Crush design studio

Work with us.

We’re known for being honest, thoughtful, and hardworking — with the creativity and attention to detail that turns a good brand into a great one.

At CRUSH, we speak business and brand equally well.

We’re not just here to make things look good — we’re here to make sure your brand works hard for your business. That means strategy and design are always aligned with commercial goals.

Everything we do is delivered in-house by a close-knit team of experienced brand strategists, designers, developers and content writers. You’ll always know who you’re working with — and that they care as much about your success as you do.

We’re agile, attentive, and genuinely invested in the outcome. That means quick thinking, clear communication, and a collaborative approach that respects your time and your expertise.

inside an office

Who we work with

We get the best results with businesses who take pride in what they do — who care deeply about delivering for their clients, and who want their brand to reflect that same level of care and commitment. We work across a broad range of sectors, from engineering and tech companies, to charities and start-ups, to name but a few.

If you’re passionate about your work but feel your brand doesn’t yet do it justice, you’re in the right place.

The impact

When we’ve done our job well, your brand finally reflects the strength of your business.

From your website to your proposals, every touchpoint becomes clearer, sharper, and more compelling. Your sales team is better equipped. Your workforce feels proud. And your clients see you with fresh eyes.

It’s not just about better branding. It’s about unlocking the full potential of what you’ve already built.

What it’s like to work with us

Working with CRUSH is collaborative, attentive, and refreshingly straightforward.

We’re easy to talk to, positive in our approach, and serious about the details. Clients often tell us it’s the most enjoyable brand process they’ve been through — and many stay with us for the long term.

Because we’re not just here for the project. We’re here to be a trusted partner for whatever comes next.

Our people

CRUSH as a whole is greater than the sum of our parts. We’re not robots, we are an analytical, multi-faceted team that works together to enhance and improve everything we do.

Our Founder and the driving force behind CRUSH.

CRUSH is one of the remarkable 1% of creative agencies founded by women. Natalie, our founder, will tell you it’s just determination and pure hard work that sustains a successful studio, but we know it’s a bit more than that.

An enterprising Creative Director, it’s Natalie’s intuitive understanding of a client brief that helps deliver exceptional creative solutions on time and on budget every time. Her exacting standards are second-to-none and often out-perform our project management software.

CRUSH celebrated its 22nd birthday in 2025, proving that great relationships and a gold-standard work ethic is the secret of both successful brand projects and design agencies.

Natalie Burkinshaw
Natalie Burkinshaw

Natalie Burkinshaw Founder / Creative Director

Natalie graduated with a visual communication degree at the prestigious SIAD in Surrey (now KIAD) and was swiftly snapped up by top London agency Clarion, with the World Wildlife Fund being one of her first accounts. After years in London, Natalie moved to Nottingham, but was frustrated with the work ethic and sub-standard service given by the design agencies she freelanced with, so in 2003, Natalie founded her own.

In the early days of CRUSH, Natalie was invited to work for clients including IHG, Alton Towers, Holiday Inn, Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studios and Cisco. Jonathan Worsley joined forces in 2009 to add a digital specialism and business strategy offering to an already thriving small business.

As the CRUSH team has grown, so has the agency’s impressive partner list – clients like the NHS, GSK, Ordnance Survey, Chesterfield Borough Council, CoStar and Imagineear, to name a few.

Natalie is the driving force behind CRUSH’s success. Her determination, attention to detail and ability to fully listen to a client’s need enables Crush to deliver exceptional creative solutions on time and on budget every time. In 2023, CRUSH celebrated it’s 20th anniversary – proving that great relationships and a gold-standard work ethic is the secret of both successful brand projects and design agencies.

James Burkinshaw
James Burkinshaw

James Burkinshaw Design Lead / Environments

With nearly 30 years experience working in marketing and design agencies, James is a multi-disciplinary design lead, inspiring the CRUSH design team and, together with Natalie, guiding the overall direction of creative.

His superpower is shaping, adapting and implementing ideas across all channels, (sometimes at breakneck speed) bringing a brand story to life for all audiences, be they stakeholders, customers or employees.

James’ technical craftsmanship and attention to detail ensures the design standard of output at CRUSH is exceptional. Be it brand identity, exhibitions, campaigns, digital and print – all projects are consistently on-brand, on-time and on-budget.

Jen Jacobs
Jen Jacobs

Jen Jacobs Brand Design & Strategy

A brand consultant and graphic designer with over 20 years experience in Canada and the UK, Jen’s passion is building brands with a clear story and a big brand idea.

Having spent 17 years working in London agencies (six years as a Creative Director at FutureBrand London), Jen gained an array of corporate branding skills in design management, governance, strategy and copywriting.

Jen has worked on the successful rebrand of corporate giants such as Natwest and Western Union, mergers like Ahold Delhaize and complicated brand transitions like Philips Lighting to Signify Lighting. Within the public sector, Jen worked for clients like More London (Mayor of London’s Estate), Team London Bridge, City University, Kings College London and Newham Council.

Chris Vannozzi
Chris Vannozzi

Chris Vannozzi Account Director / New Business

Chris brings an invaluable big-picture perspective to the CRUSH team, having worked 25+ years in marketing and commercial strategy for brands known across the globe.

