Atticus Creative

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and director of ShimmerBlue, a South African-based clothing manufacturer that is focused on protecting the environment and promoting inner beauty. Rather than selling clothes to women so they would be beautiful, we want to tell women they’re already beautiful, but that our clothes will help them show their inner beauty.

What challenge were you trying to address with Atticus Creative?

As a new company, we needed to build our brand identity and wanted to make sure we had a clear definition of what the brand values were.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Over the course of several interviews, we identified our core values and how we could communicate them to customers. After our initial interview, they presented a set of options for us to choose from. Then we went through those options, selected a couple that we really liked, and tweaked their recommendations a little bit so it would fit our needs better.

Through this process, we came up with a number of taglines and phrases that we could use. They also provided logos and a positioning document that featured typography and email templates.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Sanjay (Owner) and David (Director).

How did you come to work with Atticus Creative?

I’ve known Sanjay for many years and have kept an eye on Atticus Creative via social media. We went to them because we needed a partner we could trust. I knew that they would deliver what we needed in a timely fashion.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in August 2020 and they completed the project in February 2021.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

We’re very happy with what they did with the brand. Recently, we were able to deploy our website featuring all the work they did. Over the last few days, our marketing consultants have said that we have a premium, high-end brand.  

How did Atticus Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was excellent. They established project plans and communicated well. They frequently gave us updates on how things were progressing. Even though we usually communicated via email, we often had telephone calls to review their progress and address issues.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were very intuitive. They were able to extract our core values and use images or phrases to accurately describe us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they were absolutely brilliant.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would definitely recommend them.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Global Brand Manager in a global B2B textile manufacturing company.

For what projects/services did your company hire Atticus Creative?

We hired Atticus Creative for a 360 Branding project, which includes a refresh of brand identity, purpose statement, positioning, brand narrative, and the design of Brand Playbook.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to bring alignment and consistency in the way we position our brand internally and externally.

How did you select Atticus Creative?

We received proposals from 3 brand and design agencies and Atticus Creative did the most thorough and strategically-strong job. In addition, they have great experience working with other B2B companies.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Firstly, Atticus Creative spent a significant amount of time doing brand research, interviewing a variety of different stakeholders (from sales and technical teams to senior leaders within the company).

They did it in a very efficient manner as well. They put a lot of effort into understanding the internal politics, which levers to pull, what drives people, etc. Then, they identified a couple of strategic territories where we could go to, based on the brand's USPs.

Once the core idea and strategic direction were agreed (the archetype of our brand), Atticus Creative developed the rest of the assets (copywrtied the statements, narrative, positioning, etc.).

What was the team composition?

I worked directly with the Managing Director and the Founder, as well as with their Brand Strategist.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We received a lot of positive feedback from the Board of Directors, Senior Leadership, wider Marketing and Communications teams. Now, that we incorporate their work and outputs into wider marketing communications initiatives, campaigns, and assets. We saw a clear uplift in brand awareness and relevance.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We built a very strong partnership with Atticus Creative. They are reliable and proactive, which is exactly what you need when working with external parties and agencies.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Atticus Creative go above and beyond with every little task, which is a dream come true. They are 100 involved, proactive, energetic, and patient with 180 turns along the way (which often happened in our case).

Are there any areas for improvement?

I only wish them to grow more and grow stronger.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of sales and marketing for a biotech firm.

What challenge were you trying to address with Atticus Creative?

We needed to improve our marketing efforts. This included everything from positioning to website design and branding.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve created a marketing strategy and have continued to manage it. They’ve produced content for brochures, datasheets, email blasts, and social media. They also produced a video and managed a third party who handled filming.

They’ve developed a website to promote our products from scratch. Overall, they’ve improved the look and feel of the site. They’ve also built a product configurator that uses an algorithm to help customers select various components that structure a system.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Sanjay (Owner) and a programmer.  

How did you come to work with Atticus Creative?

