Following our recent feature City Brand Leaders – Birmingham, we interviewed a select group of leaders from Birmingham’s top agencies to help focus on the Birmingham brand and consider their own agency vision.

Creativebrief Founder & Chairman Tom Holmes talks to Tim Pile, Executive Chairman of Cogent Elliott.

TH: Firstly Tim, what does the Birmingham brand stand for, to you? Is it a brand or just a passive civic identity?

TP: There is no doubt in mind that Birmingham is a brand. If you accept that a brand is a promise delivered, a single unifying thought that exists in the collective mind, that they should be lived and not just claimed… then cities are brands albeit with some interesting characteristics just like anything else. And just like any other brand they compete for business in a ferociously competitive market place, competing for inward investment from governments and from businesses; for tourist spend; for conventions and conferences; for cultural assets. And as such their offer and their presentation must be distinctive, relevant and credible.

Having lived in Birmingham for over 20 years and chairing a business with very strong and long Midlands roots, the history of Birmingham is impressive. And in that history lies the brand truth helping to shape its brand vision going forward. As the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and with its long history of invention, innovation and social and cultural change, Birmingham is a city and region that proves ideas can change the world. It is a city that fuses the ideas and skills from many cultures and backgrounds helping change the way we work and live. In Birmingham things happen, ideas flourish and change is constant. It is this idea of Birmingham being a catalyst for change that is creative, entrepreneurial and societal that I would say is at the heart of what Birmingham has stood for, continues to stand for and will stand for. 

To take one example of Birmingham being at the forefront of imaginative change, take a look at the New Library of Birmingham currently under construction. This is re-defining what a Library is and does. This is not just a public space where you go to access knowledge and learning but a community space where you can go to be creative, to manufacture creative ideas and thoughts. This is a space for the community with the capability to transform the lives of the people of Birmingham, their businesses and their communities.

TH: As a marketing agency chief, what particular strengths do you see in the local agency scene in the Midlands, compared to London? Or is this a false choice?

TP: I think it is a false choice. Who was it who said that ‘comparison is at best odious?’

Location is not often a factor in the client’s buying decision. Of greater importance is ‘can I work with these people’ and ‘will these people help me solve my business challenge’. It is about attitude and capability and creativity – not location.

TH: It’s been said many times over the years that Brummies lack the ability to engage in conscious promotion because of their self-deprecating character.

TP: Like any city or business those who live and work there will often be self-deprecating. And it is unproductive to try and stereotype or generalise. But if I had to draw out a few common strands then I think Birmingham people are grounded, pragmatic and straightforward, but as history shows they have the energy, imagination and drive to make things happen. Maybe Birmingham people walk the talk and just don’t talk the talk and have a greater tendency to let action speak louder than words. But I can testify that all those who live and work in the region are fiercely committed and proud of the place.

TH: Cogent were awarded the Marketing Birmingham creative account last year – what do you feel your firm brings to the city’s promotion efforts and what has emerged so far from it?

TP: We have helped frame the strategy and deliver a number of campaigns of which we are very proud. And I am equally proud of being associated with Marketing Birmingham who are delivering success after success for the City. Perceptions have improved significantly; FDI is up 50%; visitors at a record high and so on. But speaking very personally, the process of getting under the skin of the city and understanding its essence, its plans and its potential has made me even more proud to be part of this region and even more passionate in trying to play whatever very small part I/we can in continuing to help the region flourish economically, culturally and as a community.

TH: What role do you see for other creative firms in being able to tell the Birmingham story to the rest of the world? Any advice for other partners in the city region to enable the story to be heard better?

TP: I would never presume to give advice to other creative firms and would start from the premise that all firms in the region draw on their creativity to compete – whether they are in the ‘creative’ sector or in the flourishing games industry, making cars or delivering fabulous cultural experience. Creativity is a true source of competitive advantage – maybe one of the few left that is within our control! And creativity is at the heart of the city region.

