"Thanks to Will's determined efforts I was able to proudly present my idea to the board. Without sounding too biased, we definitely had the best designed pack, it's just a shame we didn't win."
Ed Pakenham, Marketing Manager, Tetley UK, London
Background: Tetley, the global drinks brand cleverly hosted an internal “Dragon’s Den” style competition, with considerable cash sums on offer to staff members who came up with leading innovations.
Brief: I was drafted in to do the graphic design for one of the teams. Their innovative idea was to encouraged kids to drink tea.
Approach: Kids love magicians and so the package focussed on images of kids dressed up as magicians and having fun. Since the way that the tea bag works (patent pending) appears to work like magic it was very appropriate.
Results: The team’s proposal went through a gruelling pitch and came second from twenty proposals. The winning proposal will be developed to production and should be hitting the shelves in 2010.
Projects/2007/Mail Workshop/
“We chose Will because he provides an innovative and bespoke service. He's designed our complete portfolio of marketing communications including our corporate brochure, our direct mail-outs and the exhibition stand that we used at Earl's Court."
Mark Rosenberg, Managing Director, Mail Workshop, Nottingham
Background: Mail Workshop is a Nottingham based parcel and catalogue distribution company. Founded in 2002, they have doubled their turnover in each consecutive year. They contacted me because they wanted their marketing and promotional material to reflect the standard of their expanded business.
Brief: To design their complete marketing portfolio. Including a brochure, direct-mail outs and exhibition stand.
Approach: Through discussion I learnt that the majority of their larger clients were direct-mail catalogues. Taking in to consideration the responsibility that Mail Workshop has to deliver their clients parcels and catalogues I recommended that use blues and blacks for the brochure to reflect on their professionalism. I then added the design details: the small font size, the highlighted spot UV printing and that the opening edge on the brochure be cut on an angle to aid ergonomics.
Results: Mail Workshop continued to grow exponentially to a £3.4million turnover in 2009. I have since designed a host of adverts for them and completed a couple of smaller projects.
Projects/2007/Phoenix Project/
"I didn’t think you were serious when you said you’d design us a flier. So thank you for your efforts, I just hope that the council permit us to use it to promote our assembly business. As for the MouseMemo’s, our team really enjoyed making them and we’d be more than happy to produce any other items that need assembly work.”
Tracey, Officer Support Manager, Phoenix Project, Mansfield
Background: I subcontracted the assembly of seven-hundred promotional MouseMemo’s to the Phoenix Project. The Phoenix Project was set up out of the closure of Remploy and employs twenty staff who suffer from cognitive and learning difficulties.
Brief: To create an attractive flyer for the staff of the Phoenix Project to hand out door to door in order to generate new business for the twenty staff who suffer from cognitive and learning difficulties.
Approach: The challenge with the flier was to overcome many of the instant prejudices that society often places on companies that are set up to provide employment to staff who do not fit the social norm. The front cover sets the scene of detailing the high quality of work that is carried out with an image of a grill assembly, fish weights and a MouseMemo. Inside the flyer is an image and introduction story from Mark, who suffers from downs syndrome and tells his story and his dedication to his work.
Results: Sadly the Mansfield district council’s communications department did not permit the Phoenix Project to distribute these promotional flyers that I did. However, in 2009 they did bright out their own versions that the Phoenix Project now use.
Personal note: Employing the staff of the Phoenix Project has been the most rewarding thing I have done in business to date. I remember when they were working away on the MouseMemos and I would pop in to do quality control checks they would all turn and cheer on my arrival. I plead that if you or your business ever need any form of repetitive manual work then you give them one chance. Contact Tracey to see if they would be able to do your packaging now on 01623 644 591.
Projects/2007/MRL Public Sector Consultants/
“Will Baxter’s services have been invaluable in the process and resulting success of our brand identity update. His versatility, flexibility and dedication were particularly appreciated given the tight deadlines we aspired to and ultimately achieved. "
Roni Ajao, MRL Executive Director, M.Sc, M.Phil, MBA, FCIM, FMIC, MIOD
Background: MRL Public Sector Consultants Limited is a UK based consulting firm providing management consultancy advice and related services to the public sector. MRL consult on areas ranging from strategy development to project and programme management.
Brief: In keeping with the company’s rapid growth since its foundation in 2002, MRL wanted to improve the consistency of their brand identity across the marketing platform.
Approach: By working within the team in a hands-on manner, I was able to identify the key attributes that made MRL unique within their market sector and emphasize them in a way that would help set them apart from the rest. This up-dated brand template focussed on their strong pink colour and their European-African work connections and was applied to brochures, quarterly Newsletters, capability sheets, PowerPoint templates and report covers.
Results: MRL continue to prosper with their strengthened brand identity. MRL have also sub-contracted numerous branding projects to me for work on their clients projects. This enables MRL to broaden their capabilities without taking on any full time staff.
2010 
