Experiential, exhibitions and brand activations
I work with brands to help them connect with customers and consumers in real-world and online situations. Whether the aim is to introduce a new product, boost sales or simply to educate, I specialise in memorable, and where possible, meaningful experiences.
I’ve positioned train stations as retail destinations for Network Rail, helped young people think about their future for Barclays and told the stories of fallen heroes for the United Grand Lodge of England (that’s Freemasons to you and me).
UGLE (Freemasons) – Creating a poignant experience
The challenge: Create a public-facing exhibition to honour the 64 Freemasons who were awarded the Victoria Cross during the First World War and as part of the United Grand Lodge of England’s 300th anniversary.
The thinking: I wanted to devise something more impactful than simple panels full of information and images. I was looking for a way to bring those 64 heroes into the room, and help to give some scale to the number of lives lost.
The outcome: I had the idea to create 64 life-sized soldier figures to represent each of the men being honoured. Each wooden figure included a moving passage about their exploits and helped to create the sense of scale I was looking for.
The exhibition included a 15-feet-long, contextual timeline and event collateral which I also wrote, but it was the figures that received particular attention. Families of the people being honoured said that they found it surprisingly moving to be ‘in the presence’ of relatives they’d only ever been told about. The exhibition launched with a ceremony hosted by the Duke of Kent, and featured heavily on news and media channels.
Network Rail – turning stations into the place to be
The challenge: Create a range of in-station activities to give passengers and local people more reasons to visit and stay longer.
The thinking: With plenty going on around retail, we needed to promote entertainment beyond shopping – everything from cooking demonstrations to live bands.
The outcome: We created a ‘live’ brand that could work in any station and with any promotional event, from menus to music.
Network Rail – communicating essential information
The challenge: Network Rail needs to carry out plenty of consultations related to the work it does. The goal is to give rail users and the local population all the information they need to make informed decisions.
The thinking: Consultations need to be thorough without being exhausting, so sharp writing needs to be coupled with smart, storytelling imagery that does more than just add visual texture.
The outcome: Each consultation is a mini exhibition combining infographics, facts, figures, plans and calls to action, and requires a great deal of supporting collateral for visitors to take away with them.
Barclays – promoting big opportunities on the big stages
The challenge: Use environments like the O2 and Premier League stadiums to deliver a range of Barclays messages and experiences to a young audience.
The thinking: Visitors to the O2 were there for a good time. Our Barclays experiences needed to add to the fun, not detract from it, so as well as hard-hitting messages, we had to deliver entertainment or clear value.
The outcome: We gave young visitors:
a LifeSkills hub where they could experience the workplace of a lifetime and freshen up their professional image
a chance to get hands on with a metaphor for better banking with our take on Pong
a clear route to learning life-long career skills
plenty of fun opportunities to win Premier League prizes
