Despite turning down a job at Coley Porter Bell on the day he left design school in 1984, packaging designer Jonathan Ford went on to work for Michael Peters & Partners and in 1992 co-founded Pearlfisher. The company's portfolio includes a mix of well-established iconic brands such as Innocent, Absolut vodka and Waitrose as well as smaller challenger brands such as Nude Skincare and Jordan's Cereals.
As well as designing Jonathan writes articles, presents at conferences and has appeared as a design expert on BBC series High Street Dreams.
Why did you become a designer?
When I was at school, I was always interested in art so I went to Bristol Art School for my one-year foundation course and then onto Middlesex university, formerly the Hornsey College of Art for my design course.
What have you learnt from your time in the industry?
Michael Peters was a tour de force to work for, but like many companies of the eighties became a victim of the recession. By that time I was working for him in New York and had benefited from working in a different country. We've just been through the worst recession ever and I think without these experiences we would not have faired as well as we have.
You opened a New York studio in 2003, do you have plans to expand in other countries?
I think that the world is getting smaller day by day and so don't see the immediate need as we have an international reputation. There are clients who will buy design internationally. Last year our clients included companies in Lebanon, China, the Seychelles and Columbia.
What have been your career highlights?
I've had the pleasure of working for quite a few unusual brands over the years. In the Thatcher years I redesigned the Conservative party's identity under Michael Peters. My first client at Pearlfisher was Green & Black"s chocolate and to this day we are still working with them and to see that brand grow with our help has been very pleasing, and, whether coincidence or not, we have mirrored its success with ours. Out of all the awards we've received being voted Number One for the DBA's Design Effectiveness not once, but twice is particularly amazing.
Lowlights?
Last year was a brutal year. It was such a challenge for everyone, but I think what was a pleasure was working through it, and being able to be creative with the business challenges it threw up. Now we are way ahead of the target we set ourselves for this year. That's an incredible turn around, but we are not complacent as change is always around the corner.
Is there anything left in the design world that you’d like to achieve?
I would really love to sort out the ambiguous identity hangover of British Airways but have a go at the interiors too. I would also love to design a stamp.
What next for Pearlfisher?
Over the next 10 years we will capitalise on the diversity of design experience we've got at Pearlfisher and try to reach a broader audience as well as ensure the Pearlfisher legacy when I've inevitablly stepped back from the company.
Packaging for Waitrose, Green & Blacks, Absolut and Mr Singh's. All designed by Pearlfisher