Derby Telegraph Awards finalists WDA Branding Derby and Hannells Estate Agents have announced an exciting new partnership which started when the two businesses shared a table at the event hosted by Paul Ross back in June.

“It was over a glass or two of champagne and an excellent dinner that myself and Hannells MD Ben Brain struck up a conversation, first about our shared passion for the gym, before inevitably starting to chat about business” said WDA’s Lee Waterhouse.

“Ben explained how Hannells’ unique customer service approach had helped put the business into the enviable position of Derby’s most successful estate agency (Hannells currently help more people move in Derby than any other agent).

He was keen to know more about how our own unique brand marketing approach might help with his ambitious plans to push the company to the next level.”

Since that evening WDA and Hannells have struck up a partnership and WDA is now busy working on creating a brand positioning geared towards driving sales by making a hero of the great customer experience they have become renowned for.

WDA’s strategic and creative input supports an ambitious growth plan aimed at taking Hannells into exciting new areas, and generating new jobs across the county.

“The Annual Telegraph Awards have proven not just a great platform for recognising Derby business achievements but also facilitating closer relationships between quality Derbyshire businesses” Said Ben Brain.

This story first appeared on the Derby Telegraph website

Following a competitive 4 way pitch, Smith Partnership have appointed WDA Marketing to help to drive their existing and new business development.

Finalists in the Creative Industries Business of the Year category of the Derby Telegraph Business Awards, WDA were awarded the business having identified new strategic and tactical marketing ideas and brand development thinking to position and market Smith Partnership in a legal services market that is undergoing considerable change.

‘Jointly announcing the account win beside the famous ‘Orrery’ painting by acclaimed Derby artist Joseph Wright at Derby Museum and Art Gallery may seem strange at first’ said WDA Managing Director Lee Waterhouse

‘But in fact, there are parallels in how Wright’s paintings highlight new thinking and innovation and WDA’s own ‘brand driven marketing’ approach which has shed new light on how Smith Partnership can take advantage of challenges and opportunities in a rapidly evolving legal services market.

During a recent Cathedral Quarter Professional Services forum (hosted by Telegraph Editor Neil White) the importance of Joseph Wright as a ‘brand figurehead’ for Derby was referenced. Famous for capturing the period of enlightenment and the birth of the industrial revolution, Wright’s work is considered a metaphor for innovation; but this is nearly always linked to the city’s famed Aerospace, Rail and Automotive sectors.

Smith Partnership’s Business Development Partner Claire Twells challenged invited agencies to show how similar new thinking could align Smith Partnership’s professional services offering within a legal services sector undergoing quite a revolution of its own.

Smith Partnership clearly believe that WDA Marketing were able to ‘throw new light’ on this sector in the City’s tradition of creativity and innovation – Joseph Wright would surely be proud that the heritage he first shared with the world nearly 250 years ago is alive and well!

WDA are excited to announce the launch of a major rebrand for a-one commercial cleaners, designed to reflect the company’s ethos of delivering industry leading customer service and give the business real stand-out to elevate their marketing and communications above their competitors.

A-one are a company who pride themselves in delivering a first–rate service that comes second to none. As Joe Hunnam, MD and founder tells us;

“We’re called a-one because we do an a-one job! Having built up this reputation over the years by going above and beyond the call of duty to deliver very tangible service advantages over those offered by other firms. However, we didn’t feel this difference was being communicated effectively through our marketing which is why we approached WDA.

We first became aware of WDA through their re-brand of Derby County’s new gym Funktion Fitness, as a-one have their cleaning contract, and myself and my son Danny (who runs the business with Joe) are also members there. When compared to other gym’s in the region we felt the brand identity WDA had created gave Funktion real stand-out and a very strong, clear appeal to its target audience – two things we really wanted to achieve for a-one.”

With this in mind, WDA designed a fresh and bold new visual identity with the new brand positioning of ‘No One Compares’ to underline a-one’s stated service advantages; and also to compliment and reinforce the ‘a-one’ name.

The re-branding was then applied to their new website (also built by WDA), which you can see by clicking this link. Additionally, the new look has been applied to signage and vehicle livery (shown above – you’re certainly not going to miss that driving round the streets of Derby!) and a range of fully branded uniforms, which we hope you’ll agree makes these two gentleman look pretty smart!

“The a-one re-brand is a great example of how effective brand marketing can strongly differentiate a business operating in what many would consider a commodity market” said WDA’s Lee Waterhouse “This project was all about change customer perceptions about cleaning by highlighting that ‘not all cleaning companies are the same’ – and in fact, with a-one – no-one compares!”

 www.a-oneclean.com