I've just completed a wonderful project for Straight Talk Financial Planning. Up until recently their printed literature has comprised some documents they've put together themselves in Word, but they recently decided they needed a more professional look and turned to me for help. 

What was particularly fortunate for me is that the top man at Straight Talk, David Stewart, has held a lifelong love of cartoons. Years ago he ran a successful financial publication that he littered with commissioned gags and cartoon illustrations and he put much of its success down to how cartoons can lighten the tone without cheapening the message.

He wanted to use cartoons throughout his Bespoke Financial Solutions brochure and his Pension Review brochure and invited me to come up with some ideas as I laid out the rest of the artwork.

As their name suggests, Straight Talk don't hide behind gobbledegook and jargon, so it was important that the brochures were easy to read, easy to follow and would leave you informed enough about the processes to be comfortable enough to get in touch. By using the cartoons to punctuate the various messages throughout the text, the humour makes for a much more inviting, friendlier read where the alternative could be potentially dry or, at worst, even dull. By keeping the text in plain English, being brief and to the point, and injecting a few funnies along the way, the two documents are a pleasure to read, and directly reflect the ethos and good nature of the business.

Shown here is my favourite cartoon from the project. 

If you think Straight Talk's approach could help you with your lifestyle financial planning then get in touch with them on 023 8084 5423 or email Straight.Talk@hotmail.co.uk