Thompson Brand Partners

Thompson Brand Partners to refresh the Walker Morris branding

Walker Morris, the leading UK law firm which counts Tesco, RBS, Ministry of Sound, NSPCC and National Grid amongst its clients, has appointed Thompson Brand Partners to help refresh its branding.

The appointment follows a competitive pitch, which Thompson won in June 2011. The first major outputs of the new relationship will be a graduate recruitment campaign, which breaks at the beginning of October 2011 and includes a new website, exhibition materials and marketing literature. The scope of the appointment also extends to a wide range of communications materials and the design and build a new firm website.

With continuingly challenging market conditions, Walker Morris feels the time is right to increase the levels of investment in its brand and embark on this new relationship in order to support its fee earners and their new business activities.  Thompson is working with Numiko, one of its established partners, to deliver the digital aspects of the relationship.

Caroline Black, Head of Marketing at Walker Morris, says of working with Thompson: “Given the prevailing economic conditions, our various markets continue to be extremely competitive and our brand needs to work as hard as it can for us. In Thompson, we believe we have chosen a team with the creativity, experience and service levels to ensure our brand not only competes, but helps us come out on top.”

Nick Ramshaw, MD at Thompson is delighted to secure the law firm as a new client. “Everyone I have spoken to knows Walker Morris and the firm already has a fantastic reputation, so it’s a great name to add to our client list. We believe we can work with Caroline and her team to refresh the brand and help secure more success going forward.”

 

A story of how our design really works!

This is an update of the story of our rebrand of Prozone, the football analytics and insight business, who at the start of 2009, like many SME’s, had a poor record and was struggling to achieve the huge potential its technology offered. It needed a serious improvement in form to turn things round and enable its owners to exit the business. The brand had a huge role to play.

 This is the story of how our re-brand helped Prozone achieve all its objectives and secure the biggest prize of all, a successful exit. And we’re not just talking domestic success, the new branding helped drive massive international growth, secure key hires, land prized clients and made the Prozone name such a threat, the competitors only had one choice… to buy it!

 In 2009, the business owners agreed a plan to exit and appointed a new MD to help achieve best value for their holdings. The new MD embarked on a sales and marketing-focused strategy, established key account managers and started to develop a product road map. Despite a good name with high levels of visibility, the Prozone brand was tired and poorly articulated.

 To help maximize value, Thompson Brand Partners was commissioned to rebrand Prozone and was set the following specific objectives, which the owners considered would result in maximum returns at the time of their exit:

objective 1 - Establish the brand as the leading name in performance analysis

objective 2 - Increase sales and profitability

objective 3 - Develop the level of international business

objective 4 - Secure more major clubs as clients, especially Manchester United

 The rebrand brief included a need to articulate the Prozone brand and what it stands for, the development of a new brand identity to help bring this to life, a clear brand hierarchy and the rollout of the new branding throughout the business, its communications and products.

 Now 2 years later, as always in football, the results speak for themselves:

Sales up 37% in 2 years.

Annual operating profit up 129% in 2 years.

Return on investment on our design fee of a net-busting 3,800% in just 2 years.

 International sales increased by 100% between June 2010 and June 2011.

US sales increased by 75% between June 2008 and June 2011.

Secured key new clients:

 FIFA, UEFA and The FA. Liverpool, Barcelona, Red Bull New York, Spartak Moscow, and…

Manchester United! (taken from main competitor Amisco, who has since acquired Prozone)

The development of the Prozone brand has been a significant factor in the owners ability to sell their holding. This was achieved in June 2011 - a successful exit, bang on plan!

100% of the share holdings of Prozone Sports Limited were bought by the French based SUP, which owns the biggest competitor brand, Amisco. Together Prozone and Amisco will form the undisputed world leader. The Prozone brand is being retained in the UK market and its technology will be used by Amisco to the benefit of its own clients, which include Inter Milan, FC Bayern Munich, SC Lille and Canal+. Whilst we are not able to disclose details of the sales consideration, in retaining the Prozone brand, Amisco recognises its strength and potential. Brand value was a significant element of the sale consideration and we have a very, very happy client on our hands.

www.prozonesports.com

A great brand is not always enough...

Times are tough. We all know that. And as brand experts, one of the best pieces of advice we give is the need to find and occupy a distinctive positioning in your market. Get this right, communicate your point of difference creatively, usually with the help of your own brand personality, and the rest should sort itself out. Right? Well, that's the theory.

This week Oddbins, one of my favourite brands, went into administration. Well, the brand didn't, but the company that owns it did. They have struggled against the supermarkets for years, and when the companies they owed money to decided not to accept 21p in the £ and a voluntary settlement (who can blame them), the administrators were called in. My hope in these situations is that the staff continue to be paid, which the guy in Street Lane said he has been. On Sunday night at least.

