Studio Culture

We engage through inquiry, observation, debate, and informed decision-making before starting the design journey. A project’s significance goes beyond the aesthetic; championing the core business objectives. Developing design strategies and solutions that hold responsibility and accountability. We look over the immediate horizon, as we embed our work deeply within a strategy. Substance, depth and meaning matter.

One simple ambition

To build a culture where creativity, brand and strategy make sense to business.

Measure twice and cut once

Embracing the wisdom of ‘Measure twice, cut once,’ we apply the art of curiosity and a hint of urgency to guarantee the precision of our project briefs. This meticulous approach ensures a clear and shared understanding of objectives between our studio and our valued clients.

Rich, vibrant minds

Cognitive diversity is important to us, a singular-minded approach at the start of any project can limit what is possible. We believe that beginning a project with this approach can constrain the possibilities. Instead, we thrive on the wealth of insight and information, actively welcoming and listening to diverse perspectives.

Championing purposeful innovation

We recognise that design is not merely about being different or innovating for the sake of novelty. Instead, we are proponents of tackling challenges head-on and forecasting a new future. Whether it’s envisioning the evolution of a brand identity over the next five years or anticipating the evolving needs of a website, our approach is dedicated to meaningful and purposeful innovation.

Meet the people behind 1721 Studio.

A team of brand experts, copywriters, designers, coders, photographers, illustrators and animators.

Neil Vonk

Creative Director

Insight forms the foundation upon which brands flourish, catalysing the growth of businesses

At the helm of 1721 Studio stands Founder and Creative Director Neil Vonk. He drives the mission, direction, and overarching vision of our creative agency. Equally, if not more significant, is his dedication to the art of brand building.

Neil’s true alchemy lies in collaborating with clients to establish the essence of their businesses, bringing light to what they do and who they exist for. It’s in this collaborative space that the magic happens.

In addition, his passion extends to working closely with our team of creatives, where he ensures that projects not only meet all requirements but also adhere to timelines, thus maintaining the studio’s commitment to excellence.

Mathew Compton

Account Manager

Building the right solution, understanding requirements, delivering a project.

Mathew excels at getting to know you, understanding your needs, and delivering thoughtful recommendations.

From start to finish, he’s by your side—working closely with the design team to bring your vision to life while keeping the project on track and within budget.

With his calm and approachable nature, working with him feels effortless.

Darryl Fordham

Creative

Insight through questions, structure through design, creative by breaking.

Darryl dives into your projects with enthusiasm—but never without asking the right questions first.

Detail-oriented and driven by the belief that great design stems from insight and structure (with just the right amount of rule-breaking), he thrives on answering the brief.

Self-appointed as ‘Big Deal’ in the studio, he brings a level-headed approach and a can-do attitude to every challenge.

Lawrence Bath

Creative Copywriter

Segment your audience. Target the segments. Win the business.

Lawrence partner’s with our clients to compel, excite, rebel and incite.

Word craft that you can find strewn across websites, social media campaigns, brand assets, blogs and digital content all over the world.

Stress free, calm and easy to work with, Lawrence has proven track record of helping our clients engage with their audience in the written word.

Peter Langdown

Photographer

Controlling the light, relaxing the subject mastering the composition.

Where does design and execution often fail? Poor photography and badly made videos.

Peter stands behind the camera creating both stills and live action. His eye for the ‘frame’ is unchallenged.

With extensive experience under his belt, both as a journalistic photographer and documentary maker, Pete can be found filming corporate videos shooting headshots.