DESIGNATBAY

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Strategic Brand Communication & Design Agency I Preferred Supplier to UN Agencies, established in 2000. Design@Bay is a South Africa-based strategic brand communication and design agency, established in 2000.

About

Strategic Brand Communication & Design Agency I Preferred Supplier to UN Agencies, established in 2000.

Design@Bay is a South Africa-based strategic brand communication and design agency, established in 2000. We help organisations turn complex ideas, information and programmes into clear, engaging and purposeful communication.

We bridge strategy and execution, combining research, creative direction, content development and high-quality production. Our work spans reports, strategic publications, brand and visual identity, campaigns, digital communications, presentations, infographics, custom illustration and multimedia.

Since 2016, we have been a preferred supplier to UN agencies including UNICEF, UNHCR, WHO, UNCDF, IDLO and UNFPA, delivering everything from two-page fact sheets to multi-page reports, infographics and presentations with unique illustration. We specialise in multilingual design and layout, working from your translated content in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic (right-to-left) and Japanese, as well as Afrikaans, isiXhosa and Sesotho.

We have developed marketing products and strategic publications for leading South African universities, including Wits, NMU, UMP and UNIZULU, and have worked with public-sector and private clients such as the Automotive Industry Development Centre Eastern Cape (AIDC-EC), The Coega Development Corporation and Coega Dairy.

We are a compact, senior-led studio. That means direct access to the creative director, flexible collaboration and close attention to detail, whether we are working as an extension of your communications team or delivering a project end to end.

Meet the founder: I’m Dipti Varghese, Founder and Managing Director of Email not available. Sign in: https://www.twine.net/signup With more than 35 years of international experience, I bring a globally attuned perspective and a commitment to conscious, inclusive design. I lead every engagement personally, supported by skilled designers and content developers who share our commitment to quality and on-time delivery.

Whether you need a focused design assignment or a full communications project, we would love to help make your communication clearer, more purposeful and more impactful.

Website not available. Sign in: https://www.twine.net/signup

  • Joined September 2026

Industry experience

  • Education
  • Government
  • Non-Profit Organization
  • Professional Services
  • Media & Entertainment
  • Manufacturing
  • Travel & Hospitality

More experts in Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Projects · 6

UNCDF (United Nations Capital Development Fund) - MM4P - Uganda

Digital Financial Services for the Women of Uganda Digital Financial Services for Women (DFS4Women) is an annual knowledge sharing conference funded by the United Nations Capital Development Fund as part of its global MM4P programme. It aims to provide women in Africa and Asia with better, more affordable and more useful digital financial products and services. THE CHALLENGE Design@Bay was tasked with developing and establishing a corporate identity for the DFS4Women campaign launch event in Uganda in October 2016. The brief included thematic event elements, such as air-tech banners, as well as branded lanyards and an event programme with a difference. THE STRATEGY Our approach captured the essence of this programme with the design of an infographic that depicts the cyclic progression of the empowerment process for women from the various countries included in the DFS4Women campaign programme. This was rolled out across multiple platforms at the Ugandan event. THE OUTCOME With locally printed and international courier event material, light and appealing, multi-page event programmes were produced in both French and English. Guided by the hierarchical structuring of the information, our approach was to layer the size of the pages so that the titled footer of each remained visible, making the content easy and quick to access. Other features of the programme included its unique binding mechanism which allowed it to be attached to the branded lanyards.

  • Art Director
  • Brand Designer
  • Creative Director
  • +2
Coega Dairy

A diversified FMCG operation with multiple sub-brands requiring consistent, responsive brand communication across products, platforms, and stakeholders. THE CHALLENGE To deliver cohesive brand communication across the main brand and sub-brands, while responding quickly to operational, stakeholder, and market demands, particularly during the COVID-19 period. THE STRATEGY We provided strategic brand communication with carefully crafted content across multiple touchpoints, including digital campaigns, stakeholder emailers, employee toolkits, and advertising. THE OUTCOME A suite of integrated brand assets deployed across print and digital platforms, strengthening visibility, clarity, and cohesion across Coega Dairy Group’s brand ecosystem.

