Office D.SHARP was recently commissioned to undertake an external brand review and develop a media and marketing strategy for Christian Brailey Architects. Based in London, the practice is known for its sensitive approach to heritage, landscape and materiality, along with its high standards of craftsmanship and sustainability.

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Christian approached Office D.SHARP at a pivotal time for the studio. With a number of significant projects coming to completion in the next 12 months, Christian saw this as a chance to pause, reflect and prepare for the next chapter. Christian’s aim was to refine his branding, marketing and messaging to appeal to his ideal clients, and understand how to take a thoughtful approach to media selection and liaison.

We began by holding workshops with the team to understand the practice, its values, objectives, ideal clients and key strategic challenges. We also discussed examples of aspirational practices, as well as the studio's immediate competitive landscape.

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Next, we reviewed the studio’s branding, website, imagery, social media and client-facing documents to benchmark their existing marketing and branding against a carefully constructed framework that evaluates imagery, messaging, tone, distinctiveness and consistency, among other criteria.

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We also examined the practice’s past sales performance to assess the volume and quality of their enquiries, and the percentage of repeat and referral clients versus new business. We then compared this information to benchmarks from comparable high-performing practices we had previously assessed to determine Christian Brailey’s positioning within the wider market. Finally, we analysed the practice’s financial reports to understand how the business had performed in recent years, allowing us to anticipate future growth, and determine the practice’s profit margins and past marketing expenses. Undertaking a detailed review of the studio’s finances allowed us to develop a sustainable budget for marketing and branding efforts in the year ahead.

After our comprehensive evaluation was complete, we conducted workshops with the team to craft elevated, distinctive positioning statements for the practice, as well as concise, measurable marketing objectives. The positioning statements respond to four key strategic questions the practice faced: the prominence of the director in the studio’s brand image; how to better integrate sustainability, landscape and interiors into the messaging; and how to succinctly describe the qualities of the practice’s body of work. 

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The identified objectives emphasise the most impactful areas to concentrate effort and investment, and act as benchmarks to assess future results against.

Once the practice’s positioning and objectives had been clarified, we worked with the team to finalise  their tactical options. We then produced a detailed strategic plan that covered eight broad areas of the practice’s marketing, with particular focus on three key components: creative direction for the studio’s project photography, a media strategy for the practice’s upcoming projects, and initiatives to strengthen relationships with past and current clients and the practice’s network of makers, collaborators and craftspeople. 

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For each recommendation, we provided clear implementation steps, relevant precedents and trusted creative suppliers. Accompanying this section was a 12-month timeline and an itemised budget. 

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Now that a marketing plan is in place, we will continue to provide advice and review changes as the recommended strategy is implemented and each new project is prepared for publication.