M&K recruits five for B&Q roster

Design group M&K has appointed five groups to retailer B&Q’s branding and packaging roster, as part of a complete overhaul of the client’s own-brand design. This will address packaging and positioning across B&Q’s entire product range and its corporate identity.

M&K carried out the appointments as B&Q has no in-house design expertise. The initial roster comprises M&K, Elmwood, Pyott Design, Lippa Pearce, Hull group The Core and Hong Kong consultancy The Jupiter Group. It is thought that more groups will be appointed further down the line.

Elmwood and Lippa Pearce are both on the roster of DIY competitor Do It All, but neither has worked with that client recently.

M&K has revamped the 284-strong B&Q’s corporate identity as part of the overhaul. It is also leading a drive to create new look packaging identities. Much of B&Q’s packaging was previously created by product suppliers.

The design roster’s combined retail experience includes own-brand packaging for Boots, WH Smith, Habitat, Asda and Do It All.

M&K is responsible for managing the roster and design strategy. It has conducted extensive research into the DIY sector and the B&Q brand (DW 21 November 1997).

The group started the project at around the same time as a report by retail consultant Verdict which emphasises the importance of packaging as a means of differentiation in the “samey” DIY sector (DW 11 July 1997). A B&Q spokesman declined to comment on the roster.