Black Sheep
In 1998, we opened the pen with one goal in mind, ‘how about being the best?’ It was a bold ethos that we always strove to live up to.
During Black Sheep's 15 years as one of Cardiff & Wales' leading creative companies, we’d built a reputation for great creative work and a client service that was second to none. We achieved this by providing strategic and creative thinking across all media, whilst building strong and consistent brands for clients in the public and private sectors from our pen in Cardiff Bay, Wales UK.
It was incredible journey, that we'll never forget.
This blog now stands as a record of it.
Should you wish to get in-touch with either of the companies founders you can find them on twitter:
Neil Asher, Creative Director @NeilMAsher
Jack Bland, Account Director @thejackblandArchive
Tweets from the Pen
- It was hard to believe it back then, even harder to think it's been 10 years since Kate Aucterlonie, an Account Exe… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 6 days ago
- .@Bluegg in #Cardiff are looking for a #JuniorDesigner. Being awesome is a prerequisite, apply now! — bluegg.co.uk/junior-designe… 4 years ago
- We've got #studio space available for #rent at our building in #CardiffBay wp.me/pObJ4-m5 contact @thejackbland for info RTs welcome 4 years ago
- As the sun sets on the pen, keep up-to-date with our continuing journeys by following @NeilMAsher & @thejackbland - thx for following. 5 years ago
- Happy 50th Birthday Jack wp.me/pObJ4-lY 5 years ago
Creative Reading
- Creative Review The best in Visual communication
- Creative Wales is an online project for the promotion of the Creative Industries in Wales.
- Design Council Helping businesses become more successful, public services more efficient and designers more effective
- Design Jobs Wales is an online portal for creative jobs in Wales and just over the border
- Design Week has been a unique source of exclusive news, sharp commentary and top design jobs.
- DesignYak Written by Steve Leard a past member of the flock. DesignYak discusses and features graphic design, branding, typography, books, visual communication and anything else that tickles his fancy.
- Grafik The Magazine for Graphic Design
- International Designers Network® magazine is an international publication for creative people on a mission to amplify and unify the design community.
- Join the flock on Facebook Keep up-to date with all the latest news from the pen
- Our Work on Issuu Explore a world of publications by people and publishers alike. Collect, share and publish in a format designed to make your documents look their very best.
- The Design Wales Forum is an exciting new development aiming to increase the business potential and capacity of the Welsh design community
- The Font Feed is a daily dispatch of recommended fonts, typography techniques, and inspirational examples of digital type at work in the real world. Eat up.
- The Journey Starts Here A personal journal of my journey into lecturing at Swansea Metropolitan University.
- WordPress.com
- YCN was formed in 2001; at the time to establish an annual Award program for emerging creative practitioners.
Blickr
LogMeIn
Category Archives: Graphic Design by Black Sheep
End of Part One
In November 1998, Jack & I opened Black Sheep with one goal in mind, ‘to become the No.1 agency of choice in Wales’. Since that day, we’ve built a reputation for great creative work and a client service that’s second to none. We’ve done this by providing strategic and creative thinking across all media, building strong and consistent brands for clients in the public and private sectors from our pen in Cardiff Bay, Wales UK.
Becoming the agency of choice was always was a big ask, we know. But an idea that’s stayed with us, having spent the last 12 years driving towards that dream, through good times and bad.
It’s been a roller coaster ride that’s seen the agency grow to 19 staff at our peak with a turnover of 1.3 million. However, our passion and commitment to achieving this shared vision has never faltered, even when the odds were stacked against us. Especially in recent times where economic pressures have taken their toll on our clients and subsequently us.
So we’ve come to the end of our 12 year apprenticeship in Wales’ creative sector and are looking forward to the next twelve years with a renewed sense of focus and direction.
This post is dedicated to the people who made Black Sheep, the agency what it was and still wants to be. A celebration of who did what and when. Their contribution to the agency, large & small, helped make it exciting, creatively stimulating and a pleasure to have worked along side (most of them anyway). Seeing how most of them have developed and moved on to new challenges has been a real thrill for us and we wish them every success in their future careers.
The mix of staff from 1998 through to November 2010 changed as the needs of the business changed. Here you can see when each member of the flock played their part in Black Sheep.
Staff in order of service and where they are now (if known):
Neil Asher_Creative Director
Jack Bland_Account Director
Dion Hester_Graphic Design Intern
Dan Clemo_Graphic Designer — Senior
Joanna Cook Abbott_Graphic Designer
Lee Griffith_Graphic Designer (UWIC PDR)
Chris Coles_Consultant — Chairman
James Osgood_Account Director (Peter’s Pies)
Jason Veal_New Media & Interactive Developer
Ruth Tuttsel_Finance Manger
Marc Jennings_Junior Designer (The Undercard)
Clare Scott (was Sinkinson)_Graphic Designer — Senior
Graham Hutchings_New Media & Interactive Developer (Atticus)
Gareth Wall_Graphic Designer — Senior
Katherine Formosa Bown_Account Executive
Rebbeca Holliday_Finance Manager
Jane Barker_Studio & Production Manager (Westdale)
Tom Tribe_Graphic Design & Interactive_work experience
Robert Cozens_Managing Director (RCA Marketing)
Nicola Osgood (was Northway)_Account Manager
Tom Dixon_Graphic Design Intern
Amanda Hopkins Maclellan_Finance
Aled Jones_Graphic Designer (Notjones)
Anne Scourfield_Graphic Design Intern (Teaching)
Catrin Lewis_Graphic Designer (Neat Supreme)
Darren Scammell_Sales Director
Gavin Richards_Graphic Designer (Horizon)
Jon Paul James_Graphic Designer
Darren Jamieson_Web Developer
Gareth Acreman_Studio & Production Manager
Terry Evans_Artworker
Claire Siggery_Graphic Design Intern
Kevin Poole_Account Executive
Emily Scott_Account Executive
Kate Achterlonie (Deceased)_Junior Account Executive
Alice Child Dabiri_Account Executive
Alexis West_Graphic Designer (The Swinging SeeSaw)
Pam Toye_Finance Manager
Kim Manson_Junior Account Executive
Steve Leard_Junior Designer – Middleweight (StazikerJones)
Ana Rita Cruz_Graphic Design Intern (SpinDogs)
Gemma Roberts_Graphic Design Intern

