Naeem Alvi-Assinder is the Founder and Managing Director at model technique and design company, Notepad. I chatted with Naeem to search out out extra about Notepad, its ethos, and what he thinks are among the key components for model progress in 2022.
Inform me about Notepad – what was the motivation behind beginning the corporate?
Notepad is a model technique and design company proudly primarily based in Birmingham, England, and operates worldwide.
Having spent most of my profession working in ‘agency-land’ I’d seen first-hand the nice, the unhealthy and the gut-wrenchingly ugly of our business. In 2017, I made a decision sufficient was sufficient and set about constructing a model company which did issues proper by its folks and its shoppers. An company that tackled points round range, inclusivity and gender bias head on, whereas making a working tradition which fostered belief, creativity and empowerment.
Breaking it down, the philosophy is fairly easy. By constructing an company that treats folks effectively, we are able to appeal to sensible expertise, which in flip results in superb work and nice shoppers. 4 years into our journey, we’ve constructed a 50/50 gender cut up workforce of 15 insanely gifted inventive and strategic minds. And, we work with an entire roster of nice manufacturers like WWF, Glenmorangie and iomart.
What are some key components for model progress in 2022? What differentiates the winners from the losers?
Whereas there’s nonetheless a tonne of purpose-washing in our business, over the previous few years we’ve seen extra demand for manufacturers to behave ethically, and actively exhibit their values of their actions and communications. Most not too long ago, it’s been fascinating to look at larger manufacturers select to actively assist efforts and other people in Ukraine while pulling operations out of Russia, and as a pattern I feel (and hope) we’ll see extra of this acutely aware model behaviour this yr.
I feel we’ll additionally see extra of a blurred line between digital and bodily work. The Covid-19 Pandemic has undoubtedly accelerated our adoption of expertise (welcome again QR codes!), and the extra inventive manufacturers are discovering methods to make use of bodily channels to deliver folks into their digital worlds. The Coinbase advert at The Tremendous Bowl was an ideal instance of this.
What’s been your favorite model marketing campaign from the previous yr and why?
I’ve at all times believed the easiest model campaigns provoke an emotional response, whereas speaking a transparent and genuine message. As an business, I’m unsure why we now suppose “being courageous” is one thing to aspire for, when it used to only be the established order.
With that in thoughts, I actually favored the current work by advert company, CPB London, serving to to boost consciousness round gender bias on Worldwide Ladies’s Day. By utilizing brief and sharp copy, the marketing campaign unpicks our unconscious gender biases and forces us to suppose. It’s clear, thought-provoking work that sticks with you.
To ensure the #ImagineCampaign was as impactful as attainable, we picked a number of places across the U.Okay and associated our inventive to these locations. These have been each impressed by the place biases often happen (E.g sports activities) and key commuter places. pic.twitter.com/KtGwQBp4YG
— CPB London (@CPB_LDN) Could 25, 2022
What branding and advertising tendencies do you see coming to the forefront within the subsequent 12 months?
Whereas it’s nonetheless buggy, tough to make use of, unhealthy for the planet and a feeding floor for hackers, blockchain expertise has opened up a tonne of latest alternatives. Whereas there’s nonetheless a number of hype and buzz round issues like NFTs and the metaverse, all of those are simply indicators that we’re shifting in the direction of a world of digital possession and I feel we’ll begin to see increasingly more fascinating purposes of this coming to life in issues like music, movie, gaming and artwork.
Outdoors of the metaverse, the final couple of years has proven us all that we additionally all want human contact. I anticipate we’ll see a powerful resurgence in manufacturers creating methods to deliver folks collectively at occasions and bodily experiences.
What’s subsequent for Notepad?
Once I began writing the marketing strategy for Notepad I made a listing of every part that’s flawed with our business, after which tried to discover a approach to repair it. Whereas we’re in no way excellent and we nonetheless have a protracted approach to go, our present huge focus is switching from a Restricted firm to a B Company – that means we’ll concentrate on a triple backside line and legally have to point out how we’re balancing revenue with folks and the planet.
I do know that in all probability sounds fairly excessive and mighty but it surely shouldn’t. I’ve at all times considered companies as automobiles for change, and as an business which is paid to suppose and act creatively, we’re well-placed to point out the world what nice companies ought to appear like.
