A portrait of Martin Sully, a man with glasses holds his hands out and has his thumbs up. He's against a purple background.

'Ello there, I'm Martin Sully.

Owner of Snapper Studio and all-round brand design "nerd"!

I live in Newcastle, Australia. I grew up in beautiful Somerset, England — think funny accents, pasties, cream teas and scrumpy cider (the proper stuff with chunks of apple floating round!).

Creativity runs in my family – my grandfather helped design Concorde, my mums a knockout knitter and my sister's a designer too.

My love of design, is only just surpassed by my love of cooking/eating, and my little family!

Why did you set up your graphic design studio in Newcastle?

I get asked this regularly so thought it was worth explaining.

In mid 2015, my wife and I visited family in Newcastle, or Newey, and fell in love with the place. It's spectacular, and had everything we were looking for! I wanted a creative community to thrive in, and somewhere we could raise a little family. So in February 2016 we packed up our lives and moved over!

A panoramic photograph of Newcastle Beach at sunset, with waves rolling in.

Snapper Studio's Brand Story

Well, I followed the family pattern and graduated as a graphic designer in 2008, landed a dream job with a creative agency who designed gigantic books. I bumped shoulders with dream clients like Ferrari, Major League Baseball, Manchester United Football Club and the King of Pop - Michael Jackson. I met childhood idols Péle and Eric Cantona.

Then I snagged an in-house brand design role where I created ad campaigns, art directed and designed so much for print.

Then my wife and I got the itch. Not that kind. We wanted to travel before settling down. So we moved to Auckland, New Zealand for a year – I freelanced around different brand agencies, applying my all my brand skills to a broad range of service and product based businesses.

I loved my job, but I loved helping people more.

I wanted to give people access to my knowledge and become known as that guy you can call for anything.

"I need to refresh my brand?"

Ok, what's your biggest problem at the moment.

"I have no professional photos of me."

I'm free Friday, bring that beautiful smile.

"I have no idea where my business card designs are, can you help?"

Absolutely!

Creating visual identities and immersing myself in business is my jam. Customers become friends, who can rely on me to provide them with creativity and clarity, and in turn I get a buzz helping them succeed.

Before starting Snapper Studio in 2016, I spent 8 years in big agencies or freelancing. I was comfortable with most projects and situations, but my last week freelancing, was the most horrifying experience I'd had in my entire career.

I needed to artwork a 40-page magazine in a week. Monday 8am, I met the creative director "We've got you in because this project is perfect for you." Ahhh, they appreciate my skills!

"The pay is $35/hour." I loved It sounds like a fun project, okay. "Which is great, as we get paid a sh*t tonne of money for it each year." Ah okay, we have a problem…

It was all I needed to hear. It clarified everything. Who I wanted to work with, who I didn't, and helped me create this experience.

My service would be the opposite. An anti-studio studio. Where no question is daft, sleep is had, crazy deadlines are non-existent and the work makes a difference to peoples lives without breaking their banks.

My Vision is...

To create exceptional brands, rip up the norms of how traditional design agencies work and impart my knowledge so that the world benefits.

My Mission is...

To create brands that your customers love. Through thoughtful strategy, sharp visual identity design and emotive storytelling.

My Brand Values

I'm always hands-on.

Being an integral part of your team and understanding your business is the key to success. If you’re a restaurant, hand me a knife, I’ll chop onions. When I fully understand your customer’s experience, I can offer the best solutions to fit your needs.

Ingenuity over normality.

I adore original creativity and conceptual thinking — it’s shaped my world. No idea is dismissed straight away. Let’s explore the angles and see if some deep thinking can present an even better solution.

Collaboration leads to solutions.

I love collaborating and partnering with people who love their work and value what I do. If you’re open-minded to outcomes and trust me, you’ll end up with a project that makes a lasting impact.

I'm driven by purpose.

Business is about leaving a mark. Making a difference. Whether it’s a purpose-driven brand, a thoughtfully designed document, or photography tells a story. I am here to propel the business forward and create a better world.

I believe in simplicity

Simple processes and methods. Uncomplicated work. I am always looking to make sure that two steps can be turned into one and that communications are open, honest and straightforward, with a little peppering of humour.

Sounds amazing. Lets do it!