Time Machine + Folks

Time Machine + Folks was an Edinburgh-based intercultural branding and strategic design consultancy, founded in 2016 as RED UNIT. Its work connected Western brands with multicultural audiences, with a particular focus on Chinese consumers and market entry into China. The agency combined commercial strategy with visual communication, helping clients adapt their presentation and messaging across cultural contexts.

Its capabilities covered brand architecture, visual identity systems, packaging, creative direction, content creation and digital campaigns. Projects could encompass logos and brand guidelines alongside copywriting, social media strategy and packaging prototypes. The studio served food and beverage businesses, hospitality and tourism organisations, public-sector bodies, educational institutions and consumer brands addressing international audiences.

Selected work

The agency contributed Chinese-market communications and campaign adaptation to the Scottish Government’s Scotland is Now initiative. Its work for Glasgow Taxis included the pandemic-era True Contactless campaign, addressing safety and public confidence. It also developed visual identities and assets for the China-Britain Business Council’s China-Scotland Business Awards and Chinese Burns Supper.

Packaging became a prominent part of its later portfolio. For HOLOS Kombucha, Products of Mind: Moonlight explored Taoist and Zen philosophies through brand narrative, tactile materials and sustainable design. Its identity and packaging for Matcha Yaad brought together Okinawan lifestyle references and Jamaican cultural motifs. Other reported collaborations included BrewDog, NHS Scotland and the University of Edinburgh, alongside tourism work concerning hospitality for Chinese visitors.

Brand evolution

The company adopted the public name Time Machine + Folks in August 2022, alongside a registered corporate name change. Under that identity, its work placed greater emphasis on cultural sustainability, heritage-inspired packaging and social impact, extending its earlier cross-cultural branding practice.

The business entered creditors’ voluntary liquidation in December 2024 and was formally dissolved on January 20, 2026. Its former websites subsequently became offline or parked.