Having previously created their brand identity, we are now pleased to reveal our latest work for Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts (LICA). The new course prospectus encompasses Lancaster’s teaching and research activities in art, design, music, theatre studies, media, film and cultural studies. The end product is an eighty four page uncoated reminder that print remains an extremely powerful medium with which to engage your audience.

Last year’s work for Parasol has been shortlisted in three categories in the UK rebranding awards Transform 2010. The awards which celebrate excellence in rebranding and brand transformation are due to take place at The Tabernacle in Powis Square, Notting Hill on 2 March 2010.

In the best corporate rebrand to reflect changed mission/values/positioning, we are being judged against Citroen and Aviva (Norwich Union).  Parasol’s verbal identity will be pitted against the Action for Children charity in the best use of copy/tone of voice category and finally global firms Grant Thornton and Rothschild provide the competition in the best rebrand in financial services sector. All of these companies have more offices than we have chairs but nevermind and never underestimate the underdog.

The Shortlist

The other designers & brand consultancies who have entered work read like a who’s who of the best on the planet. Interbrand, Landor, Pentagram, Siegel Gale and the like. All London and all with a global presence. We’re humble enough to admit we’re honoured to be rubbing shoulders with these hugely respected firms. In fact, from what we can tell, aside from flying the flag for the region we are pretty much flying it for everyone outside the M25 agency wise. The Co-operative Group will be there representing 0161 clientside but then again their rebrand typically went south to Pentagram.

So it’s David & Goliath and our first real effort in terms of entering client work for awards. And great awards at that, with outstanding criteria of measuring the effectiveness of branding as well as strategic input, process and creative execution.

In London, their backyard so to speak, against the creme de la creme. So expect some merriment, even if we walk away empty handed.

Following the purchase of Agnes Jones House in Liverpool by our client GVA Grimley we were commissioned to create a new identity and marketing collateral. The challenge was to create a brand look and feel that would appeal to the student market whilst not betraying the historical heritage of the property. www.agnesjones.co.uk

Everyone at Studio North would like to offer our congratulations to Anna and husband Bob on the healthy arrival of baby Freya Scott. Born at 3.15am on 19 Jan weighing 3.1 kgs

Another warm Studio North welcome for our latest recruit, Nathan Taylor who joins us as Office Administrator. As part of his Apprenticeship, Nathan will be working towards his NVQ level 2 qualification in Business & Admin. At the interview stage, we were overwhelmed by Nathan’s strong work ethic and refreshing attitude both of which will guarantee an exciting career ahead of him. Nathan hopes to forge a career in the world of finance and we look forward to helping him on his way. Good luck.

A totally irrelevant blog…

Growing up in Manchester is always going to bring you into direct contact with footballers past and present. Some of these experiences are extremely pleasant like sharing a flight from Schiphol to Milan with ex-United 60s/70s player Carlo Sartori back in 1999 to watch United play Inter (I had played Sunday league football with Sartori Jr as a boy and my dad also knew the family through the deli).

Brought up in Collyhurst, Carlo played 55 times for United but had now settled near myself in Wythenshawe. He’d come down and watch us play for Hazel Grove as kids but when I boarded the flight in Amsterdam I hadn’t seen the old man for donkeys years but still, someone who had shared changing rooms with the likes of Best, Law and Charlton, remembered his boy’s old teammate. I was honoured.

Read the rest of this entry »

We warmly welcome Kerry Dennison as Account Director to the senior management team at Studio North. Kerry, who studied Law at Liverpool University joins us from Finch in Liverpool, having previously held positions at Elmwood and Iris.

Coming with a proven track record working across a variety of marketing channels, Kerry’s experience and strategic insight will add further depth to our consistently improving service offer as we edge closer to 2010.

Hopefully you will meet Kerry soon and we wish her the best of luck at Waulk Mill.

It was an early start for the Studio North crew this morning as we all headed to the felicini restaurant on Oxford Street for an event we staged with pro.Manchester – the corporate membership organisation that represents the 240,000 employed in the financial and professional service community in and around Greater Manchester. Allie Johns, our associate brand strategist, delivered a seminar on branding and having confidence as we emerge from Recession.

The audience was treated to Allie’s wisdom and heard brand hints under the theme ABC: Acceptable, Bolder, Comprehensive.

If you didn’t attend then fret not as a synopsis of the presentation is available – just email dan@studionorth.co.uk for a copy!

Allie doing her thing....

We’re proud to unveil our recent creative work for the National Muslim Women’s Advisory Group (NMWAG), a government organisation that advises on issues to empower Muslim women to increase their participation in civic, economic and social life.

We have worked closely with the client to create a new brand identity that reflects the overarching ‘diversity’ theme. The identity underpins a wider campaign to support a series of forthcoming events which are part of a national roadshow initiative called Our Choices, named and devised by the Studio North creative team, and based on strong female role models from within the Muslim community.

Please visit www.ourchoices.org.uk

Another feather in the cap of our digital department after the recent design and development of the corporate website for Aspretto, the ethical tea and coffee brand by Sodexo.

http://www.aspretto.sodexo.com/