UK trade body discovers Appetite

Phase one of an identity created by Appetite for nascent trade body UK Trade and Investment will be approved next week, with the group shunning a Government trend for more ‘lightweight’ branding.

Appetite, which won the brief in a four-way pitch in May for an undisclosed sum, will apply branding to stationery, office signage, partnership material, marketing collateral, exhibition stands and websites. Work is scheduled for completion by the end of October.

The design brief centred on striking a balance between conveying the dynamism and business expertise of the group’s employees along with its weightier Government credentials, says Appetite director Laura Haynes.

‘What was interesting was that we took a more conservative approach. You find that a lot of Government departments are filled with very commercial and slightly flippant campaign-type identities. But all the research we did pointed to the fact that people wanted more gravitas, especially in the international market.’

The work represents the first step in a move to rationalise existing concerns: Trade Partners UK, Invest UK and umbrella body British Trade International. The aim is to bring the organisations, which specialise in helping British SMEs develop their export business as well as encouraging overseas investment, under one roof for greater efficiency.

‘There was overlap between all the original bodies’ activities,’ explains Haynes. ‘This had the potential to create confusion among the clients and overseas governments they work with.’