We believe in
life made better.

Rooted in culture and driven by curiosity, we work with people who are determined to make great things and enjoy the journey along the way.

  • Two people hanging trailing plants in the studio, one on a stepladder, below a poster reading You Know More Than You Think You Do
  • Someone reading at a round table in the studio's book-lined corner, with a sofa and leafy plants in the foreground
  • A blurred figure walking past studio shelving stacked with books, magazines, tote bags and T-shirts
  • Open-plan studio with designers working at desktop computers, hanging plants overhead and a colleague walking by

About Us

We design for people, and the places and products that enrich our everyday lives.

For over 25 years, we've partnered with the hyper-local and the globally connected; from bold startups to established heavyweights – bringing energy and expertise to every collaboration we make.

We’re thoughtful and intuitive, combining strategic clarity with visual flair to create effective campaigns and cherished brands.

Let's build something unforgettable.

expertise

  • Strategy

    Preparing the ground – setting out a plan that’s purposeful and effective.

    • Brand Strategy
    • Naming
    • Tone of Voice
    • Messaging
    • Brand Architecture

  • Design

    Creating visual assets that are
    beautiful and aligned with strategy.

    • Visual Identity
    • Brand Guidelines
    • Illustration & CGI
    • Print & Packaging
    • Editorial
    • Exhibitions
    • Campaigns
    • Wayfinding & Interpretations

  • Experience

    Telling immersive, meaningful
    stories to make you feel more.

    • Film & Photography
    • Animation
    • Interiors & Spaces
    • Music & Sound
    • Production

  • Digital

    The perfect mix of usability,
    technology and aesthetics.

    • Web Design & Dev
    • UI Design
    • Toolkits
    • Product Design
    • Platforms

Clients

Our Team

  • Simon Rhodes

    Simon Rhodes

    Managing & Creative Director

    Interiors, music, films, and cooking in steady rotation. Dad, dog wrangler, militant pedestrian, and old gamer. Happiest with soil on his hands and sound in the air.

  • Andy Syson

    Andy Syson

    Production & Studio Manager

    Leans towards brutalism, analogue things, and outsider art. Balances long walks, ale, and an unpredictable playlist. Drawn to India’s colour, contrast, and chaos.

  • Jim Hough

    Jim Hough

    Design Lead

    Neo-soul, psychedelic funk, and Dutch stamps. Late-night NBA, Athletico Mince chuckles, and a hefty dose of farms, zoos, and playgrounds on weekends. Family first, music always.

  • Alys Mordecai

    Alys Mordecai

    Senior Designer

    Sheffield born and happiest outdoors, usually behind a lens. Flowers, Japan, too many open tabs, too few weekends in. Not out late, not up early, perfectly content in between.

  • Scott Carroll

    Scott Carroll

    Designer

    Scouse to the core, living life in four-four time. Fond of radlers, football, and sesame noodles most days. Finds rhythm in brutalism, basslines, and a well-timed weekend.

  • Stephen West

    Stephen West

    Web Developer

    Dad, food enthusiast, and occasional rollerblader attempting to stay upright. Good gigs and a decent beat, or a decent pint. Powered by snacks, sarcasm, and the faint hope of an early night.

  • Matt Bell

    Matt Bell

    Photographer

    Nerd with a soft spot for analog synths and old cameras. Big on modernist buildings, black coffee, and small processed cheeses. Occasionally seen with a questionable blue drink in hand.

  • Simon Rhodes

    Simon Rhodes

    Managing & Creative Director

    Interiors, music, films, and cooking in steady rotation. Dad, dog wrangler, militant pedestrian, and old gamer. Happiest with soil on his hands and sound in the air.

  • Andy Syson

    Andy Syson

    Production & Studio Manager

    Leans towards brutalism, analogue things, and outsider art. Balances long walks, ale, and an unpredictable playlist. Drawn to India’s colour, contrast, and chaos.

  • Jim Hough

    Jim Hough

    Design Lead

    Neo-soul, psychedelic funk, and Dutch stamps. Late-night NBA, Athletico Mince chuckles, and a hefty dose of farms, zoos, and playgrounds on weekends. Family first, music always.

  • Alys Mordecai

    Alys Mordecai

    Senior Designer

    Sheffield born and happiest outdoors, usually behind a lens. Flowers, Japan, too many open tabs, too few weekends in. Not out late, not up early, perfectly content in between.

  • Scott Carroll

    Scott Carroll

    Designer

    Scouse to the core, living life in four-four time. Fond of radlers, football, and sesame noodles most days. Finds rhythm in brutalism, basslines, and a well-timed weekend.

  • Stephen West

    Stephen West

    Web Developer

    Dad, food enthusiast, and occasional rollerblader attempting to stay upright. Good gigs and a decent beat, or a decent pint. Powered by snacks, sarcasm, and the faint hope of an early night.

  • Matt Bell

    Matt Bell

    Photographer

    Nerd with a soft spot for analog synths and old cameras. Big on modernist buildings, black coffee, and small processed cheeses. Occasionally seen with a questionable blue drink in hand.

