SERVICES
We provide a full spectrum of business services including strategy, consultancy, mentoring, automation, brand development and design.
We have produced solutions for fashion houses, film, galleries, tech and sports giants through to tv channels and national museums.
Experience
Over the last 25 years, the founders of Institute, have worked on thousands of projects that includes work for the following brands:
Adidas, Barclays, BBC, Bench, The Body Shop, Boots, The British Museum, The Carphone Warehouse, Cartoon Network, Cath Kidston, Clarins, Conde Naste, Daks, The Design Museum, Diesel, Disney Stores, EMI, Esquire Sport Magazine, Exposure, Fate Face, Fred Perry, Givenchy, Gieves & Hawkes, Godiva, Habitat, Halifax, Haribo, Harrods, House of Fraser, Hedkayse, HMV, The Independent, Kookai, Levis, Marks & Spencer, MGA, National Gallery, Procter and Gamble, Royal Court Theatre, Selfridges, Schuh, Sony, Superdry, TATE Enterprises, Ted Baker, Three Mobile, Tower Records, TKMaxx, UNIQLO, United International Pictures, Virgin, Vodaphone and Zoological Society of London.
We bring this experience of the design and delivery of a diversity of projects to Institute.
Business Development
We provide mentoring in business practice and development. We cover the progression of practice, the nuts and bolts of running a business through to brand strategy and development. We provide consultancy and think-tank style services for creative businesses, organisations and initiatives. We cover strategy, identity frameworks and business development. We are used to thinking outside the box and asking the right questions that result in the right frameworks for success.
Consultancy
We provide mentoring in business practice and development. We cover the progression of practice, the nuts and bolts of running a business through to brand strategy and development. We provide consultancy and think-tank style services for creative businesses, organisations and initiatives. We cover strategy, identity frameworks and business development. We are used to thinking outside the box and asking the right questions that result in the right frameworks for success. We often work locally and provide additional support with our co-working studio facilities at Institute in Loughborough UK.
We tend to focus on SMEs, as they are the collective powerhouse of the UK Economy and often do not receive the support they require. An external support structure characterised by objective analysis and targeted support is often a key mechanism for the success for businesses of all shapes and sizes.
Our business consultancy is run by Steve Barradell. Steve is an approved business mentor for Enterprise Nation on the Help to Grow initiative.
Enterprise Nation exists to shortcut the route to trusted business support. Founded by Emma Jones CBE in 2005, Enterprise Nation has grown to a community of over 120,000 people. They support people to start and grow their own successful businesses and represent their views to the government and media: www.enterprisenation.com.
Steve is also a member of The Association of Business Mentors: www.associationofbusinessmentors.org and a Creative Business Mentor on the EMC2 Create Growth Programme: www.eastmidlandscreategrowth.co.uk
Our recent work includes the running of an incubator Course for Phoenix Arts (the REAL Initiative). We supported 25 Digital Artists and Documentary Film Makers in getting them business ready, providing them with strategic advice, support and mentoring and to create a platform for growth. We are about to start a short series of courses for East Midlands Creative Consortium: Conversations with a Machine
We have extensive experience in Branding , Business Planning , E-commerce, Communication, Freelancing, B2B Marketing, Data & Analysis, Problem solving, Strategy - both business and creative, Sales.
The Benefits of Mentoring
Gaining new perspectives
Since mentors, by definition, have more experience than their mentees, they look at the world with a different perspective. As each decision is considered, the mentor will bring an informed opinion to bear as it is likely that they have seen the pros and cons of this situation before.
Improved leadership abilities
A mentor often performs many leadership duties, such as inspiring their mentees, providing guidance, and even solving taxing problems. They may also give constructive feedback to their mentees. Developing these skills will help you become a better leader in the future.
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurs tend to like ‘going alone’. Business owners will often state that If I had their time again, they would have worked with several mentors to learn valuable lessons from each. From not making certain business decisions to fostering certain partnerships, a mentor can help guide you through your entrepreneurial journey.
