Residents in Focus: Luke Carré, Co-founder of U&US
This month we caught up with Luke Carré, Creative Director and co-founder, of design and web agency U&US . Luke reflects on some of his favourite projects so far, his experience as part of the Ormeau Baths community and some of the misconceptions about the industry.
First up, tell us about U&US...
U&US is a full-service design agency working out of Guernsey and Belfast. We specialise in branding, advertising, bespoke websites, plus everything in between.
We’re a small but mighty trio who have been working together for over 14 years, successfully helping brands tell their stories, sell their products and ultimately scale and thrive. Ambitious creatives looking to make an impact, that’s us.
What excites you most about your role?
The start of every project excites me. Each one is different, with its own set of unique challenges and aims. This keeps things fresh; no day is the same.
I also love how most projects start with nothing but ideas. You take the best ones and develop them into something interactive or physical that helps enrich a brand or experience. That journey is so rewarding and addictive too.
What do you enjoy most about Ormeau Baths?
It’s the energy, changeability and the beautiful building itself. Every day you see new faces from varied backgrounds and industries. Everyone is striving to build something successful. It’s inspiring.
What’s the biggest misconception about your work/industry?
I think there is misunderstand in the value that agencies can add to a project or brand, not just in the short term, but over time. If you use an agency to get one thing and that’s it, I think you’re missing out. The best agencies will usually go above and beyond, sharing ideas, ambitions and foresight of what great things can be achieved in the future or your brand.
I also think that smaller business’ can get put off by agencies, perhaps fearing that it will be expensive or that the agency won’t have time for smaller projects. That couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, smaller projects are usually the more interesting and creatively free projects and are sought after by designers. We work within smaller budgets and often these projects can be the start of something much bigger.
What are you most looking forward to in 2021?
I’m looking forward to seeing people, business and the world return to some normality after Covid-19. It saddens me to see businesses who’ve worked so hard to get where they are, now struggling, so hopefully, 2021 is the year we turn things around.
Other than that I’m looking forward to taking my wife and two children back home to the island of Guernsey for a long-overdue holiday to spend time with family and of course, on the beach.
If you could pick up a skill in an instant, what would it be?
Having spent most my life on a small island I should have this skill in the bag, but surfing is a skill I would love to be great at instantly.
Who is your dream business mentor?
I draw inspiration from the multitude of talented people who fearlessly follow their interests and passions, creating excellent content, projects and businesses. That’s all I need to spur me on.
