Redefining PR

Roland Dransfield is one of Manchester’s oldest and best known PR, marketing and digital communications agencies. They realised that almost all PR agencies describe themselves in the same way. They needed to get to the nub of what makes Roland Dransfield unique, what they offer that no one else can, before conveying this through a wholly new identity unlike anything else seen in PR up to this point. We entered the fray to help out.

The business realised that almost all PR agencies describe themselves in the same way. They knew they needed to get to the nub of what makes Roland Dransfield unique, what they can offer to the market that no one else can, before conveying this through a wholly new identity unlike anything else seen in PR up to this point. We entered the fray to help out.

After a series of workshops with Roland’s senior management team, we came to an earth shattering conclusion – the definition of ‘PR’ is wrong, or at the very least outdated. PR, by definition, is the profession or practice of creating and maintaining goodwill through publicity and other forms of communication. This undersells the artistry in PR and the scope of what Roland can offer, while also giving communication unfairly short shrift. Instead, we posited that PR for Roland Dransfield isn’t about public relations, but purposeful relationships. It is the creation of these tight knit, intimate relationships that sets Roland Dransfield apart. Our identity needed to reflect that spirit, being unlike anything else seen in the sector up to this point.

Brackets are typically used to add information in a sentence. They add detail, context or even meaning, inherently adding value to any sentence that contains them. Our identity plays with this very notion, and uses it as a metaphor for what makes Roland Dransfield unique, and ultimately successful. The O in our wordmarque is broken into two parts, which then expand to varying extents and reveal an more honest, purposeful side of the people behind the brand. The tone of voice with that messaging is always forthright and to the point, but conversational – human, even. This warm, human impression is something that carries through every touchpoint of our identity, from the 10-point manifesto explaining just what being “purposeful” means in Roland Dransfield’s terms, to the fully responsive website that serves as the best possible introduction to all things Roland Dransfield – other than meeting the team in person, of course.