Cardiff Hendre Lakes is a proposed new business district at the heart of the Cardiff Capital Region. Served by Cardiff Parkway railway station, the development has the potential to support around 6,000 jobs and become a transport hub opening up access to employment opportunities across the region. Alongside leading communications, engagement and consultation for the project to support it through planning, we were asked to create a brand that captures a strong sense of place and bring the whole project to life.
5 Things I have Learnt as a Junior Designer at Copper
Over the past year and a half as a junior graphic designer, I’ve learnt a lot about design (which goes without saying). Also learning about working in a professional environment, and, more importantly, about myself.
However, starting a job in this industry fresh out of university with only a few freelance jobs and an internship under your belt can be an extremely daunting experience. But the design team at Copper helped to guide me through this transition.
Here are the top five things I have learnt:
1. Ask lots of questions.
We have all been there. Undeniably, starting a brand-new job and realising that you have no idea what you are doing. Luckily, my manager and the wider team were there patiently answering my queries whenever I needed them. Not only has this helped me to gain confidence and knowledge, but also to completely understand what is required of me.
2. Learn from your team.
I became a sponge. Soaking up knowledge through experience, exposure, and guidance from the other designers. Evidently, this is something that I will continue to do.
3. Voice your opinion.
In fact, being a junior has never stopped my team from asking for my ideas. They treat me as an equal and emphasise the fact that just because I don’t have a few years of industry experience, this doesn’t mean I can’t express my opinion. Ultimately this really helped to build my confidence and voicing your opinion will also build your communication skills. Pitching new ideas, concepts, and having a fresh perspective to tasks, whilst also having them taken seriously helps to make me feel like I am a valued member of the team.
4. Keep trying new things.
Copper has continuously supported my thirst for learning new skills, and from that, I have learnt to speed up my workflow on multiple programmes as well as experiment with new ideas. Most notably, I have been given the chance to apply these skills to client work. Trying new things has shown me that the magic happens outside of your comfort zone.
5. Share your experiences.
The friendly nature of Copper has helped me to feel confident when talking about both positive and negative experiences of working at an agency. After all, there is no doubt, that if I need help, someone will be able to offer assistance.
Click here to find out more about the creative services we offer at Copper
Copper Consultancy, the specialist infrastructure communications agency, continues its expansion by merging with RSK Creative.
Founded 35 years ago and with an international client base, RSK Creative enhances Copper’s content writing and design offering to meet the growing need of the infrastructure and technology sectors to develop compelling content that builds understanding and drives advocacy.
The merger, which sees Copper reach more than 100 employees, is part of Copper’s sustainable growth strategy and ongoing partnership with global environmental solutions company, RSK.
The newly formed Content & Creative (C&C) practice brings deep energy-sector knowledge, and B2B marketing, content development and creative production expertise.
“To meet the demands of the transition to a net-zero economy, energy, transport and industrial processes are undergoing enormous change,” says Ben Heatley, managing partner at Copper. “That change will touch on almost all aspects of our lives. So, companies and governments need to work increasingly hard to build trust and to build understanding of why changes are needed and how they will benefit people.
“Copper is at the forefront of communicating that transition in the UK and increasingly around the world. Bringing in expertise, technical knowledge and creativity from RSK Creative will significantly enhance our ability to produce the impactful, insightful and engaging content we need to bring net zero to life for audiences around the world.”
With editorial, design, 3D visualisation and strategic communication services, the C&C practice offers end-to-end content development to serve the communication needs of global clients.
“Our new practice sets out to help clients by creating compelling content that engages and inspires, and by explaining complex concepts with clarity,” says Peter Taylor, director of the newly formed C&C practice.
“Because our writers have relevant technical backgrounds, we save clients time by understanding their challenges, technologies and projects, freeing them to focus on their core business. And our skilled design and animation teams bring communications to life.”
Find out more: Content and Creative – Copper Consultancy.
In response to growing industry demand for bespoke branding and creative services, Copper Consultancy has expanded its creative team with the addition of four new creatives. Studio Manager Coel Wheeler, Graphic Designer Mudasser Hussain, Designer Holly Constable, and Artworker Sophia Dunne, have all joined the team.
The new appointments to the Copper team have more than 30 years’ of experience between them and will support the wider growth of the business by providing high value visual storytelling for clients across the construction, infrastructure and economic development sectors.
Coel has over 10 years design management experience across a number of sectors including sports, events, manufacturing, and retail. Some highlights include leading the design team for Bristol Sport and working as a graphic designer for former Premier League club Derby County. His diverse skillset includes art direction, typography, mac, web design and page layout.
Mudassar joins with over 15 years’ experience as a multi-disciplinary graphic designer working in design thinking, strategy, digital marketing, and visual communications. Before joining Copper, Mudassar worked for a number of large utility and energy companies including Anglian Water, Equinor and Ørsted.
Holly is a designer with a wealth of experience across digital, print, and social campaigns, and specialises in information and layout design. She has over 5 years graphic design and digital marketing experience working with global brands such as EE, Corona and Budweiser.
Sophia adds expertise in illustrative and bespoke content and is passionate about storytelling through animation and videography. She has provided design work for some of the largest infrastructure projects in the UK for clients such as Hydrogen South West and National Grid.
Copper introduced its dedicated design, brand and digital communications practice in 2020 which has gone from strength to strength, helping to offer more impactful and engaging design for major infrastructure companies and projects. Clients include RWE, HyNet, National Grid, CK Delta, Wildfox Resorts and a host of renewable energy developers.
