Mad River

Mad River We are an award winning team of doers creating memorable brand communications that resonate with audiences.

Staying true to our source we're in touch with the landscapes within which we work, whilst always maintaining a sense of adventure.

12/06/2026

Come for the coffee. Stay for the truth.

When we created the new brand and positioning for Roastworks, the opportunity was never just to make the coffee look better. It was to help a brilliant, purpose-led roastery tell the truth more powerfully.

Truth about sourcing.
Truth about value.
Truth about the people behind every cup.

Now the brand has taken another step into real life with 'The Hatch.' Roastworks’ first served experience, opened straight from their roastery in Willand, Devon.

It’s not a coffee shop in the traditional sense. It’s something much more Roastworks than that. A simple, honest, beautifully direct way for people to pull up, say hello and experience the brand at source.

From retail shelves to roastery hatch, from packaging to pour, this is what happens when a brand idea has room to grow.

Real coffee. Real conviction. Real experience.

The most reliable Mac in the studio.Last week we said goodbye to our beloved Mac. Our four-legged shadow, chief lunch in...
05/06/2026

The most reliable Mac in the studio.

Last week we said goodbye to our beloved Mac. Our four-legged shadow, chief lunch inspector, meeting crasher, photoshoot saboteur and absolute legend of a dog.

Just three months away from his 16th birthday, Mac lived a busy, inquisitive and very well-fed life. He was full of love for everyone he met. Whether you were a client, a Mad Riverian, a courier, a dog sitter, a walking buddy or simply someone holding a sandwich at the wrong height.

So, for anyone who was lucky enough to have met him, had their lunch stolen by him, experienced one of his ‘silent but deadlies', been sat on during a meeting, either sent or received a message via ‘Mac Mail’, watched him destroy a photoshoot by eating the props, taken him for a walk, looked after him while we were away or helped him win that rosette at the local dog show … this little montage is for you.

The accompanying images say it all. Mac hobnobbing with Lily’s Kitchen founder Henrietta and Lily herself. Mac sitting on laps, nesting in Hawker trays, taking part in meetings as if he was chairing them, and generally making himself completely at home wherever he happened to be.

A celebration of our brilliant boy, who brought so much joy, chaos and love into our lives and our studio.

Sleep well, Mac. You were one of a kind, and we will all miss you forever. 🤍

Big new work alert … for lovely Little’s!We’ve loved working with the team to create the packaging for Little’s new iced...
29/05/2026

Big new work alert … for lovely Little’s!

We’ve loved working with the team to create the packaging for Little’s new iced coffee concentrate range, designed to bring instant hit, grab-and-go energy to a fast-growing cold coffee category.

Frozen Vanilla, Sweet Cinnamon and Creamy Caramel each come in bold, colour-coded pouches packed with individual sachets. Just tear, pour over milk and ice and you’ve got a café-style iced coffee in seconds. No machine. No queue. No faff.

The design needed to feel every bit as lively as the product: fresh, flavour-led, easy to shop and ready to stand out on shelf … or your handbag.

Get yours now at Sainsbury’s.

A good on-pack competition does far more than offer a prize.It gives someone a reason to pick up the pack.A reason to en...
22/05/2026

A good on-pack competition does far more than offer a prize.

It gives someone a reason to pick up the pack.
A reason to engage with the brand.
A reason to enter.
And, when done properly, a reason to remember you.

Over the past few years, we’ve worked with Clipper Teas to manage a series of on-pack promotions that connect product, purpose and experience. From winning tickets to Glastonbury, to eco holidays, Canopy & Stars luxury stays and this year’s chance to win tickets to Wilderness Festival.

Each one has taken Clipper beyond the shelf, turning everyday packs into campaign touchpoints that drive engagement, support retailer activation, build consumer data capture and create a richer brand experience beyond the brew.

For brands, on-pack competitions can be hugely powerful. But only when the creative idea, mechanic, pack communication, digital entry journey, terms, fulfilment and customer experience all work together.

And that’s where we come in.

At Mad River, we combine creative thinking with the practical stamina needed to make these campaigns happen properly. The kind of behind-the-scenes detail that keeps things clear, compliant on brand and easy for consumers to take part in.

Because a prize draw is never just a prize draw. It’s a chance to turn a moment of purchase into a moment of connection.

Finding new customers is not just about being seen. It is about being understood quickly.For Fieldfare, that meant defin...
15/05/2026

Finding new customers is not just about being seen. It is about being understood quickly.

For Fieldfare, that meant defining a consumer messaging toolkit that could work across POS and digital advertising, helping new audiences recognise the brand, understand the moment it serves and feel compelled to buy.

This is where strategic brand language earns its keep.

Built from brand positioning and consumer insight, the toolkit gave Fieldfare a sharper way to speak to different shopping occasions, with messaging that stayed true to the brand while landing clearly with the people it needed to reach.

