Category: News

When Marc Austin from the University of Wolverhampton asked us to judge a national poster design competition, we didn’t need to think twice. The ‘Be Who You Want to Be’ brief had drawn over 200 entries from Level 3 creative students right across the UK. That’s 200 young designers putting themselves out there, taking a risk, showing what they can do. Marc and his team at the School of Creative Industries had the unenviable job of narrowing it down to a shortlist of 30 for us to judge. Even at that stage, every single piece had something that made us pause and take proper notice.

This afternoon, Dan, Rebecca, and Emily headed back to the George Wallis building in Wolverhampton to present the first prize to a brilliant student from Shrewsbury College whose work genuinely stopped us in our tracks. Choosing just one winner from that shortlist? Tougher than we’d bargained for.

Judging poster design competitions like this isn’t just about picking our favourite. It’s about giving students that first proper taste of industry recognition – the moment when their work stops being just another graded assignment and becomes something genuinely celebrated by working professionals. That shift matters more than you might think. It’s the difference between “I’m studying design” and “I’m a designer.” Every entry we reviewed deserved recognition. A bold colour choice here, a clever conceptual twist there, a confidence in execution that made us lean in and look closer. The standard was genuinely impressive.

Walking back into the George Wallis building always feels like coming home for us. The energy in those studios, the creative chaos pinned to every wall, the next generation of designers figuring out their voice and finding their feet – it reminds us exactly why we got into this industry in the first place. Supporting young creatives isn’t just a nice thing to do. It’s essential. These students are the future of design, and competitions like this give them a platform to shine long before they’ve even graduated or built their first portfolio.

To everyone who entered: you’re already designers. The fact that you put your work forward, that you took the brief and ran with it, that you created something from nothing – that’s what makes you a designer, not a qualification or a piece of paper. Keep pushing, keep questioning, keep making work that genuinely matters.

To Marc and the brilliant team at the School of Creative Industries: thank you for including us in something this special. Initiatives like this are exactly what the creative community needs more of.

And to our winner from Shrewsbury College: huge congratulations. Your poster wowed us. We genuinely can’t wait to see what you create next!

We took our lucky cat mascot to the Business Funding Summit yesterday. What started as a bit of fun turned into dozens of proper conversations with business owners at completely different stages of their journey.

The sheer range of talent in one room was brilliant. Every stall we visited, every conversation we had, felt completely different from the last. One minute we’re talking scaling strategies with someone who’s already conquered their market, the next we’re hearing about a brand-new venture that’s just finding its feet. The common thread running through it all? Everyone’s trying to figure out the next right move for their business. We get that. It’s what keeps our work interesting.

West Midlands business networking events like this remind you just how packed the region is with people doing genuinely interesting things. The unexpected connections are what make it worth showing up. Those “oh, you do THAT?” moments when you realise the person at the next table has solved the exact problem you’ve been wrestling with. Or when you discover a local manufacturer who’s been quietly innovating for decades. These aren’t the conversations you have scrolling LinkedIn at your desk.

Our lucky cat became an accidental icebreaker. Turns out, a bright orange mascot is excellent for starting conversations you might not otherwise have. Business funding summits can feel a bit formal, but when you’ve got a grinning cat photobombing serious discussions about investment readiness, the whole atmosphere shifts. People relax. Real conversations happen. That’s when the good stuff comes out.

Thanks to Business Growth West Midlands for putting the event together. If you’re a West Midlands business owner wondering whether these networking events are worth your time, here’s our take: show up. Bring business cards. Bring curiosity. Bring your lucky cat if you’ve got one. The connections you make might surprise you. The businesses you meet will definitely inspire you. And you’ll leave with a reminder that the Black Country and broader West Midlands region is absolutely buzzing with ambitious people building brilliant things. Good to connect with so many of you.

There’s something genuinely brilliant about putting on your best clobber, heading to The Halls in Wolverhampton, and spending an evening surrounded by the people who make the Black Country tick. That’s exactly what we did at the recent Black Country Chamber Awards, and honestly, we wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

Did we come home with a gong? No. Did we have an absolute belter of a night? Absolutely. The awards bring together some of the most ambitious, hardworking businesses this region has to offer, and being in that room, properly dressed up, rubbing shoulders with the great and good of Black Country business, reminded us why we love working right here in the heart of it all.

