The Challenge
Standing out as a Professional Services Business can be hard, especially when many of your rivals are saying the same things. Accountancy is one such category where it’s always been challenging to differentiate brands and gain a competitive advantage. When we first met Brian, Kurt and Daniel from Cliftons, we knew there was an opportunity to change this. They were already doing things differently as a business, but needed some help in how to present their business as a firm that was genuinely different, as opposed to just saying they were. With two offices in two regions, we were asked to help them identify and shape their brand communication strategy, get their team on board and communicate it to their customers.
A BUSINESS THAT’S GENUINELY DIFFERENT
The Strategy
The approachable, down-to-earth personalities of the partners led us to develop a tone of voice that was unique in the accountancy market. By developing a language and brand positioning that was comfortable for them, it helped differentiate their business in a landscape that was highly competitive, and often seen as stale and conservative. With a pragmatic and honest approach to the way they worked as business advisors, not simply accountants, we developed a new identity for Cliftons that spoke directly and honestly – with no jargon or puffery.
The Creative
We went through a highly collaborative creative process with Cliftons, especially when crafting their new brand values and language that accurately expressed the business’ intentions and strategy. We re-designed their brand identity across everything from their sales tools and stationery to their signage, to create something sharper that stood out and better reflected who they are as a business.
The Results
“Measuring the success of a brand communication strategy can be difficult. Working with Jamie and the clan made a clear intangible difference with our team, that we now all understand why we do what we do and were able to share this to clients and prospects. It neatly packaged “our story”. Being articulate on the culture we had developed but not put in words made it not negotiable which everyone got behind.”
