I-AM - brand identity design & branding agency india

Sartorial excellence versus the ‘hard sell’ When it comes to fine tailoring, the landscape is awash with brands that profess to using the best fabrics and have an artisanship unrivalled by perceived competitors. But how do we actually know that what we are buying, often at a price that could rival a monthly mortgage payment, is of the very best quality. It’s not a case of brands trying to pull the wool over our eyes – excuse the pun – they are fully signed up to the methodology and creation of the products they sell. What’s interesting is how are they communicating to the consumer about the intricate detail that sets their product apart? At I-AM we recently started work with a high-end tailoring brand from the Midlands called Clements & Church. With stores across that region and with an online re-brand preparing to launch in February 2016, they produce a range of suiting, separates and accessories that cater for a market that enjoys vibrancy, colour and style. And with a simil...

The Future Consumer Experience – Super Talks at Tent London Group Partner at I-AM and Director of 3D Design, Pete Champion, joined a panel of speakers and fellow creative professionals at Super Talk, an event curated by Design Exchange magazine and part of the London Design Festival 2014, at Tent London on September 18. ‘The Future Consumer Experience’ debate tackled questions and issues around virtual showroom design, the experience of store versus online shopping and the immersion of a ‘best of both worlds’ scenario for brands. With extensive knowledge in creating award-winning showrooms featuring a blend of virtual and physical environments, Pete focused his talk on ‘Trends in Showroom Design’. Pete stated that customer journeys are at the heart of showroom design, independent of medium. He said that brands are increasingly optimising the human experience for the right encounter with the brand, during the right psychological moment. This was demonstrated through examples of sho...

I-AM SHIFT EVENING: EXPLORING THE FUTURE OF HOSPITALITY What an evening—for the launch of our latest I-AM Shift trends report we welcomed both clients and friends to an evening of insight hosted at citizenM Hotel Tower of London. We explored how the future of hospitality is changing, presenting our findings led by 500 consumer interviews across the UK, France and Germany. Following the talk, I-AM Group Partner, Pete Champion, chaired a Q&A panel of industry experts; including representatives from W Hotels, House Hotels and citizenM. INSIGHT FROM OUR PANELISTS Q: How do you think consumer expectations have changed over the last 10 years? “The notion of time is something that has changed for consumers. We have to respond to their needs within 60 seconds.” – Pauline Foucher, Director of Marketing at W Hotels Q: What has changed in terms of the hotel model? “Space has become a luxury” says Juriana Spierenburg, Hotel Manager at citizenM Hotel Tower of London Full report laun...

A Place in Heaven You only have to get a good view of London’s skyline to tick off the many big businesses that have headquarters here, but did you know there’s booming trade at the opposite end of the scale as well? It’s never been easier to leave that city job behind, make your passion a profession and be your own boss. All over London, shared workspaces are springing up to house these start-up and micro businesses. So if you’re weighing up making that big idea of yours full time, read our tips for choosing the best place to settle down and get to work. 1. When you’re starting out, every person you meet is a potential opportunity. Make the most of being in a shared workspace by choosing somewhere that actively promotes the community that works there – be it through networking events or tailored introductions. 2. Space for those all-important brainstorm sessions is essential. Meeting rooms are often not included in the membership fee so check out cost and availability, and ask if...

A very moving experience At a recent race meeting I was talking to a fellow competitor who’s son had just returned from a visit to the Nurburgring racetrack in Germany. The ‘Ring’ sees an endless pilgrimage to its challenging 14-mile circuit that is open to the public on a pay and go basis. His son’s visit included a tour of the track in a Jaguar and it was apparent from this brand experience that he had been converted into a Jaguar enthusiast and ambassador. This type of experience is not unusual as Porsche and other manufacturers use the circuit all the time to show off their performance prowess. Our conversation moved on to how this type of experience could benefit car showrooms as a whole, which got me thinking about the current state of the experience when buying a new car. It depends on who you are talking to but one of the most amazing auto experiences has to be the test track on the roof of the Lingotto building in Turin, but to be fair not everybody has that sort of faci...

Ethos founder recognised for achievements I-AM has been working with Jessica Kruger and the team at Ethos since the business was just an idea, developing the brand to become what customers flock to now: that iconic stag hanging above the door and the famed delicious vegetarian food within. We’re pleased that Jessica’s achievements in spearheading such an innovative concept have been recognised, not least by her inclusion in the Telegraph’s list of the top 35 businesswomen in the UK. Here’s Jessica in her own words, “Getting to where I am today has taken passion, commitment and a good dose of elbow grease. I was nervous about taking the plunge to start my own business but jumped at the opportunity. Ethos itself has developed thanks to steep learning curves, listening to customer feedback and investing in my own skills to better lead my brand and team. “ And here at I-AM, we’re looking forward to exploring new ideas with an inspiring client dedicated to raising the bar for meat-free ...

The last days of ‘Jabba’ the hut It was one of the best pieces of work I-AM has ever been part of, selected from a huge international tender by Lincolnshire County Council to create a beach hut that would play its part in reinvigorating the Eastern coastline. Enter the now iconic ‘Jabba’ (as in ‘Jabba The Hut’ for Star Wars aficionados). A design inspired by the very earliest form of seaside dwellings with an entry based on a cave and designed using layers of timber, glass and aluminium to combat the unforgiving coastal weather. Jabba became a must-see tourist attraction and even featured in the promotional build-up to the Olympics as Lincolnshire’s most iconic structure alongside local Olympian and gymnast Beth Tweedle. All good things come to an end and, after eight years, the original design finally wore-away. But Jabba has been given a second lease of life, and I-AM were delighted to contribute time to redesigning the iconic hut using solid surface material Corian to be unveil...

Jabba II lives An iconic beach hut, which became the emblem of the Mablethorpe and Sutton-on-Sea Bathing Beauties Festival, has been replaced with a more robust structure. In 2006, a competition to design a beach hut for the 21st century saw many weird and wacky creations cited along the coast. The huts provided an added attraction for visitors and have enjoyed international attention. But, the years took their toll on the most iconic of the huts, which was designed by I-AM – Jabba, a striking curved structure, which was designed to blend with the sand dunes. Due to the way it had deteriorated, the original hut was unable to be restored and was removed in 2013. After consultation with East Lindsey District Council, Mablethorpe and Sutton Town Council and local residents, Lincolnshire County Council worked with I-AM to design and build a more robust Jabba II. I-AM commented “Jabba is a project we’re immensely proud of and it’s stayed close to our hearts over the years. That Jabba h...

Branch Transformation: Do you really need a branch of the future? And does it have to be a Ferrari? The relentless rise of digital has left most retail sectors grappling with how to maintain relevancy for the bricks-and-mortar component of their offer. The banking sector is no exception – indeed it’s one of the best examples of how (or not) to solve the conundrum between a physical presence and a cost-effective online transaction. At RBR’s recent ‘Branch Transformation’ conference in London, 510 banking delegates from around the world gathered for 2 days of talks on the subject, and I-AM’s Group Managing Director, Jon Blakeney, was one of the speakers. Jon used his talk to focus on one of the industry’s trending topics: ‘The branch of the future’. While most bankers believe that branches are the best environment for serving and selling, many banks seem to feel the need to over-correct the natural tendency towards digital transactions, and in so doing they invest in unnecessarily el...