Working with a mix of both commercial and creative skills, Chris’ role at CRUSH sees him strategise with our clients to optimise growth and deliver projects that are thought-out, creative and, most of all, impactful. 

Starting out his career in magazines, working with the likes of Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar and Cosmopolitan, Chris first began his agency career in London, where he managed key accounts and oversaw business development. 

During this time, Chris worked on a range of creative, results-led projects for Unilever, P&G, John Lewis and M&S – as well as public sector organisations such as King’s College London, Development Media International and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Paul Bamforth
Paul Bamforth

Paul Bamforth UI / Back-end Development

Having studied Language at University, Paul utilises his interpretive skills to clarify the complex and create digital interfaces that are human and user-friendly for all.

With over ten years experience, Paul’s greatest asset is the attitude he brings to any project. Creative and methodical, he’ll troubleshoot his way through any challenge with calm and confidence.

Paul is most proud of the projects he’s built for clients who are making a positive impact on the world. Work like the innovative donation application for Ashgate Hospice Care, the interactive interface ‘Starry Night Sky’ for International Planned Parenthood and an interface to help guide NHS staff career progressions.

Bea Poole
Bea Poole

Bea Poole Copywriter / Content

Whether it’s elevating brand communications or helping our clients to reach their project milestones, Bea works across our Brand, Design + Digital projects in both copywriting and account management.

With a background in writing, Bea also holds a marketing qualification from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), which she completed in addition to her day-to-day work here at CRUSH.

Craig Murphy
Craig Murphy

Craig Murphy Design / Motion Graphics

10 years ago, CRUSH nabbed Craig as a rising star straight out of college. Starting out as Junior, Craig swiftly evolved into a multi-faceted graphic designer with a keen interest in animation – bringing brand touchpoints to life with the magic of movement.

Craig has had a hand in most of our large-scale projects, working on detailed, comprehensive roll-outs like the Chesterfield Borough Council re-brand and the creative brand development of non-profit SheDecides – taking particular pride and attention with their lively social media campaigns.

Besides providing some light comic relief in the studio, Craig takes pleasure in having a job that allows him to be creative and considers himself lucky to be able to do that at CRUSH.

Naomi Ashcroft
Naomi Ashcroft

Naomi Ashcroft Design / Illustration

Naomi started at CRUSH as an intern and quickly earned her place on the team as graphic designer.

Having graduated from University in 2022 with a degree in Illustration, Naomi brings a fresh outlook and a useful skill-set to the CRUSH team. With more and more brands looking be more distinctive and memorable, Naomi’s talents add to the CRUSH arsenal with illustration that brings ideas to life and articulates abstract concepts.

Rebecca Hoskin
Rebecca Hoskin

Rebecca Hoskin Studio Management / Team Coordinator

With a wealth of experience in administrative management, Rebecca’s superpower is to pro-actively provide the assets, information, spreadsheets (and biscuits!) at the precise moment they are required. Besides managing the day-to-day running of the office, liaising with suppliers and organising events for both the team and external clients, Rebecca also assists with our environmental and sustainable outputs.

After 22 years working in dentistry, Rebecca is relishing working for a team of fellow-dog-lovers, within a creative team and environment – attending to the CRUSH team and the ever-evolving list of client requirements.

Stuart Lindley
Stuart Lindley

Stuart Lindley Full-stack / Software Development

Writing code is simply second nature for Stuart. For him, it comes as naturally as breathing. Although much of what he does can’t be seen by the naked eye, Stuart is meticulous (some may say obsessive) in generating the most up-to-date, efficient code.

With over 20 years of experience as a Full-Stack, Software Developer, he takes particular delight in the most comprehensive and complex – the intricacies of which are enough to make the average person’s head explode!

The successful delivery of most of CRUSH’s large-scale digital projects can be attributed to Stuart’s un-phase-able approach. He’s our go-to for every mega-glitch, trouble-shooting, obscure and un-fixable technical challenge we’ve ever had.

Will Gilberthorpe
Will Gilberthorpe

Will Gilberthorpe UX / Front-end Development

Starting out as a web designer, Will’s primary love is creating beautiful digital experiences with smooth and joyful user journeys.

An experienced pair of hands, Will takes exceptional care in the details of digital design. To him, the first impressions of a page are crucial – how the elements load, build and animate, the proportion of white space to type and imagery and how it all adapts across different devices and browser sizes.

Will enjoys the sheer variety of work at CRUSH. In collaboration with the design team, he helps to work out what can be improved, how the code can be made more efficient and keeps us up-to-date with ever-changing standards. His experience with E-commerce has proved useful to our clients – creating more bespoke and complex sites than that of Shopify and the like.

Our clients say…

“I’ve worked with CRUSH for over 18 years. Whatever we throw at Natalie and team – no matter how tight the deadline – they always deliver. Over and above, every time.”

David Morley, Managing Director, Pimento

“We have worked with CRUSH for over nine years. They have been nothing short of superb with their professionalism and creativity, the team always being approachable for continuing support and going the extra mile to give the best service possible.”

Allan Finlay, Director, Matlock Farm Park