Society

New Work: Only at the Village

I worked with Tauranga City Council to develop a new campaign for The Historic Village on 17th Avenue. We worked together to start repositioning the Village from a living museum to the vibrant hub it is today.

The Rat King meets Donald J. Trump

Whether it's a political figure appearing on a comedian's podcast or a local election swayed by a catchy slogan, the way we connect with audiences isn't always obvious. In this blog, I explore how aligning with what people are passionate about—not necessarily what they care about—can be a game-changing move for brands and public figures alike.

Better than back sweat? Turning haters into content.

These guys have guts. From a branding and design perspective, Liquid Death has used the unexpected and even confrontational elements to differentiate itself. This serves as a powerful example of how creativity and understanding your target audience's psychology can break through even in a market as established as bottled water.

From a smelly porn cinema to a children’s theatre - 20 Guiding principals for change

Over the last few weeks I have been carefully listening in to public forums which aim to collect ideas and move forward with repairing Tauranga City. With a negative story popping up in the media almost monthly around vacancy, rising crime and struggling businesses, there’s no argument against a much needed change. The question is how.

15 things to consider about colour when rebranding

As your business evolves, a rebrand may become necessary to reflect your company's growth and change. One of the crucial elements to consider during this process is colour. It's more than just a visual factor; it's a powerful communication tool that can evoke emotions, convey messages, and influence perceptions.

Meet your audience, thanks to AI.

When you understand your target audience, you are better equipped to meet their needs and tailor your messaging to resonate deeply. Demographics and psychographics are two methodologies to profile your audience, and both play significant roles in effective branding and marketing.

20 ways to position your consultancy business

Understanding your positioning is integral, especially when undertaking the complex process of a rebrand. Positioning is, at its core, the act of carving out a unique spot in the minds of your target audience. It is how your business is perceived compared to your competitors, influencing how your prospects and customers view your brand's unique value proposition.

25 ways to generate ideas

If you are struggling to come up with a campaign for your next brand campaign, try running through these quick creative techniques. Try doing rapid concepts. Don't dive too deep, just see how many you can come up with in 10 minutes for each one. I reckon you will surprise yourself how many you can think of.

Are mission statements worth it?

Your mission statement provides insight into the company's values and priorities. Consumers are increasingly interested in doing business with companies that align with their values, and a clear and meaningful mission statement can help customers determine whether a company is a good fit for them.

Do you need a rebrand?

Rebranding is a big decision for any business, but it can be an essential step in taking your company to the next level. Here are 10 reasons you might need a rebrand.

Why Brands Need a Tribe

In today's fast-paced and highly competitive world, brands are constantly looking for ways to stand out and connect with their customers. One way to achieve this is by building a tribe of loyal customers who are passionate about the brand and its products or services.

How to dramatise your solution.

The way to push this technique into weird and wonderful places is to think about how your product helps your audience. What benefit do they get out of it, and how is their life improved after your brand has entered their life?

How to dramatise the problem

Everything that is sold is a solution to someone’s problem, the technique here is to focus on the problem you are solving. Make a big deal of it, blow it up and turn it into an interesting story - then right at the end, show how your product solves that problem.

Why Vodafone’s Rebrand Is So Much More Than A New Logo

This rebrand is much bigger than simply changing a logo. Naturally, it is going to ruffle a few feathers amongst the commenters on NZ Herald and Stuff, but this is a sign of a changing business from the ground up. Changes that, in the long run, will cement the brand deep into the roots of New Zealand.

Culture is where the heart is

Culture is somewhat of a buzz word at the moment amongst any sort of business coach, brand consultant or strategy agency. The narrative usually sits within the companies culture, there’s a welcomed shift towards making the work place a rewarding place for employees which fills their cup rather than just empties it. This is a brands internal culture.

Get attention with a boring business

The thing about a boring business is that they don’t have to exist. And as far as I’m concerned, they shouldn’t. Boredom is absolutely toxic to the human mind and how it behaves. It not only makes us susceptible to depression, anxiety, anger and poor work performance but it can swiftly make us feel agitated and want to run a million miles in the opposite direction.

Thinking of rebranding? Read this first.

A rebrand is a complete overhaul of your business identity. It’s not just a new logo or a new website, it’s a new perspective of why the business does what it does, who the audience is and how the business improves the lives of its consumers.

The secret role of restaurant brands

Creating the country’s best food destination isn’t all about the food, the restaurant branding plays a huge part, it’s the atmosphere and the holistic approach to going out for dinner that is getting turned up a notch in Tauranga. So a seemingly strange question we could ask is - can a brand make food taste better? My opinion - yes.

How to create your Employee Value Proposition

We find ourselves in an interesting mindset shift between companies and their employees. For employees, finding a place to work is becoming less about finding the fattest paycheck and more about finding a company that fits in with their values and way of life. This Glassdoor study in 2019 shows that employees value a company’s mission and values over salary with 76% of people saying they wouldn’t work at a company that doesn’t have values that align with their own.