4 + I

When we're building brands, our mission is to ensure nothing is perfunctory. Everything is thought through; designed with intent. We seek to create compelling identities, messaging, user journeys. Nothing is habitual or done for the sake of conforming.

That's why, for the past six months, we've changed the structure of our working week. We took a step back to give as much careful thought to our working pattern as we do to building brands. We decided that things could be done differently — to benefit not only our team but our clients, too.

Monday - Thursday we work on our projects, and are available to clients via Zoom calls, emails, and face to face meetings. 4 days of a traditional working pattern. But now, these 4 days are enriched by the final day, Friday. This day is now our inspiration day, and we don't do any work.

At least, that's what our bemused housemates and friends who sit at desks 5 days a week think. They see us away from our computers, gallivanting around museums and galleries, unbeholden to our inboxes, and call us part timers.

But we believe that since our work is in creating, it's part of our job to ensure we are inspired. To create compelling brands, we have to get out and look for what is compelling in the world. To come back to our desks with ideas and enthusiasm, anecdotes and energy. Ultimately, as a branding agency, we are in the business of selling cutting edge design and a sense of style, and what we sell is only as fresh as our inspiration.

Our mission isn't to grow our studio by working our team into the ground. At Proxy, we value people. While our working week days have been reduced, our staff's salaries haven't. By having more enriching Fridays, we're genuinely investing into the quality of service we can provide to our clients. Because it's not just the people who work for us that we value, but also the incredibly interesting people we're lucky enough to meet every day through our projects.

Our clients come from all different industries and geographies, and trust us to have something meaningful to add to their companies. That's why we adapted to ensure our working week is meaningful. That we only take on enough clients we're able to deliver our very best work for, and that we spend time being inspired enough to do so.

By the time Monday comes around, we're all refreshed, happy, and ready to get stuck into another week. Staying away from our tasks on Friday is not a loss of a day, but an enriching bonus. It's a + I for inspiration.

Article hero image - 3D experiments by Dan Ryan, creative at Proxy