Because when you are expanding into new markets, the right words matter.

Need to simplify what your brand says, sharpen how it shows up and give your audience a clearer reason to act? We should talk!

08/05/2026

A new chapter for Quebec House

Nestled in the heart of Westerham, Kent, National Trust Quebec House is now home to The Story of the Westerham Foundlings, a moving exhibition exploring the lives of 469 orphan children who passed through the local branch of London’s Foundling Hospital between 1760 and 1769. Mad River created a style guide and interpretation panels that honour Quebec House’s Georgian character, while remaining flexible enough to support future exhibitions within the Coach House.

Inspired by the richness of 18th century interiors, we developed a palette of heritage greens with subtle gold accents, layered with soft parchment tones. Architectural details informed the toolkit, from decorative mouldings to framed forms, balanced with clean, contemporary layouts. A play of light and dark. Ornament and restraint. The result is a refined yet adaptable toolkit, designed to strongly support the stories it holds.

The project forms part of a growing body of work Mad River is delivering for the National Trust across the country, helping bring important places, stories and histories to life through thoughtful, crafted interpretation.

The Story of the Westerham Foundlings exhibition is now live and open throughout 2026. Go visit!

01/05/2026

25 YEARS OF MAD RIVER!

25 years of ideas, graft, late nights, bright sparks, bold clients, brave briefs and brilliant people.

Our river began to flow in 2001 and since then, we’ve built brands, shaped stories, launched campaigns, created activations, opened spaces, filled rooms, stopped people in their tracks and helped brands show up in ways that feel real, memorable and meaningful.

We’ve learned a heck of a lot along the way.

* Great work needs proper commitment behind it.

* Trust matters more than almost anything, especially when clients are brave enough to follow you into new creative territory.

* It’s the small details that make the big ideas land.

* And the best work usually happens when you step back, push beyond the first answer and go the extra mile.

This is what's shaped where we go next. Because brands can’t rely on simply being seen anymore. They need to show up properly. In the places their audiences are. In the moments that matter. In culture, in conversation, online, offline and in real life.

They really need to 'Be There'.

That’s the thinking behind our purpose moving forwards. To help brands move beyond awareness and into experiences people can feel, remember and respond to.

To mark this monumental 25th year, over the coming weeks and months we’ll be sharing 25 moments from 25 years, a look back at some of the work, people, partnerships and stories that have shaped Mad River so far.

And to everyone who has been part of the journey … a huge THANK YOU!

We’re proud of where we’ve been. We’re excited by what comes next. And we continue to do what we’ve always done best.

Venture beyond.

A window display should be more than a visual moment. It should invite customers into the brand story.For our project wi...
24/04/2026

A window display should be more than a visual moment. It should invite customers into the brand story.

For our project with Good Phats, we designed the display as a gateway to a wider experience. From point-of-sale moments to in-store activations and sampling opportunities that encouraged customers to engage with the product.

At Mad River, we think about how every touchpoint works together to build connection. Because when customers can taste, touch and experience a product, curiosity turns into loyalty.

Read our insider guide to creating window displays that build brand love. Click the link here: https://www.madriver.co.uk/5-window-display-secrets-that-build-brand-love/

17/04/2026

From store cupboard staple to full-blown cultural icon.

Shaping the world of Perelló has been a dream for us here at Mad River. Building on its unmistakable character we created a brand and packaging identity that doesn’t just sit on shelf, it shows up in culture.

From collaborations with Anya Hindmarch and street-wear brand Picante, to a wave of foodie partnerships, fan-made art and even reusable products created from the packs themselves, Perelló has become something bigger than packaging. It’s proof that the most distinctive brands don’t just get noticed, they become part of how people live.

This is what happens when design truly connects. It becomes part of culture. And that’s what we’re all about here at Mad River, creating brands people don’t just buy, but love.

Want to build that kind of brand? Let’s talk.

HELLO SUNSHINE. HELLO ICED COFFEE.This week’s weather delivered blue skies, proper warmth and summer feels like it's fin...
10/04/2026

HELLO SUNSHINE. HELLO ICED COFFEE.

This week’s weather delivered blue skies, proper warmth and summer feels like it's finally on its way.

So here’s something we’ve been working on with the brilliant team at Little’s Coffee. The perfect gifting set built for the season consisting of flavour-packed Little’s Coffee paired with reusable iced coffee cups, all brought together with packaging designed by little old us at Mad River.

Bold, vibrant and built to stand out on shelf and in the sunshine, because when the coffee’s this good, the design should match the energy.

Longer days. Colder brews. Perfect weather for a Little’s iced coffee.

Address

5 Stratfield Saye
Bournemouth
BH88JN

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 5:30pm
Thursday 9am - 5:30pm
Friday 9am - 5:30pm

Telephone

01202292933

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