Block 16 - A year of business-not-as-usual

02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 A year of business-notas-usual

We’re Block and we’re building something

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Something that is very difficult to define. It’s collaborative and based on the strength of partnerships. Smart, versatile and nimble, it’s fuelled by passion, commitment and ethics.

We’re not an advertising agency nor a design studio nor a media company – although we can be all of those things from time-to-time.

We are a group of dreamers and pragmatists, lovers and fighters. We think big before we get down and dirty. We work hard to craft tailored communications that fit our clients perfectly. Because the media, business and social landscapes are in a constant state of flux, so too are we. We seek clients who are dealing with transformation and change. We are building something – and we always will be. We believe that insightful strategy, world-class creativity and thoughtful tactics expressed through the smart use of media will deliver results for our clients’ brands and their businesses.

We are Block, and we’re building something…

2016

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b l o c k 2016 — A year of business-not-as-usual

riday, November 11 was an extraordinary night for Block as we took home two Gold Skulls, seven silvers and five bronzes from the Perth Advertising & Design Club’s Awards. To our own astonishment, we left with the largest haul of any agency. It was a humbling experience built on the hard work of a small, but dedicated team.

What was particularly gratifying about the awards was the range of categories we were recognised in; categories from Branding to Experiential to Craft – something, we hope, is indicative of the success of our multi-faceted ‘ideas company’ approach we have developed over the last decade-and-a-half.

Shortly after The Skulls Award Night, we moved into a new, purpose-designed office space. For the first time Block inhabits a space created specifically for the way we work. It embodies our culture and approach, while giving us the capacity to remain nimble and flexible as we confront an ever-changing communications landscape.

The move provided the perfect opportunity to re-launch our own brand and create a look that was more in-keeping with our ‘thinking-while-doing’ approach.

We wanted to do something fearless and this was made manifest in the building and the branding. For our team, those we partner with, and our clients, Block has always been about energy and enthusiasm, and always will be.

We must morph, evolve and reform, not because we are trying to define our final form, but because that is our final form.

Our

Business

In fact, over the last 18 months we have actively pursued a strategy of deliberate

We have said previously that 2015 was

Our business growth has come from

an exceptional year for Block and then,

building strong, long-term client

against the odds, 2016 proved to be

relationships with some of the State’s

even more astounding.

premier marketing practitioners.

The year opened with Block being

But growth for growth’s sake doesn’t

named Campaign Brief’s inaugural

interest us.

Challenger Agency of the Year and saw us being the only non-Sydney agency to be a Finalist in the B&T Branding Agency of the Year Award.

It seems that we are in an industry (perhaps a world?) that equates expansion with success. This is something that we have always found

smallness (in terms of the number of full-time employees – not profits!). We are very deliberate in keeping the core team as small as is practical.

Why? Because of a fundamental shift in the industry. Flexibility is now a requirement rather than a bonus. We, quite literally, don’t know what our clients will ask of us tomorrow, but whatever it is, we have to be a business that can deliver that.

But, more importantly than the awards

perplexing, especially when you

successes, has been our business

consider that in almost all endeavours

So, while some in the industry bemoan

success over the year. In 2016 we grew

the quality of output is usually inversely

the increasing pressure placed on them

profits in what has been, by all accounts,

related to the size of the organisation

to collaborate, for us it is the defining

a tough market.

producing the output.

feature of our structure.

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hungry for, and inspired by, continual improvement

f we take the ‘Hollywood’ structure as our model, we are the producers and directors, coordinating a continually shapeshifting stable of professionals that allow us to produce a stunningly wide range of communications.

For this structure to work, we have developed a team who see their job title not as

a job description, but as a starting point.

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and client satisfaction.

We have (to the surprise of ourselves) found great success in doing away with timesheets. Uncoupling ‘time’ from ‘outcome’ has given our team greater flexibility in concentrating on output and meeting client expectations rather than on internal measures, leading to much greater efficiencies

Our

We have recoupled our strategic function with our creative output and nurtured a team that takes a strategic approach at every step of the process.

2016 was an exceptionally stable period on the staffing front with only one member of our team departing.