Our sales and marketing director in the UK chose them.

How much have you invested with them?

If I had to ballpark it, I think we’ve spent about $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in December 2019 and our partnership is ongoing.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Their materials are really good. They deliver quality work.

How did Atticus Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

I really like the approach they’ve taken. When we decide to tackle of project, they interview us to understand what we want to achieve. Then they come up with 3–4 options for us to consider. They present each option over a video conference call so we can debate the pros and cons, make modifications, and ultimately, select one. We’ve been able to review everything, including the website and videos before they are launched.

They used an Excel spreadsheet to manage timelines. We have regular meetings to take a look at the timelines, assess where we are, what progress we’ve made, and what action items remain.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re good at what they do. They’re exceptionally creative.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The web development process could have been faster.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I enjoyed working with them, so I would recommend that any new customer have faith in them. They’re great partners.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of technology for a biotechnology company. We cater to the biopharmaceutical and brewing industries.

What challenge were you trying to address with Atticus Creative?

We wanted a complete marketing overhaul. We had positioned our company a certain way for several years, but we wanted to make some changes. We had a big competitor enter the space which prompted us to find someone to help us.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve done quite a bit of work for us including working on our website. They’ve also been coming up with marketing strategies for our product launches, public announcements, social media presence, and conference marketing strategies.

For the website, they did a complete overhaul. The marketing message of the website was changed along with the look and feel. They provide regular updates for our network on LinkedIn and similar platforms. We also work with Aspen Alert, a well-known service in our industry. Aspen Alert provides us opportunities to showcase our product line and technology. Atticus Creative has been managing that as well.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with three people including a project manager. They’ve also hired external vendors for projects. 

How did you come to work with Atticus Creative?

Our sales and marketing director found them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2018, and the work is ongoing.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We look at traffic on our website and our virtual conference platforms and the feedback we receive. Our customers have nothing but positive things to say. People have commented about how fresh the website looks. They appreciate the change in our marketing strategy. I don’t have specific quantitative metrics, but we often hear how appreciative our distributors are about the look and feel.

How did Atticus Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is where they really shine. They identify the stakeholders within our company for a particular project. They then reach out to all the stakeholders separately, talk to them about their motivation, and see the project succeeding. Based on all the information, they come up with a strategy. They put that together very comprehensively and share it with all stakeholders, and they get feedback from the stakeholders. 

They’re very open to feedback and criticism. I’ve been involved with projects with them where we’ve decided on one plan, but then have gone back to the drawing board because someone at our company wasn’t completely satisfied with it. They’re more than happy to go back to the drawing board and work to ensure everyone is completely satisfied.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The way they approach projects and their collaborative nature is what is most impressive. They are willing to understand what the business, the people, and clients are all about. They never hesitate to ask if they don’t understand a particular business aspect because our business is highly technical.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They’ve done all things correctly so far. They’ve been excellent.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very open with them. They’re open to criticism, feedback, and information. Share as much as you can with them. They’re a trustworthy bunch. The more information you share, the better the output from the other end.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Head of Communications at a non-profit affordable housing provider in the East of England. With a small team and lots to shout about, a few years ago Atticus played a key role in translating our ambition to grow and modernize into a relatable brand story.

Ultimately this led to growth - a merger - and the co-creation of a new organization Eastlight Community Homes, which we welcomed back Atticus to look at it with fresh eyes to develop its brand story and make it fit for the future.

For what projects/services did your company hire Atticus Creative?

What stands Atticus out from the crowd is their enthusiasm and thought leadership. They don't just think about the project as the creation of a logo and corporate identity, first, they deeply understand where the organization is and where it wants to get to.

We have welcomed their ability to engage with all our relevant audiences and reflect back on their thinking which shapes the creative strategy. Not afraid to push the boundaries, their creativity when presenting concepts, and ways of applying branding are really exciting.

