A new Stockport-based creative agency has launched with its first major project delivering a full brand identity for Manchester startup Hey, Barb.
Uther Studio, led by Designer and Director Liz McCracken, has completed the work for Hey, Barb – a renovation planning platform designed to help homeowners bring structure to complex home improvement projects.
The project marks Uther’s first public-facing work since launch, and sees the studio take on everything from logo design and typography through to colour systems and a full set of brand guidelines.
McCracken said the aim was to create a brand that felt calm and clear in a space that can quickly become overwhelming for customers.
“Hey, Barb needed to feel like a calm, capable presence in what is often an overwhelming process,” she said. “We focused on building a brand that feels clear, human and supportive, while still having the confidence to stand out in the market.”
Hey, Barb, which is positioning itself as a practical, “reno-savvy” companion for homeowners managing their own projects, said the finished identity gives it a strong foundation as it moves towards launch.
Lauren, Co-Founder of Hey, Barb, said: “We were genuinely delighted with the execution. Uther really understood what we were trying to achieve and translated it into a brand that gives us a clear voice.”
Uther Studio was founded in 2025 and is based in Stockport, with the agency describing its approach as rooted in careful thinking, real audience needs and close collaboration – rather than templated solutions.
McCracken brings more than 15 years’ experience working across brand identity and visual systems, with Uther positioning itself as a human-first studio at a time when more of the creative process is becoming automated.
Hey, Barb is based in Manchester and is building a platform designed to help homeowners organise decisions, timelines and information when taking on renovation projects.