The Logo That Started With a Potato

How Paul Belford stamped his way to one of our favourite brand identities.

There's something quietly brilliant about a logo that does exactly what it says on the tin, or in this case, on the bag.

When our sister company Spudos came to us at Analog Republic to build their digital presence, we knew from the start that the brand identity was in exceptional hands. We brought in Paul Belford one of London's most respected designers, the mind behind identities for Yo! Sushi, Soap Co. and New Chapter, to handle the visual identity work, while we focused on translating that into a website and digital experience. It's a collaboration we're quietly very proud of.

And the results speak for themselves.

The Spudos logotype was born from one of the oldest, most lo-fi techniques in the creative toolbox: the potato print. You know the one, you slice a potato in half, carve a shape into it, and press it onto paper. Every kid has done it. It's tactile, imperfect, and endlessly charming.

Paul took that idea and ran with it. The result is a geometric logotype that carries a subtle organic texture — a faint echo of the vegetable it came from. It's blocky and confident, but with just enough irregularity to feel handmade rather than corporate. A crisp brand that feels like it was made by people, not a marketing committee.

As design reviewer Richard Baird put it on BP&O: "Taking its lead from potato printing, a geometric logotype, complete with organic 'tato texture, speaks to the child within, shaking off the concerns of the adult world."

That's exactly it. It's a mark that's simultaneously serious enough to sit on a premium product and playful enough to make you smile.

Beyond the logo itself, the whole identity system hangs together beautifully. The packaging is transparent so you can actually see what you're buying, which feels almost radical in a world of heavily illustrated crisp bags. The compostable materials mean you can feel good about the snack. And then there's the name for the flavour sachets: Spud Dust.

Two words. Utterly silly. Completely perfect.

It's the kind of small detail that didn't need to exist, but makes everything better for being there. That's the hallmark of a designer who genuinely cares about the work rather than just the brief.

The identity was recognised by Pentawards, which featured it as a Daily Design Inspiration — a well-deserved nod from one of the packaging design world's most respected platforms.

Our role at Analog Republic was to take Paul's visual language and build Spudos a home on the web. The challenge and the joy of working downstream from a strong brand identity is staying true to it. The warmth, the earthiness, the simplicity: all of that had to carry through into the digital experience.

What we love about this kind of collaboration is that everyone plays to their strengths. Paul brought the conceptual thinking and craft that only comes from decades at the top of the game. We brought the digital know-how. Spudos got the best of both.

There's a broader point here about what good brand design actually does. The Spudos identity doesn't scream at you. It doesn't try to be everything to everyone. It's honest about what the product is — hand-cooked crisps, compostable bag, shake-on seasoning — and it expresses that with wit and restraint.

In a world of shrieking packaging and endless visual noise, that's genuinely refreshing.

If you haven't tried Spudos yet, honestly, go find a bag. And while you're shaking on the Spud Dust, take a moment to appreciate the little stamped logo. Someone literally pressed a potato for that.