  • Art Director
  • Brand Designer
  • Creative Director
  • +2
UNICEF-Sierra Leonne

In collaboration with the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), facilitated by UNICEF Sierra Leone and partners, we developed and illustrated learning materials for Primary Zero, One, Two and three. The scope included picture books, mathematics workbooks, and teachers’ guides designed to support early learning progression. THE CHALLENGE Delivering age-appropriate, culturally relevant visuals across multiple grades required a deep understanding of local context and curriculum. We produced more than 400 bespoke 2D and 3D illustrations, ensuring consistency while responding to different developmental stages. THE STRATEGY A unified flat comic-style illustration system was applied across P0–P2, shifting from narrative-led visuals to more structured instructional imagery as learners progress. Illustration, layout, copy editing, and proofreading were integrated to ensure clarity, accuracy, and alignment with educational goals. THE OUTCOME The final materials form a cohesive, scalable learning system that translates complex concepts into engaging, child-centred visuals, supporting both learners and teachers across early primary education.

  • Art Director
  • Brand Designer
  • Creative Director
  • +2
UNICEF - Sierra Leonne

MOTION DESIGN, ANIMATION & VISUAL STORYTELLING WE BRING stories and ideas to life through illustration, animation, and motion-led design. Whether static or animated, our visual storytelling enhances understanding, emotional connection, and engagement across digital, broadcast, and live platforms. Our services include: Illustration Animation I Strategic. UNICEF required a bilingual publication to present standards and recommendations related to child nutrition and food systems in West and Central Africa, alongside stakeholder-facing communication solutions for print and digital platforms. To present complex technical content clearly across multiple languages while adhering to strict UNICEF branding requirements, and to create a festive message that was adaptable, inclusive, and emotionally resonant. THE STRATEGY- We designed a 76-page bilingual publication using an illustration-led approach, supported by concept sketches, vector illustrations, and a structured layout to ensure clarity and engagement across the French and English editions. For the end of- year message, we used the same illustration-led system with light animation to extend it digitally. THE OUTCOME - A visually rich, well-structured report demonstrating expertise in largescale editorial design, illustration systems, and multilingual publication delivery, alongside a cohesive seasonal greeting shared seamlessly across print and animated formats.

  • Art Director
  • Brand Designer
  • Creative Director
  • +2
Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism

Clients: Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism (NMB EDTA) and the Eastern Cape Parks & Tourism Agency (ECPTA) These agencies aim to grow visitation by positioning the region as a vibrant, experience-rich destination. We were asked to position Nelson Mandela Bay and the Eastern Cape as destinations ofchoice through cohesive, seasonal campaigns that attract visitors, drive engagement, and showcase diverse experiences. We delivered integrated, multi-platform campaigns that combined a strong visual identity, concise messaging, and adaptable content. For NMBT, we refreshed the brand application across campaigns, including Summer So Sweet and Ziilekese! ECPTA’s Your Summer Crush campaign leveraged activations, digital tools, and short-form video to spotlight biodiversity, adventure, and accessibility. A suite of branded assets, from social media content and radio adverts to videos, that consistently positioned the region as a vibrant, experience-led destination acrossv9seasons and audiences.

  • Art Director
  • Brand Designer
  • Creative Director
  • +2
M SECURE-Brand Transformation, Strategic Positioning & Integrated Communications

M SECURE Brand Transformation, Strategic Positioning & Integrated Communications THE CHALLENGE Unite M Secure’s consolidated services behind one future-focused brand, preserving valuable recognition while sharpening its market position, value proposition and shared identity across the organization. OUR SOLUTION Starting with research and stakeholder insight, we repositioned and redesigned the brand around M Secure’s recognizable “M”, then brought it to life across corporate communications, digital, animation, social media, and a public launch, creating a cohesive identity designed to strengthen recognition, engagement and future growth. Services: Brand strategy · Research · Strategic positioning · Corporate identity · Integrated communication · Animation · Digital and social media · Public relations. Project Details Scope: Consolidate M Secure’s service offering under one future-focused brand while retaining existing equity and strengthening its positioning, value proposition and organisational identity. Deliverables: Brand identity and guidelines · Corporate collateral · Animation · Digital and social assets · Internal communication · Stakeholder research · Media launch. Outcome: A cohesive, research-led brand transformation connecting strategy, identity, organisational culture and external communication to strengthen recognition, engagement and future growth.