Team

a Daisy Bridgwood a A c c o u n t e x e c u t i v e

a Louis Boys a C r e at i v e

a Mark Braddock a C r e at i v e D i r e c t o r

a Jessica Richings a A c c o u n t d i r e c t o r

a Giulia Palandri a A c c o u n t d i r e c t o r

a Angela Palandri a G e n e r a l M a n ag e r

a Tanya Sim a M a n ag i n g D i r e c t o r

d ,

b l o c k 2016 — A year of business-not-as-usual

c a s ua l /c o n t r a c t s ta f f \ Christopher Young, Artworker \ Zoe Baginski, Bookkeeper memberships \ Australian Graphic Design Association \ The Communications Council \ Perth Advertising & Design Club (Mark Braddock, President) ag e n c y pa r t n e r s \ Starcom Media Media Planning and Buying \ Kolektiva Creative Development \ &Partners Creative Development \ Humaan Web Development \ Key2 Web Development \ Metrix Research \ The Office of John Cheese Post-production and Retouching \ Hunter Communications PR and Social Media \ Pastel Blues Consulting Strategic Consulting \ Smart Suit Strategic Consulting

emphasising outcome and exceeding expectations

b l o c k 2016 — A year of business-not-as-usual

g

d

s

ast year proved to be successful not only for Block, but also for our clients who picked up a number of industry-specific awards for the work we created for them.

These awards included Shopping Centre of the Year and Marketing Campaign of the Year for Lakeside Joondalup at the Property Council of Australia Awards and Gold for Your Margaret River Region Marketing at the WA Tourism Awards.

Our

In 2016 we made a concerted effort to cultivate and grow existing client relationships. This strengthening of our client base allowed us to become less reliant on one-off, smaller projects across multiple clients.

This consolidation, inturn, allowed us the space to engage more deeply with our on-going clients’ businesses.

Clients on-going clients \ City of Mandurah \ Curtin Properties, Facilities and Development (Curtin University) \ Department of Planning \ dèmeter \ Facilitate \ Greater Curtin (Curtin University) \ Kerry Hill Architects \ Lakeside Joondalup Shopping City \ The M/Group \ Match \ Momu \ Open Corp \ Venues West \ WA Super \ Your Margaret River Region new business \ Altus Q \ Bosske Architecture \ Central Park \ Curtin Student Guild (Curtin University) \ Festival Fromage \ Leadership WA \ McCombie Construction \ NS Projects \ Otherside Brewing Co. \ The Perth Mint

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1 Strategy, Brand Identity and Communications

Block the problem As with the cobbler’s children’s shoes, Block’s brand identity had been somewhat neglected.

It had developed organically since the business’ founding in 2002 and wasn’t in-keeping with the brand’s ambition of being ‘Smart Doers’.

Block is for those brands that are challenging; those who can’t afford not to be noticed. It is for businesses

that need to out-think because they can’t out-spend.

– to make them go around you. A Block cannot be ignored.

It is for those that need insanely smart solutions to problems that they can’t completely define. Block is for those that are seeking clarity and direction for their business.

The visual style takes inspiration from agitprop and agitpop – activist graphics and the design of dissent.

It is active and has a sense of ‘doing’, of making change – an identity that felt like a verb.

the solution The new Block branding is anchored in the idea of ‘Creative Disruption’.

To ‘block’ is to get in someone’s way

MAKE IT REAL

Most importantly, it is a look that doesn’t feel on-trend and safe.

b l o c k 2016 — A year of business-not-as-usual

Brands tailored from the finest strategies

Thought

couture BlockBranding.com

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Festival Fromage

ti er

s i ng & d

e si gn c lu b

p e rt h a d v

Strategy, Brand Identity and Communications

winner

the problem Create a brand identity and promotional communications that would separate Perth’s first contemporary cheese festival from the plethora of other producerelated events in the city.

the solution A fun, yet sophisticated, flexible identity that takes inspiration from the exuberance of ‘80s postmodernism and the formality of French Art Deco poster art.

The identity intriguingly and

unexpectedly incorporates the crow and fox of an Aesop fable about lust and vanity that features cheese.

The overall effect is of a cheese festival that is firmly grounded in popular culture rather than traditional cheese snobbery.

b l o c k 2016 — A year of business-not-as-usual

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Brand Audit, Research, Strategy, Brand Refresh and Collateral

The Perth Mint the problem With nearly 120 years of history refining, producing and dealing in precious metals, The Perth Mint has played a significant part in the development of the state of Western Australia. This multi-faceted business is an innovator and champion of the industry. Despite their presence on a global scale, the Mint was facing lagging brand perception, both internally and externally, amidst increasing global competition and diversifying markets.

The Mint sought to elevate their brand perception to one of an elite leader in

precious metals with a uniquely Western Australian heritage.

