Brand Catalyst

Who are you?

Peter Shaw, managing director of Brand Catalyst.

What do you do?

We are brand consultants. Our job is to help businesses create distinctive brands that will drive growth. Our expertise lies in identifying what will set a business apart and creating a powerful brand idea against that. We are experts at gaining deep insights into customers, employees and broader stakeholders, and at identifying what to leverage within an organisation. We work with our clients to execute the brand through development of skills and behaviours, offer innovation, design and communication. The thing that really gets us out of bed is working on ideas that will set a company apart from its competition. Corporate brands, service brands and product brands.

What does this mean in practice?

Through internal and external consultation, we’ll arrive at a sharp and motivating idea that sets the business apart from the competition. It’s part strategy and part creative. As well as design work, brochures and websites etc, we create a brand strategy, which acts as a blueprint for all the activities of the company.

What size of company suits you?

The size of the company doesn’t really matter because all companies have to go through the same process. We usually work with companies that are at the stage where they are facing a significant change. For example, where there is fresh competition or new technology in the market. Or if a business has a desire to move into a new market.

Why should I care?

You should care because the more distinctive your organisation is, the easier it is for potential customers to identify what they might want to buy from you. The more effective your organisation is, the more motivated your employees will be. When there is a clearer understanding of what the organisation is about, the company will ultimately be more successful.

What can you do for me that I can’t do for myself?

We offer you a wealth of experience. You can try it on your own but we’ve done it all before many many times, so we’re far more likely to get it right from the very beginning. What mistakes will you prevent me making? We’ll stop you going into the market with a bland offer that will under-sell your business or your product. The tendency is to want to describe everything you do, rather than delivering a focused and motivating message.

How else will you save me money?

The clearer the brand message, and the more powerful its evocation, the more effective the business will be. This applies to its marketing communications, staff, and product and service development.

Give me an example of one business you’ve worked with this year.

We worked with Nicholson McBride, the leading consultancy in the business psychology sector, providing executive coaching, skills and management training, and research. The company has an impressive client list including many FTSE 100 companies. It had been established for 20 years and needed to refresh its market positioning and identify how to leverage its differences. We developed a brand idea, personality and a visual identity to re-launch it.

Why should I trust you?

I’ve been working on other people’s brands for more than 20 years. I headed up the project that created Nectar, which involved strategy, naming and design. I’ve also worked with companies such as Shell and BT. The Brand Catalyst team are all highly experienced and have typically all worked for top 10 branding consultancies.

What will it cost me?

Prices vary depending on the size of the project but range from an initial consultation cost of £5,000 to anything up to £100,000 plus.