  • Brand Designer
  • Creative Director
  • Designer
  • +2

Work experience· 5 roles

Founder and Managing Director · Design@BayJan 2000 – Present · 26 yrs 11 mos

Founded and leads Design@Bay, a strategic brand communication and graphic design agency established in 2000. Directs integrated branding, visual communication, content development, information design, motion design, research, creative strategy, web, and AI-enabled design services. Oversees client solutions across print, digital, campaign, presentation, and multimedia platforms for private and public-sector organisations. The agency has supported higher education institutions, international organisations, and UN agencies including UNICEF, UNHCR, WHO, UNCDF, IDLO, and UNFPA. Responsible for shaping the agency’s strategic and creative direction and for connecting research-led thinking with high-quality multiplatform production. PROFESSIONAL PROFILE • Founder, Managing Director and Creative Director of Design@Bay, with 30 years of experience in strategic communication, creative direction, brand and communication design, project leadership and client management across South Africa and internationally. • Holds a Master of Design in Visual Communication, with professional experience spanning India, Japan and South Africa and extensive experience leading complex, multidisciplinary communication and creative projects. • Provides senior strategic, creative and account leadership, combining creative direction, client relationship management, business development, project management and end-to-end delivery oversight. • As founder and agency leader since 2000, provides oversight of client relationships, strategic briefs, creative conceptualisation, brand management, multidisciplinary teams, project delivery and quality assurance. • Extensive experience delivering integrated communication, branding, marketing, digital and social media solutions across corporate, public-sector, economic-development, higher-education and international development environments. • International portfolio includes projects for WHO, UNCDF, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNFPA and IDLO, demonstrating experience working within complex institutional and international development environments. • Provides strategic and creative leadership on economic-development and investment-promotion initiatives, including projects for the Coega Development Corporation (CDC), East London IDZ (ELIDZ) and Tshwane Automotive SEZ (TASEZ). • Experienced in taking projects from strategic insight and conceptualisation through to production, implementation and final delivery, across print, digital, web, broadcast and social media platforms. • Brings strong expertise in creative strategy, information architecture, visual communication and the development of innovative, audience-centred communication solutions, with a strong focus on quality and attention to detail. • Experienced in managing multiple concurrent projects, coordinating multidisciplinary creative teams and maintaining client, brand, production and delivery standards throughout the project lifecycle. • Experienced design educator, mentor and advocate for entrepren

Lecturer (Digital Printing and Publishing) · Damelin Education GroupJan 1999 – Jul 2001 · 2 yrs 7 mos

Developed course curriculum and content for a new programme in Digital Printing and Publishing. Trained cohorts (about 30 students per year) to build design skills using high-end software such as Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Adobe Premiere, and 3D Studio Max. Created coursework, tests, assignments, and examinations, and conducted evaluation and feedback sessions.

Freelance DesignerJan 1996 – Dec 1998 · 3 yrs

Worked on projects across higher education, manufacturing, and municipal/parastatal sectors in the Eastern Cape. Conceptualised and developed brochures, wall planners, posters, exhibition materials, and campaign communications, including work for Volkswagen SA.

Design Associates · Design Associates, TrivandrumJan 1991 – Dec 1995 · 5 yrs
Training (Book and Publication Design) · Sugiura Kohei Plus Eyes, TokyoJan 1990 – Dec 1990 · 1 yr

Education· 7

Master of Design in Visual Communication · Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IDC)1989 – 2026
Bachelor of Fine Arts · Banaras Hindu University, Faculty of Visual Arts1987 – 2026
Small Business Management Diploma · Damelin Education Group, Port Elizabeth2000 – 2026
Diploma in Advanced Project Management · Damelin Education Group, Port Elizabeth2004 – 2026

Certifications and awards

UNGM Registered Level 1 Service Provider2030 – 2026

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