Spreading the Hubbub
Hubbub is one of the most ambitious events to launch in the north, bringing together the best creative and media companies to one venue over two days. The aim is simple; to play a key role in growing a region that is already the second biggest media hub in Europe. Organisers Moorfield Media told us their plans. It would be a conference, an exhibition and a networking event (but they didn’t want to use words like that clearly). And (thankfully) they didn’t want to use the ‘fair’ and ‘festival’ titles so over-used. All we had to do was come up with a name and a creative concept that combined all of the things Hubbub was, and none of those that it didn’t want to be. The design had to reflect the dynamism in the region, and an original look and feel (and name). We proposed Hubbub, with the simple line Listen/Look/Talk, using the yellow and black so identified with Manchester, while the illustrations harked back to a past time, a graphic style that is rarely used nowadays. The event in October is on track to becoming a roaring success. See www.hubbubevent.co.uk
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Exide fully charged
It’s a $2.8 billion multi-national technology group, most famous for its batteries. Exide Technology, operating in 80 countries, has launched a new campaign through Glorious to help it capture a larger share of the multi-million waste battery market.
Glorious was briefed to create a campaign that would express the dangers of dealing with unlicensed operators. The message had to be simple and direct. So, we created the Act Positive brand and visual identity along with literature, point of sale, incentive material, advertising and branding for Exide batteries. There are also plans to take the marketing initiative online.
More importantly, we had one very happy client in Craig Everett, marketing manager at Exide: “This was not the easiest of messages to communicate, but the team at Glorious really understood the issues faced and created an incredibly strong concept. They really got to grips with the target market.” We feel the energy Craig.
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The big sell at Buy Art Fair
It’s been a tough time in the art market, well, that’s a bit of an understatement. It was the worst decline in modern times, with the Independent describing it as “the art world apocalypse”, with art values down 70%-80%. Despite this, Buy Art Fair, the three-day Manchester event launched only two years ago by Moorfield Media has seen a 50% year-on-year increase in visitor numbers. Glorious is rather proud to say it’s been involved from the start, creating the distinctive red dot identity and the campaigns.
It’s been a bit of a success, and don’t just take our word for it, take Clare Tams, marketing manager at Moorfield’s: “The creative developed by Glorious has been integral to the success of Buy Art Fair – becoming one of the UK’s largest art fairs. In this market design is arguably more important. We have created a brand that is recognised throughout the north, and beyond.”
Beat that one.
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Educated campaign for Merchants
Working with a client for a period of time has huge benefits. So when the leading private school, Merchant Taylors’ in Liverpool, wanted to target new parents we were able to use the knowledge built up since working on the rebrand a few years ago.
The brief was clear: raise awareness of the junior school in specific locations and encourage parents who previously wouldn’t have considered private education to visit the school. We combined a door drop in some of the most suitable towns in the area, supported by local advertising. Each advert focused on one of the key junior school messages; small class sizes, quality teaching and great facilities. The route has been such a success that the strategy will be adopted for future campaigns.
And to prove that this isn’t just our take on the beautiful working partnership, here is Michaela Riches, marketing and development director: “They really understand the schools, our ethos and what we’re trying to achieve. They take us to task so we achieve our objectives in the most cost effective way.”
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Socks that rock
Socks have had a bad press in the past. So when the entrepreneurs behind Socks for Happy People asked us to create a brand and help launch their ethical sock products, we were head over heals (with socks on).
According to Socks for Happy People director Richard Taylor, they “wanted a strong brand from day one”. Budgets were tight with most of their initial marketing via social media – as well as their own website – so the brand identity would have to work twice as hard at creating profile. It would also need to reflect the brand personality: fun, vibrant, dynamic.
The chaps have a great vision, with their own take on the BOGOF – buy a pair of socks here and someone less fortunate in another part of the world gets a free pair. “The identity has helped make things happen – even when securing manufacturing deals before the launch,” says Richard. All essential when launching a new branded product in a tough economic climate. Thank goodness for British summers.
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A 1-0 victory for typography
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Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Not it’s bad advertising from Sky
The recent burst of Sky adverts can’t go without comment. Surely there will come a point when the ‘brainstorming’ meetings at Sky can produce a positioning and creative which is less common denominator than Sky’s usual fare. ‘Supertelly’ is the recent embarrassment. The billboards are terrible, the line is excruciating – Supertelly, come on! Is your audience really that unsophisticated? And yet, the use of Gene Wilder’s theme tune from Willy Wonka is pure genius, never mind pure imagination. So why oh why, when Channel 4, and now the BBC, use billboard advertising to such inspirational and effective use, do Sky consistently get it wrong? Anyone in doubt, think back to last year when the football ads ranted (like me) on how ‘players come and go’ but the teams are always there, solid. The concept was flawed, despite some pub talk about players, fans support quality players – don’t believe the hype you read in The Sun. Murdoch and co. need to take a tip from the campaign strapline, Believe in Better.
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Games maestro
Folk were totally wowed by Ian Hetherington’s presentation at the How-Do AGM at City’s stadium last week. The man widely regarded as the region’s granddaddy of games was effectively sounding the death knell of traditional games companies (and the costs attached) because we’re all playing daft Facebook games, with graphics which are only slightly better than Mario. Social gaming, that’s where the money is, with games like Farmville, employing about 20 people, racking up a market valuation of $3 billion. Wow, indeed. That along with iPhone apps are all “on fire” says Hetherington, who used iBubble (yes, pop the bubble wrap) as an example of cheap games making a fortune. Unfortunately, it also made Sara Wilde of MEN/Liverpool Echo owner Trinity sound like the media equivalent of a betamax tape.
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Glorious JOB leads to Zig-Zag campaign
This is going to sound a bit like a letter that arrived in the post the other day from everyone’s favourite Northwest haunt, the Inn at Whitewell. The managing director explained that they had totally transformed Coachouse 21 and 22, “and without boasting they now look superb”. To which he admitted, in his landed gentry stylee, “Sorry, that is boasting.” “Yah, darling!” Well, in that same rah rah style, we wouldn’t like to boast, but after our award-winning advertising campaign for JOB rolling papers we have won the business for the new national campaign for Zig-Zag.
JOB was a great success at raising the brand profile of a distinct, if little known, French rolling paper within its target market. According to our good friend Andrew Armstrong, managing director of Zig-Zag Papers UK, it was “a straight-forward decision” after our beautiful relationship and what we achieved, with JOB, building a campaign around the ‘The Original Double’ positioning. If you don’t remember, think Might Boosh, Gilbert & George and others.
Anyway, Zig-Zag is huge. Second in the market to a brand beginning with R with sales exceeding 100 million (compared to JOB’s two million sales), so it’s a big task. Roll on the summer.
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Typographic Tourism — Luzern/Zürich
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