Bringing in the Brandnew Creative

First came the new corporate identity and website in May. Next, a new office opening in Gauteng on 1 June 2015 - which they actually call their overall agency highlight - then came a host of new clients as well as additions to the team, all of whom bring with them years of money-can't-buy experience.

Add it altogether and you get Brandnew Creative, the agency that has learned to respond to change as a necessary survival tool over the years.

Here, Tammy Lederle, Managing Director of Brandnew Creative Agency, tells us more about the past six years for the agency, and gives us a glimpse of what's to come...

1. Firstly, tell us about the agency name... will it still apply a few years down the line?

Lederle

Lederle: At Brandnew Creative, we adopt a fresh, "brand new" approach to our clients, the work we do and our company culture. We believe the typical agency approach is nowhere near as dynamic as it should be so as to adapt to the fastest changing period in human history - so in 5, 10 or even 50 years from now, we will strive to be "brand new" in our essence and ideology. We relish change and how new technologies and new challenges force new opportunities, rewarding those with their fingers on the pulse and both feet poised on the starting block. We are happiest when pushing boundaries and showing brands that there is another way to achieve their goals, a brand new way.

2. What's the basic workflow or creative process in the agency?

Lederle: We're in the uniquely beneficial situation of having experts in multiple fields under a single roof, so our process is always tapered to the client and brief at hand. If we don't have an existing long-standing relationship with the client, our process begins with truly immersing the appropriate team members in the new clients' CI and company ethos, getting a feel for the boundaries and direction of the brand. Once we resonate with the goals, as well as the look, feel and language, we put together a conceptualisation squad and implement our number one rule, above all else - Innovate. Innovation is the strongest pillar on which the foundation of Brandnew Creative stands. We strive to seek new angles, avenues and ideas, which place our clients and their brands in the very best light and place, and resist the temptation to do what has already been done, as rehashing "tried and tested" methodologies in today's change-a-minute world rarely renders ideal outcomes.

During the grand conceptualisation stage, we include all team members who will be involved in the campaign and require them to pitch ideas, from PA to MD. We ask questions like: how will this campaign be different? Will the brand's market respond to this idea? How can we stand out?

Synergy is our next largest Brandnew pillar. Rather than working as decentralised units, we have all major departments close enough to throw a pencil at (pens are aggressive). Once the path has been decided, interdepartmental influence is encouraged so that each piece of the puzzle will reflect an interwoven tapestry. One specialty catalysing the next. Our roll-out involves a dedicated account manager to spearhead the relationship and act as translator between brand and workforce, tasked as protector of the brand's vision.

3. Tell us about key account wins this year that have made an impact on your portfolio.

Lederle: In February 2015, Brandnew Creative's Lifestyle Division had Hendrik Vermeulen Couture join our family, and it's been an incredible journey and success story since. With over R1.5m worth of PR exposure gained by the Lifestyle PR team in a number of key publications, TV shows, radio stations and online, our relationship with the very talented couturier expands as he showcases in Rome, Paris, New York and Milan.

In March 2015, Brandnew Creative's Fashion Division won the Cotton On Events Portfolio, an exciting coup for the Events Team. With expansion into Africa, and seven brands under their umbrella - namely Cotton On, Cotton On Kids, Cotton On Body, Rubi Shoes, Typo, Factorie and Cotton On Foundation - we're bound to be very busy with store launch roll-outs over the next year.

In May 2015, Brandnew Creative's Sport Division won the Coca-Cola Craven Week pitch against three other renowned sports agencies. We are responsible for all above-the-line, social media, PR, activations, design and online work around this three-month campaign, working closely with headline sponsor Coca-Cola.

4. List any exciting new developments in the team that have enhanced your overall skillset, and lessons learned.

Lederle: We have had two new team members come on board in the last two months, which have definitely added to our niche agency skill sets. The new head of Sports, Marisa Calvert, is an expert in all things sport-related, from tiddlywinks to rugby and everything in between. Coupled with her work experience in the Cape Town government sector, she is the perfect person to drive our sport division into an even more fruitful future. Also newly onboard is our deputy Managing Director, Andrew Price, who - with a diverse background ranging from managing experiential marketing and events agencies, to building and running online businesses - is proving to be an essential asset in taking our rapidly expanding agency into the next phase of its development.

The Brandnew team

5. What's your overall agency highlight?

Lederle: Expanding into the thriving metropolis of Johannesburg. We had been thinking about making the move into Joburg for quite some time but our agency has always been so busy that it has never seemed like the right time to do so. Well, nothing has quieted down, actually quite the contrary in fact, but what this made us realise is that there would never be the "right time" to expand. Thankfully, it has been a seamless transition and Brandnew Creative has been welcomed with a flood of interest and new opportunities.

6. What makes you stand out from the rest?

Lederle: Innovation, energy, excitement and the structure of our agency. We have specialised in four sectors of the market: Sport, Fashion, Tech and Lifestyle, and within each of these sectors we have teams who live, breathe, eat, sleep and actually love everything to do with those industries. This makes all the difference in the world. Also, in-house we have our very own dedicated PR, social media, conceptualisation, web development and events management teams - this means that our clients' campaign message stays perfectly salient and on point when traversing each department and stage of its development. Easily controlled and executed without a broken telephone.

As for the energy throughout our team, our hiring process takes more into account than just past experience and studies, we only bring people on board who love what they do, and we then ensure that they work within the industry sector that gives them joy. Innovation is something that is hard-earned though. Twice a week we conduct innovation meetings in each department, we share a digital innovation 'ideas dump' system, and we have strict "no repeat" policies in place in each department, ensuring every campaign is fresh and on the cutting edge. Unfortunately, many agencies claim to stand for innovation but in execution, they fall short.

7. What's next for your agency?

Lederle: Even though we're based in Cape Town, we've been successfully executing projects in Johannesburg for years. The recent expansion has certainly escalated the growth of Brandnew Creative. We're also excited due to having received interest in potential partnerships from European-based agencies that have been closely watching our movements. So things are certainly exciting.

8. What trends do you see as the biggest still to come in 2015?

Lederle: I believe research is going to be one of the most important trends to watch out for in the near future. Quick responses from target-specific research. Brands need to better understand their target markets' needs and movements, but this research and its results will need to be conducted in an instantaneous manner. Information to better understand your existing clientele in South Africa as well as potential cliental overt the border into Africa. We've partnered with various new-age research facilities to assist us with accomplishing this for our clients, and we believe this, coupled with keeping agencies relatively small and nimble, will result in a complete shift in the brand/agency world.

For more on keeping things 'brand new', follow them on Twitter.