Who we are

Our vision is to make information easy and accessible for everyone to understand.

You have information that matters: research, data, a strategy, a pitch, policy, a campaign. You need to raise awareness, educate, consult or communicate change. You’ve invested months, maybe years, developing it. Now it has to reach people, and they need to know what to do next.

That’s a harder communication problem than most people realise. Information design is a specialist skill. It’s not about making something look good (although we do that too). It’s about making complex ideas clear.

At Gusto Design, we help government agencies, public sector teams and purpose-driven organisations turn their information into visual communication. We analyse your content, interrogate the data and clarify your key messages. Then we design for how people receive information, make sense of it, move through it and trust it. We bring it to life through campaigns, brands, digital products, infographics, illustration, animation, video and more.

Simply put, we transform information to create clarity, understanding and impact.

Our designers and studio manager are experts in their fields: talented, creative, accurate and great communicators. We’re experienced working in high-scrutiny environments, from public-facing work to boards and Ministers, where accuracy is non-negotiable. Our quality assurance process makes sure it’s delivered to the highest standard.

We’re a trusted All-of-Government Creative and Media Services Organisation (CMSO) supplier. Our studio is located in central Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand. Gusto was founded in 1999 and is led by Heather Brown and Annette Ellis.

Our values

Expertise

We inspire, create solutions, and strive for excellence

Empathy

We care, listen, and recognise each other’s challenges

Growth

We search for ways to improve and never stop learning

Genuine

We build trust, are sincere and care about the work we do

Empower

We support each other to take initiative and grow

Meet our team

photo of Annette Ellis

Annette Ellis

Creative Director

Annette leads Gusto as Creative Director and co-owner. A creative lead with an information designer’s precision, she brings more than 20 years of experience to every project: shaping the vision, turning complex information into clear and accessible design, and getting the details right.
photo of Heather Brown

Heather Brown

Studio Director

Heather leads Gusto as Studio Director and co-owner. She is a designer by training with an instinct for strategy and problem-solving, and brings more than 20 years of experience delivering complex projects: building the right team around each one, steering it through to completion, and keeping clients informed, connected and confident throughout.
photo of Ruby Cumming

Ruby Cumming

Studio Manager

Ruby is Gusto’s Studio Manager. She brings 16 years of experience across media production, design and marketing. Pairing strategic oversight with careful organisation, she resources and schedules every project, and keeps delivery running smoothly from brief to completion.
photo of Judith Carnaby

Judith Carnaby

Senior Information Designer

Judith is a Senior Information Designer and Illustrator at Gusto. She brings more than 15 years of information design experience to every project: distilling complex information into clear, memorable visual communication, and creating illustration that reveals the story behind the data. She also leads Gusto’s infographics workshops for design and communication professionals.
photo of Rebecca Walthall

Rebecca Walthall

Information Designer and Illustrator

Have you ever had someone take an idea from your head and transform it into a work of art that had you clapping your hands with pure delight? Well, Rebecca can totally do that.
photo of Maximo Paenza

Maximo Paenza

Information Designer and Illustrator

Passionate about creativity, originality, and collaboration, Max transforms complex ideas into striking visuals that leave a lasting impact. Drawing from an international career and experience across diverse industries, he brings a unique perspective to his design and illustration.
photo of Nick Kitchener

Nick Kitchener

Design Artworker

Meet Nick, our enthusiastic 'Yes Man'. Known for his efficiency, he is always eager to lend a hand to ensure our projects get across the line.

Our partners

logo of

Plain Language Consultancy

With their words and our design, your audience won't be able to put your resource down. Together we make your information more accessible and engaging than ever before.

Write helps clients make their written messages clear. Write’s people are experienced and insightful consultants – writers, editors, trainers and coaches – and experts on the techniques and real-world benefits of plain language.

logo of

Cultural Consultancy Practice

TIRA Tū Kotahi assist clients and communities to find solutions to complex cultural issues. Collaborating with TIRA Tū Kotahi ensures te ao Māori is woven through the fabric of our visual design from inception.

TIRA Tū Kotahi offer specialist cultural advisory services. Services include: advice or support to engage appropriately and respectfully with Māori communities, help developing culturally responsive communications, and assistance to embed te ao Māori worldviews.