NOVEMBER 2019
COMPUTERARTS.CREATIVEBLOQ.COMO
ver the past few years brands have
embraced a more authentic way of
marketing and communicating. By being
more open about their process and showing a
willingness to accept and act upon feedback,
they’ve made a refreshing departure from the false
advertising, fake news and paid-for hype we’ve
been subjected to for so long.
The initial buzz around this shift has been
exciting, but with time – and as this becomes the
norm for more organisations – the novelty has begun
to wear off and we’ve started to ask deeper questions
of these brands. Sure, you’re not misleading us in
order to sell your product/service, but are you actually
a good company? Are you good people? Do you have
values that we respect? We’re yearning to build
connections with the brands we buy from, looking
for justification that they are worthy of our custom.
I recently read a great article in Forbes by Nikki
Baird where she suggested that the purpose of brand
has changed. Brand used to be about communicating
what a business sold, but with more Millennials and
Gen Z’s demanding more from the companies they
shop with, brand needs to evolve to communicate
what a company values at its core. Consumers have
the power to hold brands accountable and are asking
them to do better than just be ‘authentic’.
I feel privileged to run a studio that cut its teeth
working with small businesses who put their story
and values above everything else. They’ve taught
me a way of growing that’s possible for brands when
they have to be better, because they simply won’t be
able to get away with anything less. These businesses
are usually run by creative entrepreneurs, artisan
producers, farmers, growers. Their work and lives
are entwined, meaning they need to be open about
production times, their supply chain is transparent,
and the majority refuse to work in an environment
that causes them added stress. They don’t have any
desire to pretend to be something they’re not, and
are proud of the product they create – they want to
market it with integrity, care and openness.
I can best explain this using the example of one of
our clients, a family-run business that’s going from
strength to strength. Its success has been built on a
foundation of absolute integrity: producing products
of the highest quality using locally manufactured
parts, skilled craftspeople and talented designers.
The business has grown exponentially over the
past couple of years but it’s always prioritised the
happiness and wellbeing of its staff. This inspires a
loyalty within its team which in turn translates to its
customers. This approach is not only admirable, but
also makes good business sense. The brand identity
we created for it brought its values to the forefront
and was received with excitement and warmth by
customers as it enabled them to connect with the
company on a much deeper level right from the outset.
A year on, it’s now stocked in one of London’s most
prestigious department stores, has launched several
new products and is about to relocate to a larger site to
accommodate the increase in demand. It’s busier than
ever, but still finds time to invite us in for a cup of tea
and a donut when we’re in the area.
I’ve been looking for a word to describe the common
thread between these family businesses and the kind
of larger organisations we now work with. I believe the
common factor is that they all have ‘soul’: an honesty
and character that underpins everything they do. It’s
our job to uncover this and let it take centre stage
for their customers to appreciate. To design a visual
identity that supports what they’ve set out to achieve.
I’m often asked what I mean by ‘soul’ and in my
mind it comes from three things. First, a sense of
‘goodness’ – a desire to be kind and generous. Second, a
humble, honest output with no
f luff. And finally, a clear identity
and character that’s present
in everything. I’ve dubbed the
brands we work with ‘soulful’.
Nurturing soulful brands
and helping them build their
identities is such a joy. They
push me to be better, and each
business teaches me something
new. I’ve made it my goal to
ensure we align with the values
many of them have at their core
so that we can better support
them: printing with a Planet
Positive printer, encouraging and nurturing new talent,
making a conscious effort to reduce single-use plastic
in our studio, and promoting sustainable working.
Basically, not being dicks to people or the planet.
We feel our output is so much stronger for bringing
this approach to the forefront, and our brands are
more impactful as a result. Our clients are the most
wonderful businesses who allow us to become part of
their family for the time we work together. My team
are happy, our mental health is in good shape, and our
relationships with others are fantastic. I believe that
if we can adopt these values at Steele & Stovell, other
brands can, too.
In my experience, being more authentic is only
half the conversation we should be having with the
brands and organisations we work with – we need to
encourage them to show a little more soul too.BEKKI STOVELL
How are you managing to make your work more ‘soulful’?
Tweet us at @ComputerArts using #Design Matters.“Small businesses don’t have
any desire to pretend to be
something they’re not, and
are proud of the produ
they create – they want to
market it with integrity, care
and openness”