We have benefited from their insight to shape the rebranding strategy at Colne Housing. Create a thought leadership film to spark conversations with the public and partners. Rebrand the Colne office in Colchester into a more welcoming, creative and modern environment.

Develop our foundation of brand guidelines for our new organization Eastlight Community Homes so they are relevant to all our audiences. Rebrand our homes repairs service and core product.

What were your goals for this project?

To have a modern, vibrant brand that captures the essence of our organization and its ambitions for the future. Reflect this consistently across our channels ensuring it is received well by our primary and secondary audiences

How did you select Atticus Creative?

They had been recommended to us.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

For the rebrand of Colne Housing, they carried out a series of workshops to shape the brand strategy. They developed concepts and a strapline which we worked with them to refine.

Once finalized a suite of graphic language was produced and templates for a variety of communications. This was all documented in new brand guidelines. At Eastlight, Atticus has been our critical friend.

Sense checking in housework and being a sounding board for creative ideas and brand development. They have understood our vision and mission and will now help us rebrand our key customer-facing service area - home repairs.

They kicked off with a discovery workshop with staff and customers followed by competitor analysis, before shaping the name and brand identity for launch in 2021.

What was the team composition?

I worked directly with the creative team - the Creative Directors to shape the strategy and then day-to-day with a project manager. I welcomed the fact that they were flexible and always available when we needed them.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Recognition of and praise for the rebranded Colne Housing was evident from all of our audiences. Not only that the strapline and brand story were catalysts for our staff to change their thinking, culture, and service model. Atticus' work was more than a creative output, it helped shape the modernization journey which led to the fulfillment of its growth ambition with a successful merger.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was more effective at the shaping stage than delivery as there were multiple members of the team involved with the detail.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We are most impressed by the effort and time they put in to understand our vision before shaping the brand strategy.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We feel that as our sector evolves there will always be room for improvement. The world has changed and will keep changing. The people we work with need to understand that and help us adapt and succeed amid the challenges that face us all.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a law firm with arms in financial advisory, intellectual property, and HR that are all marketed separately. We’re an established firm that caters to 50% of commercial clients and 50% individuals and families. I’m the marketing manager at the firm.  

What challenge were you trying to address with Atticus Creative?

We’d had an individual marketing consultant that had previously worked as the marketing manager of the firm. They knew us incredibly well but ended up retiring. We had the opportunity to rethink our creative needs by hiring a new team for marketing assistance.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They handle all of our creative design and manage our advertising, also assisting us strategically. We count on them for collateral like social media assets, leaflets, email marketing campaigns, and mailing campaigns. All of their work is connected back to our core processes and mission, which allows all the collateral to work together to represent bigger picture ideas at the company. 

What is the team composition?

We work with three people, including someone who acts as a project manager. 

How did you come to work with Atticus Creative?

We were preparing to send out a tender and happened to receive an inventive mailing from their team. That encouraged me to ask if they were interested in pitching, which they were. We wanted a demonstration of creativity that would push our limits to elevate our marketing. They also seemed like they were capable of proactively managing our relationship over time.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since December 2017.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We get a lot of positive feedback about our creative artwork and the level of our marketing in our local area. They challenge us in our marketing, which has helped our team grow and improve internally as well.  

How did Atticus Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

At one point, things weren’t getting back quickly enough, and the project wasn’t moving forward on the timeline that we set out. When we noticed that communication was lacking, we had a frank conversation with them about how they could improve in our partnership. Since then, project management has been brilliant. They respond very well to open conversions and act on feedback.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re big-picture thinkers that are able to tie all their work back to our core messaging. When we request collateral, they always provide us with options. Typically, they produce an example that pushes our creative limits, another that aligns very closely with our suggestions, and one more that’s a bit safer. More and more often, we decide on the one that’s challenged us creatively. They’re pushing us to be different, which is exactly what we want.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We addressed their need to communicate and deliver according to our deadlines, and they’ve adapted to that. At this point, I can’t think of anything. They’ve picked up extra work during the pandemic and have been brilliant to work with.  

