Sensations believed in utilising new world science with old world craftsmanship. So when they decided to build a brand that romanticised this notion, we helped them develop a comprehensive brand vision. We then helped them in rallying their customers and consumers around this vision. We mined insights from these two groups; Their wants; Their needs; Their moments of truth. Once we understood what gap we were filling, we knew how to fill it, and with what.

Sensations became an instant hit, winning over big customers like Harvey Nichols and small consumers like Yasmine. Naturally.

Audeo Maxima was doing great. Their investment portfolio was expanding. They had a slew of exciting projects in the pipeline. And they felt it was time to project this success by updating their corporate identity, brand vision and more importantly, each brand touchpoint both internally and externally. We agreed, full-heartedly.

After evolving their corporate identity to physically communicate and consciously match the brand vision, we then set about polishing each touchpoint, starting with their staff and working our way outwards. Their balance sheet looked even better than before. And that was the point.

On opening day, we were there, analysing the fruits of our labour. The fact that the food was amazing made things alot easier.

Three years later, Deli’D added Hospitality Group after their name. The marketing formula we had worked on together helped them open 8 more restaurants in that period, not to mention an industrial catering unit.

There is nothing greater than having satisfied, repeat customers. Three years and 10 successful business units later, our relationship continues to grow stronger.

AGORA was tasked with an important project: Create a stand-alone identity that would promote Dubai Racing Club’s conference & banqueting facilities while taking advantage of it’s established brand values. We knew first hand that Dubai Racing Club offers conference and banqueting facilities in a retreat – like atmosphere with 5-star catering, world-class business services and the added value of combining race nights within any given program of events. That’s the first rule of experiential marketing; experience the brand from the customer’s perspective. The rest is made easy once these insights are achieved.

So we put our business hat on. And in so doing, devised a comprehensive, integrated campaign across all the brand touchpoints. The home of the world’s richest horserace effectively became the home of many-a-business-conference.

10,000.

That was the extra number of partigoers that the organisers of the Dubai World Cup, the world’s richest horse race,  wanted to enter partizone 2008. No easy task, considering that was on top of the 45,000 people that attended the year before.

Our scholastic experience taught us that it was 10 times more expensive to get a new customer than it was to grow current ones. Luckily, we’re also good at math. We tapped into the eager race-going socialites that attended the Dubai World Cup. Everyone wanted a great party. So we gave out CD mixed by our partizone DJ. We placed key messages at key venues, related to the general vibe. In short we built it, and they came. Sales went through the roof. Good thing, as we seemed to have brought the roof down. After all, growing attendance by 10,000 was no easy matter. So we when the party ended and the receipts added up, we were surprised to know that we exceeded the target by 4,000. And that’s when the celebrations heated up.

Touchpoints. We explained the concept in simple terms.

Every interaction someone has with your brand is considered a touchpoint. Every touchpoint leaves a lasting impression, whether positive or negative. That impression will ultimately affect your sales, whether positively or negatively, whether 1st person or 3rd party. Make sure your brand touchpoints are covered and thought through.

So, naturally, we were brought on board to help Essential Community Management manage much more than the community associations, but each and every touchpoint. And, many years later, we’re still on that board. Touché.

What happens when you tell a mother what to feed her baby?

We knew the answer to that one. It takes a brave soul to take this project one.

Research told us that mothers stopped feeding their babies ready-to-eat preparations at twelve months and switched them over to home-made. We had our hands full.

We tapped into women’s groups, talked to grandmothers, experienced moms, not-so-experienced moms, we even talked to dads. The results of our talk-a-thons gave us valuable insights into the emotional and rational needs of these outstanding caregivers.

The insights we gathered helped us to develop a range of products that directly addressed their requirements. Then we spoke to them in language that they could relate to.

Sales continued to climb, exponentially. Customers were customers for much longer. And babies continued to grow up as Gerber babies. After all, the feeding system we communicated to them wasn’t our invention. All we did was listen and create what they asked us to and in the process, shared in the joys of nurturing.

Think OB/GYN and you think womanly thoughts. Especially if you happen to be the all-male doctoral team so many women rely on for top-notch medical advice and care. So, the natural question arose; how do we womanize a male practice.

Having great, enlightened women on our team helped, for starters. They started with transforming the feel of the clinic, so that the patients could be relaxed. Every single touchpoint was transformed, from reception to magazine selection, coffee type to herbal teas, soft music to soothing aromatherapy candles. Every experience was monitored and catered to.

We transformed the brand identity to reflect this new, caring makeover. Then new, soft spoken brand communications were developed to (quietly) shout out this makeover marvel.

Mars and Venus were finally in alignment. If only at one great clinic, on a beachside road, in a growing little city.

It’s just water. Isn’t it?

Combine this consumer statement with the daunting task of competing against 200 known (and another bunch of unknown) brands, and many strategists would raise their hands in the air and call it a day.

We raised our hands like eager students at the front of the class. This was a challenge we wanted to be associated with.

Our research wasn’t confined to mere numbers off a retail audit page. We delved into the marketplace, conversing with retailers, buyers, consumers, customers, young, young-at-heart. We factored in social and regulatory, economic and political in identifying a key niche that a new brand, MAi™, can enter, own, exploit and grow.

By focusing on the very essence of what consumers and customers alike want, we were able to identify opportunities that would allow a new brand to quench the thirst of the growing youth.

The result was positive that we began adding our input for the global brand strategy, liaising with international operations to ensure that segmentation strategies were sound.

Science has proven us right. Consumer research has put Mai Icelandic Glacial Water on top when compared against the competition. That’s something to drink to.