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THIS
WAY
 UP.
Honest’s upfront manifesto.
TO BE

                                                                                                                                                          Introduction
HONEST.                   An upfront introduction.
   Honest Creative. It means just what it says. Honest, unfettered,         We’re also upfront and honest with ourselves. All too many creative
uncluttered, unadorned creative work, designed to achieve results.          types these days see their sole aim in life as getting the go-ahead to run
All underscored by our simple slogan: "upfront," which                      outlandish, impractical, gratuitous and ultimately unsuccessful ideas in
conveniently and concisely encapsulates how we go about the                 their clients’ names. ey’re the kinds of people who’d claim that a
business of creating our work.                                              giant flaming radish with a Nike logo burnt into it being airlifted into
                                                                            Piccadilly Circus was "on-brand." Not that we’re against out-there
   For starters, there’s the sheer range of services we offer, right here,
                                                                            creative concepts. Quite the opposite. You only need look at our
upfront, under one roof. Too many to list but it’s safe to say that
                                                                            portfolio if you’re in any doubt as to our flair. e difference is we
whatever your marketing, online, branding, design, creative, PR, or
                                                                            understand that the message must always come above the creative
media requirements, we’ll create an honest, effective solution. And
                                                                            team’s ego. And the message must always be relevant. In short, we won’t
unlike many creative companies, we can create many of the less
                                                                            disappear up our own arts on you. By keeping our feet on the ground
glamourous (albeit equally essential) elements in-house: website
                                                                            and our heads out of the clouds, we regularly propel our customers’
building, market research and media handling, for example, are all
                                                                            sales into the stratosphere.
handled here, minimising outsourcing, maximising efficiency.
                                                                                Another area where we’re upfront with you is when it comes to the
   Naturally our upfront ethos extends to our day-to-day dealings:
                                                                            bottom line. Our prices are available for your perusal on this very
when you work with us, you’ll find that we’re refreshingly clear about
                                                                            website and, like those of pretty much every leading company from
what we do. ere’s no marketing speak, jargon, sales talk or made-up
                                                                            Apple Computer to e Big Apple Greengrocers in Dudley, they’re
bullshit formulae here. Just an open, honest appraisal of the best way
                                                                            straightforward, consistent and reasoned. Proudly contrary to the
forward. is is based on:
                                                                            tacitly-accepted practise in much of the creative world, itself a heady
   1       A discussion with you so that we clarify together what the       mix of mood-dependant thin-air-plucking, what-can-we-get-away-with
           essence of your product or service is (the brand).               derring do and the dark art of client means testing. Wherever possible,
                                                                            we aim to give you an idea of how much things will set you back before
   2       inking in our team to identify a number of possible ways
                                                                            you decide to move forward.
           to communicate your message to your target audiences (the
           campaign).                                                          And so to the upshot of upfront.
   3       Roughly outlining our thoughts to you so that you can                It’s simple really: by being upfront with our clients, they get upfront
           choose the direction you’re happiest with.                       of their competition. Like the freight operator whose email campaign
                                                                            paid for itself in 180 seconds. Or the sports event organiser whose
   4       Designing a campaign to put this message across in a way
                                                                            flagship event saw a 33% increase in participants this year. But then
           that is engaging, persuasive, on-time and within budget.
                                                                            they’re different stories for another day (although you can hear them
    Customers tell us that our appeal is largely down to the fact that we   today if you really want to by visiting our case studies page).
don’t employ account people: here at Honest, you deal upfront with the
                                                                               e choice, as they say, is clear. If you want to get ahead, get
very people who create (and therefore best understand) your work, not
                                                                            upfront.
the usual raft of salespeople or middlemen. Some agencies, you see, are
all front as opposed to upfront.                                               So email info@honestcreative.co.uk or call 01625 434847
                                                                            to up the ante.
Branding
 THE GAME
OF THE NAME.
   We take a look at how to make a name for yourself and, thus,
how to create a brand. And, of course, how we can help you do both.

     What do you think of when you hear the word "Volvo"? If              the place itself. But, let’s face it, any company could say the same
 you immediately think of the latin for "I roll," that’s very good        thing and, indeed, many companies will. Instead, the strongest,
 but not quite where we were going. No, unless you’ve been                most memorable, most successful brands only ever tell the truth.
 living with Central African Pygmies for the last 40 years, you’ve        ey just tell it very well.
 probably been conditioned to think of safety, security,
                                                                             Which is where we come in.
 reliability and practicality at the first mention of the Swedish
 auto giant. Conditioned by careful, clever marketing and                    We’ll highlight the things that differentiate you from your
 concerted brand-building most likely. But what exactly is a              competitors. Whether you’re cheaper, better, quicker, stronger,
 brand?                                                                   more dependable, higher quality, more accessible, nicer to your
                                                                          customers, greener, bespoke, whatever. We’ll find ways to
     To put it briefly, it’s a company that’s staked a monopoly to
                                                                          communicate what you do best so that it’ll be understood, admired
 a particular communications theme, or group of themes. By
                                                                          and remembered by the people you want to communicate to.
 identifying characteristics that consumers want, or would want,
                                                                          We’ll use wit, charm, shock, awe, whatever’s appropriate to deliver
 a strong brand will lay claim to them, using clever and repeated
                                                                          your message powerfully and cleverly. We’ll also convey your
 communications to seal its monopoly.
                                                                          messages consistently across everything from your website to your
    But before we go any further, let’s elaborate by way of an            annual report to your leaflets, so that people start to recognise the
 example.                                                                 familiar tone of your communiqués before they’ve even fully read
                                                                          them. After all, it’s always easier to buy from someone you know,
    And it’s back to our old friends at Volvo again.
                                                                          understand and trust.
     In an era before airbags, ABS, impact beams and most of the
                                                                              But why choose Honest over our competitors? Put simply,
 automotive life support systems we now take for granted, Volvo
                                                                          a communications company can only ever create a brand as strong
 rightly asserted that people had the odd lurking safety-related
                                                                          as its own abilities. Just as well for you that we’ve got the full
 concern about being propelled across the countryside at 70-odd
                                                                          compliment of skills, as well as experience and a proven track
 mph in a metal box full of edges sharper than one of Don Johnson’s
                                                                          record of building strong brands for everyone from universities to
 suits. So they became the first manufacturer to fit seatbelts as
                                                                          one-man-bands. Just check out our case studies to find out more.
 standard, as well as pioneering crumple zones, pedestrian impact
                                                                          And, just to prove the point, we’ve been entrusted with singing the
 protection, impact bars and countless other lifesavers. ey also
                                                                          virtues of household brands from British Airways to MTV to
 made their products to a much higher standard than most, using
                                                                          Volkswagen (a fuller list is available here on our brands page).
 rustproofing techniques when others were busy perfecting the angle
 of their fins, the piping of their seat materials or, of course,             Not only that but we’re also the only communications company
 building cars that were designed to rust and fall apart, forcing         at the time of writing that’s prepared to put its money where its
 hapless customers to upgrade on a regular basis. Needless to say,        mouth is and actually build a brand of its own. ink about it.
 Volvo wasn’t shy about trumpeting its unique virtues and, happily,       Many of our competitors will try to bully you into buying the most
 they’d found a rich brand territory indeed. So much so that even         outlandish, daring work (mostly to win awards for themselves),
 decades later in the 21st century, the company’s slogan is "For life,"   whilst simultaneously explaining little or nothing of what their
 encapsulating the enduring themes of safety, durability and brand        company stands for. What makes them different? What makes
 loyalty. Not that we’re suggesting for a second that Volvo’s             them better? eir silence, generally, speaks volumes. e way we
 admirable history of life-saving innovation has been primarily a         see it, if we’re going to persuade you to part with your hard-earned
 brand-building exercise. Far from it. Volvo was simply a                 cash for a brand idea, we’d better set about creating a brand for
 progressive, responsible company that found a niche making               ourselves.
 motoring safer and more reliable for the masses. And, like all the
                                                                             So we hope you wouldn’t buy a used Volvo or, for that matter
 best brands, the marketing simply highlighted the things Volvo did
                                                                          a brand, off anyone else.
 differently or better.
                                                                             If you’ve already read through our upfront explanations of our,
    It’s all very well claiming to have prices "you wouldn’t believe"
                                                                          copy, design, and technology, there’s really nothing more to do but
 or products "you’ll love" or printing the word "SALE" bigger than
                                                                          give us a call or email.
Copywriting
  A word
about copy.
            From the good book to a good slogan, words are of
          paramount importance. Here’s an upfront look at why.


