LCM helps to reshape the face of four big businesses
Following the successful rebrand of four big businesses in the South, Fareham-based marketing agency LCM reports that, despite the current economic storm and with tighter budgets to work with, many businesses can still see that investment in marketing and branding is money well spent.
LCM has just completed the successful transformation of several south coast businesses, including Southern Focus Trust, a leading Hampshire charity, who recently re-branded to ‘YOU’. Nicola Youern, the Charity’s Chief Executive explains: "We recognised that although the organisation has been established for over 20 years, its former name didn’t tell people what we do. YOU is easy to grasp and remember, and it reflects the fact that everyone we support has a person-centred plan and service designed around them. Branding is a critical tool for conveying these subtle messages and shaping the way we are perceived by service users.”
International recruitment giant Staffwise also enlisted the help of LCM and found that their work helped to unite their many teams and divisions up and down the country. Sarah Ferguson, PR and Brand Manager at Staffwise explains: “Before the rebranding began, Staffwise was very fragmented. We have many hardworking and highly skilled individuals, who are excellent at what they do, but there was no team unity or common goal. We involved as many people as we could in branding workshops and it was delightful to see people becoming passionate about what our company stood for and the identity they want to convey to clients. We have ended up with a united workforce and a brand everyone is proud to stand behind.
Re-branding also reaped big benefits for bridge design experts Bestech Systems Ltd, who provide market-leading software that helps create safe and cutting-edge bridge designs for companies all around the world. The creation of a new brand helped them to understand their offering from a client perspective and now helps them to market themselves more effectively. “It’s as much about discovering who you are, as well as conveying that message externally” explains Bestech Director, Chris Austin. “We’re not marketing experts, but LCM has provided us with a strong brand which helps us enormously.”
Mike Dyer from Verisona Solicitors and Advocates adds that the launch of a new brand also needs careful management. He comments: “Verisona is the result of the merger of two law firms which were both well established with a good client base. It was important that their strong reputations were not diluted by a new brand that no-one had heard of. LCM designed a new brand which represents our old values, as well as our new brand promise going forward and with the help of a launch party, PR, and client liaison management, the transition was smooth and came as no surprise to our existing stakeholders.”
LCM branding specialist Carl Lamington is pleased that businesses are not shying away from important marketing considerations, which are now even more important in a time where consumers are considering more carefully who they do business with. “Creating a strong brand is a process, and by involving your workforce throughout the journey, they will create something that they are proud to stand behind and call their own. This pride and self-confidence will naturally spill over to the outside world and be noticed by your clients in the quality of service they receive.”
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