No heart, no might. So we always go for the heart.
We build brands that know who they are. Brands that speak to your head and your heart. Brands that form heart-to-heart connections, leave lasting impressions and inspire. Brands that experience the magic of being understood.
We’re a design and strategy focused brand agency based in London and Istanbul. We tell compelling brand stories, build smart strategies and craft striking visuals that people respond to and remember for businesses across industries and geographies.
What we do
We build brands with distinct points of view, from great idea to great execution. Brands that you’ll remember and respond to.
Communication
We connect with audiences.Brands exist to engage – with teams, communities and each other. We connect the dots between who you are, what you need and what your audience will respond to through human storytelling.
- Communication campaign
- Content creation & development
- Storytelling design
- Production oversight
- Asset management
Strategy
We define purposeIt all begins with strategy. We dig deep, look wide and scout ahead to reveal a brand truth that is meaningfully different and has enduring relevance. Simple, powerful and timeless.
- Insight & analysis
- Brand strategy
- Verbal identity
- Naming
- Story-branding workshops
Design
We build brands.Design is equal parts critical thinking and craftsmanship. Our work brings your brand to life, makes its unique value apparent and expresses its character through visually intelligent systems.
- Brand identity
- Art direction
- Motion identity
- Packaging
- Web design
- Editorial design
- Signage & environmental graphics
Our Team
Hatice Çağlar
Co-founder & Strategy DirectorHatice was born in Izmir and studied film in Turkey and the UK. She’s also the co-founder and director of ART BY CHANCE Ultra Short Film Festival, a public art event that takes place in over 20 countries worldwide. Before ART BY CHANCE Hatice spent many years in publishing as an editor and a foreign rights coordinator, as well as a producer in film and advertising. She creates art projects on everyday life and the culture of living together. She’s a cook, big time cat-lover, cinephile, psychology enthusiast and a firm believer in good encounters and magic.
Onur Gökalp
Co-founder & Creative DirectorOnur focuses primarily on branding, print, typography, publishing, communication and web design, and contemporary art. He also directs commercials and animation videos. Onur is the chairman the Turkish Society of Graphic Designers (GMK). He also works as the creative director for ART BY CHANCE Ultra Short Film Festival – a public art event that launched in 2010 that takes place across 20 countries around the world. He also used to be a lecturer on web-design at his alma mater, Marmara University, Graphic Design Department.
Oğul Girgin
Brand Writer & Director of Project ManagementOğul studied Psychology and Art History at Tufts University. After working as an Art Director for 2 years, he decided to switch hats – yet he always keeps his old one close. He is a conservatory trained violinist, a lover of big words, an ‘80s synth enthusiast, and an aggressive supporter of the Oxford Comma.
Elif Abidinoğlu
Director of Project ManagementElif was born in Istanbul in 1992 and stepped into the advertising industry with an internship offer from an advertising agency while she was studying psychology at university. Since 2014, she has managed projects in many digital and traditional agencies, collaborated with many global and local brands, and in short, said goodbye to psychology, which she thought she wanted to do passionately since her childhood, with the pleasure she gets from managing projects in the advertising industry.
Ataberk Akalın
Creative LeadAtaberk is deeply enamoured with creativity across all design, craft, film, music, and arts disciplines. With a background in advertising agencies, he has served as a Creative Group Head and Senior Art Director in various global and local agencies in Turkey. He firmly believes that blending creativity with the right aesthetics can wield significant impact, and thus, his aim extends beyond creating good work to effecting positive change in the world through his creations. With a portfolio spanning global and local brands, Ataberk boasts over 60 awards throughout his career, including winning the Cannes Young Lions Film Category twice and being named GMK Young Graphic Designer of the Year. Additionally, he possesses a discerning taste in sh*tposts.