12th Black Christmas
Wishing our friends & clients of the last 12 years a very merry Christmas.
We’re looking forward to seeing and working you in the new year!
Jack & Neil
Posted in Graphic Design by Black Sheep, Latest News, Misc
Staying warm in the coldiest climates requires the best kit
Delivered to retailers at the end of last week, the new & updated, Multimat® product range brochure for 2011.
Click on the Brochure cover (above) to view the brochure at Issuu.
‘It’s testament to the close working relationship between our two companies, that we’ve spent the last 5 years continuing to develop the Multimat® brand in the outdoors market.’
Jack Bland
Black Sheep Account Director

Raising awareness in the Welsh Beef and Diary Sectors
BVD is recognised throughout Europe as one of the most important viral diseases of cattle. Hybu Cig Cymru / Meat Promotion Wales asked Black Sheep to produce their recent publication ‘A focus on BDD & Johne’s’. The aim of this booklet is to raise awareness of these two diseases across the whole of the Welsh beef and dairy sectors and encourage testing for the diseases through a health scheme approach.
Here’s what the client said.
………………………..………………………..………………………..………
Hi Neil
Yes they have arrived, and look very good.
Thanks.
Dewi Hughes
Gweithredwr Prosiect
Project Executive
………………………..………………………..………………………..………
More Info:
Animal disease has a severe effect on productivity and profitability of cattle and impacts adversely on animal welfare.
Control and prevention of disease will improve productivity. Improving the health status of herds provides sources of disease free stock which creates export opportunities and raises the profile of the Welsh Beef industry.
This booklet focuses on two diseases that are costly to, and should be tackled by, the industry.
BVD – Bovine Viral Diarrhoea
Johne’s Disease

Sustrans and Black Sheep help Welsh hospital staff, walk and cycle to work
Sustrans, the UK’s leading sustainable transport charity, asked Black Sheep to produce a set of maps to help Welsh hospital staff to walk or cycle to work. After many months of route planning, we set about producing 5 maps (For Ysbyty Bangor, Breconshire War Memorial Hospital, Prince Phillip Hospital Llanelli, Morriston Hospital Swansea and the Royal Gwent in Newport) which plot your walking and cycling route, enabling you to see how long the journey will take on foot or by bike, and it will tell you how far it is, too.
Above: walking map details
Above: Bangor Hospital walking & cycling map.
Above: walking map details
Above: cycling ride time, map detail
Above: Prince Phillip Hospital walking & cycling map.
Above: map key

Tackling cancer at your local.
Men are dying of ignorance in Wales and are 70% more likely than women to die from cancer.
This June has been Male Cancer Awareness month and we’ve been getting the message out to Welsh men enjoying a pint in their local SA Brains’ pub with our ‘Tackle it!’ beer mats, encouraging men in Wales who are worried about cancer to get in touch with Tenovus via their Freephone number 0808 808 1010 and to engage with their health services and GP’s when they have any concerns rather that leaving it too late.
Find out more out Tackle it! here.
Find out more about Tenovus, Wales’ leading cancer charity here.
Above: Abseil Event Poster

Posted in Graphic Design by Black Sheep, Latest News, Our Work, Tenovus, The brands we've built, Wales
Tagged Advertising, Branding, Brochures, Cancer, Cardiff, Concepts, Creative, Graphic Design, logo's, Tenovus, Wales