Industry today – Geo-tagging, studio practice and company analysis in your city
Research, analyse and communicate evolutionary design steps that contributed to the identity of design culture today.
Analyse, select and present examples of graphic design practice and production near you through geo-tagging, collectively contributing to an archive of industry practice today.
Participate in and reflect upon debate on the ideas wall.
Document and communicate your working process on your blog.
Manage your independent learning through good planning and self-direction.
Workshop challenge week 2 part 1 - Geo-tagging studio practice and company analysis in your city
The Task - Select & survey
task one - overview of x3 practices
I live in West Sussex on the outskirts of London, which at times can be quite rural. I set up my own studio as I felt there was not much competition in the area. This has changed over the last couple of years (since covid) with a lot more home-based freelance designers moving out of London.
The three examples I have chosen are all marketed as multi-service agencies all targeting the same mid to large B2B and B2C sectors that have set up their HQs out of London and particularly around the Gatwick Airport area. Due to the close proximity to each other, they must be competing for a lot of the same business and all seem to attend and promote the same business networking groups around the Gatwick and Surrey/Sussex borders region.
Demographic and region
Positioned between outside London Capital city of England and Brighton, (revealed to be the UK’s fourth largest digital technology city) and renowned as a bustling creative hub.
The South East of England area itself is relatively affluent compared to the rest of the country. Sussex and Surrey have been revealed as the areas with the most wealth in the UK. (Source - Yahoo News UK/Flourish/ONS).
Practice 1 - Storm 12
Storm12: Marketing Agency In London, Brighton & Kent
Address: The Old Surgery, High Street, Handcross, West Sussex RH17 6BN
Exterior/entrance/sign
Suburban converted doctors surgery in the village of Handcross, West Sussex. A rural area, just off the A23 near Horsham which has direct train routes to London and Brighton.
Link to company website
https://www.storm12.co.uk Geotag RH17 6BN
Type of work they do
Results-driven collaboration, creation and captivation we deliver game-changing Marketing, Creative, Digital & Web for local and national brands.
How do they present themselves?
Having freelanced for Storm 12 in the past, I have a bit of insider knowledge. They are friendly, with a ‘can-do’ approach and presented as a results driver, multi-service agency servicing all areas within design and marketing.
How they describe themselves
“Your creative marketing agency partner.” We are Storm12. We deliver OutROIgeously good creative.
An agency, studio, practice?
Described themselves as an agency.
What choice of words say about them (tone of voice)
Friendly buzz words. Tone of voice very approachable.
What is their name and how is it constructed?
Why storm 12 as a name? Force 12 storms are the most powerful on the Beaufort scale, the most forceful, the most arresting. They are talked about and they live long in the memory. They cause disruption. Our creative does the same. (Quote taken from their website).
Do they work in smaller teams comprised of designers and project managers?
Storm12 is made up of a crack team of strategic thinkers, attention-grabbing creatives and project managers. (Source taken from their website).
Studio culture - what makes them interesting?
Giving back - Help out on local community projects and raise money for local charities. Zero Carbon - Also pledge to reduce their impact on the environment by having energy saving equipment (vague) and the garden is watered using harvested rainwater.
Studio outings to The Design Museum, CDW at Clerkenwell giving a nod to their graphic designer roots and to ensure they keep in touch with the latest design trends.
Storm 12
PMW Communications
Creative Pod
Practice 2 - PMW Communications
PMW Communications Marketing Agency
Address: Stane Court, Stane Street, Billingshurst, West Sussex RH14 9HP
Exterior/entrance/sign
Rural converted barn on the outskirts of Billingshurst, West Sussex. Need a car to get to as remote. Marketed as in the picturesque Sussex countryside.
Company statement
A full-service marketing agency in the picturesque Sussex countryside. PMW offers city quality with out-of-city prices.
Link to company website
https://pmwcom.co.uk/ Geotag RH14 9HP
Type of work they do
Everything from brand building to film, SEO ad PR.
How do they present themselves?
From rebranding to global digital marketing.
Sector
Print, digital and design. More B2B market than B2C.
How they describe themselves
“Full-service marketing agency that provides clients with tangible results through creativity.”
An agency, studio, practice?
Agency. Established in 1993. Merged with another agency ‘Ardent Creative’ in 2017.
What choice of words say about them (tone of voice)
There’s no guesswork or jargon when it comes to our marketing approach. We pride ourselves on being a marketing company that stands out from the rest. Whether you’re looking for a media strategy or website marketing services, our focus on your business goals is at the heart of what we do.
What is their name and how is it constructed?
PMW - Not sure if that is surnames. Peter Sutton is the managing Director. Not sure if he is the ‘P’. Graham Walker other director could be the ‘W’, Not sure about the ‘M’.
Do they work in smaller teams comprised of designers and project managers?
Made up of a crack team of strategic thinkers, attention-grabbing creatives and project managers. (Source taken from their website).
Studio culture - what makes them interesting?
Big team (30+) crew who regard their people as the most valuable part of our business
“We’re an eclectic bunch, but despite our differences, we have two important things in common; we’re passionate about what we do and we’re at our best when we work together.”
30-member team. Big emphasis on their great surrounding to work in, probably as quite remote and not much else in the area. Cool white, studio environment with a retro phone box. Pets welcome!
“
Your creative marketing agency partner. We combine strategy and creativity to deliver what you need when you need it and how you need it.
