Creative State

Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, Creative State operates as a small design studio with close ties to a sister practice, IfLooksCouldKill, based in Melrose. The studio has worked with organisations including Glasgow School of Art, the Royal Crescent Hotel and Spa, and Scottish Borders Council, indicating experience across education, hospitality and public sector clients. With a team of one to ten people, the agency positions itself as adaptable, relying on a network of partners to extend its capabilities on client projects. Creative State now serves as an umbrella for interests and side projects, while identity, print and digital design work is handled through IfLooksCouldKill. Within this structure, Graphic Good operates as a separate initiative that collaborates with artists, designers and illustrators to sell limited edition prints in support of charitable causes, and Ideas Engine is described as an internal practice intended to help clients develop their business or project, with plans for articles, interviews and workshops. Design direction is led by Creative Director Sarah Robertson, who oversees creative output and project delivery, while Digital Director Jonathan Smith is responsible for translating designs into usable, accessible websites, leading digital projects, providing client training and managing long-term support contracts. Combined, the team draws on backgrounds spanning design, marketing, motion graphics and online video production.