Uden & Woodruff

Uden & Woodruff, a Kent-based funeral home reviving its family legacy, sought Motel's expertise in crafting a new brand identity and narrative. Claire Uden, reclaiming her family's business, desired a distinctive brand reflecting their unique and personalised approach in a competitive landscape.

Understanding the emotional sensitivity of the project, we delved into Uden's family history. The business, founded in 1880, held deep personal meaning for Claire, who, with husband Graham Woodruff, repurchased the original premises.

Our goal:

To create a brand honoring the past while offering a fresh perspective on grief support.

Crafting a Compelling Narrative:

We built the brand narrative through Claire's voice, imbuing it with warmth and empathy. The tagline, "Because grief is personal," captured their commitment to individual comfort and care, differentiating them from corporate outfits and standardised competitors.

Designing with Heritage and Innovation:

The visual identity balanced heritage cues, inspired by the original business, with modern touches. We explored various concepts before landing on a refined, traditionally-inspired design that resonated deeply with Claire and Graham. Black, white, and grey, coupled with serif typography, exuded dignity and timeless elegance. The ampersand "&" became a unifying symbol, celebrating the merging of two family names.

While unforeseen circumstances prevented Uden & Woodruff's full launch, we, with their permission, used generative AI image creation to showcase their vision. This allowed us to depict the brand in action, on hearses, marketing materials, and the funeral parlour itself.

Uden & Woodruff's story, though unfulfilled, serves as a testament to the power of personalised care in a sensitive industry. The brand identity, despite its unrealised application, stands as a beacon of empathy and hope, demonstrating Motel's ability to craft meaningful narratives and innovative visual solutions.

Interested in how we integrate AI into our design process?

At Motel we are fully embracing the use of AI, and specifically generative image creation, to both enhance and streamline our creative process. But the importance of Human Intelligence is fundamental in ensuring the correct use and application of this fast growing and evolving technology. Read our full article here:

The impact of AI on the design industry