Furniture retailer AHF has unveiled a new marketing campaign, created by Outsmart, to run for two weeks for the Easter period.

The marketing includes POS, full page press ads and a regional radio advertising campaign, using a media strategy mapped by Outsmart and Boutique Media Communications.

Matt Hesketh, sales and marketing director of AHF, said: “The timing of the new campaign is significant – Easter is an important weekend for the retail industry, and a time when many people turn their attentions to home improvements. Delivery charges on major purchases such as furniture are a bugbear for customers, so we hope this fun, upbeat campaign will differentiate us from our competitors.”

http://www.thedrum.co.uk/news/2012/04/04/ahf-unveils-marketing-campaign-outsmart

On Sunday 26^th February 2012, Team Outsmart successfully completed their first 10k race as part of their series of challenges during 2012.  

The team consisted of a blend of Outsmart employees, clients and friends of the business all determined to help raise awareness for their chosen charity, The Sick Children’s Trust, whilst improving individual fitness and having a bit of fun along the way.  

The event took place in Huddersfield with over 500 runners. The course started at Huddersfield Rugby Union Club before climbing its way high up in to the hillside with some stunning views along the way.

Andy Taylor Managing Partner said “I have run a few 10k races in my time, but this was the toughest of the lot and didn’t think the hills were ever going to end, I was certainly glad to finish, but enjoyed it. Thank you to everyone that took part and we are already looking forward to the next event in Sheffield.”

Team Outsmart’s next 10k challenge is on Sunday 25^th March in Sheffield. If you would like to join the team we would love to hear from you.

Join us on Facebook to see more race photos.

http://www.designweek.co.uk/news/news-in-brief-round-up/3033971.article

The aim of the new identity, which has now been rolled out, is to allow Lime to demonstrate its industry specialism, broaden its reach and create a more modern, coherent brand.

Managing Director Mark Miller, initially turned to Leeds-based Outsmart to help him rename and rebrand the recruitment agency, which operates from six locations including headquarters in Bradford, plus Barnsley, Castleford and Manchester. But the brief was soon expanded to include website design and build, brochure design and print and a launch campaign.

He said: “We wanted to start afresh and establish a brand that demonstrated the breadth of our experience and the sectors we serve.  We have specialised in the logistics, industrial, manufacturing and engineering sectors for more than ten years, but we were also moving into wider HR services and needed to reflect that with a totally different look and feel. Outsmart brought, not only creativity in using those sectors to create the name and the associated imagery, but also an amount of accountability which we really liked.

“The most common words customers and contacts have used about the new branding are ‘mouth-watering’ – which is great compliment and we have no doubt will make us memorable.”

Outsmart Managing Partner Andy Taylor said: “Lime’s unique proposition offers its clients free in-house training and HR consultancy – which is a refreshing approach to recruitment services and needed distinctive branding to reflect the sharpness of the business.”

Leeds-based design and marketing agency Outsmart has outlined significant growth plans after tripling turnover in its second year.

Outsmart, founded by Paul Harker in 2009, specialises in strategic marketing across a number of disciplines including branding, design, web, radio and direct marketing and in the last 12 months has secured work with a number of high profile clients including AHF, one of the UK’s leading furniture retailers, betting giant William Hill, Lloyds Banking Group and Croda plc. The agency also created the brand for Virgin Health Bank, a stem cell blood bank based in Qatar.

Andy Taylor, formerly the UK and Ireland Retail Marketing Manager at William Hill and Business Development Director at the PICgroup, joined the business in 2010 as managing partner and now, buoyed by a number of significant new business wins, the five-strong agency has revealed ambitious growth plans for 2012, hoping to quadruple turnover.

Creative partner Paul, who previously worked with clients including Bentley, Procter and Gamble, Mitsubishi Motors and QHotels, said: “We base our offering to clients around a transparent and honest pricing structure and always work towards a clearly defined marketing plan and a measurable return on investment – which in the current economic climate is proving to be extremely attractive.

“Securing the work with AHF was an amazing end to our financial year – especially as we were up against major national and London-based agencies. That contract, along with other new business wins for business consultants Vissap, care home group HC-One and recruitment agency Lime People, will hopefully provide a platform for us to make 2012 our most successful year yet.”

AHF, which is one of the largest independent furniture retailers in the UK, will run the new integrated marketing campaign across its entire retail estate of out of town retail parks and department store concessions throughout the busy Christmas retail period.

The campaign, which will be created and executed by Outsmart, will include a mix of outdoor advertising, radio, press and direct marketing.

Matt Hesketh, Sales and Marketing Director of AHF, said: “We were impressed with the energy and effort both agencies applied to the pitch and their combined approach left us convinced that they would be able to create a compelling campaign that would effectively articulate our brand during the busy festive period.”

Andy Taylor of Outsmart, said: “This is a great win for both businesses and one that represents a fantastic opportunity for 2012 which is hopefully just the start of many more successful campaigns with Boutique Media going forward.”

Simon Bollon from Boutique, concluded: “We are delighted to have been appointed and hope this is just the start of a wonderful, long term relationship with AHF for both agencies. We were impressed with the company’s drive and ambitions for the brand and are delighted to be working alongside Outsmart, who genuinely impressed us with their ideas and approach to the joint pitch.”