   "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with                write detailed reports or pen sales presentations. Plenty of people
God, and the Word was God." at’s what Saint John the                   have "a way with words."
Evangelist reckoned anyway. Now there’s a guy who believed in
                                                                           Not many, though, are professionally trained writers who can
the power of the word.
                                                                        connect emotionally and intellectually with any target audience
    Indeed, in the Greek philosophical tradition of which he was a      you care to shake your stick at, to inspire, please, reassure, enrage or
part, the "Logos" (word) was seen as a power in itself. John would      shock an individual into using your business.
have known all too well that words have the potential to inspire, to
                                                                           And that’s why, here at Honest, we most certainly haven’t done
please, to reassure, to enrage, to shock. Whatever reaction you’re
                                                                        away with professional copywriters. ey’re alive, well and thriving
after, positive or negative, you name it, a word or two can achieve
                                                                        here, writing dynamic pieces of copy that readers actually
it. Words are a biblically powerful weapon indeed, not one to be
                                                                        remember reading, that readers take something out of and that
underestimated (and not one, for that matter, that ever has been
                                                                        readers relate to. Our copywriters have produced copy for everyone
underestimated by any leader worth their salt).
                                                                        from pharmaceutical giants to drug rehabilitation centres, from
    Underestimate them at your peril, for they harbour another,         sports events organisers to reiki healers, shipping magnates,
altogether more sinister power.                                         universities, the NHS, independent politicians, toy manufacturers
                                                                        and far more besides, adapting their style, tone and language to suit
    Something far more dangerous, not least from where you’re
                                                                        each individual requirement. ey’ve written copy of every
sitting: the power to inspire complete, abject indifference.
                                                                        imaginable size, from two-word slogans to award-winning
    at’s right, the potential to do nothing. ink about it. When       headlines to 20,000-word prospectuses.
did you last read a website, an advert, an annual report that was
                                                                           Crucially, our copywriters have enjoyed more than their fair
intriguing, entertaining, inspiring, or even just easy to digest?
                                                                        share of success, proving time and again that it really does pay to
Chances are it wasn’t a recent occurrence and, worse, that you can’t
                                                                        harness the power of the word.
remember the vast majority of written marketing and
communications materials that pass under your nose.                       Which, incidentally, you could do now: by picking up the
                                                                        phone and arranging a meeting (or of course writing to us).
   What a sad and unnecessary waste of everyone’s time and, of
course, a total waste of money for the poor sod who commissioned
the work.
    You see, more and more communications agencies seem to
think they can get away without the services of professional                                   Joint Creative Director, Stevie Wolfe, is a BBC-
                                                                                               trained broadcast journalist who found, one day in
copywriters, that they can cut corners and save themselves some                                2004, that the grass was greener on the creative side
filthy lucre. ey’ll charge you for copywriting but, in reality, your                          of the fence. He’s honed his unique writing skills at
copy was probably written by the sensitive-looking soul from the                               the side of world-leading industry experts who have
art department who writes poems in his spare time.                                             worked all over the world for the likes of Saatchi
                                                                                               & Saatchi, M&C Saatchi, BMP/DDB and Ogilvy
   After all everyone can write, right?                                                        & Mather. Stevie has worked for a vast array of
                                                                                               clients including Royal Doulton, Soreen, Nestle,
   Wrong.
                                                                                               Rockport, Friends Provident, e University of
  Everyone can write a postcard, fire off an email, ping out a text                             Central Lancashire and Homes In Romania.
message. Plenty of people can write very eloquent Valentine’s cards,                           Stevie is also a motorcycle writer in his spare time
Design
design of
the times.
 From high flyers to flyers it’s more important than ever for design
to be bold, beautiful, daring, and different. We take an upfront look
               at how this applies to communications.