Networks and contacts
Your mentor has already acquired a variety of valuable contacts that could be out of reach to you. Your mentor can facilitate access and open doors, giving you the opportunity to develop your business and grow your network. Networking opportunities are often the key to business growth.
Confidence building
Confidence grows through the mentoring process. You will have a guide for the ups and downs of business and develop the ability to succeed.
The Benefits of Consultancy
You need an outside / objective opinion
Sometimes it’s difficult to solve your own problems because you’re just too involved. You might just be so close to the problem that you’re missing an obvious solution. When there are tough decisions to be made, sometimes it’s easier to leave it to an expert who isn’t personally involved or emotionally invested.
Business consultants are experts in their field. They’ve helped numerous other companies to work through similar issues and they know what’s worked in the past. This experience means that they can bring new and innovative ideas that you might not have thought of yourself.
When you hire a business consultant, you’ll get a new perspective on whatever problems you’re facing, from an outsider’s point of view.
You lack time or resources
No matter how important the problem is, sometimes you just don’t have the time to dedicate to solving it. You’ve still got your day-to-day business to focus on and finding the time to resolve your challenges just feels impossible.
You could hire a new employee to give you the time to focus on the issue at hand, but you know it’ll only be temporary and training a new employee can be time-consuming.
Hiring a business consultant is a great way to outsource your problems to a professional. They’re used to moving around different companies, which means they’ll get to know your business quickly with minimal training required. And most importantly – you can continue with your day-to-day operations so your business doesn’t suffer either.
You have a tactical project you are struggling to complete our to resource or expertise.
Design
We help creatives, brands and organisations to develop their ideas and to design solutions that communicate these ideas to their chosen audiences.
We believe in the maxim, Form follows function. The solutions that we produce should look, feel and essentially, be, the answer to your problem. Each problem requires a unique solution that emerges out of the design process. By going through the discovery stage to define the core problems to solve, we are then free to develop a solution that solves these unique problems and is fit for your purpose. This is a formula for success. It encourages clarity in the way we think about the project objectives. That aids communication with each other. This clarity allows us to get from A to B in an understandable way but allows us the freedom to produce dynamic solutions.
Projects Portfolio
Marketing the Eisberg Brand
Art, design and technology for the years biggest cycling events.
Jess Roberts, GBR, Team Breeze, Tour series winner, GBR, receiving her Graffio Arts print.
Graffio Arts collaborated with 22 Create and Eisberg Wines to bring art, design and augmented reality to the years biggest cycling events.
A YEAR OF CYCLING
We were approached by 22 Create to help out on a year long campaign for their client Eisberg Wines. Eisberg Wine is the UK’s number 1 alcohol free wine, offering an alternative beverage to those who are the designated driver, counting calories, or abstaining for health reasons.
Eisberg’s involvement as a sponsor in British cycling that year would see them bring cycling, art and technology together in new, innovative ways, to engage their audience more than ever before.
DEVELOPING THE CAMPAIGN
The goal for Eisberg’s campaign was to take their ‘liquid on lips’ experience for consumers a step further, and actually deliver product into home via interactive advertising.
Together we investigated the different stages of consumer activation. We engaged with pub and bar consumers, with social media audiences through to those actually attending the cycling events.
Beer mats and flyers were designed with augmented reality layers that showed previews of races and brand messaging. Three styles of social media campaign were developed and launched.
ILLUSTRATION AND AUGMENTATION
We designed and produced a series of augmented, illustrated art prints. For each of the six cycling events that Eisberg were involved with that year, a unique piece of work would be available for the public to order, display in their homes and access exclusive content including special offers on product and cycling footage. By downloading an AR app, owners of the prints could simply scan their artwork and the content was delivered straight to their screens.
When the prints first become available they featured an introductory video. When the race was finished the video changed to celebrate the outcome.
These prints were made available free of charge and were an enormous success.
ART AND AUGMENTATION
We worked with the master of cycling art, Eliza Southward to produce a limited run of her The Chase fine art prints that are were presented to tour winners throughout the season. A second print was made available to purchase by consumers.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
These Boot Were Made for Walking
A full creative business and brand development solution for shoe designers, Agnes & Elina.