Getting Involved

From our Liverpool home we get involved in the fabric of things around us.

We support the communities where we work and live, we nurture talent. We’ve started festivals, given voices to neighbourhoods, and have even co-founded breweries, restaurants and venues.

  1. 2024 — Present

    Anfield Improvement District

    We help give AID a voice. AID is a collective network of organisations and businesses in the Anfield area that cooperate to promote a shared, community-led vision for a vibrant and thriving locality. The group emphasises bottom-up change, believing that local voices and incremental collaboration are central to sustaining improvements.

  2. 2010 – Present

    Baltic Triangle CIC

    As part of the board, we help guide Baltic Triangle Area CIC’s brand and communications – clarifying its creative identity, unifying its messaging, and amplifying its role as a confident, community-led voice within Liverpool’s ongoing regeneration story.

  3. 2017 — 2020

    Oktopus

    Co-founded and owned by Black Lodge Brewery and us at Smiling Wolf, Oktopus opened in 2017 as a modern, seasonal restaurant showcasing clean, simple cooking. We crafted its visual and narrative identity, aligning design and experience with Liverpool’s independent creative culture.

  4. 2016 — Present

    Black Lodge Brewery

    We co-founded and co-own Black Lodge – shaping its brand, design, and communications from the ground up. Our partnership reflects a shared commitment to craft, experimentation, and community – positioning Black Lodge as a defining force in Liverpool’s independent brewing culture.

    View Project

  5. 2013

    Designival

    We co-founded Designival with Uniform, Black & Ginger – the North’s first design festival celebrating creativity, collaboration, and innovation. Together we shaped its brand, curation, and communications – establishing a platform that championed regional talent and connected Liverpool’s creative community to a global audience.

  6. 2010 – 2018

    Camp & Furnace

    We co-founded Camp and Furnace; transforming a vast industrial space into one of Liverpool’s most distinctive cultural venues. From naming and brand creation to interior concept and communications, we helped craft its bold, immersive identity – blending food, art, and experience into a new social institution.

    View Project

Testimonials

  • "When I think of Smiling Wolf I think design led, communicating brand with design, grounded in strong values." 

    Claire Lewis CEO Baltic Ventures View Project

  • "Smiling Wolf worked well with us; they listened and understood; they created something great; and presented it with conviction and precision."

    Richard Mawdsley Director of Development Peel L&P View Project

  • "Besides being a creative powerhouse, they are thoughtful and know our brand as well as we do, taking great care in making sure it’s expressed creatively and consistently..." 

    Orla McGrath Head of Brand & Marketing Muse View Project

  • "Smiling Wolf brings a rare mix of creativity, intuition, and strategic thinking that consistently elevates our work beyond the expected..."

    Jenny Ferguson Associate BDP View Project

  • "Their strategic thinking, attention to detail and visual style have brought a fresh energy to our historic brand, helping us better connect with established and new audiences."

    Sam Martin Head of Marketing Chester Racecourse View Project

  • "Combining creative flair with just being decent people, which is rarer than you’d think."

    Hannah Parnham Head of Partnerships Historic England

  • "Friendly, fun and calming but somehow their work has real energy. How does that work? But it does and we appreciate it."

    Gareth Bansor Director GPAD View Project

  • "When I think of Smiling Wolf I think design led, communicating brand with design, grounded in strong values." 

    Claire Lewis CEO Baltic Ventures

  • "Smiling Wolf worked well with us; they listened and understood; they created something great; and presented it with conviction and precision."

    Richard Mawdsley Director of Development Peel L&P

  • "Besides being a creative powerhouse, they are thoughtful and know our brand as well as we do, taking great care in making sure it’s expressed creatively and consistently..." 

    Orla McGrath Head of Brand & Marketing Muse

  • "Their strategic thinking, attention to detail and visual style have brought a fresh energy to our historic brand, helping us better connect with established and new audiences."

    Sam Martin Head of Marketing Chester Racecourse

  • "Combining creative flair with just being decent people, which is rarer than you’d think."

    Hannah Parnham Head of Partnerships Historic England

  • "Smiling Wolf brings a rare mix of creativity, intuition, and strategic thinking that consistently elevates our work beyond the expected..."

    Jenny Ferguson Associate BDP

  • "Friendly, fun and calming but somehow their work has real energy. How does that work? But it does and we appreciate it."

    Gareth Bansor Director GPAD

Awards

Awards aren’t everything, but they’re a great way to celebrate creative benchmarks.

  • DBA Design Effectiveness AwardsSilverRepositioning Muse2026
  • Intl Road Safety AwardInnovative CrossingsA Nudge in the Right Direction2024
  • Civic Trust AwardsSpecial AwardGlade of Light2023
  • Lovie AwardsWebsites: GoldHouse by Urban Splash2021
  • The Drum AwardsBest Website – BronzeHouse by Urban Splash2020
  • Roses AwardsBest Website – BronzeUrban Splash2019
  • Roses AwardsBest Exhibition – BronzeIt Will Never Work2019
  • D&AD AwardsSpatial Design – WoodThe Voyage2018
View All