     e most brilliant high flyer of our times turned 40 this year.       and its logos, that can’t seem to make up its mind which product
 And, like most successful types, there was little time for fanfare or    it’s pushing, will leave the audience nonplussed: by not trusting its
 celebration. e high flyer in question simply got on with the day-       products, its prices or its logo to impress at normal scale, the
 to-day business of shrinking the world. e high flyer in question?       company betrays a lack of trust in itself, its products and in the
 e Boeing 747 ‘Jumbo Jet.’ Still the fastest way of getting from A       intelligence of its audience. Never a good idea, for a lack of trust in
 to P (over 80% the speed of sound), the 747 is almost 4 times the        your audience will only ever be repaid in kind.
 sales success even Boeing predicted it would be and it’s been
                                                                             It’s safe to say that if certain marketing managers had overseen
 incredibly safe, iconic in stature and life-changing for billions to
                                                                          the Boeing 747 design, it would have been the first ever plane with
 boot. All of which makes it indisputably one of the most important
                                                                          logo-shaped wings bowed under the weight of engines the size of
 designs of our time, nay of all time, and living proof, if any were
                                                                          Chipping Sodbury, boasting 500 differently-shaped seats, just in
 needed, of the endurance and resilience of great design.
                                                                          case punters were unsure.
    Not that we’re claiming for one cotton-pickin’ second to be
                                                                             We, on the other hand, always design our material to fulfill its
 aviation experts (beyond knowing that it’s always best to order the
                                                                          purpose: no shouting, screaming or pleading here, just facts
 vegetarian meal option). Nor are we claiming that our
                                                                          displayed in a bold, confident, and compelling way, designed to
 communications material has the power to move people across
                                                                          boost confidence, recognition and, most importantly, sales. We
 continents (except in the case of holiday companies, in which case
                                                                          don’t believe bigger is better. Rather that better makes you bigger.
 we’d like to think our communications can do just that).
                                                                             To get an idea of how much better we could make your
    What we do know for sure is that, in our shrunken,
                                                                          communications, feel free to check out some examples of our
 overcrowded, sensory-overload world, the need for good design is
                                                                          design work.
 greater than ever. Whatever your product, whatever your offering,
 you need to stand out from the crowd, even if only superficially.           For although words can paint thousands of pictures, it’s
 And, if you have few competitors in your sector, it’s of paramount       probably quicker to see for yourself.
 importance to draw people’s attention to just how unique you are.
                                                                             Meanwhile, if you’ve got designs on a meeting or more
 Image, backed up by substance, is everything.
                                                                          information, feel free to contact us.
    And that’s where our design skills come in.
                                                                                                 Joint Creative Director, James E. Bott, is trained
    For a layout to paint a thousand words, it needs to be eye-                                  in D&AD and served out his apprenticeship at
 catching, immediate, relevant and, of course, well-designed. Which                              top North West agencies before being a protégé of
 means bold, different and uncluttered. Countless communications                                  industry experts from Saatchi & Saatchi, JWT, Grey
 designs these days are vying to have the most product shots per                                 and Leo Burnett. James has worked for numerous
 square inch, the biggest price listings, the first logo visible from                            brands including Michelin, Caterpillar, Soreen,
 outer space. None of which inspires consumer confidence, brand                                  Twyfords and Honda. His latest book, entitled
                                                                                                 ‘Memoirs of an Honest Creative’, is due out in
 loyalty or the ultimate aim, increased sales. In fact, more often than
                                                                                                 paperback later this year.
 not, a communications material that shouts and screams its prices
Digital
DOTTING THE ‘I’ AND
 CROSSING THE ‘T’.
     An explanation of our online technical ethos: how we weave
         the web together, what goes in and what stays out.

   e web can be sticky. Lots of businesses get caught in it.            CSS extends the visual abilities of a website, taking design to a
Some don’t make it out in one piece. But it’s nonetheless                whole new level. Like with any technology, when using CSS we
essential to virtually all businesses these days. And here at            focus on the core commands, rather than the cutting-edge ones.
Honest, we’re better equipped than most communications                   While the more complex commands can achieve complex and
agencies to navigate the pitfalls and exploit the limitless              fashionable features, they’re often restricted to one browser or
potential out there, whether it’s online locally or half way             sacrifice reliability and usability. So when a browser does need the
around the world.                                                        extra code to comply with our standard command set, we’ll add it
                                                                         in such a way that doesn’t compromise how consistent your website
    at’s because we’re one of the very few communications
                                                                         looks on other browsers, or how successful its search engine
agencies with a fully-integrated technical division. Lots of agencies
                                                                         performance is (search engines like clear, simple coding so we file
will sell you a "website" that’s designed by creative types in funny
                                                                         browser-specific code separately). For extra functionality we use
shoes with a woefully insufficient understanding of technical
                                                                         plenty of PHP and a little Javascript. PHP allows us to include
matters. Lots of other companies call themselves specialist web
                                                                         database and other real-time dynamic information, while Javascript
design agencies, which generally means they’re solely populated by
                                                                         allows us to extend functionality of older browsers and present
tech-types with no appreciation for the finer points of design.
                                                                         information in clever ways, such as with full-screen content
Consequently, you either get a website that looks pretty but works
                                                                         presentation. e Javascript we use degrades gracefully, so if
as often as a French dock worker or one that works fine but looks
                                                                         someone cannot access this technology, the site continues to
like it was designed by Ray Charles. Or you pay extra (probably
                                                                         function at a simpler level.
without knowing it) to have your website job sub-contracted to a
different company for either aesthetic or technical tinkering.                Most importantly (and uniquely), we test our websites on
                                                                         practically every web browser, new, old, popular and hens’-teeth
   Or you get your communications designed and built here at
                                                                         rare. Our code is written and refined with the emphasis on
Honest, where creatives and tech-types work together under one
                                                                         maximum visual compatibility. So by getting an Honest website
roof to create a website that looks nice and works well, at the same
                                                                         you’re guaranteeing visibility and functionality for every potential
price as some of the cheapest "one stop shops." Revolutionary we
                                                                         customer, whether they’re looking at your presence on a PC, Mac
know but we believe in providing all the services you need right
                                                                         or Web-book, running Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Opera,
here, upfront.
                                                                         you name it.
   Now, you can read more about our very own funny-shoe-
                                                                             All of which means that when it comes to choosing a company
wearing creative types on our design and copy pages and about our
                                                                         to develop your online presence, build e-mailers, maintain your
overriding creative philosophy on our brand page, and even about
                                                                         existing site, we win on a technicality.
our pricing should you so wish, all of which, we hope, will
persuade you that we’re by far the best option from a prettiness, a         Several actually.
readability, a consistency and a cost-efficiency point of view. But
                                                                            So why not use the wonders of modern technology now to drop
what about a technical one?
                                                                         us an e-mail or phone call?
   Well, let’s talk tech.
                                                                           at way we can set up a reassuringly old-fashioned face-to-face
    For starters, we like to keep things simple so that our structures   meeting.
are understood, no matter the kind of computer or web-browser
people choose to use. at’s why the foundations of our sites are
built using HTML. is age-old technology has its restrictions but
is understood by and works well with all web browsers. We then            Media Director, Ben Carnes, has spent his career working on an incredibly
                                                                          diverse range of projects as a media and technology consultant. Highlights
weave in other technologies to achieve additional style and               include contributing to Teletext’s Digitizer service and Viacom’s
functionality. For example, we’ll use the basis of a technology called    MTV Europe, plus co-developing the original online presence for the
CSS, which is very widely-understood by all modern web-browsers.          Big Brother UK franchise.
Market research
 OUR LATEST
   SERVICE:
MIND-READING.
    To get the most from your marketing budget, you sometimes
           need to get inside the minds of your customers.


