The client
Mary Agency are a creative search and design agency based in Reading with a story rooted in transformation. Originally launched as Boss Digital, they built an impressive early reputation driving traffic at scale across diverse industries and international markets.
In 2025 they made a bold move, a full rebrand to Mary, a name and identity that better reflected who they'd become. The challenge was making sure their new website was just as bold, just as distinctive, and just as fearless as the brand itself. This project was completed during my time as lead web designer and developer at Mary Agency.
The challenge
The brief was unlike any other don't tone it down, lean into it.
Their defining visual language, a playful hand-drawn stick-figure style, is what makes them instantly recognisable. But translating that into a polished, professional website is harder than it sounds. Get the UI/UX design wrong and you risk making a serious agency look like a passion project. Get it right and you have something nobody else in the market has.
Detailed wireframes and user journey mapping helped us find that line and build confidently around it.
A distinctive hand-drawn visual style that needed to feel intentional, not amateur
A real risk of the personality overwhelming the usability if not handled carefully
Striking the balance between a brand that's genuinely fun and a website that still converts
The results
The solution was to fully embrace what makes Mary, Mary and then make it work.
The web design was built to capture the joy and personality of the brand without letting it get in the way of the experience. Playful illustrations, lively micro-interactions, and human touches run throughout but underneath all of it sits a site that's genuinely easy to use, accessible, and fully responsive on any device.
The web development in WordPress brought every detail to life with performance front of mind. Navigation is clear, the content is easy to scan, and there's a natural flow that guides visitors through without them ever feeling lost.
The final result became more than just a functional website. It became an embodiment of everything Mary stands for fun, fearless, and forward-thinking, without ever losing sight of what a great agency site actually needs to do.
A website that captures Mary's personality without apologising for it
Full functionality built around modern usability, accessibility, and performance standards
A client who was genuinely proud to share it, and said so
Transformed a bold, hand-drawn brand identity into a functional, engaging website that balances playfulness with professionalism.
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