Surprising welcome for designer

PUBLIC WORKS: Wanganui's new welcome signs were a major piece of public work for TGM Design.PHOTO/ SUPPLIED

By Laurel Stowell

Designer Des Bovey has been amazed at the controversy stirred up by his first public job in Wanganui.

He designed the new entrance signs for the district, with pictures of the city and the Whanganui River and welcomes in Maori and English. A number of people took offence at the Maori greeting coming first.

Mr Bovey has returned to Wanganui after living and working in France, and started work with TGM Design earlier this year. The reaction to his first public work for the city took him by surprise.

He's a senior designer and very creative, TGM Design's Wanganui co-owner Stephanie Bell said.

She and Mr Bovey moved the business out of Heritage House and into leased space in the Wanganui Chronicle building in October. Mrs Bell said the move was part of a growth strategy and the business hoped to add a second Wanganui designer in their larger downtown space.

TGM Design has 16 staff in total, in offices in New Plymouth, Hawera and Wanganui.

It gives advice on all aspects of branding and marketing, including packaging, catalogues and website design.

One of its recent jobs was a complete rebranding for the YMCA central region.

It has eight designers and work is shared between them depending on their individual strengths. Administration is done from New Plymouth, with communication by internet and telephone.

In April, Mrs Bell became a 50:50 partner in the Wanganui office with owner Andrea Leadbetter.