    Marketing and communications are rare old beasts. ey’re          understand that people often buy things to satisfy wants and desires
one of the few things you can spend your money on and be left         rather than needs.
with no clue as to whether you’ve spent wisely. Has anyone read
                                                                          For example, people don’t necessarily buy the latest Paco
your communiqué? Is your brand more widely recognised? After
                                                                      Rabanne perfume because they like the smell. ey may be buying
all, if you’re trying to boost brand awareness and not sales (sales
                                                                      romance or, to put it another way, attractiveness. e new exercise
kind of speak for themselves), it’s often a mighty tough thing to
                                                                      machine might not sell because of the latest features, but because
assess without talking to vast swathes of the population.
                                                                      customers are buying a healthier, trimmer body. It’s always crucial
Which is where some thorough research comes in.
                                                                      to think about your customers’ motivations when you’re planning
    ere’s always an element of research built into any               a marketing campaign.
communications piece, whether it’s a fully-blown consumer
                                                                          From a psychological point of view, it’s vital to establish trust
profile or simply your agency asking you what your punters are
                                                                      and form a relationship with the recipients of your
like. e more information the creative team can get its hands on,
                                                                      communications material. Most customers have been burned,
the more accurately targeted the communication.
                                                                      treated badly, swindled, or disenchanted at least once so they may
   Research can take all sorts of forms and we’ve commissioned        not jump at the chance to buy something unless they have a sense
independent research in the following areas:                          of confidence in the seller. In an age where people are tired of
                                                                      receiving spam and a glut of marketing materials, the modern
   - product R&D,
                                                                      consumer has become savvy, selective and cynical. It’s therefore
   - statistical analysis,                                            important to build a level of trust in all your communications,
                                                                      speaking to your customers on the same level, in language they
   - data analysis,
                                                                      can understand.
   - profiling customers,
                                                                          Finally there’s the proof of the pudding. Maybe you want to
   - correlations,                                                    research whether there’s any need to refresh your marketing
                                                                      material at all, or maybe you want to see if your new marketing’s
   - target specific advertising,
                                                                      been successful; some cold hard figures can help you see if your
   - thematic analysis,                                               agency is earning its keep or taking the proverbial.
   - and research collecting and analysis.                                And an agency is far more likely to do the former if it’s got
                                                                      a structured, clear, proven method of getting results.
    Once armed with that information, our creatives have years of
experience ‘swapping shoes’ with punters of all denominations and        Rather like Honest, really.
talking to them in a relevant, understandable way. Let’s face it,
                                                                         So, if you haven’t already, do some preliminary research of
what use is a piece of communication if it addresses the wrong
                                                                      your own and check out our copy, design and technology pages.
people?
                                                                        If you’ve already done that, maybe it’s time you called or
  All marketing relies on some knowledge of basic psychology and
                                                                      emailed to arrange a meeting of minds.
human behavior and even the very least competent agencies
Case studies
  Why
 upfront
  is the
best way
forward.
 Some honest case studies.
Financial
P&O Ferries Freight.
    We were asked to create a series of emails to be designed               On P&O’s list of recipients was a group of individuals whose
 which advertised P&O’s special freight insurance, available           spending power was formidable. Should just one of these big guns
 as a lucrative add-on feature for middlemen to sell on to             sign up to reselling P&O’s freight insurance, it would mean big
 their clients.                                                        bucks for the ferry giant. Sure enough, one member of the wanted
                                                                       list signed up within 3 minutes of the email being sent, paying for
     We produced an email playing off P&O’s reputation as a
                                                                       the entire ad campaign and far more besides.
 front-running shipping magnate. Using an image of a paper boat
 made from an origami-folded £20 note, we announced the launch
 of the new "pocket liner," the vehicle designed to line the pockets
 of middlemen everywhere.
Retail
Discount Electricals.
   We were asked to design a full rebrand for Discount
Electricals, including a new website with as sophisticated store,
a suite of emailers and managing the company’s eBay store.
    We devised a unique brand for Discount, asking punters to
"Count the savings." We wrote and designed loads of headline
adverts that have been used on eye-catching emailers to potential
customers, as well as throughout the new website. You can see the
site for yourself at www.discountelectricals.com.
   We doubled Discount Electricals’ eBay takings in one weekend
and we’ve seen more and more clicks on the website.
   Need we say more?
Service
Webpage Software Ltd.
   We were asked to design an eye-catching ad campaign
and brochure for Webpage Software, a trade only company
specialising in building and maintaining website back-ends
on behalf of design agencies.
   To dramatise the danger of potential clients producing nicely-
designed but poorly coded websites, we came up with an amusing
graphic depiction of back ends "letting you down," from a Ferrari
288 GTO with a Lada Samara back end, to a cheetah sporting the
back end of a snail.
    e brochure has proved a huge hit, and has resulted in a glut
of enquiries.
Professional
Gorvins Solicitors.
    We were asked to produce a suite of over 30 press adverts
for the largest family-run law firm outside London. Beating
a leading Liverpool agency to the job, we should add.
   We produced a series of clever headlines to explain everything
from Gorvins’ will-writing services (Good Wills To All Men) to
their litigation team (Litigating Circumstances?) to Police Divorces
(Divorce: we’ll read you your rights).
    e campaign hasn’t yet appeared across busbacks, adshels,
billboards, emailers, press adverts and direct mail but it will, and
you’ll be the first to hear the results when it does. Meanwhile,
the client is very happy, which is always a good start.
Social media
myebook.com
   What was asked? What wasn’t? We were asked to design the                We obviously succeeded in making the website look appealing.
entire website for myebook.com, a resource allowing anyone to          Or appealing to Capcom, Universal, Manga, Warner Bros. and
create and share their own book.                                       Midway anyway, who’ve all commissioned us to design their very
                                                                       own interactive ebooks. Indeed, Universal Music has gone as far as
    Our website is carefully designed to be intuitive, to make sense
                                                                       to remove its entire content from youtube.com in favour of
and to look appealing. It’s backed up by an ad campaign in which
                                                                       myebook. Watch this space.
we illustrate how "everyone’s got a book in them," by showing a
series of eye-catching images where people have bookmarks
hanging out of their mouths.
Sport
Kilo To Go.
    Kilo To Go was already a well-established name in cycling      On closer inspection, it’s actually a bike saddle tapering away into
event organising when they came to us. e problem was, they        the distance. Another image shows a set of bicycle helmets arranged
didn’t have a brand. ey asked us to dream up a brand, as well     to look like a cat’s face, created to promote e Cheshire Cat event.
as to design and produce a full suite of marketing materials and   e images were used for a series of eye-catching press adverts in
a website based around the idea that no-one gets people cycling    Cycling Plus magazine and are used throughout Kilo To Go’s brand
like Kilo To Go.                                                   spanking new website.
    We came up with a series of dramatic "double-take" images         Whilst the season is yet young, Kilo To Go’s rebrand helped to
using cycling paraphernalia to create what appear to be sweeping   increase participants in this year’s Cheshire Cat from 1200 to 1600.
vistas. e slogan we used was "On yer bike, Britain." Images       e new website, at kilotogo.com, has been a hit, with universally
included a seemingly flat landscape with a straight road and a     positive feedback from registered users.
glinting horizon, advertising the Flatout in the Fens event.
Retail
shoes.co.uk
    One of the UK’s foremost online shoe stores asked Honest
to facelift its website. With over 50 brands on offer and more
arriving all the time, this was no small job.
   We dramatised the idea of customers getting their hands on the
best shoes with a series of disarming images depicting shoes being
"worn" by arms.
   e campaign is due to go live later this year.
Packaging
LEVV.
   We’ve been asked to produce smart packaging for LEVV,
a company specialising in budget AV and office furniture.
Packaging for over 60 products in fact.
    We’ve developed a simple, smart look for LEVV’s products,
keeping production costs low but giving the whole range a quality
feel that their competitors simply don’t have.
    Although many of the 60 packages are still in production, the
first few off the press have already impressed enough get LEVV into
Morrison’s, Focus, TJ Hughes and Tesco stores all over the country.
Archive
From the archives.
House ads
Shameless self promotion.
HONEST PEOPLE




                                                                                                                 People
   James E. Bott                                              Joint Creative Director
      James is trained in D&AD and served out his apprenticeship at top North West agencies before being
   a protégé of industry experts from Saatchi & Saatchi, JWT, Grey and Leo Burnett. James has worked for
   numerous brands including Michelin, Caterpillar, Soreen, Twyfords and Honda. His latest book, entitled
   'Memoirs of an Honest Creative', is due out in paperback later this year.




