We have a pair of returning guests on this episode of All Things Business – The Podcast. Back in 2022, Martin Carmody, Managing Director of Stratos Creative and Rebecca Covington, Marketing Manager at Woodfines Solicitors came on the podcast to discuss creative marketing. That podcast was the first time they met, but they now return having worked closely together on the recent rebrand of Woodfines Solicitors! As Rebecca says, “it was nice seeing you walk through that door” into the pitch meeting.
Rebranding Woodfines Solicitors
Woodfines had the same brand for almost forty years and was in need of an update to bring it into line with more modern sensibilities. Internal developments had a further sense of disconnection with the old brand, such as new culture initiatives and broader overhauls of the business internally across internal systems, working arrangements and much more. They felt that the business they were becoming internally wasn’t reflected externally and it became increasingly clear a rebrand was needed. Frazer asks if there was any apprehension internally, and Rebecca replies that there wasn’t much resistance to the idea of a rebrand, but the creative ideas themselves were a challenge to find a consensus on.
Martin emphasises the strategic aspect of rebranding, finding the ‘why’ and ensuring that everything else reflects that. Defining the narrative of the business and brand through discovery workshops is an important step in the process, and it’s important all key stakeholders are heard. This was reflected in the internal launch party, where all employees were invited to come and view the brand in a launch video. The reaction was positive and the broad consensus was that the brand had effectively communicated their culture and was a proper reflection of who they were now, with a strong message of putting their people and their clients first.
Fruitful Collaboration
Both Rebecca and Martin remark on how in tune the two companies felt throughout the process, highlighting the mood boarding phase as a real eureka moment for both of them. The strategic phase had been done and Stratos were working through some draft creative, which was responded to really well by Woodfines, with one route in particular getting excellent feedback.
Rachel commented that Stratos’ strength is that it works across sectors and doesn’t specialise in professional services businesses, which meant they had a creative warmth that perhaps could have been missing from a more specialised creative agency. Stratos delivered something professional which also served to humanise the brand.
The conversation closes with the two emphasising the needs to understand the reasons for a rebrand, and to be bold and to be brave in its execution. Frazer finally points out how this fruitful collaboration came about through All Things Business, and how ATB’s ethos is to help local businesses work together and build the local economy, with this being a great example of that principle in action.
Listen to the podcast here:
