Award-winning Scottish agency Shine Design and Digital has closed its doors for the last time, just weeks after picking up a Gold Award at this years Scottish Design Awards for its brand identity work on the Paisley Alive Festival, repeating its Gold-winning form from 2023 for its work with luxury Scottish Gunmaker Buchan Guns.
The studio had been trading for over a quarter of a century.
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Founder and MD Craig MD Craig Mackie broke the news of the Glasgow Studio’s demise with a lengthy post on social media yesterday, explaining:
“It is personally devastating to say that Shine Design + Digital has been placed into voluntary liquidation. After 27 years and almost exactly 10,000 days of trading I had to take the difficult decision to close the doors.
“We have had an incredibly tough year of trading and even with cost cutting measures and a huge new business push by all in the company at the end of July predictions were not looking good. I wanted to make this decision myself, speak to my clients and suppliers myself and explain the situation. If I didn’t get to you on the phone I am sorry. Converting new business over the last year has somehow become more challenging. Decisions taking longer, budgets tighter and sadly sometimes the cheapest wins. Having spoken with a number of other agency owners over the last few weeks I know I am not alone in experiencing tough times, but it got to the point where the situation, the stress and personal pressure needed to come to an end.
“To my team to whom I had to deliver this news I am sorry to from the bottom of my heart. I take responsibility as it’s my name above the door. It was a privilege to work with you all and I am incredibly proud of the group of people that had been the core of the studio for almost 10 years with the longest serving being over 14 years. We went through highs and lows together, we won and lost together and it was the creative skills, passion and drive of you all that led us to being regulars at the Scottish Design Awards and to have won Gold awards in 2023 & 2026. It is not lost on me what you did for me and the business over the time we had together.
“I have had the joy of engaging with some amazing business who have worked as suppliers and partners with us, many have become friends. Thank you to all the clients that have trusted me with their work, projects and business’s over the years.
“I’ve lost count of the number of staff that have worked at the agency over the years. Many left a lasting impression and their influence improved the business. We have hosted lots of work experience, encouraged interns, worked with colleges we have mentored new talent and done what we can to help students and those at the start of their journey. It’s important in business to give something back and to ‘send the elevator back down’. I am proud that so many young designers that came through our doors went onto great careers.
“Shine has given me some of the best and worst days of my life. I’ve had countless ‘head in the hands’ moments, sleepless nights, I’ve worked through the night more times than I wish to remember. Some days Ive wanted to take over the world and some days I’ve wanted to give up.
“Shine has created friendships, marriages, children, bonds and friendships that will last. We got through a credit crunch, 3 recessions and a world-wide pandemic. We won a Scottish Design Award on the 28th of June and we turned the lights off in August. Still doesn’t seem real.”
He concluded: “I tried my best. Time for a new chapter.”