   Stevie Wolfe                                         Joint Creative Director
      Stevie is a BBC-trained broadcast journalist who found, one day in 2004, that the grass was greener on
   the creative side of the fence. He's honed his unique writing skills at the side of world-leading industry
   experts who have worked all over the world for the likes of Saatchi & Saatchi, M&C Saatchi, BMP/DDB
   and Ogilvy & Mather. Stevie has worked for a vast array of clients including Royal Doulton, Soreen, Nestle,
   Rockport, Friends Provident, e University of Central Lancashire and Homes In Romania. Stevie is also a
   motorcycle writer in his spare time.




   Ben Carnes                                       Media Director
      Ben has spent his career working on an incredibly diverse range of projects as a media and technology
   consultant. Highlights include contributing to Teletext's Digitizer service and Viacom's MTV Europe, plus
   co-developing the original online presence for the Big Brother UK franchise.
Contact
Contact us.




              Macclesfield Office
              Honest Creative Ltd.
              Honest House
              7 Spring Gardens
              Macclesfield
              Cheshire
              SK10 2AP

              Direct Telephone:
              +44 (0) 1625 434 847

              E-Mail:
              info@honestcreative.co.uk

              Skype:
              honestcreative

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Thiswayup

  • 2. TO BE Introduction HONEST. An upfront introduction. Honest Creative. It means just what it says. Honest, unfettered, We’re also upfront and honest with ourselves. All too many creative uncluttered, unadorned creative work, designed to achieve results. types these days see their sole aim in life as getting the go-ahead to run All underscored by our simple slogan: "upfront," which outlandish, impractical, gratuitous and ultimately unsuccessful ideas in conveniently and concisely encapsulates how we go about the their clients’ names. ey’re the kinds of people who’d claim that a business of creating our work. giant flaming radish with a Nike logo burnt into it being airlifted into Piccadilly Circus was "on-brand." Not that we’re against out-there For starters, there’s the sheer range of services we offer, right here, creative concepts. Quite the opposite. You only need look at our upfront, under one roof. Too many to list but it’s safe to say that portfolio if you’re in any doubt as to our flair. e difference is we whatever your marketing, online, branding, design, creative, PR, or understand that the message must always come above the creative media requirements, we’ll create an honest, effective solution. And team’s ego. And the message must always be relevant. In short, we won’t unlike many creative companies, we can create many of the less disappear up our own arts on you. By keeping our feet on the ground glamourous (albeit equally essential) elements in-house: website and our heads out of the clouds, we regularly propel our customers’ building, market research and media handling, for example, are all sales into the stratosphere. handled here, minimising outsourcing, maximising efficiency. Another area where we’re upfront with you is when it comes to the Naturally our upfront ethos extends to our day-to-day dealings: bottom line. Our prices are available for your perusal on this very when you work with us, you’ll find that we’re refreshingly clear about website and, like those of pretty much every leading company from what we do. ere’s no marketing speak, jargon, sales talk or made-up Apple Computer to e Big Apple Greengrocers in Dudley, they’re bullshit formulae here. Just an open, honest appraisal of the best way straightforward, consistent and reasoned. Proudly contrary to the forward. is is based on: tacitly-accepted practise in much of the creative world, itself a heady 1 A discussion with you so that we clarify together what the mix of mood-dependant thin-air-plucking, what-can-we-get-away-with essence of your product or service is (the brand). derring do and the dark art of client means testing. Wherever possible, we aim to give you an idea of how much things will set you back before 2 inking in our team to identify a number of possible ways you decide to move forward. to communicate your message to your target audiences (the campaign). And so to the upshot of upfront. 3 Roughly outlining our thoughts to you so that you can It’s simple really: by being upfront with our clients, they get upfront choose the direction you’re happiest with. of their competition. Like the freight operator whose email campaign paid for itself in 180 seconds. Or the sports event organiser whose 4 Designing a campaign to put this message across in a way flagship event saw a 33% increase in participants this year. But then that is engaging, persuasive, on-time and within budget. they’re different stories for another day (although you can hear them Customers tell us that our appeal is largely down to the fact that we today if you really want to by visiting our case studies page). don’t employ account people: here at Honest, you deal upfront with the e choice, as they say, is clear. If you want to get ahead, get very people who create (and therefore best understand) your work, not upfront. the usual raft of salespeople or middlemen. Some agencies, you see, are all front as opposed to upfront. So email info@honestcreative.co.uk or call 01625 434847 to up the ante.
  • 3. Branding THE GAME OF THE NAME. We take a look at how to make a name for yourself and, thus, how to create a brand. And, of course, how we can help you do both. What do you think of when you hear the word "Volvo"? If the place itself. But, let’s face it, any company could say the same you immediately think of the latin for "I roll," that’s very good thing and, indeed, many companies will. Instead, the strongest, but not quite where we were going. No, unless you’ve been most memorable, most successful brands only ever tell the truth. living with Central African Pygmies for the last 40 years, you’ve ey just tell it very well. probably been conditioned to think of safety, security, Which is where we come in. reliability and practicality at the first mention of the Swedish auto giant. Conditioned by careful, clever marketing and We’ll highlight the things that differentiate you from your concerted brand-building most likely. But what exactly is a competitors. Whether you’re cheaper, better, quicker, stronger, brand? more dependable, higher quality, more accessible, nicer to your customers, greener, bespoke, whatever. We’ll find ways to To put it briefly, it’s a company that’s staked a monopoly to communicate what you do best so that it’ll be understood, admired a particular communications theme, or group of themes. By and remembered by the people you want to communicate to. identifying characteristics that consumers want, or would want, We’ll use wit, charm, shock, awe, whatever’s appropriate to deliver a strong brand will lay claim to them, using clever and repeated your message powerfully and cleverly. We’ll also convey your communications to seal its monopoly. messages consistently across everything from your website to your But before we go any further, let’s elaborate by way of an annual report to your leaflets, so that people start to recognise the example. familiar tone of your communiqués before they’ve even fully read them. After all, it’s always easier to buy from someone you know, And it’s back to our old friends at Volvo again. understand and trust. In an era before airbags, ABS, impact beams and most of the But why choose Honest over our competitors? Put simply, automotive life support systems we now take for granted, Volvo a communications company can only ever create a brand as strong rightly asserted that people had the odd lurking safety-related as its own abilities. Just as well for you that we’ve got the full concern about being propelled across the countryside at 70-odd compliment of skills, as well as experience and a proven track mph in a metal box full of edges sharper than one of Don Johnson’s record of building strong brands for everyone from universities to suits. So they became the first manufacturer to fit seatbelts as one-man-bands. Just check out our case studies to find out more. standard, as well as pioneering crumple zones, pedestrian impact And, just to prove the point, we’ve been entrusted with singing the protection, impact bars and countless other lifesavers. ey also virtues of household brands from