2008 News

beBRAND has been working with a private equity specialist on the strategy, naming and identities of a family of new companies operating in the investment and advisory sectors.

One of these companies offers management due diligence to the private equity market giving businesses, banks and individuals better insight into the people they're backing. Another company will provide management expertise and capital investment to help promising businesses transform themselves into larger, profitable enterprises. A third company will invest in and bring to market consumer products, principally lifestyle and fashion accessories.

beBRAND offers its blend of strategic, creative and technological skills to get this portfolio of companies formed and equipped with striking identities, clear market positioning, and all the supporting print and web tools.

The inaugural World of Squash Golf Day takes place today, organised by Eventis Sports Marketing and hosted at the Royal Automobile Club's Woodcote Park.

The initiative brings together players, sponsors, governing bodies, officials and fans of squash to enjoy a day of golf followed by dinner and an auction conducted by Adrian "Wizard" Davies in his inimitable style. The auction is in aid of the London Squash Academy which aims to increase children's participation in squash across London. James Sandwith, Chairman of the Squash Committee at the Royal Automobile Club, worked with Eventis to ensure the Golf Day found a good home at the club. It builds on the successful relationship between Eventis and the Royal Automobile Club which has already seen the World of Squash Awards Dinner hosted at its Pall Mall clubhouse, along with regular exhibition matches.

Independent Financial Adviser Rosan Helmsley held their first client golf day on 30 May with creative direction by beBRAND. 20 high net worth clients and prospective clients gathered at St George's Hill Golf Club for Rosan Helmsley's first major marketing event. The elegance of their brand identity was subtly in evidence on a range of merchandise designed to ensure everyone's needs were met. Chief Executive Rob Sandwith explained how his "clients were overwhelmed to be able to take home beautifully framed action shots of themselves at the end of the day. Corporate golf days so often lack the personal touch, but it was important to us that our clients felt involved and had a superb range of souvenirs to take home."

Photography and related services were supplied by James Hall, a long time collaborator with beBRAND.

Children's edutainment company Eddie Catz returned to beBRAND to provide graphics and signage for their new venue in Wimbledon. This follows on from beBRAND's original work in 2005 launching their first site in Putney. Updates to the web site EddieCatz.com have also been carried out and there are plans to roll out a number of interactive installations at Wimbledon through the course of 2008.

There was a certain amount of speculation regarding Heather Mills' suit as she emerged from her final day in court, but we were able to confirm that this was not designed & made by Nutters. The Daily Telegraph kindly ended their commentary on the subject by quoting beBRAND's James Sandwith, "Alas, this is not a Nutters suit. As far as I'm aware Lady M has recently taken a few things from her husband, but his former tailor is not one of them."

It will be a sad day indeed when a gentleman's tailor becomes part of a divorce settlement. In the case of Nutters, they have a happy tradition of contributing to the wedding itself, dressing both bride and groom in the case of Mick and Bianca Jagger, and John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

Kerri Shields, professional squash player, has launched the web site KerriShields.com designed by beBRAND.

Kerri joined the Women's International Squash Players Association (WISPA) Tour in November 2006. Born in Banbridge, Northern Ireland, she is now based at the prestigious Royal Automobile Club and the Oxford & Cambridge Club, in London. beBRAND is helping to introduce marketing and profile raising opportunities to Kerri. She's an unusual young sportswoman, joining the tour in her mid 20s having already been a model, the runner-up in the Miss Northern Ireland competition, an Oxford graduate and is now on leave from global engineering consultants Arup while she pursues her professional squash career.

John Ford – author, historian and the leading expert on Regency entrepreneur Rudolph Ackermann – will be lecturing in the USA this month using presentations designed by beBRAND's James Sandwith. John will be describing the design and development of carriages at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries, and how style and technology united, just as they do today, to influence the sales process. James Sandwith explains, "This is an unusual project, but it's a pleasure to work with John Ford as the subject matter always inspires. Regency London was full of innovation: design, technology, style, the notion of fashion. All these things came together. Much of what we think of today as branding – a process to identify and differentiate – started with Regency entrepreneurs like Ackermann."

James Sandwith and John Ford continue to collaborate on a number of publishing ventures regarding Rudolph Ackermann and innovation in 18th and 19th century London.