Case Study | Liverpool College: Learning with Character

As it negotiated the transition to Academy status, this prestigious independent college promised the best of both worlds: modern education powered by traditional values. However, working with a 170-year heritage, a dynamic, progressive Principal realised that if this was to become a reality, something had to change.

Our work with the Principal and Governors helped DEFINE the change that was required. Interestingly for a college, the challenge wasn’t about grades. It was more about the type of learner its schools were producing and the extent to which they were prepared for the challenge of modern life.

Our RESEARCH showed that the school’s tradition—encapsulated in its motto, ‘Not only the intellect, but also the character’—was simultaneously its most valuable asset and its biggest liability. Rather than inspiring the resilience and strength required for success in the modern world, staff and pupils interpreted ‘character’ in terms of ‘individuality’—personal expression through extra curricular activities.

The task was now clear: reclaim the motto. We needed to rebuild the concept of ‘character’ to make it resonant with its true meaning: resilience, confidence and moral strength. And we needed to infiltrate the culture of the school and the behaviours of its staff and pupils with this refreshed understanding.

Based on this killer insight we developed range of internal communications and individual brand platforms for each of the college’s 5 schools to ENABLE a process of culture change across the college and support the practical changes that had been made to lesson plans and teaching practices.

By monitoring student and staff performance against key metrics associated with the concept of Character, we are undertaking ongoing MEASUREMENT of the impact that Brand Drive Change is having on Liverpool College.

Case Study | KB Packaging: Sharing the Load

Midlands-based packaging company KB Packaging was approaching its 30th Anniversary. The board realised that in order to achieve their commercial and personal ambitions, something had to change.

Working closely with management team, we DEFINED the required change. Specific turnover and margin targets provided the foundation, but personal ambitions for a better work/life balance and a more collaborative internal culture were equally important.

In-depth primary RESEARCH delivered the essence of the KB brand. We realised that whilst KB was a packaging business, it was really in the business of solving problems. That’s what the people at KB did, day-in-day-out—for each other and for customers. It’s what they loved doing. It’s what they’re good at. It’s what customers want.

This killer insight served as a catalyst to ENABLE change across the business. ‘Sharing the Load’ became the core brand purpose: the conviction that inspired internal teams, guided employee behaviours and corporate strategy and communicated tangible value to customers.

As the co-creators of the new brand position, all staff gathered for a launch event to ACTIVATE change. By visualising the business as an interconnected system, we triggered a fresh approach to HR based on an understanding of how each colleague was vital to the wider success of the business—how KB shares the load with colleagues.

By creating a brand-driven suite of marketing material and sales training, we clearly demonstrated how KB’s products and services add commercial value to client businesses—how KB shares the load with customers.
 
Clear baselines were established at the outset as the foundations for hard-and-fast MEASUREMENT of our Brand Driven Change. Focusing on commercial metrics based on turnover, profitable sales and growth of key sectors, and internal metrics based on staff satisfaction, we will be reviewing performance against baselines at 6 and 12 months.