Established in 1963, the Oddbins brand has been built around a very distinctive personality. It stands out from the usual crowd of offies (as we used to call them) with its tone of voice. Great messages in the windows, knowledgeable staff with their welcome and sense of humour, Oddbins has always served me very well. Their recommendations have very rarely been anything other than great, and for someone that knows little about wine, its a great help.
So what went wrong? Well the obvious factor has been the power of the supermarkets. Stack it high and the masses will buy. We all love a good deal after all. Everyone moans about supermarket shopping and the convenience of buying everything in one go, but very few manage to avoid it. Oddbins has also made some mistakes too. It has concentrated on a very narrow slice of the market, selling wines of between about £8 and £15 a bottle. Nothing here to really compete in the mass market, which is looking for decent plonk for 6 quid or that ever popular brand of 3for. At the top end, Oddbins also used to look after the connoisseurs, with an excellent range of finer wines for the finer palette. But that went too, as the money men pushed too hard in too narrow a niche. And for all the efforts to create individuality and avoid generic POS, their game has noticeably slipped over the last couple of years, and their performance with it.

In the end, with the familiar tale of strangling debt, the brand has not been able to compete in our evermore competitive markets. So one of the most distinctive brands out there has gone the way of so many. I personally hope the brand lives on and can still be true to the itself. It sounds as if a number of buyers are in the frame, so the name at least will rise from the ashes. For me, there is definitely still room for specialist advice from a trusted advisor, which is what Oddbins is all about, and I for one will be supporting it as much as this moderate drinker can.

  

Stacked

We’ve recently been talking about revamping the office and with so much of our lives spent here the actual design decisions have been difficult to agree on. Some of us want it clean, modern, clinical and open and others want their own little personalised nook to escape into. Needless to say we’re undecided.

Anyway, there are lots of ideas on the go at the moment and I wont steal Ian’s thunder by revealing them but during my digging and researching I have come across some really clever and interesting concepts/ products I thought I would share with you.

Firstly, storage! If you are anything like us, you will keep EVERYTHING. We all have desks filled with books, files, toys, images, clients work, clients products etc and we all have the same problem of running out of space to put our laptop or notepad. We do already have a studio that is lined with bookshelves which helps and I love bookshelves. I love the look of them, how they show just the spine of the book and create beautiful patterns and shapes. That’s the great thing about the kinds of books that are relevant to designers.. they all tend to be beautiful or at least interesting and unusual.

The following images are of a plain white bookcase referenced only as the Italian Fitting Bookcase. (Unfortunately the blog I found this in didn’t say who makes it or designed it! Doh!) I think you could pretty much do this with any modular shelving system but I really liked the idea that you can take a regular bookcase and use it in different ways. I am also a sucker for white bookcases on white walls. 

And then of course the classic but just as sexy.... thats right sexy!

Coral x

Third class design

I travel by rail a lot. Up and down to London. On to Lingfield via Victoria, for a current client. From Stockholm to Copenhagen, on a recent holiday. I've done my time on the majestic steam trains of Rajasthan, the Amtrak in New Mexico and Texas and numerous urban journeys through the great cities of Europe. And I'm a veteran of Edinburgh to York to Leeds to London trips with my last job.

Railway design is something I not only notice, but take a real interest in. Whether its the identities like the timeless British Rail logo or the superlative design of the original Shinkansan (bullet rain) in Japan, railways are a hot-bed of good design and a great opportunity for designers to make life easier for the consumer. That's what design is all about after all, isn't it?

Every time I go to London, I am stilled impressed with the classic piece of information design that is the Underground map. Something so complex, yet so logical and intuitive. This classic design has not required revision over the years and enables everyone, whether resident or visitor, to understand everything they need to make that journey. Try the underground for size in Tokyo, and believe me, you'll dream of having such a helpful map... as you get lost at least 4 times a day.

Train travellers, more than anyone, need good clear information design to be confident they are on the right track (literally) and got the right ticket. Despite lots of talk about the simplification of ticket types in the UK, this is an area the train operating companies still have lots to learn. You need a degree in ticket options to know when off peak starts (and it differs on train to train), whether you can get on a specific train or whether you need a separate seat reservation. The combination of ticket types, travle conditions and price bands beggars belief. Just look at my tickets from a journey last week and the various codes, and you start to get an idea of confusing they are. Any idea what STD means, or Anytime S or SEAT tickets? Does any permitted route mean any permitted train? And what happens if you miss the train?

My challenge is to the authorities to really make it easy for us travellers. Put the customer first and design a ticket system that is straightforward and easy to understand. Easy to normal human beings that is. Tell us what trains we can use, in a way that makes sense to everyone, whether its their first journey or they use the railway everyday. And include all the information we need in a form we understand.

It can't be that hard. Really, it can't. We'll do it for you if you need some help.

Starbucks gets BIGGER.

