Commercial carpet suppliers, Joseph Hamilton & Seaton (JHS), has refurnished its website with the help of branding specialists ORB Creative.

The branding agency has been working with JHS for over 18 months, helping to drive and develop their brand communication, and has recently been appointed to create a new visual identity for the JHS website www.jhscarpets.com. As part of this, ORB has developed a more succinct content management system complete with a comprehensive search facility, to help improve search engine optimisation.

Robert Bloxham, Managing Director from ORB Creative said:
“We have developed a CMS that will help lighten the load on the JHS team and also provide a better customer experience online. The new site includes a number of features that make the online process easier for customers, including the ability to view and order samples online.

“Over the past 18 months, we have worked closely with JHS, the new website is an extension of this; we investigated the thought process, strategy and the way the site connected with its audiences to deliver a more relevant medium for customers.”

JHS Carpets is a Tamworth based company that offer a large range of carpets, carpet tiles and other specialist floor coverings to a range of clients including flooring contractors and architects. Their clients include BBC, Millennium Stadium, The Victoria and Albert Museum, Oxford University and the Australian High Commission, to name a few.

Paul Wiseman, Managing Director of JHS Carpets said:
“It is important that after 50 years of supplying commercial flooring to the UK, our visual identity remains fresh and current. We are continually expanding and diversifying our client base and this new website will provide an easier, more convenient way to access the JHS brand.

“We enjoy working with ORB Creative because they invested time and effort in finding out what exactly made up the JHS brand and developed the online strategy accordingly. The new site launched earlier this month and so far has received a fantastic response.”

For more information on ORB Creative’s approach to brand creation and development, visit www.orbcreative.com.

Branding specialists ORB Creative have been named as branding consultants for the Birmingham Repertory Theatre (The REP) to help sustain its identity throughout the construction of the new joint Library of Birmingham/REP development.

ORB Creative was chosen by the theatre following a four-way competitive pitch and will now undertake a full brand audit throughout July, ahead of the theatre’s autumn season. This will be the last season at its current building in Centenary Square before The REP moves offsite to deliver a two year programme of activity across Birmingham. As part of the review, ORB will assess the current brand communication strategy, helping to take it forward in time for the company’s temporary relocation in January 2011.

The REP’s brand will sit alongside the Library of Birmingham, helping to develop the Centenary Square location into an ‘internationally unique centre of culture and knowledge.’

Paul Reece, Head of Marketing and Communications at The REP, said:

“The REP is embarking on a very exciting journey over the next two years and we are all looking forward to the creative challenges that lie ahead. With us being without a resident ‘home’ for a substantial period of time, it is crucial that we are still communicating and connecting with our audiences and the wider community, and a great brand strategy is the way to do this.

“Throughout the major remodelling and refurbishing of the theatre location, we are producing and performing work in a variety of different venues in the city. For this reason, it is essential that we audit our current brand and ensure it supports us and our aspirations during our change of scenery. After seeing a number of specialist agencies, ORB’s approach was the most comprehensive and beneficial to us and we are really looking forward to working with their team.”

Robert Bloxham, Managing Director of ORB Creative said:

“We’re really excited to be working with such an important and established brand, particularly during this transformation period, which will bring major changes to the city’s cultural offering. Whilst the re-development brings together an exciting and complementary mix of cultural activity, it is important for The REP to retain its own clear identity, as well as ensure that the current brand can practically and sensibly works alongside the new Library of Birmingham.

“At ORB we aim to get to the nitty gritty of a brand; the thought process, strategy and the way it connects with its audiences. Throughout July we will be auditing the internal and external perceptions of The Rep, reporting back our findings and suggestions on how the brand should move forward”

This new business win comes as ORB Creative celebrates its six year anniversary. The REP joins the Jewellery Quarter-based agency’s client base, which already includes NHS West Midlands, Lantra – Skills Council, Children Hospices UK and Birmingham City Council, to name a few.

For more information on ORB Creative’s approach to brand creation and development, visit www.orbcreative.com

Like so many companies out there the past 12 months have been challenging. Budgets have been slashed, competition for work fiercer than ever and the 6 o’clock news often depressing. With a multitude of products and services coming to market, creating differentiation for our clients has become increasingly difficult and time consuming. On the flip side the last 12 months have been character building, testing and liberating. In a global recession you find out who your real friends are.

For the past 6 years the ORB brand has developed, evolved and sometimes suffered. Client work always comes first and its been a very busy 6 years. Excuses, excuses. So, whilst in deep recession, we decided as a company to re-assess our current offering and communication methods – we literally went back to the drawing board.

With great passion our brand project was added to the schedule and prioritised (on the weekends I may add). Workshops, research, focus groups and red wine all mixed together provided us with a full brand audit, including a new creative approach. We don’t change the visual style of any business unless our findings dictate, in our case a more business like approach was required.

The process has, pointed out the obvious, exposed our weaknesses and strengths, opened our eyes to the competition and given us a plan to move forward.

I really hope you enjoy looking around the site and feel free to give us a call and let us help move your business forward.

Here’s an interesting article I found, the redesign of the BBC’s website, by Neville Brody and his design agency, Research Studios. A very revealing read check it out here

Here’s a great blog, it shows original letterheads from some very famous people and companies that I’d be extremely be happy to receive correspondence from

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I’m not entirely sure if this has been photoshopped, but even so, it sure is pretty!

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From all of us at ORB we would like to wish you a very happy new year.

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Getting a placement is just as difficult as getting a job, if not harder. It can be the best thing ever to happen to you or it can soul destroying. So here are some tips from someone who has been through the process and been rock bottom to flying high.

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Certain logos are instantly recognisable the world over; Coca-Cola, Windows, Mercedes-Benz and the McDonalds golden arches for example. All of those companies have previously spent vast amounts of money protecting that logo, through the courts, when they feel it has been in any way appropriated or slurred. These massive companies know that a logo affects how people view their company, their product and therefore, their profits.

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Despite our best intentions, since February the news section on our old site hasn’t been updated. This is mainly due to increased client projects and our internal re-brand, but there is no excuse.

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