Marketing specialist and brand strategist Heather Ware wanting a refresh of her brand to bring in new clients and look more professional. We showcased her best work and redid the website for her new company launch.
he Oystercatchers brand reflects a confident, strategically led positioning within New Zealand’s creative landscape, balancing clarity with personality. Based in Auckland, the brand leans into a clean, editorial aesthetic – using sharp typography, structured layouts, and a restrained colour palette to signal credibility and seniority, while still allowing moments of play and wit to come through in its messaging. The website is intentionally minimal yet purposeful, guiding users through services, thinking, and case studies with a sense of ease and authority. Rather than overloading with visual noise, it prioritises clear communication and intellectual depth, reinforcing Oystercatchers’ role not just as designers, but as strategic partners shaping meaningful, commercially effective brands.
The illustrated landscapes of Auckland, Wellington, and Takapuna act as a distinctive visual thread across the Oystercatchers website, grounding the brand in place while elevating its creative expression. Each scene is stylised with soft gradients, simplified forms, and a warm, cohesive colour palette-capturing the essence of each location without relying on literal detail.
These illustrations subtly reinforce the agency’s three bases, creating a sense of geographic presence and connection while maintaining a polished, contemporary feel. Beyond aesthetics, they function strategically: adding personality to an otherwise minimal interface, breaking up content with moments of visual storytelling, and positioning Oystercatchers as a brand that values both clarity and creativity in equal measure.
The Oystercatchers website is designed as a calm, editorial-style experience that prioritises clarity and intentional navigation over visual overload. A dark interface forms the foundation, allowing soft gradients, imagery, and project highlights to stand out with subtle impact rather than distraction. The layout is highly structured and spacious, using clear typographic hierarchy and considered pacing to guide users through the content—from introduction, to case studies, to service explanations—in a way that feels effortless and logical.
The Oystercatchers website is designed as a calm, editorial-style experience that prioritises clarity and intentional navigation over visual overload. A dark interface forms the foundation, allowing soft gradients, imagery, and project highlights to stand out with subtle impact rather than distraction. The layout is highly structured and spacious, using clear typographic hierarchy and considered pacing to guide users through the content—from introduction, to case studies, to service explanations—in a way that feels effortless and logical.