British Airways to MTV to made their products to a much higher standard than most, using Volkswagen (a fuller list is available here on our brands page). rustproofing techniques when others were busy perfecting the angle of their fins, the piping of their seat materials or, of course, Not only that but we’re also the only communications company building cars that were designed to rust and fall apart, forcing at the time of writing that’s prepared to put its money where its hapless customers to upgrade on a regular basis. Needless to say, mouth is and actually build a brand of its own. ink about it. Volvo wasn’t shy about trumpeting its unique virtues and, happily, Many of our competitors will try to bully you into buying the most they’d found a rich brand territory indeed. So much so that even outlandish, daring work (mostly to win awards for themselves), decades later in the 21st century, the company’s slogan is "For life," whilst simultaneously explaining little or nothing of what their encapsulating the enduring themes of safety, durability and brand company stands for. What makes them different? What makes loyalty. Not that we’re suggesting for a second that Volvo’s them better? eir silence, generally, speaks volumes. e way we admirable history of life-saving innovation has been primarily a see it, if we’re going to persuade you to part with your hard-earned brand-building exercise. Far from it. Volvo was simply a cash for a brand idea, we’d better set about creating a brand for progressive, responsible company that found a niche making ourselves. motoring safer and more reliable for the masses. And, like all the So we hope you wouldn’t buy a used Volvo or, for that matter best brands, the marketing simply highlighted the things Volvo did a brand, off anyone else. differently or better. If you’ve already read through our upfront explanations of our, It’s all very well claiming to have prices "you wouldn’t believe" copy, design, and technology, there’s really nothing more to do but or products "you’ll love" or printing the word "SALE" bigger than give us a call or email.
  • 4. Copywriting A word about copy. From the good book to a good slogan, words are of paramount importance. Here’s an upfront look at why. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with write detailed reports or pen sales presentations. Plenty of people God, and the Word was God." at’s what Saint John the have "a way with words." Evangelist reckoned anyway. Now there’s a guy who believed in Not many, though, are professionally trained writers who can the power of the word. connect emotionally and intellectually with any target audience Indeed, in the Greek philosophical tradition of which he was a you care to shake your stick at, to inspire, please, reassure, enrage or part, the "Logos" (word) was seen as a power in itself. John would shock an individual into using your business. have known all too well that words have the potential to inspire, to And that’s why, here at Honest, we most certainly haven’t done please, to reassure, to enrage, to shock. Whatever reaction you’re away with professional copywriters. ey’re alive, well and thriving after, positive or negative, you name it, a word or two can achieve here, writing dynamic pieces of copy that readers actually it. Words are a biblically powerful weapon indeed, not one to be remember reading, that readers take something out of and that underestimated (and not one, for that matter, that ever has been readers relate to. Our copywriters have produced copy for everyone underestimated by any leader worth their salt). from pharmaceutical giants to drug rehabilitation centres, from Underestimate them at your peril, for they harbour another, sports events organisers to reiki healers, shipping magnates, altogether more sinister power. universities, the NHS, independent politicians, toy manufacturers and far more besides, adapting their style, tone and language to suit Something far more dangerous, not least from where you’re each individual requirement. ey’ve written copy of every sitting: the power to inspire complete, abject indifference. imaginable size, from two-word slogans to award-winning at’s right, the potential to do nothing. ink about it. When headlines to 20,000-word prospectuses. did you last read a website, an advert, an annual report that was Crucially, our copywriters have enjoyed more than their fair intriguing, entertaining, inspiring, or even just easy to digest? share of success, proving time and again that it really does pay to Chances are it wasn’t a recent occurrence and, worse, that you can’t harness the power of the word. remember the vast majority of written marketing and communications materials that pass under your nose. Which, incidentally, you could do now: by picking up the phone and arranging a meeting (or of course writing to us). What a sad and unnecessary waste of everyone’s time and, of course, a total waste of money for the poor sod who commissioned the work. You see, more and more communications agencies seem to think they can get away without the services of professional Joint Creative Director, Stevie Wolfe, is a BBC- trained broadcast journalist who found, one day in copywriters, that they can cut corners and save themselves some 2004, that the grass was greener on the creative side filthy lucre. ey’ll charge you for copywriting but, in reality, your of the fence. He’s honed his unique writing skills at copy was probably written by the sensitive-looking soul from the the side of world-leading industry experts who have art department who writes poems in his spare time. worked all over the world for the likes of Saatchi & Saatchi, M&C Saatchi, BMP/DDB and Ogilvy After all everyone can write, right? & Mather. Stevie has worked for a vast array of clients including Royal Doulton, Soreen, Nestle, Wrong. Rockport, Friends Provident, e University of Everyone can write a postcard, fire off an email, ping out a text Central Lancashire and Homes In Romania. message. Plenty of people can write very eloquent Valentine’s cards, Stevie is also a motorcycle writer in his spare time
  • 5. Design design of the times. From high flyers to flyers it’s more important than ever for design to be bold, beautiful, daring, and different. We take an upfront look at how this applies to communications. e most brilliant high flyer of our times turned 40 this year. and its logos, that can’t seem to make up its mind which product And, like most successful types, there was little time for fanfare or it’s pushing, will leave the audience nonplussed: by not trusting its celebration. e high flyer in question simply got on with the day- products, its prices or its logo to impress at normal scale, the to-day business of shrinking the world. e high flyer in question? company betrays a lack of trust in itself, its products and in the e Boeing 747 ‘Jumbo Jet.’ Still the fastest way of getting from A intelligence of its audience. Never a good idea, for a lack of trust in to P (over 80% the speed of sound), the 747 is almost 4 times the your audience will only ever be repaid in kind. sales success even Boeing predicted it would be and it’s been It’s safe to say that if certain marketing managers had overseen incredibly safe, iconic in stature and life-changing for billions to the Boeing 747 design, it would have been the first ever plane with boot. All of which makes it indisputably one of the most important logo-shaped wings bowed under the weight of engines the size of designs of our time, nay of all time, and living proof, if any were Chipping Sodbury, boasting 500 differently-shaped seats, just in needed, of the endurance and resilience of great design. case punters were unsure. Not that we’re claiming for one cotton-pickin’ second to be We, on the other hand, always design our material to fulfill its aviation experts (beyond knowing that it’s always best to order the purpose: no shouting, screaming or pleading here, just facts vegetarian meal option). Nor are we claiming that our displayed in a bold, confident, and compelling way, designed to communications material has the power to move people across boost confidence, recognition and, most importantly, sales. We continents (except in the case of holiday companies, in which case don’t believe bigger is better. Rather that better makes you bigger. we’d like to think our communications can do just that). To get an idea of how much better we could make your What we do know for sure is that, in our shrunken, communications, feel free to check out some examples of our