Black Squid Design

Black Squid Design Innovative ideas and unexpected solutions, but most importantly - have fun

Derek Butler’s philosophy in design is to come up with innovative ideas and unexpected solutions with the element of surprise, but most importantly - have fun – an approach which has underpinned Derek’s success as both graphic designer and Creative Director. Black Squid Design has established a reputation for creative and effective brand identities, corporate communication and packaging. Their wor

k has won numerous national awards and has been published in both national and international publications.

21/11/2025

New logo and brand identity for Sydney based independent music platform

The Adelaide Entertainment Centre carpark walls are clad in perforated metal panels designed to allow ventilation while ...
06/11/2025

The Adelaide Entertainment Centre carpark walls are clad in perforated metal panels designed to allow ventilation while showcasing dynamic live-music imagery. Each elevation presents a different performance scene, turning a utilitarian structure into a bold visual celebration of entertainment. Varying perforation sizes create a halftone effect in a single colour, delivering both functional airflow and a striking, contemporary space.

Our studio has been designing for over 30 years, and some of our past work still feels as fresh and relevant as ever. We’re excited to share a selection of these timeless projects. Thank you to the clients who made these moments possible.

Logo and brand identity for Recovery Garments, distributor of VOE compression wear from Barcelona, Spain. Premium, breat...
25/09/2025

Logo and brand identity for Recovery Garments, distributor of VOE compression wear from Barcelona, Spain. Premium, breathable, and hypoallergenic for recovery and comfort.

Another one from our Throwback series in the Black Squid archives. We’re sharing favourite moments from 30 years of desi...
08/08/2025

Another one from our Throwback series in the Black Squid archives. We’re sharing favourite moments from 30 years of design — some iconic, some hidden gems, some never seen before.

They say dogs are a man’s best friend.
And diamonds are a girl’s best friend.
What do you get when you put them together? - A Spoilt Bitch.

The finest doggie day care in Potts Point.

Another one from our Throwback series in the Black Squid archives. We’re sharing favourite moments from 30 years of desi...
08/08/2025

Another one from our Throwback series in the Black Squid archives. We’re sharing favourite moments from 30 years of design — some iconic, some hidden gems, some never seen before.

They say dogs are a man’s best friend.
And diamonds are a girl’s best friend.
What do you get when you put them together? - A Spoilt Bitch.
The finest doggie day care in Potts Point.

Logo, Brand, and Packaging for Ambleside Distillers’ Core Range.Ambleside is a family-owned distillery in the Adelaide H...
22/07/2025

Logo, Brand, and Packaging for Ambleside Distillers’ Core Range.
Ambleside is a family-owned distillery in the Adelaide Hills, quite literally built from the garden up.
Their spirits are uncomplicated, creative, and innovative – yet always respectful of the traditional art of distilling.
The two-tone labels are unapologetically bold and bright.
Your next must-stop in the Hills – a picturesque garden backdrop – and delicious Gin.

Thank you for the photography

It’s such an honour to have designed the logo for The Lost Loaf, the beautiful artisan bakery founded by the brilliant E...
30/06/2025

It’s such an honour to have designed the logo for The Lost Loaf, the beautiful artisan bakery founded by the brilliant Emma Shearer at Bowden’s Plant 4.

Emma’s legendary sourdoughs and her 2025 SA Champion croissants has earned The Lost Loaf well-deserved cult status in Adelaide’s food scene.

The logo reflects the same values that drive Emma’s baking — natural, handcrafted, and soulful.

Over the past 30 years, Black Squid Design has had the privilege of creating a wide range of design work - some bold and...
17/06/2025

Over the past 30 years, Black Squid Design has had the privilege of creating a wide range of design work - some bold and disruptive, others refined and timeless. While trends come and go, we’re proud to say that many of these past projects still hold their own.

We believe that great design doesn’t expire. It continues to communicate, connect, and capture attention. That’s why we’re launching a new series called Throwbacks. A chance to revisit and share some of our favourite projects from the archive. Some are well-remembered, others never made it into the spotlight, but all deserve to be seen.
Thank you to all the clients who placed their trust in us over the years - you’ve allowed us to explore, take risks, and bring your brands to life in ways that still make us proud today.

Todays throwback is from 2005 - Zak Haircare - Logo, brand and packaging

The brief was to develop new branding and packaging for a premium range of hair styling products under the Zak brand.
Zak is an Adelaide-based hairdresser launching a curated collection of high-quality waxes and gels, selectively stocked in upmarket salons.
The objective was to create a clean, modern, and sophisticated visual identity - corporate in feel yet minimal in ex*****on. The packaging needed to convey exclusivity and value for money while standing out in salon environments. Each product is distinguished by a fluorescent tag in one of five colours.
Simplicity meets sophistication.

Bower Education nursery schools programs are based on what we see and hear from our children – our observations of their...
16/05/2025

Bower Education nursery schools programs are based on what we see and hear from our children – our observations of their “voices” during play. These observations harness the child’s “voice” and through the planning and provision of responsive programs, we support a child’s natural desire to learn. They see children as competent and able human beings. They come to us rich with knowledge, curiosity, abilities and attitudes.

“The brand identity captures the essence of the organisation by incorporating a playful and exploratory bird character that appears across all brand touchpoints. This bird pops up in various poses, adding a sense of movement and curiosity to each instance of the brand. The bird is paired with distinct color combinations, ensuring a cohesive yet diverse visual language that ties all locations together while celebrating their individuality.”

We are looking for an experienced designer to join our team. Minimum of 3-5+ years experience.Please email your applicat...
14/01/2025

We are looking for an experienced designer to join our team. Minimum of 3-5+ years experience.

Please email your application letter, CV and portfolio to Derek Butler -
[email protected]

Applications close Friday 17th January

Construct the deconstructed - The Iconic South Australian Pie FloaterIngredients 1 x meat PiePea SoupTomato Sauce. Cooke...
03/12/2024

Construct the deconstructed - The Iconic South Australian Pie Floater

Ingredients
1 x meat Pie
Pea Soup
Tomato Sauce.
Cooked and handcrafted in the Black Squid kitchen

We’ve been honoured to participate in the Make a Mark Project back in 2022. For our contribution, we chose to represent South Australia by reimagining the iconic Pie Floater and transform it into a Gin label.

This year, the project invited us to interpret our packaging design in the form of an ‘X’ to be featured in a coffee table book.

Over the past three years, this initiative has selected 20 designers annually from around the world to create packaging designs featuring glass (Estal), labels (Avery Dennison), and embellishments (Leonhard Kurz). It’s an honour to be in the esteemed company of Sydney design studio, Denomination Design (2021) and our fellow South Australian design team, Parallax Design (2023).

Since the inception of this project we’ve become a close community of rebels and thinkers - all united by our love for glass, labelling, packaging and the desire to create new things. The 2024 edition is called Make X Mark.

We are honoured that &Peabody Spirits packaging was selected as a finalist at the recent AGDA Awards.
19/11/2024

We are honoured that &Peabody Spirits packaging was selected as a finalist at the recent AGDA Awards.

Address

203 Melbourne Street
Adelaide, SA
5006

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+61883618066

Website

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