Oğuz Can Yazgı
Sr. Designer & Art DirectorOğuz Can graduated from Marmara University Graphic Design Department, he gained experience in various ads agencies. During this time, he became interested in the world of 3D design. Currently his focus on Print, Typography, and 3D design. He is currently studying for a masters degree at his alma mater. He likes evening walks, purple things and geek talks. Oğuz Can is a member of the Turkish Society of Graphic Designers (GMK).
Emily Bland
Sr. Copywriter & StrategistEmily specialises in brand strategy and brand language. She holds language and communication particularly dear to her heart because she believes that fundamentally, people just want to connect. Building better understanding is key to building a better world. With almost 20 years in creative agency settings and a long list of global clients, she brings her expertise in copywriting and content creation to Monroe. Emily has long suspected that cats are the keepers of the secrets about the meaning of life but that they’re just not telling. For this reason, she keeps two cats of her own, in case they ever decide to spill the beans.
Nick Werber
Sr. CopywriterNick Werber was born in London and studied creative writing and journalism. He has worked as a journalist and filmmaker in the Amazon rainforest and has won multiple awards for his films, including a United Nations award. Since 2012 he has worked for some of the world’s top agencies as a conceptual copywriter while travelling extensively and working on documentary film and writing projects.
Ece Peliter
Project ManagerBorn in Istanbul, initially aspired to be a horror film director but found her true passion in event marketing, starting with Contemporary Istanbul. As a true Sagittarius pursued their dream of living abroad and moved to California to study Marketing at UCLA. Her love for Turkish cuisine (or just lahmacun) brought her back to Turkey. After years in digital marketing across various sectors and projects, she found that marketing alone didn’t fulfil her soul. Now, she joyfully thrives in the design world, where she can both help others and satisfy her creative passions. She is a trivia master on movies and TV shows, loves wearing anything pink, is a fan of all things Japanese, thrives on popular culture gossip, and enjoys asking everyone’s zodiac sign upon meeting them.
Oksal Yeşilok
Sr. Art DirectorOksal Yesilok graduated from the Dokuz Eylul University Graphic Design Department. He has been designing and producing many design and graphic design projects since 2012. He focuses on branding, print and modern game design. He uses the cultural richness of symbols and alchemy to guide his works. And this is part of a unique futuristic experience in his projects. A geography that has hosted different cultures. For him, the biggest benefit of being born here is the motivation to understand and research many cultures and civilisations.
Berkin Ay
Art DirectorBerkin graduated from Marmara University, Faculty of Fine Arts, Department of Graphic Design. After completing his undergraduate education, he gained experience in various local and global agencies. He worked on projects that received national design and advertising awards. He likes to bring together different disciplines and highlight the aesthetic side. While continuing his professional life, he also continues his master’s degree at the same school. He is interested in individual sports, strategy games and handicrafts. Berkin is a member of the Turkish Society of Graphic Designers (GMK).
Yasin Yalçın
Sr. Art DirectorYasin Yalçın has been working as a designer in the creative industry since 2012. He graduated as the top student from Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. He is interested in typography, visual identity, publication identity, and UI/UX design. A typography enthusiast, he sees letters as the projection of sound and, thus, a fundamental part of communication and design. He has designed six different typefaces that have been exhibited internationally. His passions include sports and travelling.
Okay Aksu
Graphic DesignerOkay graduated from Istanbul Medeniyet University’s Visual Communication Design department. He entered the industry before graduation, participating in various projects in digital advertising and web design to continue developing his skills. In addition to his professional development, Okay has taken various courses, including ones related to his hobby, cinema. Currently, he is further honing his skills in graphic design and pre-press processes.
Umut Altın
Jr. Art DirectorUmut completed his undergraduate education at Anadolu University, Department of Graphic Arts. He had the opportunity to improve himself in the fields of visual arts, digital and traditional design, and stepped into the sector when he realized that he always enjoyed producing innovative, original and creative visual solutions. Corporate identity design, typography and illustration are among his particular interests. Umut, who is extremely dedicated and ambitious in business life, is also a member of the Turkish Society of Graphic Designers (GMK).