THE THURSDAY BRIEF
Some client requests arrive with perfect timing. Others appear late on a Thursday afternoon with the memorable words: “Could we have that by Monday?”
Once we’d taken a breath and poured the coffee, we got to work.
This is what we learned.
A behind-the-scenes look at shaping a campaign identity at speed.
Some client requests arrive with perfect timing. Others appear late on a Thursday afternoon with the memorable words: “Could we have that by Monday?”
That was the starting point of this project. A brand and full suite of event materials for the launch of Great Expectations — a major campaign exploring the future of the UK’s church buildings. A big moment. An influential audience. A prestigious venue. And very little time.
Once we’d taken a breath and made some coffee, we got to work. This is what we learned:
Trust gives you the confidence to move fast.
1. Trust is the real accelerator
We needed to understand the context quickly: multiple partners, varied brands, and messaging that didn’t yet feel like a story. Within a couple of hours we’d built a shared picture of what success meant.
From there, trust did the heavy lifting.
They trusted us to make good choices.
We trusted them to respond quickly.
That mutual belief cleared the way.
The lesson: When trust is strong, pace becomes productive — not stressful.
2. Clarity keeps everything moving
With so much to produce and so many decisions to make, we stepped in to lead the project. We mapped the essentials, shared what we needed, and guided the path forward so the client never had to guess what was next.
We didn’t save up questions.
We didn’t wait for a ‘big review.’
We kept things simple, friendly and focused.
The lesson: Clarity isn’t admin — it’s progress.
3. Creativity thrives under constraint
A tight timeline sharpens the senses and helps you spot the heart of the idea early.
We shaped a style that was bold, inclusive and quietly confident — a unifying campaign look that partners could embrace as their own. Clean graphic elements. Positive tone. A visual identity that felt established from day one.
Even better — a simplified programme structure reduced cost while improving accessibility.
The lesson: Pressure can spark clearer, smarter creativity.
4. Collaboration is the superpower
While we were busy designing, our client was managing speakers, AV, catering, media and all the logistics that make a major event real. So we stayed close, solved problems quickly and did what was needed to keep things moving.
We were just one part of a much bigger picture — and that’s exactly how it should be.
The lesson: Creative partners succeed when the whole event succeeds.
A proud moment
By Monday, the identity and guidelines were delivered. By mid-week, the full suite of assets was ready.
And on the day at the V&A, the campaign looked polished, confident and completely at home in the space. Seeing partners stand behind a shared story — and watching the visuals become part of the atmosphere — was a reminder of why we love what we do.
Not frantic. Not rushed. Just focused collaboration — with a brilliant result.
Looking ahead
Not every project needs to move this quickly — but when they do, it’s good to know the process still delivers work we’re proud of.
If you’d like to talk about shaping a great story for your next campaign or event, we’d love to chat. No rush. No panic. Just good thinking and strong collaboration from the start.
Learn more about the Great Expectations campaign here.
CORPORATES COULD LEARN A THING OR TWO…
It’s so easy to look at other companies and say what are they doing that we are not. Instead look at the charitable sector and say, “what can be learn from them?”. The results might surprise you.
You know how it is; you run a corporate with big marketing budgets and the ability to use any of the top agencies to help you deliver your next campaign or marketing push. What could we possibly learn from Mom and Pop organisations run on a shoestring by amateurs?
I offer three secrets that should make you think harder:
Storytelling that changes lives
Every charity fundraiser and marketeer knows the value of storytelling. When selling something that isn’t a physical thing, but a sense of wellbeing and doing good, storytelling is often all you have. Charities bring their raison d'être to life by introducing you to amazing people, fantastic animals or a future of hope and excitement. They ask you to imagine yourself in their shoes. Imagine what it would be like. And show the difference that supporting the cause will make to those who need help.
It's easy to find the hooks in a charity, but it’s so often overlooked by corporates that focus on features and products, not benefits and purpose.
Look at the latest charity appeal of your choice and think how you can gain that resonance and closeness to customers that charities do without blinking.
Flexible passionate staff
It’s easy to think of staff in charities as willing amateurs bumbling around doing the best they can – in fact the media would love you to think that. Charities are run by amateurs with a single CEO earning millions – everyone knows that surely? Because staff are involved in small teams with multiple priorities, they can never really focus and become experts.
Nothing would be further from the truth.
Charity staff are resourceful experts, creating innovation and new ways of working on tiny budgets. They often have expertise in multiple areas of the business and can turn their hand to anything that needs doing. And it goes without saying that their passion scores are off the chart. Wouldn’t you like your staff team to be these kinds of people?
How well would they represent your brand?
The biggest agency is not the best – shock!
Big agencies are great. They offer unbridled numbers of staff to work on your project and can turn their hand to anything, it seems.
However, how important is your account to them? Do they put their best most senior staff on it? Does your project manager have the focus and dedication to give you the best, when they are managing multiple clients? Is the person you’ve been briefing actually involved in creation and development? Surely you want to talk to the person who is most interested in your work and who is actually involved in the project?
Smaller and more niche agencies or freelancers will be keener to deliver and offer you dedicated service. Money talks, but does it deliver value and results?
It’s so easy to look at other companies and say what are they doing that we are not. Instead look at the charitable sector and say, “what can be learn from them?”. The results might surprise you.