Emerging & reflecting
Hello, lovely friend. How are you? It’s high time for a long overdue catch-up, don’t you think? I really hope you’ve weathered the last few months ok and that you and your family are well.
I feel like there’s so much to say. My heart goes out to anyone in events, or hospitality - in the wedding industry, the beauty industry or one of the many, many others who’ve been hit hard by the pandemic. For us, we’ve been lucky. Like so many, I’ve ridden the rollercoaster of emotions - the paralysing fear at the beginning of lockdown, the surge of determination that we’d be ok, the exhaustion of managing a full time job and an energetic toddler… I don’t think any of us will emerge from this unscathed, one way or another. And of course, all of this emotion feeds into our work, too. In those early few weeks, my certainty that all of our clients would call a halt to their projects was allayed - which lead to some kind of guilt as I witnessed friends and colleagues in other industries enduring the heartbreak of cancellations, postponements and the financial hardship that this entails.
Given all of this, it’s been hard to know how best to stay in touch. Sharing our latest projects felt almost smug, and deluging you with marketing ideas when you were potentially struggling to survive felt like poor taste. I’d decided to put together a series of resources to help you review and refine your brand and marketing message… but, if I’m really honest, I quickly found that I just didn’t have the time, and I chose to prioritise devoting my time to my daughter and my paying clients.
But things are shifting now. Evie is back to her childminder, and I’m regaining brain space. It feels like a good time to reflect upon the lessons learnt, and the successes which have existed within this utterly bonkers period.
Our brightest, most wonderful success story has to be that of our dear friend and client Paul Sanders at Still. After untold months working behind the scenes to craft his stunning book, Solace, Paul asked us to create an online shop as an add on to the website we launched for him last year. We created a sleek and elegant solution which considered both user experience for his clients and commercial opportunity for Paul, which we managed to design and launch in just a few days. Unbelievably, the book sold out entirely in less than 48 hours! This is an astonishing testament to Paul’s remarkable story and we are so, so proud to have been part of the success of this book.
We’ve created and released some absolutely gorgeous brands - some of which are still under wraps whilst final preparations are made - and we’re crafting some stunning work at the moment for a clutch of gorgeous, talented people. We’ve been able to stretch our creativity and employ some different techniques, which have seen us exploring print making and creating patterns with leaves foraged from the woodland. I can’t wait to share these with you! Keep an eye on instagram for fresh releases.
Of course, we’ve also found a new level with our clients. We pride ourselves upon our honesty, and if you’ve worked with us you’ll know that we’re extremely open and upfront in the way that we do things. But this new way of working - seeing clients through computer screens in their home environment, often with pets and children popping up during meetings - has been a real leveller. We’ve all found ourselves in the same situation, playing out many different roles within the same day as we flit between colouring in and conference calls. And as we all adapt to the mad juggle of parenting and working, caring for children and clients - sometimes simultaneously - a compassion and empathy has emerged which I find both refreshing and entirely welcome. There’s a softness to conversations now, an honesty that’s both raw and beautiful.
An appetite for authenticity
More and more, I’m sensing that clients crave the reality of relationships which are real. The chaos of the world we have found ourselves in has shone a light upon certain business practices and behaviour that we no longer find acceptable, and there’s a deep desire to engage with brands in a meaningful way. An urge to support real people who run honest, ethical businesses. As consumers continue to turn their backs on mass-producing brands with questionable morals, an immense opportunity for smaller brands swells at the sideline. Now is the time to own your story. Now. Grab this opportunity in both hands, step up and let your voice be heard. Embrace the messiness of imperfection - don’t stifle the sound of your brand, let it be seen. We’ve seen a notable increase in enquiries from those looking to launch sustainable brands and it’s BRILLIANT.
Time to pivot
Challenge always fuels creativity, and it’s time to adjust to a new way of working. From taking your business online to finding new ways to engage with your clients, I don’t suppose any of us will entirely go back to exactly how things were. That doesn’t mean that you can’t still deliver a wonderful experience for your clients, or do your work to any less of a standard. How can you do things differently, while honouring the experience you set out to create?
Moving forwards
As things begin to settle, we’re continuing to welcome new clients and would love to speak to you about how we can best support you and your business. Whether you’re pondering a rebrand, are considering starting an entirely new venture, or would like our help in honing your message and engaging with your clients, we’re here for you.
Sending much strength your way, and I hope we’ll speak again soon.