Starbucks. Oh how I love your frothy coffee, your admittedly overpriced but totally tasty muffins, your super Christmassy Red Cups... But I'm not so sure about your 2011 marketing scheme. 

They kicked off 2011 with the grand unveiling of their 'new' logo, from which they've removed both the word 'Starbucks' and the word 'Coffee'.... Whatever, Starbucks. I see what you're going for but I preferred the old one.

Now they've unleashed upon the world their all new coffee size, measuring a whopping PINT AND A HALF. Naturally, they've started with the biggest (!) fans of supersize, the Americans - but where they lead, surely we will follow (Iraq anyone?)...

Rachel.

We need more of this....

I'm old enough to have worked through a number of recessions, and have the grey hair to prove it. I have found that one of the things you need when faced with economic challenges and all the difficulties that come with it, is a fantastic and positive attitude to life. I firmly believe that hard work and honest effort can get you a long way to where you want to go. It might not take you all the way, but believe me, it really helps.

I know loads of people out there are out of work right now and they are undoubtedly finding it very hard. However, I am surprised by the lack of ingenuity and creative thinking that takes place when they are looking to improve their situation. It might just be me, but the lack of new ideas and thinking has been pretty stark.

How refreshing then to receive this email the other day. Titled "Fed up with unrealistic world-owes-me grads?" Its a superb example of creative thinking and writing, and a great way to stand out from the pack. I might not be able to help with a job, but am meeting Chloe next week for a cuppa to see how I can help. That's the least she deserves.

Please find attached my CV, enclosed in the hope that you might have a position of some (any!) kind within your company that would be suitable for me.

 Although a graduate, I am not precious about the role that you may have available.  I want to carve out a good career for myself in the creative arm of strong brand, but in order to get to that point, I fully realise that I will have to take what’s on offer.  I am working on the basis that once I get a job within a fast moving and forward thinking company that I can prove to them what a great decision it was to employ me, and so move up the ranks on my abilities and merit and not on the back of a degree (or even an MA!).

So you won’t find me saying ‘that’s not my job,” or “I’m a graduate I can’t do that.”  You won’t find me rolling into work late or only just on time so I’m not at my desk and ready to get on with things when the working day begins.  I won’t be sniffy about staying on to complete work or helping others to complete theirs. I have a strong work ethic and I don’t mind getting stuck into whatever is required of me.  I have enjoyed my time as a student but I am ready for the real world and I know that it’s nothing like the one I have been used to for the past few years. I don’t mind that.  I want a decent career and I want to work for a company that appreciates and rewards hard working people. 

So if you have a job available, please consider me for an interview.  I will ensure you don’t regret it.

If you want to contact her, the email is chloe@designbychief.com. You won't regret it!

Responding to the weather

I've been watching how the brands have been responding to the weather this week, and spotted a couple of ads in The Guardian on Saturday which grabbed my attention. The first is from NatWest and I was really surprised at how salesy their approach is, given the difficulties everyone is having. Whilst I know they mention convenient ways to bank and the flexibility of overdrafts to manage cash flow, they clearly lead with the offer of upping your borrowing on the basis of an interest rate of a shade under 20%. Helpful banking, as their strap-line goes. First Direct's approach on the other hand is all about making life easier for people. They are still looking to recruit new customers, but the emphasis is much more about convenience and choice, as it always has been with the brand. So 2 different banks, 2 different approaches and 2 very different brands.

A-Cero Architecture – Another fascinating family build

A-Cero have built an incredible reputation for innovative and inspiring build projects. So much so that with each project it seems they cannot possibly build anything better.  It gets to the point where you have to consider that expectations of their future work are now set impossibly high. With their latest project however it seems that the architects at A-Cero live up to their prestige.

The Concrete House II is a family project located in Madrid. Stretching over a surface of 1.600 square meters the first impression you get of its unusual architecture with gray concrete and vegetation ramps is that you are looking at a bunker entrance. The design is opened up with floor to ceiling glass and unusual shapes allowing for countless interesting perspectives. A-Cero have also added solar tubular collectors to the roof making this a sustainable and energy efficient property.

Despite the harsh angles and extensive use of concrete (not the most romantic material) the site inspires to have a ‘dreamy’ image. The architects achieved this by softening the house with beautiful garden landscaping and inclusion of a picturesque lake. 

 

 

 

Not many clients think of that!

When thinking about a rebrand, clients (quite rightly) weigh up all the costs of strategy, design and rollout against the potential returns before making their decision. How about this for an 'hidden' benefit? The Yorkshire Air Ambulance was the beneficiary as this construction company took the opportunity to recycle its old branded uniforms and workwear, following a rebrand. Good to see the old gear not just thrown away, but going to a good cause. 

http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/yorkshire/news/26914-news-in-brief-southdale-re-brand-keeps-yaa-flying-high-hunters-expands-and-more.html?news_section=5