It’s easy to get heads-down in the day-to-day. Client briefs, deadlines, the next project on the boards. Nights like this are a proper reminder that Brierley Hill sits in the middle of a genuinely thriving business community, one that’s been gritty, creative, and quietly brilliant for centuries. We’re proud to be part of it.

No trophy on the shelf this time, but we came back buzzing. The conversations, the connections, the canapés and the crack. That’s the real return on a night like this. The Black Country Chamber Awards celebrate the businesses making this region worth celebrating, and we’ll be back next year with our glad rags on and fingers firmly crossed.

Here’s to the whole community. Black Country forever.

Storm Claudia picked the perfect night to absolutely batter Wolverhampton. Wind howling, rain horizontal, and there we were at the Molineux Sleepout, trying to remember why we’d volunteered for this. Turns out the answer is simple: because homelessness doesn’t stop for bad weather, and neither should we.

The team at Eighty3 joined hundreds of others sleeping rough at Molineux Stadium last night to raise money for The Wolves Foundation and The Good Shepherd. Thanks to our incredible sponsors and supporters, we raised £872 in just two weeks. Not a fortune, but every pound goes directly toward tackling homelessness in Wolverhampton, and that matters. Every donation came with messages of encouragement, shares from people who couldn’t make it but wanted to help, and that quiet Black Country solidarity that shows up when it counts. You lot are genuinely amazing.

Here’s what a charity sleepout actually feels like: cold, obviously. Uncomfortable, definitely. But also strangely grounding. Spending one night outside in a storm gives you about five minutes of perspective on what rough sleeping actually means for the people doing it every single night, through every storm, with nowhere to go when the sun comes up. We got soaked through, we’re absolutely knackered today, but we went home this morning. Not everyone gets that option. That’s why events like the Molineux Sleepout matter. They’re not just fundraisers. They’re reminders.

The atmosphere last night was something special, storm and all. Seeing so many people from across Wolverhampton and the wider Black Country community turn up and stick it out together, that’s what this region does best. We show up for each other when it matters, whatever the weather literally throws at us. Massive respect to everyone else who braved Storm Claudia with us. We were all in it together, and that kind of collective stubbornness is peak Wolverhampton.

Thank you to everyone who donated, shared our fundraising page, or sent encouraging messages. Thank you to our sponsors who made this possible. And thank you to The Wolves Foundation for organising an event that actually makes a difference to people who need it most. We’re proud to have been part of it, proud to stand alongside our community, and very much looking forward to drying out properly. Your support has made a real difference.

Yesterday morning we traded our desks for a spot behind the tills at Brierley Hill Asda, selling poppies and chatting with shoppers. No design briefs, no client calls, just us and our local community doing something that actually matters.

There’s something grounding about stepping away from the screen for a day. Don’t get us wrong, we love what we do. Design work is brilliant. But spending a morning face-to-face with the people who make up our town, hearing their stories, seeing them stop to remember and contribute, that hits differently. No deadlines breathing down your neck, no pixels to push around, just genuine human interaction and the chance to give back in a small way. We came away buzzing.

Being a Black Country design agency isn’t just about having a Brierley Hill postcode. It’s about actually being part of the community we work in. Showing up when local causes need volunteers. Supporting the people and businesses around us. Staying connected to what makes this area tick. Yesterday reminded us why we’re so proud to be rooted here. The warmth, the generosity, the willingness to stop and chat even when you’re just nipping in for milk. That’s pure Black Country.

Every poppy sold, every donation dropped in the tin, every story shared, it all adds up. The Royal British Legion does incredible work supporting veterans and their families, and getting to play a tiny part in that felt good. Proper good. We’ve always believed that businesses should be active members of their communities, not just entities that exist in them. Yesterday put that belief into practice, and we’re already looking forward to doing it again.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by our till at Brierley Hill Asda yesterday. Thanks for the donations, the smiles, and the reminder of what community actually means. Thanks to Asda for hosting us and to the Royal British Legion for the work they do year-round. And thanks to the Brierley Hill community for being exactly what it is: brilliant, generous, and proudly Black Country. These moments fuel everything we do.

Some evenings remind you exactly why you do what you do. Last night was one of those for us.

Dan and Rebecca attended the Wolves Foundation Gala Dinner 2025, celebrating the incredible work the Foundation does across the Black Country. We were invited thanks to our involvement in the Molineux Sleepout campaign and our connections through The Black Country Chamber of Commerce. What we didn’t expect was a proper full circle moment that left us a bit emotional, if we’re honest.