All of us who live and work here and especially those who of us who are privileged to communicate the Birmingham story to others around the world tend to highlight Birmingham’s history as a centre of innovation, imagination and entrepreneurialism. A living history which has not yet ended. And a history which has been and will continue to be the catalyst for far reaching and profound manufacturing, cultural, industrial, and societal change. It is a city which was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and which has the vision and resources to drive the knowledge, ideas and digital revolution of the 21st century.

TH: Are the city’s brand values reflected in your own agency culture?

TP: Very much so. At the heart of the city brand and our own culture is a burning desire to spark and harness creativity and original thought and to ally this with a passion to make it happen. These are the values that drove the Industrial Revolution and will make Birmingham a great place to live, visit and do business in the 21st century. These are the values that have helped make Cogent a standout agency. We also never forget that it is the client that pays our wages, we are passionate about our clients business and their success and we work as close knit team with colleagues and clients. I have seen the exact same values in action with those people helping drive Birmingham and the region forward.

TH: Does being based in the Midlands influence your creative output? If so, how?

TP: I really don’t think so. Most of our clients are either national or global brands and they want work that works across all the markets they serve – to this end our location is irrelevant so long as the work is excellent and delivers for the client. I would say that being Midlands based might help us more quickly build empathy and a relationship with Midlands-based clients with our people sharing a common heritage and background but it would be stretching it to say that this influences our creative output.

TH: What makes your agency offer different?

TP: I don’t believe that agencies can have a real, sustainable, USP but we can have a philosophy that is a different. Put simply, we believe our sole purpose is to help our Clients build their businesses through applying sharply drawn insight and understanding so as to deliver outstanding creativity fused with commercial rigour.

TH: Why should clients consider sourcing work from Birmingham agencies?

TP: Lots of reasons but let me highlight just two:

We offer excellent value. I really do believe that the quality of work that a client gets from us, and no doubt other Birmingham agencies, is of a similar if not better standard than you would get from many London ‘names’ but of course are our overheads are substantially lower offering us a significant cost advantage. So comparable quality at lower cost adds up to a great deal for clients. And this must be worth considering when we all know the cost pressures business and marketing teams are facing in today’s business environment.

Secondly, we have a team of specialists who deliver integrated solutions for our clients. There is something about the culture and the attitude outside London which allows this to happen, seamlessly.

TH: What sort of clients do you want to attract?

TP: I don’t think this is about sector, but more about the characteristics and values of the client. Looking over our client list we know that we work best with clients who share our values; who obsess about integration and collaboration; who think strategically about their marketing; and who are not obsessed about working with London agencies or ‘names’. These are the clients we work and have worked best with.

TH: What work have you done recently makes you really proud?

TP: Of course it would be unfair of me to select one piece of work over another. How could I possibly do that. I am proud of all the work we do for all the clients we are privileged to work with. If I wasn’t it would not leave the agency and I would not allow it to be presented to the client. In essence I am proud of any work that helps our clients succeed and to grow their business. It is not about us – it is absolutely about our clients and their business.

TH: What Birmingham brands do you most admire and why?

TP: Crumbs. There are so many. The fabulous brands that jump straight to mind must include Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin, Amtico, Pashley Bikes, JCB, Aga, Triumph, Wesleyan, Hozelock, Morgan, Calor, Poundland, Halfords, CBSO ……but there are so, so, many more – the list just goes on and on. All these Brands have been nurtured and developed and invested in to build a world class reputation for consistent quality. They all believe in innovation. They all start with the Customer and strive to deliver better than the competition.

TH: What business would you most like to win?

TP: Something huge and global and successful and where we can make a real difference! Actually, only the last of these is relevant. We work with many fabulous businesses in the Midlands, across the UK and around the globe. Every one of those is very special and we are privileged to be able to help build their business in any way we can. Another one (or two!) where we can make a real and sustainable difference is all that I ask……

TH: Thanks Tim.

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