Is Bubblefish being rude to refuse some jobs?

As a creative brand building agency, we are known to rise up to any challenge. In fact, the trickier the challenge, the more eager we are to say YES. Yet at times clients, actually potential clients, come to us with a solo request to build a website, develop a logo, create an App, launch an EDM or make a TVC... We politely decline. Most people respect our position. Occasionally, we may even recommend to them a graphic designer or ad agency we know. 

At Bubblefish, we pride ourselves to be creative brand builders where strategy and creativity work together to produce a range of brilliant marketing and communications solutions that help scale up our client’s business. If we are not able to dive deeply into a client’s strategy or business model, we can’t be sure of coming up with something that will do the job! So, why do the job in the first place? 

The bottom line is we are not content with merely delivering creative solutions if they are not also aligned with sound strategy. Because THAT is what drives business results.

The head, the heart and the hands of branding

Let me explain using a simple metaphor why strategy is a necessary step.       

A Brand is all about experience. This experience is defined by both rational and emotional cues. The rational part is all about thinking or the head while the emotional side relates to the heart. 

A lot of agencies think of brands only in terms of expression, i.e. the website, logo, packaging, promotional campaign, etc. and often in isolation. Expression is mostly the stuff we create with our hands e.g. writing, drawing, clicking, laying out and more. 

Bubblefish on the other hand (no pun) considers the head (i.e. serious strategy) and the heart (emotive appeal) alongside the hand (actual execution).

As people, what we do with our hands is guided by our head and equally by our heart. It is no surprise, a brand’s expression (creative output) is also shaped by both strategy and emotion. After all, a brand is human.   

So next time you need a one-off communication piece, please heed the head and do have a heart. And, we’ll be happy to work with you.

By Mahesh Enjeti, Advisor, Bubblefish