overcrowded, sensory-overload world, the need for good design is design work. greater than ever. Whatever your product, whatever your offering, you need to stand out from the crowd, even if only superficially. For although words can paint thousands of pictures, it’s And, if you have few competitors in your sector, it’s of paramount probably quicker to see for yourself. importance to draw people’s attention to just how unique you are. Meanwhile, if you’ve got designs on a meeting or more Image, backed up by substance, is everything. information, feel free to contact us. And that’s where our design skills come in. Joint Creative Director, James E. Bott, is trained For a layout to paint a thousand words, it needs to be eye- in D&AD and served out his apprenticeship at catching, immediate, relevant and, of course, well-designed. Which top North West agencies before being a protégé of means bold, different and uncluttered. Countless communications industry experts from Saatchi & Saatchi, JWT, Grey designs these days are vying to have the most product shots per and Leo Burnett. James has worked for numerous square inch, the biggest price listings, the first logo visible from brands including Michelin, Caterpillar, Soreen, outer space. None of which inspires consumer confidence, brand Twyfords and Honda. His latest book, entitled ‘Memoirs of an Honest Creative’, is due out in loyalty or the ultimate aim, increased sales. In fact, more often than paperback later this year. not, a communications material that shouts and screams its prices
  • 6. Digital DOTTING THE ‘I’ AND CROSSING THE ‘T’. An explanation of our online technical ethos: how we weave the web together, what goes in and what stays out. e web can be sticky. Lots of businesses get caught in it. CSS extends the visual abilities of a website, taking design to a Some don’t make it out in one piece. But it’s nonetheless whole new level. Like with any technology, when using CSS we essential to virtually all businesses these days. And here at focus on the core commands, rather than the cutting-edge ones. Honest, we’re better equipped than most communications While the more complex commands can achieve complex and agencies to navigate the pitfalls and exploit the limitless fashionable features, they’re often restricted to one browser or potential out there, whether it’s online locally or half way sacrifice reliability and usability. So when a browser does need the around the world. extra code to comply with our standard command set, we’ll add it in such a way that doesn’t compromise how consistent your website at’s because we’re one of the very few communications looks on other browsers, or how successful its search engine agencies with a fully-integrated technical division. Lots of agencies performance is (search engines like clear, simple coding so we file will sell you a "website" that’s designed by creative types in funny browser-specific code separately). For extra functionality we use shoes with a woefully insufficient understanding of technical plenty of PHP and a little Javascript. PHP allows us to include matters. Lots of other companies call themselves specialist web database and other real-time dynamic information, while Javascript design agencies, which generally means they’re solely populated by allows us to extend functionality of older browsers and present tech-types with no appreciation for the finer points of design. information in clever ways, such as with full-screen content Consequently, you either get a website that looks pretty but works presentation. e Javascript we use degrades gracefully, so if as often as a French dock worker or one that works fine but looks someone cannot access this technology, the site continues to like it was designed by Ray Charles. Or you pay extra (probably function at a simpler level. without knowing it) to have your website job sub-contracted to a different company for either aesthetic or technical tinkering. Most importantly (and uniquely), we test our websites on practically every web browser, new, old, popular and hens’-teeth Or you get your communications designed and built here at rare. Our code is written and refined with the emphasis on Honest, where creatives and tech-types work together under one maximum visual compatibility. So by getting an Honest website roof to create a website that looks nice and works well, at the same you’re guaranteeing visibility and functionality for every potential price as some of the cheapest "one stop shops." Revolutionary we customer, whether they’re looking at your presence on a PC, Mac know but we believe in providing all the services you need right or Web-book, running Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Opera, here, upfront. you name it. Now, you can read more about our very own funny-shoe- All of which means that when it comes to choosing a company wearing creative types on our design and copy pages and about our to develop your online presence, build e-mailers, maintain your overriding creative philosophy on our brand page, and even about existing site, we win on a technicality. our pricing should you so wish, all of which, we hope, will persuade you that we’re by far the best option from a prettiness, a Several actually. readability, a consistency and a cost-efficiency point of view. But So why not use the wonders of modern technology now to drop what about a technical one? us an e-mail or phone call? Well, let’s talk tech. at way we can set up a reassuringly old-fashioned face-to-face For starters, we like to keep things simple so that our structures meeting. are understood, no matter the kind of computer or web-browser people choose to use. at’s why the foundations of our sites are built using HTML. is age-old technology has its restrictions but is understood by and works well with all web browsers. We then Media Director, Ben Carnes, has spent his career working on an incredibly diverse range of projects as a media and technology consultant. Highlights weave in other technologies to achieve additional style and include contributing to Teletext’s Digitizer service and Viacom’s functionality. For example, we’ll use the basis of a technology called MTV Europe, plus co-developing the original online presence for the CSS, which is very widely-understood by all modern web-browsers. Big Brother UK franchise.
  • 7. Market research OUR LATEST SERVICE: MIND-READING. To get the most from your marketing budget, you sometimes need to get inside the minds of your customers. Marketing and communications are rare old beasts. ey’re understand that people often buy things to satisfy wants and desires one of the few things you can spend your money on and be left rather than needs. with no clue as to whether you’ve spent wisely. Has anyone read For example, people don’t necessarily buy the latest Paco your communiqué? Is your brand more widely recognised? After Rabanne perfume because they like the smell. ey may be buying all, if you’re trying to boost brand awareness and not sales (sales romance or, to put it another way, attractiveness. e new exercise kind of speak for themselves), it’s often a mighty tough thing to machine might not sell because of the latest features, but because assess without talking to vast swathes of the population. customers are buying a healthier, trimmer body. It’s always crucial Which is where some thorough research comes in. to think about your customers’ motivations when you’re planning ere’s always an element of research built into any a marketing campaign. communications piece, whether it’s a fully-blown consumer From a psychological point of view, it’s vital to establish trust profile or simply your agency asking you what your punters are and form a relationship with the recipients of your like. e more information the creative team can get its hands on, communications material. Most customers have been burned, the more accurately targeted the communication. treated badly, swindled, or disenchanted at least once so they may Research can take all sorts of forms and we’ve commissioned not jump at the chance to buy something unless they have a sense independent research in the following areas: of confidence in the seller. In an age where people are tired of receiving spam and a glut of marketing materials, the modern - product R&D, consumer has become savvy, selective and cynical. It’s therefore - statistical analysis, important to build a level of trust in all your communications, speaking to your customers on the same level, in language they - data analysis, can understand. - profiling customers, Finally there’s the proof of the pudding. Maybe you want to - correlations, research whether there’s any need to refresh your marketing material at all, or maybe you want to see if your new marketing’s - target specific advertising, been successful; some cold hard figures can help you see if your - thematic analysis, agency is earning its keep or taking the proverbial. - and research collecting and analysis. And an agency is far more likely to do the former if it’s got a structured, clear, proven method of getting results. Once armed with that information, our creatives have years of experience ‘swapping shoes’ with punters of all denominations and Rather like Honest, really. talking to them in a relevant, understandable way. Let’s face it, So, if you haven’t already, do some preliminary research of what use is a piece of communication if it addresses the wrong your own and check out our copy, design and technology pages. people? If you’ve already done that, maybe it’s time you called or All marketing relies on some knowledge of basic psychology and emailed to arrange a meeting of minds. human behavior and even the very least competent agencies
