Consumer Brands

Creativity with purpose

At DesignTactics, we create tools that our clients use to engage more effectively with their audience – and ultimately, to grow their business.

For clients who target consumers, we help them compete: We develop brand strategy and creative communications to forge stronger customer relationships, and to retain and win sales.

For our government and corporate clients, we help them to compete for attention: We create messaging strategy and design solutions for clear, focussed and effective communication.

We deliver these results with a service that is complete, efficient and clean. Our clients trust us to solve their problems: we have the skills and the expertise to identify a solution, resolve all the details, then execute it in every aspect.

This combination of superb project management and highly effective creativity is our brand promise. It powered the clients you see here to achieve greater results, and it can do the same for you: Read on, and start to think how creativity with purpose could help your business.

Creativity with purpose

At DesignTactics, we create tools that our clients use to engage more effectively with their audience – and ultimately, to grow their business.

For clients who target consumers, we help them compete: We develop brand strategy and creative communications to forge stronger customer relationships, and to retain and win sales.

For our government and corporate clients, we help them to compete for attention: We create messaging strategy and design solutions for clear, focussed and effective communication.

We deliver these results with a service that is complete, efficient and clean. Our clients trust us to solve their problems: we have the skills and the expertise to identify a solution, resolve all the details, then execute it in every aspect.

This combination of superb project management and highly effective creativity is our brand promise. It powered the clients you see here to achieve greater results, and it can do the same for you: Read on, and start to think how creativity with purpose could help your business.

One of the most creative working relationships we have is with Java Republic. Design Tactics was an integral part of the formation, building and launch of the Java Republic Brand, andcontinues to work with the company to lead product development with a brave and creative marketing style.

We were there from the beginning, when Brendan (our creative director) and David (Java Republic’s founder)first began to explore the idea of presenting handroasted coffee to an Irish audience. This is the kind of challenge Design Tactics love: “We actually visualised and created the brand before a single bean was roasted” says Brendan. The Java Republic project was one of the factors that encouraged Brendan to make

the leap into creating his own company - DesignTactics.

“At the time, we were both working for other companies.” says David. “I used to meet Brendan in a pub along the quays, explain the vision I had, and say ‘this is what we need’. At this stage, I’d come upwith the name Java Republic, and I had some visual ideas but, from the beginning, we worked together on visualising and creating the brand.”

Tessa, who has since become Marketing Director of Java Republic, comments:“I think what it is that DesignTactics understood was where David wanted to go,” Neither of them realised how successful thoseideas would be: “In our first year of

business we won everything” says David: “Design Effectiveness Awards for the creative work and Great Taste Awards for our coffee. DesignTactics put amazing time and effort into the design, and without that wewould never have succeeded.”

Nonetheless, the journey wasn’t always easy: “Putting it together was tough. We spent 19 months working on the brand, before roasting a single bean. I was out of work for one full year while trying to start the company.” It was an unusual partnership. “In the beginning it was seriously intense”.Says David “There was no fun in the early days. Brendan was the only one whorealised what I was going through.

Java Republic Forging Futures: our partnership with Java Republic.

For a new business starting out, he’s one of the most inspirational guys. He believed in it more than I did at times.”

“What I came up with for the company was a good idea, but it wasn’t anythingabsolutely radical. I don’t have a background in marketing, but I do havestrong ideas, and what I did want was to communicate it differently, andDesignTactics picked up on that and made it happen.”

David was more interested in being creatively involved in the marketingprocess than your average company owner, and Design Tactics found ways to harness his creative ideas and make them work: David explains: “Usually you wouldn’t get an owner who is that interested inmarketing, but to me it’s the most

exciting part of the business. I came up with the idea of using icons from the countries where we sourced our coffee. I spent so much time on research that I knew exactly what I wanted and Icommissioned an artist to create them. I’m stubborn - if I wasn’t creatively involved myself, I didn’t want to launchthe coffee. But I’ll tell you why itworked - because Brendan is incredibly flexible, incredibly open tocompromise. His response was fantastic, he used the icons, he finished the whole package, and he made it look absolutely exceptionally good.”

