &#8220;Merry Christmas.&#8221;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Touchscreens</h2>



<p>With every new invention comes new problems, and this time it’s chronic pain. In the late 90s, American grad student Wayne Westerman got interested in low-impact interactivity.</p>



<p>The first iterations of the touch screen were stylus-based (think your mom’s PalmPilot) and were used as early as 1942 for drawing directly on live tv broadcasts of sports. Several different types of touchscreens technology evolved over the decades–the first finger-driven screen was created in England in 1965.</p>



<p>The technology we know and love today was introduced in 1998 when Westerman started a business called FingerWorks (don’t look at me, I just work here) to sell touch-based keyboards that were especially useful to people with similar repetitive stress injuries. In 2005 the company’s patents, along with Westerman himself, were bought up by (I bet you can see where this is going) Apple Inc. Two years later, the first iPhone was released.</p>



<p>If you know of more modern conveniences that were created by people with disabilities, let us know!</p>


Three familiar technologies that began as assistive devices

We’re Erin and Elizabeth Flegg, a sister duo design and branding studio based in Montreal, and Vancouver Island. We have a shared love of analog processes, combining film photography and print media with digital design and modern web technologies.

In the age of internet overwhelm, it’s one of the ways we move at a more human pace.

Nous sommes Erin et Elizabeth Flegg, deux sœurs à la tête d’un studio de design et branding. Nous sommes basées à Montréal et Vancouver Island. Nous aimons partager notre amour pour les procédés analogues, en combinant la photographie et l’imprimerie avec le design digital et les technologies web modernes. 

A l’air où internet peut parfois sembler envahissant, c'est l'une des façons dont nous y naviguons sereinement.



Who we are

Nous découvrir

Building accessible brands at a more human pace.

Développement de marques accessible et inclusif prenant en compte la diversité de vos client.es 

From first meeting to final product, we believe it all starts with accessibility. That means our client processes are approachable and flexible, our designs are human-centred and our websites can be used by as many people as possible, regardless of ability.

De la première rencontre jusqu’au résultat final, nous croyons que tout commence par l’accessibilité. 
Afin de permettre une intégration optimale de votre clientèle, nous travaillons à rendre nos designs faciles d’accès. Nous prenons soin de développer des sites web pouvant être utilisés par toute personne, peu importe ses habiletés.

What we offer

Nos services

We begin by identifying goals and creating a plan to meet them

En se basant sur vos objectifs, nous créons ensemble un plan d’action.

Brand Strategy

Stratégie de marque

Then we bring it to life, translating strategy into a visual identity with brand photography, print media and web design

Nous transposons ensuite le plan stratégique en une identité visuelle unique. Grâce à une image de marque, des outils des supports imprimés et un design web qui vous correspondent, nous donnons vie à votre projet.

Design

Finally, we give it all a home, building a beautiful, accessible website to welcome your community

Finalement, nous concevons un magnifique et accessible site web pour votre communauté

Flegg Creative

Flegg Creative

Accessibly
Focused

Designs

Award-winning Asparagus Magazine

This kind of thinking is

transformative

Who are we?

1 web developer

1 UI designer

2 sisters

Flegg Creative

Accessibly Focused

Designs

Award-winning Asparagus Magazine

This kind of thinking is

transformative

Who are we?

1 web developer

1 UI designer

2 sisters

Accessibly
Focused