  • 8. Case studies Why upfront is the best way forward. Some honest case studies.
  • 9. Financial P&O Ferries Freight. We were asked to create a series of emails to be designed On P&O’s list of recipients was a group of individuals whose which advertised P&O’s special freight insurance, available spending power was formidable. Should just one of these big guns as a lucrative add-on feature for middlemen to sell on to sign up to reselling P&O’s freight insurance, it would mean big their clients. bucks for the ferry giant. Sure enough, one member of the wanted list signed up within 3 minutes of the email being sent, paying for We produced an email playing off P&O’s reputation as a the entire ad campaign and far more besides. front-running shipping magnate. Using an image of a paper boat made from an origami-folded £20 note, we announced the launch of the new "pocket liner," the vehicle designed to line the pockets of middlemen everywhere.
  • 10. Retail Discount Electricals. We were asked to design a full rebrand for Discount Electricals, including a new website with as sophisticated store, a suite of emailers and managing the company’s eBay store. We devised a unique brand for Discount, asking punters to "Count the savings." We wrote and designed loads of headline adverts that have been used on eye-catching emailers to potential customers, as well as throughout the new website. You can see the site for yourself at www.discountelectricals.com. We doubled Discount Electricals’ eBay takings in one weekend and we’ve seen more and more clicks on the website. Need we say more?
  • 11. Service Webpage Software Ltd. We were asked to design an eye-catching ad campaign and brochure for Webpage Software, a trade only company specialising in building and maintaining website back-ends on behalf of design agencies. To dramatise the danger of potential clients producing nicely- designed but poorly coded websites, we came up with an amusing graphic depiction of back ends "letting you down," from a Ferrari 288 GTO with a Lada Samara back end, to a cheetah sporting the back end of a snail. e brochure has proved a huge hit, and has resulted in a glut of enquiries.
  • 12. Professional Gorvins Solicitors. We were asked to produce a suite of over 30 press adverts for the largest family-run law firm outside London. Beating a leading Liverpool agency to the job, we should add. We produced a series of clever headlines to explain everything from Gorvins’ will-writing services (Good Wills To All Men) to their litigation team (Litigating Circumstances?) to Police Divorces (Divorce: we’ll read you your rights). e campaign hasn’t yet appeared across busbacks, adshels, billboards, emailers, press adverts and direct mail but it will, and you’ll be the first to hear the results when it does. Meanwhile, the client is very happy, which is always a good start.
  • 13. Social media myebook.com What was asked? What wasn’t? We were asked to design the We obviously succeeded in making the website look appealing. entire website for myebook.com, a resource allowing anyone to Or appealing to Capcom, Universal, Manga, Warner Bros. and create and share their own book. Midway anyway, who’ve all commissioned us to design their very own interactive ebooks. Indeed, Universal Music has gone as far as Our website is carefully designed to be intuitive, to make sense to remove its entire content from youtube.com in favour of and to look appealing. It’s backed up by an ad campaign in which myebook. Watch this space. we illustrate how "everyone’s got a book in them," by showing a series of eye-catching images where people have bookmarks hanging out of their mouths.
  • 14. Sport Kilo To Go. Kilo To Go was already a well-established name in cycling On closer inspection, it’s actually a bike saddle tapering away into event organising when they came to us. e problem was, they the distance. Another image shows a set of bicycle helmets arranged didn’t have a brand. ey asked us to dream up a brand, as well to look like a cat’s face, created to promote e Cheshire Cat event. as to design and produce a full suite of marketing materials and e images were used for a series of eye-catching press adverts in a website based around the idea that no-one gets people cycling Cycling Plus magazine and are used throughout Kilo To Go’s brand like Kilo To Go. spanking new website. We came up with a series of dramatic "double-take" images Whilst the season is yet young, Kilo To Go’s rebrand helped to using cycling paraphernalia to create what appear to be sweeping increase participants in this year’s Cheshire Cat from 1200 to 1600. vistas. e slogan we used was "On yer bike, Britain." Images e new website, at kilotogo.com, has been a hit, with universally included a seemingly flat landscape with a straight road and a positive feedback from registered users. glinting horizon, advertising the Flatout in the Fens event.
  • 15. Retail shoes.co.uk One of the UK’s foremost online shoe stores asked Honest to facelift its website. With over 50 brands on offer and more arriving all the time, this was no small job. We dramatised the idea of customers getting their hands on the best shoes with a series of disarming images depicting shoes being "worn" by arms. e campaign is due to go live later this year.
  • 16. Packaging LEVV. We’ve been asked to produce smart packaging for LEVV, a company specialising in budget AV and office furniture. Packaging for over 60 products in fact. We’ve developed a simple, smart look for LEVV’s products, keeping production costs low but giving the whole range a quality feel that their competitors simply don’t have. Although many of the 60 packages are still in production, the first few off the press have already impressed enough get LEVV into Morrison’s, Focus, TJ Hughes and Tesco stores all over the country.
  • 19. HONEST PEOPLE People James E. Bott Joint Creative Director James is trained in D&AD and served out his apprenticeship at top North West agencies before being a protégé of industry experts from Saatchi & Saatchi, JWT, Grey and Leo Burnett. James has worked for numerous brands including Michelin, Caterpillar, Soreen, Twyfords and Honda. His latest book, entitled 'Memoirs of an Honest Creative', is due out in paperback later this year. Stevie Wolfe Joint Creative Director Stevie is a BBC-trained broadcast journalist who found, one day in 2004, that the grass was greener on the creative side of the fence. He's honed his unique writing skills at the side of world-leading industry experts who have worked all over the world for the likes of Saatchi & Saatchi, M&C Saatchi, BMP/DDB and Ogilvy & Mather. Stevie has worked for a vast array of clients including Royal Doulton, Soreen, Nestle, Rockport, Friends Provident, e University of Central Lancashire and Homes In Romania. Stevie is also a motorcycle writer in his spare time. Ben Carnes Media Director Ben has spent his career working on an incredibly diverse range of projects as a media and technology consultant. Highlights include contributing to Teletext's Digitizer service and Viacom's MTV Europe, plus co-developing the original online presence for the Big Brother UK franchise.
  • 20. Contact Contact us. Macclesfield Office Honest Creative Ltd. Honest House 7 Spring Gardens Macclesfield Cheshire SK10 2AP Direct Telephone: +44 (0) 1625 434 847 E-Mail: info@honestcreative.co.uk Skype: honestcreative