”
“
We’re an eclectic bunch, but despite our differences, we have two important things in common; we’re passionate about what we do and we’re at our best when we work together.
”
Practice 3 - Creative Pod
Creative Pod
3A Amberley Court, Whitworth Road, Crawley, RH11 7XL
Exterior/entrance/sign
Non-descript, a red brick commercial building on an industrial estate. ‘No dickheads’ Passive aggressive signage inside.
Link to company website
https://www.creativepod.uk.com/ Geotag RH11 7XL
Type of work they do
Another full-service agency, that specialises in everything from branding to digital, social to PR and outreach, and email marketing to SEO.
Studio culture - what makes them interesting?
Creative Pod is part of a ‘creative group’. Design, print, marketing, office fit-outs, SEO, web. A big team. Supports a lot of charities, involved in a lot of local networking groups. Work itself is mainly local business.
“
Design and creativity are at the heart of everything we do. We create and capture value by delivering compelling brand campaigns; combining evidence-based methods, imaginative insights and exceptional design skills.
”
Critical reflection of task
These agencies are within a 10-mile radius of each other and seem to be in direct competition with each other, both rivalling for the same type of client. These appear to be the larger B2B companies based out of London and prominently around the Gatwick area.
They all sell design as part of the services they offer, but market themselves as multi-service agencies.
Is the modern design agency with so many multi-channel marketing points trying to spread itself too thinly?
Workshop challenge week 2 part 2 - Geo-tagging production
Task two - design production x3 places
Select three places for design production in your city (letterpress, screen printing, web development, litho printers, 3D manufacturers, commercial printers, Risograph printers, bookbinders, signwriting, laser cutting, video production, audio production etc)
Collect a link to their website, list what they do and geo-tag the location on the map platform overleaf; tagging it as a place of ‘design production’;
Upload to the Ideas Wall, with a link to your blog demonstrating further reflection.
Place of production - Pureprint Group
Pureprint Group - Litho and digital Printers
Address: Crowson House, Bellbrook Park, Uckfield, East Sussex TN22 1PH
Exterior/entrance/sign
Print production facilities cover 220,000 square feet of purpose-built space in East Sussex on an industrial estate.
Company statement
From our people-first ethos to our commitment to sustainability, we’re focused on breaking barriers with market innovation, collaborative partnerships and working efficiently, unbounded by geographical or technological walls.
Link to company website
https://www.pureprint.com/ Geotag TN22 1PH
Type of work they do
Digital factory with six HP Indigo digital presses and our specialist litho factory with three high spec Heidelberg B1 presses, as well as print finishing, storage, fulfilment and mailing facilities. From books to direct mail, fine art catalogues to reports and accounts, brochures to packaging and visual merchandise.
Studio culture - what makes them interesting?
400 colleagues across three sites, presses run 24 hours a day. Fantastic sustainable credentials. Also run an online print, a cost-effective website for designers who don’t need an account handler for smaller, standard print runs.
Pureprint Group - Uckfield
WestLea Prop Hire - Southwater
The Video Creators - East Grinstead
Place of production - West Lea prop hire
West Lea prop hire - Prop hire for sets, films and photoshoots
Address: Unit 24, Oakhurst Business Park, Wilberforce Way, Southwater, West Sussex RH13 9RT
Exterior/entrance/sign
Unassuming from the outside on an industrial estate in Horsham.
Company Statement
Their props have been featured in award-winning TV series, period films, theatre productions and photography shoots, secret to historically accurate, richly detailed period productions all available to hire.
Link to company website
https://www.westleaprophire.co.uk Geotag RH13 9RT
Type of work they do
Food and beverage packaging can be hired as hand props, or as dressing props to furnish domestic or commercial scenes. Work with film, tv and photographers.
Studio culture - what makes them interesting?
Relatively new business. Founded in 2020 by Wesley and Sarah, West Lea Prop Hire is the result of years of expertise. With over 40 years’ experience as a prop man on films and commercials, Wesley noticed a gap in the market for authentic period dressing props and would often use items from his own personal collection to enrich the sets he was working on.
Place of production - The video creators
The Video Creators - content for video and social media
Address: Crown House, 37 High Street, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 3AF
Exterior/entrance/sign
Hot desk in design agency as team mainly on site location filming. Most work remotely.
Company statement
More content. More often. Outsourcing video content can be great for big campaigns. But you’ve probably landed here because you know it can be extremely expensive to do on a more regular basis. You’ve realised there are gaps in your social media content pipeline, maybe you’re out of creative ideas, and keeping your audience consistently invested is an ongoing challenge.
Link to company website
https://thevideocreators.co.uk/ Geotag RH19 3AF
Type of work they do
Fixed-rate subscription pricing for regular video content
Studio culture - what makes them interesting?
One of the first companies to offer a subscription-based video production model! Enthusiastic team with a varied portfolio across a variety of sectors but a keen specialism in aviation and Aerospace. Links to Gatwick Airport.
Reflection:
All these agencies seem to be in a short distance of each other so must be in competition. Are they spreading themselves too thinly and offering too many services, to the ratio of staff to stay relevant and competitive and meet the changing needs of their clients.
By offering multiple services can help differentiate themselves from their competitors and attract more clients but if an agency takes on too many services without adequate resources or expertise, it may struggle to deliver quality work and meet client expectations.
Therefore, in my own practice, it is important for me to carefully consider what are my key services offered to ensure I have the resources and expertise to deliver high-quality work.