The response from DesignTactics was also very creative when it came to launching Java Republic Speciality Teas: Tessa explains: “Initially David was pushing forblack as a colour, as he thought tea in a black box would be cool - but DesignTactics

“There was no fun in the first year. Brendan was the only one who realised what I was going

through, and for a new business starting out, he’s one of the most inspirational guys.

He believed in it more than I did at times.”

steered him along the route of using green, because nobody else was doingthat. So that was another instance where DesignTactics listened to what we hadto say and came back with an outside of the box idea, having thought aboutit. The reality is lots of teas are packaged in black. Nobody else is usingfresh, light green, and it stands out- like other Java products. It haspersonality, and it’s actually evolved really well for us: Our use of colourshas helped to create personalities for the product families within our brand.”

When it comes to the brand visualisation process that initially shaped the Java Republic brand, DesignTactics believe that it’s reallykey to blend free, creative thinking with an awareness of the competition. As Creative Director Brendan says:“We aim for an intuitive creative response

when we visualise a new brand. While it’s vital to understand the market context and know the competition that a new brand will face, it’s just as important that you don’t become restricted by that knowledge. There’s no point creating a forgettable brand - even if it feels right on shelf. A great consumer brand needs to be distinctive enough to catch your attention, yet familiar enough to build trust and credibility. Big brands can create that trust with advertising, but smaller brands like Java Republic have to use pack design to get their message across.”

Tessa came into the company in 2004, replacing David as the day-to-day partner in Java Republic’s collaborative relationship with the DesignTactics team. “Brendan has a great mentoring relationship withhis staff. Having worked both with

Brendan and various designers in DesignTactics, I would say he chooses people that are good listeners, people who understandhow to respond in a different way and who don’t automatically think they know thesolution to a problem. They solve the design with you, which I thinkis a key difference compared to other agencies.”

A great consumer brand needs to be distinctive enough to catch your attention,

yet familiar enough to build trust and credibility.

David: “DesignTactics was singly as responsible as I was for the success of Java Republic. I know I came up with the idea, but without Brendan, this brand would never have had any of thesuccess: It would never have made the impact in terms of brand recognitionthat it did. Java Republic punches 50 times above its weight in the marketplace.”

Dawn Juices New brand & packaging

In 2008 we worked with Kerry Foods to relaunch the Dawn brand and the packaging

for their core juice range. This was in response to a significant quality improvement in

the product, as all the juices were switched to not-from-concentrate. Facing significant

competition in the chilled juice sector, Dawn’s family-friendly brand values were evolved

to better reflect the high-quality of the improved product. The redesigned Dawn brand

will soon be rolled-out across their family of related products.

Dawn Juices New brand & packaging

FreshwaysSmoothies

We’ve been working with Freshways since the business was owned by the Brennan family,

and we continue to work on the brand now that it is run by Kerry Foods. These smoothie

packs were created so Freshways could compliment their well-known sandwich offering

with a complimentary products - and were designed to create appeal at the point of

purchase without any advertising support.

FreshwaysBrand and packaging repositioning

In spring 2009 our new Freshways packs hit the shelves, and were an immediate success.

We had worked with Freshways for nearly a year to reposition the brand and repackage

their products – to turn Freshways from a quick-fix lunch into a desirable, wholesome

food with credibility and authenticity.

As consumers became conscious of their shrinking incomes, this reinvigorated brand

successfully made the case for buying a sandwich rather than making your own. We

supported the relaunch with a full campaign of point of purchase support, trade

advertising, and a launch brochure.

www.freshways.ie

Green Isle foods Pizza Packaging

DesignTactics founder, Brendan Donlon, has been working with Green Isle foods since

1996 , having created the Pizza packaging that first brought Goodfella’s to national

attention. DesignTactics continued to work with Green Isle on creating new varieties

and products for the brand, as well as running on-pack promotions. We also created the

Ultima brand which is used to market their Ciabatta base pizzas across Europe.

