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

Creativebrief Founder & Chairman Tom Holmes talks to Tanya Garland, Managing Director of Cool Blue.

TH: Tanya, what does the Newcastle brand stand for?

TG: A city where vibrant modernity is layered over strong industrial and architectural foundations – a place where creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship come together – and where old and new, traditional and modern meet . . . and deliver some exciting outcomes.

TH: How do you think Newcastle should position itself?

TG: As the happening hub of a proud region that honours tradition and experience, yet is quick to adopt new ideas and maximise the opportunities they offer.

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

TG: Yes – we mirror Newcastle’s creativity, energy and ability to adapt, and the sense of being at the heart of what’s happening.

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

TG: Well, we are gutsy, hard-working and ambitious! Which when coupled with the flair and confidence that a sense of true identity provides means we start from a position of strength. I’d go so far as to say that the type of creativity that we are best known for, and that we bring to our client work, is part of what makes the region special.

TH: What makes your agency offer different?

TG: We pride ourselves on having the most talented team in the North East and on understanding our clients’ business and commercial needs as well as they do. As trusted partners, we anticipate, advise and support seamlessly. We also offer a 360˚ approach – clients can come to us for all of their marketing needs from PR and social media to web & digital and from conceptual to practical design. The fact we have won more awards than any other UK agency for the past four years across these disciplines is undeniable proof of our expertise.

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

TG: In this digital age technology has brought the world to everyone’s fingertips, making distance no barrier to efficient business. Also it’s no secret that overheads are lower in this region than in some parts of the country, while the creative talent is top-class – it all adds up to extremely cost-effective communications.

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

TG: We love ambitious companies.

– a rich seam of activity that we can turn to their advantage using the strategy and skills our team brings.

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

TG: This is a tough one – we’re shortlisted for 21 awards this year so there’s plenty to choose from. I’d say our two international launches which allowed us to challenge ourselves and really use our creativity to maximum effect. That’s the launch in Japan of Kromek’s ‘RadAngel’ a personal radiation detector invented by the company in the wake of the Fukushima disaster and the launch of a product for Huntsman in the USA that could have a real effect on global warming.

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

TG: Fantastic local brands that say all there is to say about the North East, its ambition, its creativity and longevity – for example Barbour, Baltic, Sage and Barker and Stonehouse which stand on a foundation of great business sense, and for quality, success and service. Also brands that put us on the map globally like Huntsman, Kromek, Double Eleven and North P+I – all innovators in their own fields – bringing something new that turns heads in our direction for the right reasons.

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

TG: Stacey Hall, Tanya Robinson and Abi Kelly when they set up and delivered the ‘Passionate Places, Passionate People’ campaign to promote business investment and tourism in the north east. It became one of the UK’s most compelling and successful marketing campaigns succeeding in capturing the imagination – and investment – of people all over the world.

TH: What business would you most like to win?

TG: Big name international brands of course, but we love clients who are open to ideas and creativity and have the faith, heart and foresight to see them through – companies with exciting vision, a real sense of ambition and one foot in the future.

TH: Thanks Tanya.

Follow Creativebrief on Twitter or LinkedIn to discover need-to-know marketing trends and analysis.