Making Waves

Most of our clients keep our feet firmly on land, however recently we’ve taken to the high seas (well, the Thames…) to work with Thames Clippers and their newest partner MBNA.

Louise Errington, MBNA Thames Clippers’ Head of Marketing, had worked with us before joining Thames Clippers’ crew and so contacted us to help with rolling out their new logo, which was designed by MBNA’s inhouse team.

The ceremonial Champagne is still drying on the bow, but you may have already spotted the newly branded fleet on the river and the revamped pier signage. However, still to come are the river and commuter guides. A large amount of people use the Clippers to sail through the rush hour (thank you MBNA Thames Clippers for that pun) and so these guides will give them bite sized chunks of information about the service.

Katie and Jem enjoyed the launch event - Picture from www.thebiglondon.com

Along with implementing the logo across their marketing materials, we also created their brand guidelines to help the team with creating any new or day-to-day pieces.

We often find clients can be wary of approaching a branding and design agency to help implement an existing logo, not to mention creating brand guidelines. The perception being that these agencies will want to change the logo and start from scratch. Poppycock! If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it; and other such clichés as this particular project proves. (But if it is broke then we’ll let you know!)

There are benefits to a fresh pair of professional eyes for the implementation of an identity through to easy to use guidelines. Strong and memorable identities are far more than just the logo, so this is where the knowledge and attention to detail of those fresh eyes can really add value to your brand. Guidelines then go on to look at things that may not have been covered in the logo’s design, such as what happens when you need to place it on a coloured background, and what font do you use with it? Whether staff leave or you change your design agency, professional guidelines help ensure that a company can apply and implement their identity consistently across all brand touchpoints.

Collaborating with a creative team, like those at MBNA Thames Clippers, isn’t something that’s new to us (we are a friendly bunch after all). We’ve also worked with teams at Turley and The Technology Partnership, creating initial visuals and designs for the team to carry forward.

Hopefully our recent work with MBNA Thames Clippers proves the power of collaboration, and if you would like to create a dream team with us, why not get in touch?

Exhibition expertise

Knowing where to start when looking for the best exhibition stand system and manufacturer for your needs can be pretty daunting as there are so many companies out there, all offering similar services. Of course, being cost aware is often the most important criteria, especially when demonstrating ROI on a stand, but as we all know, there can be a fine line between cost effectiveness and wasting resources on a ‘one size fits all’ stand.

So, when global leader in testing, inspection and certification, Bureau Veritas, needed a modular, flexible exhibition stand, they approached us for our expertise on the matter, knowing they would be in safe hands. The company needed a reusable stand for the RenewableUK Offshore Wind Conference and Exhibition held in Manchester.

RenewableUK Offshore Wind is a prestigious, European-wide event and Bureau Veritas needed their stand to reflect its high-profile presence and unique proposition. As such, the stand needed to be cost effective and easy to install, breakdown and resize for additional events as required, yet allow for a bespoke, professional design.

Working closely with Bureau Veritas’ Marketing and Communications Manager, Nadia Cadby, we established the exact requirements so we could recommend the most suitable stand systems and manufacturers, as well as being on hand to provide ongoing consultancy throughout.

initial hand sketches to help the client visualise the stand

modular system which can be tailored according to requirements

The stand and exhibition were both great successes for Bureau Veritas, and they were delighted with this first usage. Nadia Cadby said: ‘to the point is a great company to work with, following the brief to a T, but not afraid to challenge where necessary. The team kept me updated throughout the consultancy stage, offering timely and relevant advice, and helping me to achieve a final stand that exceeded my expectations."