Heavenly Desserts Fresh-cream treats

We created the Heavenly Desserts Brand Identity and packs to inject new life into a much

improved product line. Kerry foods had a very clear objective – to increase awareness of their

improved products among consumers. They achieved a near doubling of sales and full listings

with all the major retailers. “The evolution of Heavenly Desserts allowed us to compete and

win… We effectively created a major Brand in a sector where previously there was none.”

Liam Hennessy, National Sales Director, Kerry Foods.

Heavenly Desserts Fresh-cream treats

Waterford StanleyConsumer Advertising

One of the clients with whom we’ve been particularly proud to work has been

Waterford Stanley. Over the past five years, in conjunction with DesignTactics,

Stanley stoves have established themselves at the heart of contemporary Ireland.

From the beginning, we just felt a natural passion for their brands and products.

So much so, that sometimesthe DesignTactics team havefound themselves convincingStanley about just how greattheir products are. As Eileenfrom Stanley says: “Brendanat DesignTactics has a realempathy for the product –sometimes he knows what isgood for us when I don’t evenknow it myself.”

Brendan’s passion for theirproducts is genuine – and it’sinfectious too. “The WaterfordStanley story is a remarkableone” he says, “the history ofStanley was that they builtboilers for almost anything.

They were the nineteenthcentury solution for homeheating. But in the last 100years, that market has beenin an obvious decline.”

Stanley knew they needed tomodernize, and DesignTacticssensed the direction theyneeded to go: “Stanley had atradition of selling their stoves as functional items. And yet theywere aware that their customers saw them as emotional items. So we’vefocused on creating a purelyemotional message, and it’sbeen a fascinating evolution.”

Waterford StanleyConsumer Advertising

“Anyone with a

family history with

Stanley has an

intuitive response

to the range”

“Stanley Range Cookers and

stoves have established

themselves at the heart of

contemporary Ireland”

At the heart of the campaignis what DesignTactics call ‘theintentional nostalgia factor’. “Wewanted to bring out the look andfeel of the product, to move awayfrom the functional message.”But there was a catch: theyneeded to appeal to two typesof customer: those who alreadyhad a strong association with thebrand, and those who needed tobe introduced to it. “Anyone witha family history with Stanleyhas an intuitive response tothese products.” Says Brendan“But we also need to reachthose who don’t - to explain tonew audiences how they workand the benefits they bring.But we had to do this withoutsacrificing their desirability andemotive appeal. We’re not sellingfunctional boilers any more.”

“I have the utmost confidence in DesignTactics

to interpret what I want and to come back with something wonderful”

Much of the focus is on creatingan aspirational sense of theproduct – of what it can offer interms of atmosphere and heartin the contemporary Irish home.

As DesignTactics describe it “We wanted to offer an aspirationalvision of what these productscan bring to in your home’.Much of the focus is on creatingan inspirational sense of theproduct – of what it can offer interms of atmosphere and heartin the contemporary Irish home.”

“We wanted to offer an

aspirational vision of

what these products can

bring into your home”

Temple SpaBrand and marketing materials

As an early innovator in the spa market, Temple Spa began its Holistic Healing Centre

& Spa retreat in a tidy country getaway. Due to a solid success, they were set to expand,

but needed to retain their intimate spirit and appeal. DesignTactics merged their strong

down-to-earth brand values with their expanded offer. Within 4 weeks DesignTactics had

re-branded the centre and created a full suite of marketing materials including

brochures, stationary, business cards and posters. The re-brand made it clear that

Temple Spa is unique. The influx of new customers and increased awareness are

testament to our joint success.

Temple SpaBrand and marketing materials

Kilkenny LivingBrand positioning and visual identity

In 2003 this well-respected Irish manufacturer of fireplace surrounds expanded

their range to include furniture and household accessories. As part of this expansion,

they commissioned DesignTactics to redefine the Brand’s positioning and visual identity.

