NMCWatch – brand overhaul + strategy

Branding design + website + podcast + comms, marketing & learning strategies

NMCWatch approached me to help them with their comms and marketing. As with other non-profits I’ve worked with, it was a good time in their development for a brand overhaul. Creating a fit-for-purpose presence makes all future work around comms, marketing, recruitment and fundraising much easier. So it is an important decision to make early in a new working relationship.

Clear messaging is central to rebranding any organisation. Once the key elements are set, other activities adopt a natural order.

One of the bigger comms challenges for NMCWatch is anonymity. Their work is often with very traumatised people, so developing a visual language that didn’t rely on a lot of photography and video was important.

Developing a stronger tone of voice, clarifying what they do, how they do it and enabling their very niche audience, was essential too. They had a lot of content so I re-ordered this and improved their SEO, reinforcing their thought-leadership role.

So far, I have created a logo refresh, a new website involving a thorough UX deep-dive, research into NMCWatch online forums, copywriting, illustrations, and WordPress build.

I have also been producing a podcast for NMCWatch, and am helping them strategise internal training and learning projects.

Online course content

DESIGN

Online course content

When NMCWatch approached me it was a good time in their development for a brand refresh. As with others I have helped, creating a presence reflective of the organisation was key to giving their future communications and fundraising a solid base.

Clear messaging is central to rebranding any organisation. Once the key elements are set, other activities adopt a natural order.

Julien Truffaut is a leading Scala web developer. In 2020 he asked for my help to create a complete online course teaching Functional Programming. The process took nearly two years.

At first, I helped Julien set up his studio so that he could self-shoot all the content for his course. I compiled a list of equipment he needed – camera, lights, autocue, microphone, soundproofing – and a comprehensive series of plans, diagrams and settings to show him how to record high-quality videos that both sounded and looked professionally produced.

I then produced all 50+ videos for the course, from Julien’s recordings, creating dynamic edits that reflected his high-quality content. I also expanded his course branding so that it worked for moving image – transitions, split-screen, picture-in-picture, animated logo and end screens. The videos below show how this evolved over time to create an intuitive learning experience for his subscribers.

With my creative direction and post-production experience, I was able to bring some extra magic to Julien’s highly detailed approach and leave him very happy with end result.

“It was awesome. I don’t think I would have managed without James. There is so much to learn, it can be overwhelming, but he has always been here to help me with all the challenges I faced. We found a very efficient workflow and I am really happy about the results.”

Watch Julien’s full testimonial.

One of the big communications challenges for NMCWatch is anonymity, so developing a visual language that didn’t rely on photography and video featuring their cohort was important.

I focussed on developing a stronger tone of voice to clarify what they do, how they do it, and to support their very niche audience. This involved re-ordering their existing content, and improving SEO while reinforcing their thought-leadership role.

Primary palette

Midnight blue

Mid blue

Orange

Warm grey

Secondary palette

Midnight green

Light blue

Gold

Lemon

Text black

So far, I have redesigned their visual brand elements and created a new website involving a thorough UX deep-dive, copywriting, illustrations, and WordPress build.

I also produce a podcast for NMCWatch and am helping them strategise internal training and learning projects.

Check out Julien’s Scala course.

Kennedy Street films

As part of the work I have been doing with Kennedy Street, I made some promotional films with them too. There are always interesting stories and characters to be found around addiction recovery. People who have lived lives a little different to the average, let’s say.

I really wanted to bring some of these unique voices to the screen, to both put them in front of a wider audience and also to demonstrate how recovery gives possibilities to anyone willing to start their journey.

Kennedy Street Recovery

Rebrand + online + podcast + films

A comprehensive rebrand to lift this important charity’s presence and help it build for the future.

I got to know Kennedy Street during lockdown, helping them with live-streaming. It was obvious that their brand at that time didn’t fit with the charity’s personality or future plans.

I started from scratch, researching their current volunteers and supporters to understand the organisation and recovery world better.

Calling on the background of co-founder, ex-Coronation Street actor Kevin Kennedy (that had already influenced their name), I devised a striking, clear logo that immediately tells us who they are and their role as a signposting organisation for people looking for addiction recovery.

Now, while a logo is often the visual starting point of a rebrand, other elements and activities have increasing importance for any online presence.

Alongside the website, I developed a mindset across the charity to encourage more online social engagement that the lockdown, live-streamed chatshow had started. So a busier blog, a podcast, original promo films (scroll down to watch) and video content clipped from chatshow guests.

This work better defined the charity, helping it to get better funded which enabled it to open its first physical recovery hub in central Brighton.

Laser Light City mini-doc

“Definitely one of the most gorgeous Laser Light City installations so far”.

So Seb Lee describes the unique nature of his Worthing show. With seasonal darkness, a faint sea haze extending the viewing experience 20 miles, an historic pier providing the perfect platform, Worthing was treated to this interactive, covid-friendly experience.

I interviewed Seb and filmed the show from all over town to document the show for Worthing Digital. This film is best watched full screen and with headphones on.

I created content for Worthing Digital for several years and this was the latest in their diverse content series around all things Digital.