The evening was packed with inspiring stories about real impact happening right here in our community. We had the chance to meet some of the Wolves men’s and women’s first team players, which was brilliant. But the real highlight? Rebecca got to chat with John Richards, the absolute legend who gave her her very first graphic design job all those years ago. Talk about coming full circle. There’s something special about attending an event celebrating community work, representing a business you’ve built, and bumping into the person who started your entire career. We’re not crying, you’re crying.

The Wolves Foundation isn’t just doing good work for the sake of a press release. They’re genuinely changing lives across Wolverhampton and the wider Black Country every single day. Youth programmes, community initiatives, support for vulnerable people, it’s all happening because they show up and do the work. Being part of that story through our design contributions fills us with genuine pride. When you align your business with causes you actually believe in, work stops feeling like work. It becomes something bigger.

Supporting organisations that make real change in your community isn’t just good ethics. It’s good business, good for the soul, and it creates connections that last a lifetime. We understand how easy it is to get buried in deadlines and client deliverables and forget the bigger picture. But moments like the Wolves Foundation Gala Dinner snap you right back to what matters. The people sitting around those tables last night, the stories being shared, the impact being celebrated, that’s what community looks like when it’s working properly.

These events also remind us why we’re so committed to helping Black Country businesses succeed. When local businesses thrive, they can support local causes. When local causes get support, they can help more people. When more people get help, communities get stronger. It’s all connected, and being part of that cycle is exactly where we want to be.

Massive thank you to Laura Cahill for the invite. We’re genuinely honoured to be part of this journey with the Wolves Foundation. And to everyone involved in making last night happen, you’ve created something special. Here’s to more full circle moments, more community impact, and more evenings that remind us why showing up matters.

Eighty3 Design’s Dan and Rebecca Cottingham were among the guests at the Wolves Foundation Gala Dinner 2025, an evening celebrating the extraordinary work the Foundation carries out across the Black Country and the lives it continues to change.

The Brierley Hill agency was invited to attend through their work on the Wolves Foundation Sleepout campaign and their connections via the Black Country Chamber of Commerce. The event brought together businesses, community figures, and supporters of the Foundation for a night of inspiring stories and well-deserved recognition.

Guests had the opportunity to meet players from both the Wolves men’s and women’s first teams, but one moment in particular stood out. Dan and Rebecca had the chance to meet John Richards, the Wolves legend and club icon, who happens to hold a very special place in the Eighty3 story. It was John who gave Rebecca her very first graphic design job, making the evening something of a full circle moment for the agency’s director.

The Wolves Foundation does vital work across Wolverhampton and the wider Black Country, using the power of football to support people facing a range of challenges, from mental health and unemployment to education and community cohesion. For Eighty3, being part of that story through their design work is a source of real pride. The agency’s involvement with the Sleepout campaign reflects a wider commitment to working with organisations that make a genuine difference in the communities they serve. A special thank you goes to Laura Cahill for the invitation to attend what was a truly memorable evening.

We’re absolutely made up to announce that our very own Emily has been nominated for Employee of the Year 2025 by the Black Country Chamber. It’s the kind of news that makes you stop, smile, and feel genuinely proud of the people around you.

Emily joined Eighty3 back in 2020 and has been a constant presence ever since. Five years. Five years of showing up, getting stuck in, and quietly making everything work. If you’ve ever wondered how a small creative agency keeps all its plates spinning, the honest answer is people like Emily.

She was nominated by Rebecca and Dan, which tells you everything you need to know. This wasn’t a formal process or a box to tick. It came from the people who work alongside her every single day and know first hand what she brings to the table. Her hard work, her reliability, and the kind of steady support that you only truly appreciate when you imagine what life without it would look like. Rebecca and Dan are very clear on that point. Without Emily, Eighty3 Design simply would not run the way it does.

The Black Country Chamber Employee of the Year award recognises individuals who go above and beyond for their organisations, and Emily fits that description perfectly. She’s not someone who chases the spotlight. She just gets on with it, does it brilliantly, and makes everyone around her better in the process. That’s rarer than you’d think.

We are so proud of her for this nomination and we’ll be cheering her on loudly every step of the way. Watch this space.

The Eighty3 Design Review Forest has reached 100 trees planted, marking a milestone that reflects both the growth of the agency and the loyalty of its clients.

The achievement is made possible through Review Forest, a platform that plants a real tree every time a business receives a client review. For Eighty3, that means every piece of feedback left by a happy client has contributed directly to global reforestation efforts. One hundred reviews. One hundred trees in the ground.