The aim of our work – through design and copywriting – was to reflect their new

positioning, in name, printed literature and brand collateral. We created a tangible sense

of home through our designs and room-sets with live (and four-legged) props,

while crafted copy beautifully captured the warmth and personality

of Kilkenny Living’s product range.

Kilkenny LivingBrand positioning and visual identity

MaddensBrand Communications

Looking to protect their market-share from large international retailers, this Cork-based

firm sought to reposition their services and marketing. A positioning exercise revealed

that Madden’s personal service and genuine expertise in home entertainment solutions

was highly prized by their customers. DesignTactics created the name ‘Madden’s

Entertainment’, its signature ‘Me’ badge and the tagline ‘Bring the excellence Home’

as a means of emphasizing their unique strengths. The Institute of Designers in Ireland

selected this project for exhibition by as part of Design Week 2002. It also featured in a

traveling exhibition as part of ‘the best of Irish design’ that toured Europe in 2003.

MaddensBrand Communications

SuperQBrand Communications

Traditionally, petrol stations have focused on convenience foods over freshness.

Therefore, Texaco and Superquinn created a partnership to revolutionise the offerings

at service stations and in the facilities on forecourts. DesignTactics designed and

implemented a new visual brand language to be communicated across the entire retail

space and on all communications on the trial forecourts where SuperQ was introduced.

The new branding conveyed a clear message of freshness – and appears on everything

from windows, posters, coffee cups, superlites and point of sale – to name but a few!

Molloy’s Woodcrafts Brand Identity

Originally known as a high quality trade furniture producer, Molloy’s Woodcrafts decided

to expand into the consumer market. This necessitated changing the perception of their

products among retailers and introducing themselves to consumers. With a subtle name

change, a new brand identity and new collateral, the uniqueness and specialization of

Molloy’s Woodcrafts became apparent to all. No longer seen as a functional manufacturer

but rather as a highly crafted, beautiful ‘must have’ brand, sales rocketed and an

appropriate perception of the goods was confirmed

Elvery’s Brand environment

A takeover by Stauntons Intersport marked a new start for Elvery’s. Being Dublin’s

pre-eminent sporting goods retailer since 1893, it was essential to retain Elvery’s

authenticity through its historic name, elephant motif and well-established values that

differentiate it from its more fashion-led competitors. We created a robust wordmark

and a new visual and written language that emphasised quality, reliability and specialist

knowledge. This new brand was key to establishing a country-wide roll-out of the new

21st Century Elvery’s.

DublinTourism destination brand

Selected as part of a competitive tender, DesignTactics worked to create a tourism destination

brand for Dublin which evokes the Georgian heart of the city while conveying the unique

personality and contemporary style of its people. We created a bespoke word-mark with

a surprise exclamation point accompanied by a constantly changing portraits of the city’s

characters. Agencies across the world now use this mark - based on our comprehensive

set of guidelines and style recommendations.

What can we do for you?

Are you equipped to compete for business? To capture and hold the attention

of your audience? Now that you’ve seen what we’ve done for our clients,

consider what we can do for you.

Brand IdentityConsumer Brands

Retail Brands

Corporate Brands

Brand CommunicationPackaging

Point of Sale

Sales Aids

Print Advertising

Signage (Branding / Wayfinding)

Environment Graphics

Retail collatoral

Stationery

Brochures

Annual Reports

Newsletters

Presentations

Communication AuditsCompetitor positioning analysis

Product/service positioning analysis

Visual AuditsOn-shelf performance analysis

Competitor visual audit

Brand PositioningPositioning modelling documents

Brandstorming workshops

Written CommunicationsName & strapline creation

Copywriting & Editing

Client ServicesProject Management

Print Management

Supplier Management

DesignTactics

Unit E7,

Nutgrove Office Park,

Nutgrove Avenue,

Rathfarnham,

Dublin 14.

Tel: +353 1 207 9107

Fax: +353 1 207 9100

www.designtactics.net