Why
Branding can seem overly complicated, so I demystify the process. I believe that brand owners have the answers and I can help untangle your brand to create clarity for your audience.
I combine my experience in strategy, creativity and business to help untangle brand problems, gain clarity and manage your brand as it evolves. Brands I have developed are built to last.
With over 25 years in the creative industry, running my own agencies and managing design teams, I ensure the process and people involved are as effective as possible. I work directly with clients, as part of their team or with other designers to bring together the best skills to deliver the best work.
How
It can take years to create a brand or you can be a success overnight.
But how you do it is principally the same; create an emotional connection with your audience. Here’s how.
Make it relevant
Look at what you’ve done in the past and what you want to do in the future. Understand your audience. Check out competitors and peers to learn more about what they say and how they look. Ask questions, speak with employees, interview key people. Just immerse yourself.
How I can help
- Audit
- Research
- Surveys
- Interviews
Make it unique
A brand model is often created in collaboration with clients using workshops to explore ideas and test thinking. It summarises and refines thoughts from research and insight to create a brand story that will make you stand out. It’s the glue that connects everything you do.
Typical activities
- Workshops
- Definition
- Architecture
- Proposition
Make it memorable
The brand model (I use a brand doughnut) is the starting point for all creative work, naming, messaging and communications. It will inform all brand development activities including your identity elements (logos, colours, typography and imagery). People will notice you and understand you better.
Specific delivery
- Naming
- Identity
- Messaging
- Guidelines
- Brand Tools
- Campaigns
Who
Hello, I’m Nigel Davies an independent brand consultant. I’ve worked for some amazing agencies in my 25 year career. I’ve run my own agencies with other super-talented people. Now I work directly with businesses, from the small and ambitious to the large and successful.
Since early in my career I’ve focused on branding. Branding buildings (RICS global professional body for built environment). Branding charities (Crisis, Cancer Research UK). Branding science (QinetiQ the UK government’s commercial defence technology business). Branding music (ABRSM the world’s leading provider of music exams). Branding cars (I designed the first ever global standard for the Ford blue oval). Branding digital radio (Radioplayer, a world-wide audio brand partnership between the BBC and Global Radio).
As one of the three founding partners of 300million I took on the roles of Managing Director and Strategy Director. Our company was recognised as the fastest growing design business in the UK. We evolved to be a team of 25 people with a revenue of £2m, winning many design awards including a DBA Gold Effectiveness. Our team created Yota (the first commercial 4G Telecoms brand) which was launched in Moscow and won a Google Award for being the most searched brand in Russia. We even found time to release a World Cup football single.
I work independently with clients, other consultants and creative teams. I’ve continued to win awards for brand transformation (brand strategy, naming and brand architecture) along with a Which? award, given to Soak&Sleep the bed and bath brand I created, that went from being unknown to gaining more recognition and being higher rated than John Lewis or Ikea. I want businesses to understand more about the branding process and eventually spend more time listening to my vinyl collection rather than sitting in front of it..
Credits
Tatham Pearce; RICS
The Partners; QinetiQ, Ford
300million; Crisis, Yota, That’s England Alright
What people say
“Without exception I’ve found Nigel’s creative
vision and expertise to be invaluable in helping
us achieve our strategic aims. He can navigate
a room of senior stakeholders brilliantly, helping
everyone to move forward and to reach a
decision quickly on a tricky brand project (no
mean feat!).
Samantha Brown
Head of Marketing and Communications, SafeLives, Bristol Community Health
November 2016
“The Action Call with Nigel was a great sounding
board for ideas and highlighted all the things to
think about moving forwards. He is a fountain
of knowledge and the opportunity to speak to
somebody so experienced before you make big
branding decisions is invaluable.
Jane Quinn
Helping people communicate with impact and influence with online coaching.
September 2020