We have been working with Agnes and Elina, two talented shoe designers to develop their brand and business strategy.
Design, Management and business coaching: Graffio Arts.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
We are working together on identity, art-direction, working with Hanna Bodsworth on product photography, messaging, e—commerce, production, suppliers and strategies. Things are moving along nicely and we are looking forward to helping them get their products to market.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
A Creative Strategy for a Pioneering Tech Brand
Hedkayse asked us to help them get creative across a range of technically impressive products.
Design and coordination: Graffio Arts.
Hedkayse asked if we could help them develop the creative side of their technologically sophisticated products.
THE HEDKAYSE BRAND
Hedkayse products are the toughest and safest cycle helmets on the market today. They are entirely manufactured in the UK and fit any head size. Hedkayse is soft, fits in a bag and can handle the robust life that a cycle helmet has.
Conventional helmets are made from polystyrene (EPS). In a large impact, polystyrene deforms to provide what’s known as sacrificial protection. This is why you have to be careful not to drop a polystyrene helmet in everyday use, and it’s why manufacturers recommend that you replace your helmet after a knock.
Hedkayse | ONE is their first cycle helmet. It’s lined with high their performance Enkayse™ materialand able to withstand multiple impacts, retain its integrity and perform to European safety standards over and over again.
They are now Head Quartered at Loughborough University and manufacturing the safest cycling helmet the world has ever seen right here in the UK.
CREATIVE COLLABORATION: HEDKAYSE COLLABS
We helped develop strategy for the creative side of collaboration. We developed two approaches. The first was to be able to produce a custom designed range of helmet designs. These collections could be themed by colour, subject or season. The second approach was to be able to select a creative to produce custom helmets based on their creative practice.
The benefit of this is that we could select from a broader range of creatives including artists and the brand could benefit from insights into the artist and their practice.
CUSTOMISATION: HEDKAYSE UNIQUE
Hedkayse were keen to collaborate with different partners to explore different ways to add value and provide more consumer choice. In their words 'Pairing style with performance'.
Headkayse UNIQUE allows visitors to their website to use their own, custom design on their helmets. With years of experience in this area within the world of e-commerce we were able to offer advice on the system and customer communication.
If you are interested in artist associations with your brand then get in touch.
Illustrating Pop Culture
We produced a series of illustrations for the online print brand POP based on the HBO series, Game of Thrones.
We produced a series of illustrations for the online print brand POP based on the HBO series, Game of Thrones. We created an illustration each week on the weekend after the latest episode launched on HBO.
A BLAST FROM THE PAST
This is part of a series of projects that we produced a few years ago for the art print, e-commerce platform, POP. Each of the projects was time dependent - a print was marketed during one week and released the week after.
This meant that we were discussing the work before it was even produced. We really enjoyed the fast past nature of these projects and we thought we’d share them with you.
iPAD TO THE RESCUE
We used an iPad and an Apple Pencil and the Procreate app to produce the illustrations. The work had to be large enough to print so there was a challenge with the memory of the iPad. We had to juggle the amount of layers possible in relation to the size and resolution of the image.
The only reference we had was screen shots after the episode launched. We knew the style of drawing that we wanted but characters had to be continually redrawn to capture a likeness of the recognisable actors while being consistent with the visual language we were developing.
DEGRADED COLOURS
We wanted to capture some of the dread and foreboding of thE season of Game of Thrones. We made heavy use of degraded palettes and had to tread a fine line between toning things down and the images holding enough contrast to be represented well in print.
Procreates use of layers enabled us to use an off-black line to show detail and to use another layer under this to fill in blocks of colours that could be adjusted on the fly.
MARKETING POP CULTURE
Being able to produce commercial prints each week while the internet was buzzing with Game of Thrones speculation meant that targeted ads fell into the laps of a subject hungry audience.
The weekly nature of the project meant that POP could market their current print and quickly switch to speculation around the next week’s offering.