He definitely still has all his marbles, though his mind tends to race whenever he sees beautifully crafted print. We know a few like that — which makes Simon Desmet a perfect client in the spotlight. In 2020, he founded MENTALL, a full-service communication agency specialising in branding and comprehensive marketing support. Alongside a strong digital focus, print also plays a major role: “A stylish catalogue isn’t just a practical working tool; it’s also a powerful marketing instrument.”
As a child, Simon Desmet actually wanted to work with wood. Being creative with his hands appealed to him. But he also loved drawing, so he decided to study graphic sciences at VISO. At the creative school in Mariakerke, Desmet was first introduced to the world of printing before delving deeper into multimedia techniques. Later, the West Fleming moved to Hasselt to study visual arts, graphic design and interactive design, and eventually decided to settle there for good. A move that not only gave him his wonderfully mixed accent but also laid the foundation for MENTALL, the communication agency he founded just under three years ago.
“During my studies in Hasselt, research was a key focus,” Desmet explains. “That same approach is what we apply today at MENTALL. We support companies in all aspects of branding, digital transformation and marketing, but we always try to do so from a strategic perspective. We work in a very pragmatic way with our clients, thinking along with their business and offering targeted advice.
Every collaboration with us starts with a workshop. From there, we develop a strategic preliminary phase based on an in-depth analysis of needs and opportunities. Only then do we begin the actual design process and everything that comes with it, the logo and visual identity, website, folders, brochures, newsletters, advertising campaigns, social media, and more. From a 360° perspective, we create and optimise the brand. Essentially, our agency functions as an in-house marketing department for companies — we’re just based somewhere else physically.”
MENTALL serves a diverse range of clients across various sectors, with a particular focus on companies in technical industries. “We work a lot for technical wholesalers and manufacturing companies,” Desmet explains. “For that type of business, we’ve built up extensive expertise. These days, product ranges evolve incredibly fast, and legal or ethical regulations also mean you constantly have to stay alert.
Thanks to our experience, we understand what’s going on in these industries and can efficiently translate that knowledge into effective communication tools that help companies achieve better results, faster. Print and digital go hand in hand in that process. Increasingly, for example, we develop a printed catalogue that also gets an online counterpart, based on specially designed digital formats.”
One of those clients is HEYTEC. After several earlier projects together, MENTALL came to us to print the new catalogue for the company, which specialises in cooling technologies and climate solutions. “The previous one was, I think, about five years old, so it was time for an update,” Desmet smiles. “We ultimately created two versions. The first is a hardcover edition that was sent out to clients and partners — a kind of stylish coffee table book for the office, where cooling and climate technicians can browse the entire product range, but which also looks great on a desk.
In addition, there’s a softcover version designed for on-the-go use. We’re currently working on a climate catalogue in the same style but with a different colour palette, to create a clear distinction between the two. I absolutely love refined printwork. As a student, I went through the entire printing process myself, from print preparation to finishing, prepress, and even operating several presses by hand. Sometimes I worry about print media, as its role in the media mix can be marginalised. But a beautiful catalogue or brochure has lasting power. You can do so much with it. The printing technique, the finishing, the paper, the binding all these elements influence the look and feel of the piece and shape how a company presents itself. In HEYTEC’s case, that hardcover has become not just an essential working tool, but also a brilliant marketing asset.”
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