Unparalleled experience.
“You perform alchemy.”
““Calling you a ‘brand consultant’ is almost an insult. You perform a type of alchemy that isn’t widely understood. It’s multi-disciplinary, and that is rare and therefore difficult to define or compare.”
– Client comment
We do lengendary copywriting.
VISIT LONDON: IT RAINS MORE IN ROME. This strapline, which we composed for Visit London (the marketing department for Europe’s largest city), caught on mightily. Mayor Boris Johnson even referred to it during the city’s Olympic games. And yes — it is true.
We design gorgeous brands and launch them properly.
The identity for Mongolian Noble Fibre has authentic Mongolian script (adapted for use by our Danish design partners). We launched it using special products (like a cashmere shawl cheekily named the “Mongolian beach towel,” pictured here on Malibu beach). The programme gives Mongolia’s textile industry leaders a leg up on Chinese rivals.
We help iconic organisations manage their identities effectively.
The Buckingham Palace Guards are part of the Household Division of the British Army. The Division hired us to help them become more accessible to the public without becoming a tawdry tourist attraction. Work included a behind-the-scenes film of preparations for the State Opening of Parliament.
We do “country branding” for tourism and investment.
Even the hard cases. Past projects include the East Timor Development Agency (“The meek stay in Bali” was the campaign) and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (including a communications strategy supporting “The Titanic: Made – and alive – in Belfast, Northern Ireland”).
We go to incredible lengths to help companies walk their talk.
NYC- and Amsterdam-based fashion company Naadam Cashmere wanted to deepen the substance and authenticity of their brand. So we helped elevate their raw materials sourcing practices, which included guiding them on a journey to the Gobi to meet directly with nomadic herders.
We help clients identify off-beat, pitch-perfect marketing claims.
A gigantic Indian tyre company prepared its market entry strategy for Europe, with the intention of selling directly to fleets (taxi agencies and car rental companies). We advised the managers, instead of downplaying the tyres’ Indian origins, to boast proudly: “We make tyres for the worst roads and the worst drivers on Earth. They’re definitely good enough for a German taxi.”
We deliver substantial place-making enhancement to property developments.
Our recommendations to Monaco’s Société des Bains de Mer led to major masterplan adjustments, including the decision of architect David Childs (designer of the new One World Trade Center in New York) to emphasise the principality’s sea-oriented heritage by making his proposed Monte Carlo tower resemble a lighthouse.
We make promotional films that aren’t overly promotional (and are thus more effective).
For this tourism promo, we used local street gymnasts to show off their hometown. The film garnered 50,000 views within 48 hours of launch, dramatically outperforming all prior official tourist videos the city had produced.
We revamp product positioning and packaging with power…and nuance.
We are especially adroit when it comes to leveraging place of origin in exceptional ways. For example, when we got involved with Jura whisky in 2004, it had limited distribution. A decade later, Jura is sold in practically every major-airport duty-free shop in the world. Did our insight that this particular spirit could be marketed more like a Caribbean rum than a Scotch whisky contribute to the brand’s renaissance? We like to think so.
We perform some of our most valuable services strictly behind closed doors.
Such as helping private equity funds take brand into consideration when making investment decisions.
You hired us for a reason.
As a client, we’ll hold your hand and lead you right up to the precipice.
Then we’ll push you if you’re too scared to jump.
You’ll thank us later…hopefully.
Becoming a client