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Let them be creative. Even if I have an idea of what something should look like, I communicate that but still allow them to explore other directions. Have a clear brief with some room to be creative. That’ll help you get the most out of them.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former chief commercial officer at King’s College Hospital London in the UAE.

What challenge were you trying to address with Atticus Creative?

We didn’t have much footprint in the Middle East. King’s College Hosptial is known in the UK for being an NHS Trust teaching hospital, so they face all sorts of problems such as underfunding and underpayment for employees. 

In Europe, the NHS is seen as a lower-quality service, so the brand was suffering from a bit of distrust. In the UAE, no one knew about the hospital. There was an overall negative effect on our target audience who didn’t understand how brilliant the hospital actually was.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Atticus Creative worked with us right from the start. First, we worked with them to articulate the brand and understand its key pillars. They then visualized the brand and implemented it digitally. Once they had built our websites, they went on to carry out SEO work.

They also served as our creative design agency, developing print ads, OOH ads, videos, and social templates. The team helped to take the brand through two different specialties including a pediatric specialty brand and an aesthetic brand, which we helped them to conceptualize. 

All of the brands were launched into the market, along with our flagship clinics. Additionally, they helped us launch a mutli-specialty 200-bed hospital, and that shaped what our digital offering was.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a core team of 5–6 individuals, including SEO specialists, a creative director, a client service manager, and a digital designer.  

How did you come to work with Atticus Creative?

My previous boss recommended that we use them. We chose them because they had done work in the healthcare space which a global American brand and had done a successful job on their London property. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent roughly $140,000 building the website and the brand. We then spent about $5,000 for the monthly retainer for the following two years and $6,000–$7,000 for other branding projects.  

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in July 2017. I left the organization in May 2019, but Atticus Creative still had a contract with the organization at that time. They carried on doing SEO, digital, and brand formation work until September 2019.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

As a new website, we had no ranking on Google. After working with Atticus Creative, we went up by 200,000 places on our top 1,000 keywords in the space of 12 months, which was great. We had some beautiful brand creative.

Everything was strategic and thought-based and did something that healthcare didn’t do in this part of the world. Healthcare is very technical and clinician-led, but we put meaning behind the brand and gave it purpose.

I would recommend Atticus Creative to anybody because they’re willing to go above and beyond. What you get for your money is great. 

How did Atticus Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

They looked after us very well. We had monthly briefing sessions over the phone, and they implemented the feedback as they went. They also kept us up to date on every step in terms of weekly reports.

Even though they had their own opinion, they listened to what we wanted and suggested the best ways to go about it. Atticus Creative knew what would move us up in Google rankings. The team truly understood what they were doing. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They knew the healthcare industry, so we didn’t need to educate them on the specialties. Their keyword work was based on an in-depth knowledge of how healthcare was built. It was impressive that they knew the sector inside and out because it’s very complex. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I have no suggestions. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give them a brief but also allow them leeway in terms of creativity because their work is very powerful. Take a step back and let them create. That way you’ll get what you want.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a cybersecurity advisory company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Atticus Creative?

We wanted a creative partner to develop a brand for us and apply it to marketing collateral.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They ran several workshops geared toward developing a value proposition. From there, we tackled a naming project. Then, they built out logos, web design assets, presentations, white papers, and proposal documents for our company. 

What is the team composition?

There were three resources collaborating with us. 

How did you come to work with Atticus Creative?

I was referred to them and had always been impressed by their work. We kept in touch until there was an opportunity for a project. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about £30,000 ($37,500 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started at the end of summer 2019, and our engagement is ongoing.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

People seem to like the brand and new name, praising it for being modern and contemporary. We appreciate the positive feedback and were happy to hear that people think our name represents us well.  

