Big-brand thinking, without the big-agency baggage

Brand-led creative that’s built around what makes you different.

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Close-up of a strawberry ice cream scoop dripping pink ice cream, against a blue background, with a small Milk Maids ice cream cup at the bottom right corner.
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I’m Mel Yates, a freelance Design & Art Director with 13 years of experience shaping brands that not only look great but think smart. From brand strategy and identity to marketing and creative direction, I work with you to craft design that’s distinctive, meaningful, and never made to measure.

Soccer players walking onto the field at Etihad Stadium with fans in the background and stadium lights overhead.
A woman standing in a library with the text 'Expand your opportunities' overlaid.
Close-up of a person's foot in a black sneaker with a white strip, securing a bicycle gear on a bike rack.
Red sign outside a building with brick wall and green bushes reads, 'We've just put down fresh roots. Please avoid standing on the grass.'
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Featured projects

Brochure for Harper Williams with a photo of a man and woman cooking together in a kitchen, with the woman wearing a leopard print apron and the man chopping vegetables on a cutting board.
Digital tablet displaying a real estate website for Harper Williams with property listings, surrounded by decorative objects on a woven and fabric surface.

Giving home owners more reason to move

Woman in a gym, smiling while kneeling among dumbbells and exercise equipment, with the overlaid text 'I can feeeeeeel it' in white.

Creating a campaign that’s more feel than fitness

Young man with dreadlocks smiling wearing a black shirt with white text, standing against a purple background with spiral-shaped white text around her that says "We're hiring"

Accelerating recruitment
of new employees

Car Finance 247 –
View Case Study

Bus stop shelter with an advertisement showing two hands squeezing pink ice cream scoops against a blue background, with text promoting fresh milk from a farm.

Scooping up the essence of an ice cream brand

Trusted by brands who’ve seen what smart creative can do

Logo for Car Finance 247 with white text and a smiling face icon on a dark blue background.
Manchester City official logo with a sailing ship, a flower, and the year 1894 on a dark background.
Logo with a stylized flower and the word 'REDROW' on a dark background.