Since joining the scheme, the Brierley Hill agency has worked with clients across web design, branding, and digital projects, with each completed job adding to the growing tally. The forest now stands as a record of every client relationship built and every project delivered with care.

Rebecca Cottingham, director at Eighty3 Design, said the milestone was a reminder that good work has a reach beyond the screen. “”Every review plants a real tree, which means 100 clients have not only taken the time to share their experience but have helped us contribute to something that will benefit future generations. How incredible is that?””
The Eighty3 Design Review Forest can be viewed at reviewforest.org/Eighty3DesignLtd.”

Black Country business networking was at its best this morning as the Eighty3 team joined fellow enterprises at Wolverhampton’s iconic Molineux Stadium for Molineux Meets, an event bringing together businesses from across the region and wider West Midlands.

The event drew a strong turnout of both new and familiar faces, with businesses from a range of sectors coming together to connect, share ideas, and explore opportunities for collaboration. Eighty3 attended with their own stand, using the occasion to showcase recent projects and give visitors a proper feel for the creative work coming out of The Warehouse in Brierley Hill.

Rebecca Cottingham, Director at Eighty3, said the morning was a reminder of what makes the local business community worth being part of. “There’s nothing quite like connecting with fellow local enterprises who understand the region,” she said. “The room had a brilliant energy, and it was great to see so many businesses flying the flag for the area.”

As well as meeting potential new clients and partners, the team caught up with existing contacts and shared updates on the agency’s latest work. For a studio that has always been proud of its roots, events like Molineux Meets offer something beyond a simple business exchange. They are a chance to invest in the community that has supported the agency since day one.

Anyone who attended and didn’t get the chance to speak with the Eighty3 team is welcome to get in touch directly. The conversation is very much still open.

We don’t do things by halves at Eighty3, and when the opportunity came up to sit down with Steve Parker on The Business Show at Black Country Radio Xtra, we jumped at it. Dan, Rebecca, and Emily headed into the studio for what turned out to be one of the most fun mornings we’ve had in a long time.

Steve is a brilliant host. He has a proper knack for putting people at ease, and what could have felt like a formal interview ended up feeling more like a good chat over a brew. We talked about Eighty3 Design, where we’ve come from, what drives our work, and the kind of clients and projects that get us out of bed in the morning. There were even a few stories that haven’t seen the light of day before now, which made it all the more enjoyable.

For a studio rooted in the heart of the Black Country, being on Black Country Radio Xtra felt like the right fit. We’re proud of where we’re from and proud of what we do here in Brierley Hill, so having the chance to talk about it on a platform that champions local business was genuinely something special. It’s not every day you get to put a bit of personality behind the logo.

The show goes out next Friday, so get it in your diary. Whether you’re a long-standing client, a fellow Black Country business, or just someone who fancies getting to know the people behind the studio, it’s well worth a listen. We’ll be sharing the link as soon as it’s live, so keep an eye on our socials and we’ll make sure you don’t miss it.

The Innovate Dudley Expo brought together some of the brightest minds in the region, and we were absolutely delighted to be part of it. Hosted by the brilliant team at Dudley Business First, the event was a proper celebration of what the Black Country does best: roll up its sleeves, think big, and get things done.

Our director Rebecca took to the stage for the panel discussion on innovation and entrepreneurship, sharing her thoughts on the current business landscape and the exciting opportunities ahead. It was a brilliant moment for Eighty3, and a reminder of why we love being part of such a vibrant, forward-thinking business community right here on our doorstep.

Over at our exhibition stand, things got a little competitive. Our Fortune Frenzy game pulled in a fantastic crowd, with visitors eager to spin their luck and get involved. We’re busy tallying up the entries now and will be announcing the winner very soon, so watch this space. Alongside the game, there were chocolates, conversations, and no shortage of laughs. And a very special mention has to go to the wonderful Emily Smith, who transformed into our beloved cat mascot for the day and brought a massive smile to everyone who popped by. She absolutely made the stand.

Events like the Innovate Dudley Expo are exactly why we believe so strongly in showing up, getting involved, and connecting with the incredible businesses that make this region tick. Whether it was a quick chat over a chocolate or a longer conversation about what’s next, every interaction reminded us of the energy and ambition that’s alive and well in the Black Country. A huge thank you to Dudley Business First for putting on such a fantastic event. We already can’t wait for the next one.