Facilitating a Better Conversation
Summary
Helping Altia Solutions facilitate a better conversation with high-level, law-enforcement decision makers by successfully managing the communications of their SOCEX brand over many years.
Key Results
Enhanced reputation in sector & stronger brand positioning.
Main Activities
Brand communications, brand naming, brand management, creative strategy, editorial support, identity design, graphic design, copywriting and content creation.
Intro
SOCEX is a national forum set-up by our long-term client Altia, a software company which provides digital tools for investigators. Altia had aspirations to become the ‘go-too’ software brand in law-enforcement and had decided to host a conference event bringing together its most influential voices.
As Altia’s long-term creative partner, we were asked to take responsibility for creating the new brand and overseeing all communications for that first conference. We would eventually be responsible for all brand communications for SOCEX over 5 years and 7 separate events.
These are the highlights of our collaboration or click here to skip to the end results >>>>>
Creating a Potent Brand Name
The Serious & Organised Crime Exchange (SOCEX) was the newly named brand, selected as it was accurate, memorable, punchy and emphasised the importance of ‘exchanging ideas.’
Crafting a Memorable Brand Theme
The inaugural brand theme was designed to represent ‘into-alignment,’ the historic coming together of three tiers of policing – local, regional and national for the first time in decades.
Creating Individual Conference Themes
We gave each conference its own distinctive theme, based on the main topics of the day, the speakers and those being discussed at the event.
Facilitating a More Involved Conversation
Each event saw ever greater number of ways to engage pre/post-event for contributors and attendees.
Widening The Circle
Great efforts were made to broaden the circle as much as possible and involved as many new people including sponsors, thought-leaders and contributors.
Political Involvement
Many of the events significantly were attended by members of the UK cabinet including the Justice and Home Secretary.
Bringing A Bit of Humour
The ‘Altia Times’ newspaper, distributed at several conference events, was a brilliant additional way to help Altia build better rapport with delegates.
Creating a More Professional Presentation
All communications were designed with maximum consistency in mind to strengthen the SOCEX brand.
Elegantly Passing The Baton
The incredibly ‘easy-to-follow’ SOCEX brand guidelines were drafted to support other third-parties who would get involved over the years.
Taking Things Up Another Level
Many ideas were shared to expand the SOCEX format in a number of ways. This Included potentially creating a media company which would provide up-to-date information for all involved in serious and organised crime. The working title for this was ‘SOCEX Never Sleeps.’
Results
Improved Standing amongst high-level decision-makers in law-enforcement.
Stronger Brand Recognition for the company with all involved in the sector.
More Frictionless business development processes.
More High-Value Opportunities with Central/Local Government.
Morale-Builder for everybody involved over the years.
More Leverage In Sector – useful for future acquisitions.
Increased Shareholder Value for company on eventual sale.
Opportunity to Contribute to a national conversation on policing.
Testimonials
“When Altia decided to develop and be the lead sponsor of the ‘SOCEX 2015’ conference and the 10th annual ‘Keith Hughes Awards,’ THE LOFT worked closely with us, and the event management company, to produce the unique branding for each of the events. They delivered excellent work within tight deadlines and the results were commented on very favourably by many of the attendees. The branding is being used for the 2016 events and I have no hesitation in recommending THE LOFT to deliver innovative and interesting designs.”
Ian Watson, Managing Director of Altia Solutions, Chief Sponsors and Founding Partners of SOCEX
“SOCEX, Serious and Organised Crime Exchange. As a concept, the Conference title can spring up many images — whether coming from the dark world of blockbuster thrillers or gritty police dramas on TV. THE LOFT managed to capture the seriousness of the subject matter being discussed across the two-day conference while providing a document which will have a life long after the conference itself, capturing the core elements of the event in such a way that attendees and their colleagues will return to it as a vivid reminder of what took place.”
Martin Jack, Managing Director of Think Different Events and Co-Founder of SOCEX
“THE LOFT was an integral part of the Altia story, we worked together for many years and they were instrumental in creating our global brand. They contributed to countless projects, worked across the entire organisation and provided real support throughout our business journey as a growing company.
They were a tremendous help, particularly in the earlier years, when our company’s growth was at its most rapid and things were changing every single day. They supported then, as they always have done, by contributing to the company’s strategies with great energy, insight and creativity. Always grounded in the commercial realities of what we were doing and always with the bigger picture in mind.
Good fun too, highly recommended.”
Ian Watson, Co-Founder & Managing Director of Altia Solutions