Square UK campaign 2026 "We do the Square stuff"

Overview

Square helps businesses manage the day-to-day work behind running a company - from payments and operations to the practical systems that keep everything moving. This campaign was built around the idea that running a business involves a lot of complex, often unglamorous work - the “Square stuff.”

The challenge

The campaign required the delivery of hundreds of assets across multiple formats, all within a fast-moving production environment. The work needed to be executed with accuracy and pace, without compromising brand consistency or craft.
At the same time, there was an opportunity to create something beyond the standard rollout - something that could generate internal excitement, build engagement, and give the campaign a more ownable and culturally resonant layer.

Outcomes

Working within a fast-paced, high-volume environment, I helped deliver a broad range of campaign assets across digital, web, and out-of-home touchpoints, ensuring speed, consistency, and a high standard of execution throughout.Alongside the campaign rollout, I also developed and led a bespoke illustration workstream for the internal launch. Through studio Elma, I sourced and interviewed illustrators from my network, created the illustration brief and art direction, and selected the right collaborator to bring the concept to life.

Client
Square
Services Provided
Campaign design
Artworking
Digital rollout
Out-of-home design
Illustration briefing and art direction
Illustrator sourcing and selection
Internal activation concept support

02.

Internal campaign

To support the internal launch, I developed a clear illustration brief for a live portrait activation. The direction called for minimalist black-and-white portraits with organic, hand-drawn lines, simple facial features, exaggerated details, and an inclusive cast of characters. The brief also covered the live event setup, production pace, vectorisation requirements, and post-event rollout across print and digital applications.

Elena joined our team for a short-term engagement, but the impact she made in that month was significant. She stepped into a high-volume, fast-moving campaign and immediately became a trusted creative partner.She helped design and deliver hundreds of assets for our “We do the Square stuff” campaign, spanning out-of-home, digital banners, and webpage takeovers. The work required both precision and speed, and Elena executed flawlessly, maintaining quality and brand consistency across every touchpoint.What truly set her apart, though, was her initiative. Beyond the core deliverables, Elena concepted and helped bring to life a hugely successful in-office campaign launch, featuring a collaboration with an illustrator and highly coveted swag that generated actual excitement internally.Elena combines strong craft with creativity and ownership. Even in a short engagement, she went above and beyond-any team would be lucky to work with her. I highly recommend her!

Neil MacLean
Creative Director EU/UK at Square