Mash Creative is the professional name and portfolio brand of British graphic designer Mark Bloom, an independent designer based in East London who specialises in brand identity and packaging design.[1] Bloom set up the Mash Creative business in 2009 after being made redundant, choosing to launch his own studio rather than take another job.[2] The studio works on creative projects that include identity and branding, print media and web design.[3]
Design and History
Mash Creative’s own logo is a monogram built from the letters “M” (for Mash) and “C” (for Creative), which are joined together into a single mark.[4] The mark appears on the studio’s business cards and other stationery, and the wordmark “MashCreative” is used alongside it across the portfolio site.[5]
Bloom’s design philosophy directly informs his own identity work. He describes a “less is more” approach to designing identities, drawing inspiration from Swiss modernist graphic design and grid-based typography.[2] He has stated that when designing an identity he tries to “strip away anything that I deem unnecessary or that may make the logo look busy or overly complicated,” aiming for a logo “created with as few lines as possible, remain timeless and have a clear, memorable message.”[6]
Bloom has also documented his logo work extensively through self-published books. His first book, 14/41 (14 Years, 41 Logos), showcased 41 of his favourite logos in black and white, based on his saying “If it works in black and white it should work in any colour.”[2] A follow-up, 15/115 (15 Years, 115 Projects), featured 80 logos alongside posters and case studies from his 15-year career.[7] In 2014 he produced a limited edition A2 poster featuring 126 logos he designed between 1998 and 2014.[8]
Meaning and Symbolism
The Mash Creative monogram combines the initials of the studio’s two-word name, “Mash” and “Creative,” into a single interlocking form.[4] The mark is intentionally minimal, consistent with Bloom’s stated preference for stripping identities down to their essential elements.[6]
Typography and Design
Bloom designs on a grid, citing Swiss modernist designers Wim Crouwel and Josef Müller-Brockmann as influences on his structured approach.[6] Beyond client work, he is also a type designer, having created typefaces including RM Regular (designed for a Royal Mail “Rethink” project commissioned by ICON magazine) and later launching his own type foundry, CoType.[2][9]
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