Annabel John, Director, Strategic Communications & Creative, commented on the new hires:
“Information surrounding infrastructure can be hard to access and as a result there is a need across the industry for accessible and informative content. By bringing projects to life through visual storytelling we can explain technical and complicated concepts in an easy to understand way.
“The new additions to our creative team will allow us to expand our creative service offering to help our clients stand out from design to delivery.”
For more information on the creative team please visit: https://copperconsultancy.com/what-we-do/content-and-creative/
Challenge
Insight
The project’s goal is to become a catalyst for growth, contributing to the regeneration of East Cardiff and the wider Cardiff Capital Region by attracting high-quality businesses and investment. The development, which is located to the south of St Mellons Business Park, aims to deliver jobs and investment to the local area while helping people to connect with a unique landscape. All communications needed to be available in Welsh and English.
Strategy
As the site is within a Site of Special Scientific Interest and part of the historically significant Gwent Levels, our aim was to build a relationship with the local community early, to explain the project’s potential benefits and incorporate local knowledge and feedback. This would lay strong foundations for the subsequent pre-application consultation. The design and branding of communications needed to be welcoming and reassuring, as well as flexible enough to work in a bilingual context.
Amplify
We ran a series of branding discovery workshops to create a brand and logo in a colour palette of tonal blues and greens inspired by the natural landscape. To ensure accessibility and inclusion, we chose a simple sans serif font that would work well for Welsh and English printed materials such as a series of booklets, newsletters and feedback forms to support the consultation process. A multi-language website allowed people to access this information in a digital format. Exhibition banners, posters and signage all supported face-to-face consultation events.
Outcome
The brand and materials have been well received by stakeholders and the community alike. Members of the public complimented the accessibility of materials during events surrounding the consultation.
Challenge
CK Delta are a long-standing client, a data specialist which is part of CK Hutchison Holdings. CK Delta wanted to enhance their reputation as a data insight specialist in target sectors. In particular trade media publications and third-party organisations. They wanted to build on their corporate reputation to increase engagement with thought leaders and opinion formers to drive future business growth.
Insight
While CK Delta has a portfolio spanning retail, utilities, tourism, energy and transport sectors. It wanted to increase its profile among senior corporate decision-makers and industry leaders. CK Delta needed to establish meaningful engagement with opportunities that shifted perception from supplier to industry leader and influencer.
Strategy
We proposed a three-phased approach to deliver the most impactful engagement: Listen and learn, strategise and plan, and deliver. Utilising market data, competitor analysis and target audience mapping, we built a communications programme. Ensuring an in-depth understanding of CK Delta’s business at its core. From this, three workstreams comprising Insight, Expertise and Influence were delivered to maximise the campaign’s coverage and influence.
Amplify
Our Insight workstream concentrated on showcasing CK Delta’s in-depth knowledge through a series of specialist white papers and reports. This would help to position CK Delta as the go-to commentator on a series of issues. The Expertise workstream focused on PR via trade press and LinkedIn. At the same time, the Influence workstream maintained the momentum of the campaign through a series of webinars, roundtables and events that brought together key targets.
Outcome
The campaign significantly boosted brand recognition for CK Delta. The campaign placed the company at the forefront of industry discussion. We actively created opportunities for the leadership team to engage with key clients and prospects. Since the campaign they continue to receive invitations to participate in industry events. CK Delta’s presence in key trade titles has increased considerably, as has its business growth target results. We are retained by CK Delta on an ongoing basis to deliver corporate and B2B communications.
Challenge
Bath and Northeast Somerset Council has an ambitious target to become net zero by 2030. Understanding the critical part transport plays in the region’s carbon emissions. Bath’s ‘Journey to Net-Zero’ set out to identify the transport measures needed over the short, medium, and long term to deliver its ambition and the needs of the community.
To get the initiative off the ground, the Council needed to make a case for the project. To generate widespread, representative participation in the public consultation process.
Insight
While a high-profile project for Bath and Northeast Somerset Council, it was unknown outside of the organisation. Therefore had no momentum among target groups. It was also critical the consultation was inclusive and had the support of hard-to-reach groups traditionally disengaged with the Council’s priorities.
COVID added a further layer of complexity, forcing restrictions on public gatherings, immediately ruling out face-to-face engagement opportunities.
Strategy
Our priority was introducing the project to the widespread community and instigating insightful conversations with the general public. This included hard-to-reach groups, and stakeholders to give them a voice and demonstrate advocacy for the project.
Our content and online strategy focused on creating a compelling, accessible narrative around the council’s vision for net zero. We helped to remove barriers to engagement and participation.
Amplify
We began by developing an audience-focused narrative to tell a compelling story around the project. The narrative formed the backbone of communications and engagement. Assets were designed to appeal to a diverse audience, including an animation, ‘fast facts’ visuals and targeted content.
Online consultation reached all pockets of the community using targeted social media channels. A thought-provoking, sharable content programme maximised our reach. The communications prompted peer-led support for the consultation and vision.
Further engagement opportunities were created via public and stakeholder webinars.
Outcome
The consultation secured engagement and input from a broad audience. They were representative of the community served by Bath and Northeast Somerset Council. More than 1,000 responses over a one-month period that reflected the needs and priorities of a wide community base. These responses included groups that are usually under-represented. This insight was used to help the organisation confidently shape a range of solutions.