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Thought Leadership

Focus on Manchester – Martin Carr, Managing Director of True North

Tom Holmes

Founder & Chairman Creativebrief

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Following our recent feature City Brand Leaders – Manchester, we interviewed a select group of leaders from Manchester’s top agencies to help focus on the Manchester brand and consider their own agency vision.

Creativebrief Founder & Chairman Tom Holmes talks to Martin Carr, Managing Director of True North.

About Martin

Martin is Managing Director of True North, branding design consultancy in Manchester.

As well as working with corporate clients including Royal Mail, Bank of Scotland and bmi, True North have extensive experience in the arts and cultural sector. Martin has advised national organisations including Tate, National Portrait Gallery, The Royal Collection, British Library and Imperial War Museum, as well as regional institutions and venues including Bristol Museums Galleries & Archives, Holburne Museum of Art, National Museums Liverpool, Bridgewater Hall, The Lowry and Liverpool Culture Company.

Prior to founding True North in 2001, Martin worked for 15 years in advertising and branding agencies as well as in marketing roles client-side.

Martin grew up in Manchester, attending Manchester Grammar School and going on to study at Birmingham University. He is passionate about all aspects of the arts and is an advisor to the Manchester Literature Festival, as well as a mentor on Manchester Masters, an initiative aimed at keeping bright graduate talent in the city.

TH: Martin, what does the Manchester brand stand for?

MC: I guess it depends on who you ask, but to ‘the world at large’ I think primarily it’s music, football, a good night out – delivered with a sardonic confidence

TH: Are the city’s brand values reflected in your own agency culture?

MC: No. We have our own values and I don’t really understand why those of the city would be? Would anyone expect London’s brand values to be reflected in any agency there?

TH: Does being based in Manchester influence your creative output? If so, how?

MC: No.

TH: What makes your agency offer different?

MC: We develop brand and identity solutions for global brands: British Council, Design Council, National Portrait Gallery, Royal Mail, Royal Mint, Oxford University, The Wine Society

TH: Why should clients consider sourcing work from Manchester agencies?

MC: I can’t really see what important difference the geography of any agency could make.

If they are confident that the agency has what they need, the client should work with them.

Martin Carr, True North

TH: What sort of clients do you particularly want to attract?

MC: Ambitious ones who believe in the ability of design to make a tangible difference.

TH: What work have you done recently makes you really proud?

MC: Creating a global brand name and identity for a new British Council education product – launching August.

Counting the Royal Household among our branding clients – we are not permitted to share the details of the project we have worked with them on.

Being appointed in May to work with the Design Council to develop a new identity solution at such an important time in their evolution.

Being responsible for a fairly important Royal Mail stamp set that will be released this summer within 24 hours of every British success in a fairly well known sporting event taking place in August (sardonic confidence there)….

TH: What local brands do you most admire and why?

MC: Any that stand shoulder to shoulder with the best in their field and avoid regional connotations and parochialism.

TH: Are there any local marketers who have inspired you?

MC: None in person although I have admired the Co-operative’s brand work over more recent years.

TH: What business would you most like to win?

MC: The next one

TH: Thanks Martin!

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