To identify their stress points and latent opportunities, they engaged Block to undertake a comprehensive brand review – including a brand audit, research, brand strategy, and stakeholder engagement. Externally, consumers and clients had limited knowledge of the diversity of their offering and their position in the industry. Internally, a siloed approach and mentality in their business lines had fractured unity. Coupled with a dated and increasingly divided identity, it was clear why their brand wasn’t as strong as it could be.

the solution A restrained, holistic and refined identity was developed to unify and modernise the brand. Maintaining their iconic swan hallmark, the identity elevates a staid look into one of sophistication and fastidious quality. It speaks to the core attributes of security, innovation and quality the Mint is renowned for.

The outcome underscores their diversification as a business and presents a unified platform for the brand to grow on a global scale.

b l o c k 2016 — A year of business-not-as-usual

V E E

Brand Toolkit Version 1.0 | October 2016

We are the guardians of a business with a heritage unparalleled in Australia and extremely rare globally.

AU S T R A L IA

It has been, and continues to be, our duty to receive gold and silver ore from miners, refine it, and offer it to the world.

Our reputation has to be beyond reproach, and therefore, must remain the single focus of all our dealings.

to the managers of sovereign funds who entrust us to protect their nation’s wealth.

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4 Research, Strategy and Brand Identity

Curtin Student Guild the problem Curtin Student Guild are at the heart of student life on campus. As managers of a large portfolio of assets and subbrands on campus, the Guild needed to re-engineer and reposition their offerings to ensure they remained the group that contributes the most to the student.

The Guild required a brand that could represent both the seriousness of

their student advocacy, support and services, as well as the liveliness of events, activations, retail and F&B outlets.

The Solution A vibrant, bold and flexible identity that can be as brash as a toga party, or as industrious as a student protest.

Taking inspiration from stencil and street art, the identity gives the Guild a voice of being active, collaborating

and doing. The stencil logo is a canvas for whatever students see fit – it can be stencilled over, under, in or on anything, giving students ownership of the brand.

Fundamentally, it speaks to the collective strength of the Guild, whilst emphasising that they are creating and assembling the diversity of campus life.

b l o c k 2016 — A year of business-not-as-usual

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5 Leasing Campaign

Central Park

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t i s i ng & de c lu b

Project Branding and Communications

M/28 by Match

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p e rt h a d v

b l o c k 2016 — A year of business-not-as-usual

winner

M/30 by Match

0 Project Branding and Communications

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Lakeside Joondalup A/W 16

p e rt h a d v

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Brand Identity

c lu b

Wearable Art

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8

t i s i ng & de si

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winner

BLOCK 440045

BLOCK 440049

Magazine Campaign

To explore the best autumn and winter style trends, pick up your copy of the Style Up magazine in-centre.

BLOCK 440052

WITH OVER 100 FASHION RETAILERS, LAKESIDE JOONDALUP HAS AUTUMN AND WINTER COVERED.

Managed by

LAKESIDEJOONDALUP.COM.AU LAKESIDEJOONDALUP

LAKESIDEJOONDALUP.COM.AU |

LAKESIDEJOONDALUP

@LAKESIDEJOONDALUP

WITH OVER 100 FASHION RETAILERS, LAKESIDE JOONDALUP HAS AUTUMN AND WINTER COVERED.

WITH OVER 100 FASHION RETAILERS, LAKESIDE JOONDALUP HAS AUTUMN AND WINTER COVERED.

To explore the best autumn and winter style trends, pick up your copy of the Style Up magazine in-centre.

Managed by

LAKESIDEJOONDALUP.COM.AU LAKESIDEJOONDALUP

LAKESIDEJOONDALUP.COM.AU | @LAKESIDEJOONDALUP

LAKESIDEJOONDALUP

To explore the best autumn and winter style trends, pick up your copy of the Style Up magazine in-centre.

Managed by

LAKESIDEJOONDALUP.COM.AU LAKESIDEJOONDALUP

LAKESIDEJOONDALUP.COM.AU | @LAKESIDEJOONDALUP

LAKESIDEJOONDALUP

er

t i s i ng & de si gn c lu b

p e rt h a d v

b l o c k 2016 — A year of business-not-as-usual

Wayfinding and Signage – Strategy and Design

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City of Perth Library

t i s i ng & de si gn c lu b

p e rt h a d v

winner

winner

Editorial Design

Altus Q Magazine

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