CMC Partnership Brand Modernisation

CMC Partnership is a leading provider of expertise in Project, Programme and Business Change Management, working with private and public sector organisations across the UK.

Recognising that the existing visual identity was no longer an accurate representation of the business, CMC Partnership enlisted our help. Our brief was to bring them up to date through the development of a revitalised and more meaningful identity; an identity that better communicates organisational values, builds trust with clients and associates and more accurately represents the market leading organisation that they have become. It was also important to preserve a visual link to the original identity in order to continue to benefit from the positive attributes associated with the CMC Partnership brand.

It became very clear during a series of research interviews with CMC Partnership’s key staff and associates that the organisation is different from its competitors. Whilst corporate, CMC Partnership is shaped by the lively, happy enthusiastic personalities of the people who really are the building blocks of the business. Unsurprisingly, in addition to their business model, the organisation's success is largely down to the durable relationships formed with new clients and the energy injected into each client’s business.

The most effective way to communicate this key point of differentiation was through colour; and standard corporate reds and blues clearly would not do. Our choice of bright, vibrant and happy yellow captures the personality perfectly. It serves another significant purpose in setting CMC Partnership apart from the competition; you won’t miss their stand at a corporate event!

The new identity is also adaptable in the truest sense. The logo can be displayed in various arrangements and forms, and can even be animated to illustrate the principles and methodology used by CMC Partnership staff and associates. This introduction of motion and direction is a literal representation of the role staff and associates play within client organisations; facilitating change, reordering and rearranging to maximise effectiveness and efficiency. The animated logo also shows how the team change and adapt in order to integrate and work collaboratively with clients, facilitating change from the inside.

The visual identity extends beyond the new logo, incorporating a strong design style for printed communications; a uniform way of presenting large amounts of printed information in an easily digestible format.

A clearly defined photographic style is another key element of the identity. Stock photos have their place, but for a business that sells itself on the quality of its people, proudly showing those people in communications creates a much more personal impression - the first step towards establishing a real connection with clients.

We’ve defined a photographic style that adds atmosphere and depth to CMC Partnership’s corporate images. Photographs taken at different times and in different locations vary in appearance. Adjusting the style to make each shot look like it belongs to the same family of corporate images ensures consistency across all communications.

We’re introducing the new identity gradually, building recognition and acceptance amongst staff and clients. Together with a new website, due to be launched this autumn, CMC Partnership’s new identity will help to increase the company’s visibility in the marketplace, especially in the new private sector markets CMC Partnership are targeting, and make an impact when tendering for new public sector contracts.