How did Atticus Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

They did a brilliant job setting expectations and timelines. The timelines were very realistic, and they were able to meet them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They went above and beyond the scope of the project, likely putting in extra hours. Without charging us extra, they were willing to do a few extra rounds of iterations. They’re creative and innovative. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We were in good hands at every step of the project because they drove the process. Our interaction may have been easier than others because of our internal familiarity with the branding industry as well.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing manager of Aber Instruments.

What challenge were you trying to address with Atticus Creative?

We needed a brand refresh, in order to position ourselves as the market leader for our technology.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We brought them in for a small project initially, and that expanded into the larger brand positioning project. They spoke to senior members of the team and the CEO, to get a deep understanding of our marketplace and competition, and to determine how we could get to a stronger positioning.

One of the biggest aspects of the project was redeveloping the website. We’re a global business operating out of the UK, so the website was a key digital asset for communicating our brand. Much of the rebranding work was fed into the website development and our social media strategy.

We identified the areas where we hadn’t made the most of what we were as a company, and we moved that into the website, to address some of the weaknesses in our communication strategy. 

White papers are a big part of our positioning in the scientific field that we’re in. There are educational programs that lead to sales, and we were able to tidy up some of those assets and convert them into thought pieces for the website. Atticus engaged with some of the scientific members of the team as well as with the admin team, to dive deep into the business and understand it, before converting that into a marketing strategy.

We went through some wireframing processes for the website work, using Adobe XD. It was a thorough process of wireframing, getting the team on board with that, and converting it into a WordPress site.

Content development was a mixture of rebranding existing assets and developing new ones from ground zero. We went through 2–3 photography sessions, with product photography and people using our equipment. Atticus got a professional photographer to our location and off-site and directed them creatively.

What is the team composition?

Sanjay (Owner) and David (Director) are our main points of contact.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $30,000–$80,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We had the kickoff project with Atticus in February 2019, building a microsite. That led to the rebranding work and into the full website development which we started in August 2019. We launched just before the COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020. 

The timing was really good, in terms of everything going digital. Our sensors can be used for vaccine production, so it was really important for us to get that out. Atticus has been able to work on some short-notice campaigns related to vaccine production and COVID-19.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

It was a really large project, and Atticus was able to engage with the whole team in a collaborative way. We saw higher engagement, more lead generation across the board, and significant increases in product sales as a result of Atticus’s work.

We didn’t have much social media presence prior to the project. Impressions of our posts have gone up tenfold. The number of page views on our website has more than quadrupled. We’re seeing more activity generally. The problem with our industry is that the lead time is very long. We could have an interested party for our products in the pharmaceutical sector, they could come to us, and it could be two years before we have a sale.

It’s very hard to attribute for that, but, in terms of the intangibles, Atticus as a company is engaging and very easy to work with. They’re also creative and approachable. We’re a small company, and they almost feel like an extension of our marketing department. That’s really refreshing to see. We’re only at the start of our relationship with them, and I think we’re just at the start of what we can achieve with them.

How did Atticus Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re super responsive and in-tune with what we need. They sometimes get in touch with us to share an idea before we approach them. From that point of view, we couldn’t ask for more. On a project management front, they’re on the ball. They’re consistent and quick, and everything is well-managed across the team. Our whole team has benefited from their good project management skills.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their collaborative approach and willingness to learn about our business and then direct their creativity and recommendations to us is most impressive. It’s not a one-way approach –– it’s a relationship.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’ve been super impressed with them. They’re very focused as an agency, and there are things they admit they wouldn’t get into. There’s certain 3D video work for which they might get an outside agency. They know what their skillsets and strengths are, and they’re honest with that. They’re collaborative in the way they recommend other people to us. 

I guess not being able to do everything could be seen as a negative, but, as an agency, we want them to focus on certain things. We could have an agency that could do pretty much everything, but I think we’d lose the quality. Atticus is high-quality and focused.