Groups chase Design Skills Alliance branding project

The UK Design Skills Alliance met with five design consultancies pitching to create its branding yesterday.

The alliance hopes that the branding, due to launch at the London Design Festival in the autumn, will help to attract much-needed funding (DW 22 May).

Representatives from the Design Council, including its head of skills Lesley Morris, who is the acting director of the alliance, joined members of the board, including deputy chairman of the Design Skills Advisory Panel David Worthington, for the meeting. Blue Marlin chief operating officer John Mathers, who is leading the selection process, was not present.

The alliance’s name may be changed to denote a campaign rather than an organisation.

‘We are not creating a new body here, so if the winning consultancy decides to brand it as a campaign, we will take that route,’ says Morris.

The alliance has struggled to secure funding since it was formed in March. So far, the Design Council has pumped £500 000 into the initiative.

‘It is true to say that while we do have seed funding, to fulfil our aspirations we are seeking bigger and better backing,’