Grace Oatway
Year: 2nd Year
Project: Agency Set Brief
Brandon Consultants recently partnered with UCEN Manchester to challenge second-year Graphic Design and Branding students with an imaginative project titled “Brand the Boring.” The brief encouraged students to take an everyday, unremarkable object and transform it into an innovative brand within an established industry. Developed in collaboration with course leader Alex Komlosy, the project aimed to inspire creative thinking, strengthen branding skills, and provide students with valuable industry experience.
Throughout the project, students received feedback and guidance from the Brandon team before presenting their final concepts at the agency’s Manchester studio. The quality of work impressed the judges, with Grace Oatway being selected as the overall winner for her concept,“Sticky.” Her idea cleverly reimagined a simple glue stick as a beauty product, drawing inspiration from similarities in packaging and application methods found within the cosmetics industry.
Grace explained that the brief immediately sparked her creativity and allowed her to combine her passion for branding with her interest in the beauty sector. Her research process included visits to retail stores, competitor analysis, surveys, and the development of multiple brand concepts before refining her chosen direction through feedback. She also created photography plans, packaging designs, and advertising concepts to bring the brand to life.
As part of her prize, Grace spent a day immersed in the Brandon studio, working alongside designer and mentor Bryony. The experience gave her valuable insight into professional branding, client collaboration, idea development, and the strategic decision-making required to create successful brands.
The partnership highlights Brandon’s commitment to supporting emerging creative talent. By giving students real-world challenges and access to industry professionals, initiatives like “Brand the Boring” help bridge the gap between education and employment while encouraging the next generation of designers to think differently and push creative boundaries.
“My favourite part of the project was both the copywriting and the hands-on photography. I love copywriting in general, and being able to go in any direction I wanted really helped me play to my strengths.”
Grace Oatway
Post generated from Brandon Consultant’s blog article ‘Brand the Boring! Brandon x UCEN Manchester’. No copyright claims.
