Sam Southwell on building (South) and the book that documents it all

The Brand Identity: Condensing 21 years of a design studio into a single book is an act of commitment to say the least. With Moments in Time, Sam Southwell, Founder & Executive Creative Director of Auckland-based brand consultancy (South), has produced a 290-page, cloth-bound volume documenting the practice year by year across 20 chapters, from its early days as Aplus Design Studio in the mid-2000s through to the multi-division consultancy it has become. The book features Swiss-bound, section-sewn exposed binding, chrome and black foiling, speciality papers and a chrome die-cut dust jacket – published through Australian Book Connection in a run of 800 copies.

It arrives at a moment when (South) spans three divisions: the original brand consultancy, Mark by (South) for creative communications, and Made by (South) for production and fabrication. In this conversation, Southwell reflects on the journey the book captures, the challenges of independence in New Zealand, and why he considers design a life commitment. TBI Hey Sam, how’s things? It was lovely to meet you at TDC after all these years! SS Likewise, it really was, and what a conference!

Thank you for your support, both of the event and the panel I spoke on about staying relevant online. I genuinely enjoyed being part of that conversation and panel, sharing insights into what it takes to stay active, current and forthcoming in such a fast-moving world of digital content. TBI It’s been over a decade since we last did this, and the studio has changed a lot since then. Can you give us an insight into that journey? SS Yes sure, I can’t believe it’s been that long, but when I reflect on how far the studio has come, it does make sense. (South) now spans 21 years.

We began in Mount Eden in the early 2000s, moved into Ponsonby as a small but ambitious studio, and today we are based in Saint Marys Bay as a team of around 18 to 20, operating as a multi-division design consultancy. Over that time, we have grown into a full-service offering that allows us to work with larger, more complex clients, while still staying agile enough to take on smaller opportunities. A big part of that evolution has been structural. My wife Anna Southwell founded Mark by (South), our creative communications division, which sits alongside the original (South) design studio.

That has allowed us to build brands and products from inception, and then see them through to launch and beyond, developing long-term partnerships. Equally, we’ve seen brands begin through campaigns and communications, then expand into deeper brand systems, packaging, content libraries, packaging and high-fidelity media. Alongside that, Made by (South), our production and fabrication division, has become an increasingly important part of the studio. Through wayfinding, signage, and spatial identity systems, we’ve been able to create space in New Zealand for identity to physically flourish.

It is an area we are deeply invested in, particularly through our Tū Tohu wayfinding system, which is now making meaningful inroads with developers, iwi, and public organisations. It allows us to extend brand thinking beyond the screen and into the built environment in a way that feels culturally grounded and enduring. We’ve also been fortunate to have strong people around us.

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The article discusses a significant long-term evolution of a design consultancy and its implications for brand strategy, making it impactful and relevant, though the themes of brand identity and integration are common in the industry.