2012 Olympics Athletes’ Village
08.09.2011
We’ve just been briefed on a very interesting environmental graphics project for a familiar name’s branch in the 2012 Olympic village. We can’t say any more at the moment, other than that we’re thrilled our work will be seen by the world’s greatest athletes.
Another new business win!
20.07.2011
Following a credentials pitch we’re happy to announce that The Institute of Leadership & Management, the UK's leading professional awarding body, is the latest addition to our growing client-list. They have briefed us to reinvigorate their brand style and develop comprehensive guidelines and eye-catching new marketing collateral, including a high-end corporate brochure explaining how employers can boost their managers' capabilities through industry-recognised qualifications. Having undertaken in-depth research and strategy phases, reviewing their existing design style and analysing their competition, we’re now creating bespoke illustrations that articulate ILM's offering in an engaging new way. Our specialist copywriters are refining tone of voice and drafting the brochure content, and we're excited by how it's all shaping up – watch this space…
RBB pitch win
15.07.2011
We’re excited to announce that we’ve been chosen by the market-leader RBB Economics to collaborate with them on restyling their marketing materials and website. After a long relationship with another agency, RBB felt it was time for a fresh approach to reinvigorate their communications tools. After a presentation of our experience in the legal and financial sector to senior founder members and partners, we prepared a proposal that detailed our approach, our project team, the process that we undertake and some initial recommendations. Our strategic approach was exactly what RBB were looking for, and we are now embarking on the research stage of the project prior to beginning the creative. It’s a great range of materials to work on and we’re really looking forward to getting to know RBB.
Wathen Hall
06.06.2011
Our first project for the world-class music venue Wathen Hall was a high-impact brochure that needed to position the hall as a leading arts venue in London. With little brand style to speak of, we had the freedom to create an eye-catching new visual style for its materials that would appeal to affluent and discerning London residents. In addition to creating an understated style that conveyed quiet confidence using bold typography, black and white imagery and subtle tints of colour, we proposed an unusual format to really engage recipients. Instead of a standard saddle-stitched brochure, we proposed printing it like an arts poster on lightweight newspaper stock, which folded out to A2 and gave due prominence to the big-name artists appearing at Wathen Hall over the next few months. For maximum impact, we proposed mailing it out in clear bags. more
Studio redecoration
03.05.2011
We decided to go one step further than a studio spring clean, and redecorate our studio meeting area to show off our snazzy new boardroom table and chairs to best effect. A team effort, we spent time thinking about how we’d improve the space – bespoke wallpaper, vinyl wall graphics, customised filing cabinets… but in the end we chose the super fun and useful combination of magnetic paint and blackboard paint. Being creative types, we do like to spend lots of time stroking our chins as we consider the work we do for our clients, so now we can stick work up and move it around without sullying our paint work. The blackboard paint lets us try things out and keeps the walls fresh, though it’s mostly being used currently to draw cute animals on and record the numbers of brews everyone’s made.
Mace Leadenhall
15.03.2011
In addition to the events and communications collateral that we’ve collaborated with Mace on, we’ve just completed a bespoke bid document for their tender to undertake the construction of the Leadenhall Tower. We proposed a custom-made lacquered MDF box with an etched Perspex panel, which would be strong and secure enough to hold two large A3 cloth-bound foil-blocked books, an A4 book, iPad and tender summary document, but allow the documents to be visible inside and also reflect the exterior of the Sir Richard Rogers-designed building. Templates were developed for the documents themselves to allow the bid team to handle large volumes of last-minute information in an efficient and legible way. more
Roc Noir branding
12.01.2011
Online ski equipment retailer start up Roc Noir came to 400 with the opportunity to create a bold, confident and niche brand in a sector dominated by large brand names and weak online offerings from small independent ski shops. Selling hand-selected equipment for a variety of price ranges for those passionate about skiing, Roc Noir needed to appeal to the connoisseur. Our solution was a bold, type-led marque that was inspired by mountain signage and would work across a range of materials from advertising and packaging to clothing labels. In addition to the monotone brand palette, we introduced a vivid deep orange to bring flashes of accent colour and compliment the subtle black and white photography of the brand. more
Mace guidelines
05.01.2011
We’re proud to announce that Mace have asked us to become their ‘brand guardians’ and develop a set of accessible, flexible brand guidelines for international Mace employee use. Left with a brand book that was impenetrable and difficult to use after their rebrand, Mace found that materials being produced in house were lacking consistency. We reviewed the existing book and made recommendations for splitting the content down into five user-friendly sections, to make sure that Mace employees could interact with the guidelines as easily as possible and weren’t overwhelmed with irrelevant information. As part of the guidelines we will create accessible templates for all communication materials and bid documents, as well as photography guidelines. more
