A strong year for a Lancashire design studio will result in its expansion in the New Year. Poulton-based brand and marketing agency StudioLWD is set to recruit two new roles in 2021 after securing record turnover in 2020.
Bringing on new clients, entering new sectors, and securing collaborations with existing partners has led to the business hitting six figures for the first time. And with significant projects already booked in for the first half of 2021, the firm is looking to bring on board another designer and a dedicated business development manager to continue that growth.
While the last year has had its challenges, the company’s business model and its reputation for quality are driving its success according to managing director Laura Weldon. She said: “We’ve delivered some great projects over the last year for major clients and already have a strong pipeline for the year ahead.
“The work speaks for itself and, as we deliver the quality within a reasonable budget, a lot of business comes from word-of-mouth referral which is hugely satisfying. We’ve also tendered and won more bids this year thanks to combination of creativity and commerciality.
“This year we’ve achieved our revenue targets and will look to build on that in 2021. I’ll be recruiting a top quality designer to the team and bringing in a BDM to deal with new business. I’m looking for people with agency experience who can fit straight into our operation, and who are comfortable with remote working.
“The pandemic has brought its challenges, not least for people on a personal level, but has also demonstrated that talent can emerge anywhere, and that being based in a big, expensive city centre office is not necessary for the creation of compelling brand and marketing campaigns.
“As a collaborative agency our team has always worked remotely, this reduces our overheads significantly, a saving which is passed on to clients. We’ve always worked for global and national businesses, but that has increased over the last year as attitudes have changed and clients have embraced the new normal, realising they can get the quality of a big agency without the costs.
“Working collaboratively also means we can bring together bespoke teams for our client’s specific requirements, often working with external specialists such as web designers, digital marketers and copywriters. Those relationships are reciprocal and that professional network is also bringing in new clients as we support our partners in return.”
Taking a brand-strategy-first approach, StudioLWD undertakes rebrands and brand refresh work, alongside the development of new websites, packaging, brochures, marketing collateral and visual assets for companies in a range of industries.
Actively seeking out projects in different sectors, the agency has this year delivered work for clients including global sales promotion provider Opia, international legal recruiter Fox Rodney, personal fitness app Reva, and a number of national travel and consumer brands.
They’ve also started to explore opportunities closer to home and secured work with restaurants, manufacturers and developers in the local area, including James Carter Homes in Poulton for whom the studio developed the Breck Point brand collateral.
Heading into 2021, and fully aware of the economic difficulties the pandemic has brought, Laura remains optimistic. She said: “The appetite for brand and marketing services has not diminished. Companies are having to adapt quickly, as the massive shift to online clearly demonstrates, and brand and visual marketing are arguably more important than ever.
“In the tough marketplace of 2021, brands will want to refresh, to differentiate themselves, and perhaps go in new directions. Building a brand presence and employing a marketing strategy designed for this new landscape will be crucial.”
