Modern Post.
From day one. The role of brand in startup success.
Recently, I’ve seen several new brands on a mission to revolutionise or disrupt something. Each visual identity reflects the company’s great ambition. From big type, bright colours and loud illustrations, these companies are taking bold steps – both in business and in how they look. Great if you’re truly reinventing a market. But what if your mission is just to do something better? More specialist, more targeted.
You’re on a journey to establish your new venture. To communicate who you are and what you do. Attract consumers, investors and partners. Challenge familiar players, establish credibility and build trust to deliver. When done right, a strong brand identity ticks all the boxes above. Why is it then, that the power of brand is all too often underestimated by founders. And why should early-stage business owners invest in a brand?
Take Centrefield. Founded by experts who had just left an established law firm to focus on their specialisms, the sports law company understood that they needed a brand, name and visual identity that would establish them quickly, and with immediate credibility, while also setting them apart.
“We knew that brand identity was key when launching a new law firm. The brand needed to reflect that we were not new to the sector but had more than 15 years’ experience working in sports law,” says Edward Canty, one of the founding partners of Centrefield. Working with the partners, we landed on a name that takes its inspiration from all good decisions being made at the centre of the sports field. The language is targeted to agents, players and clubs, reflecting their world. Even the font, Serifa, a typeface released in 1966 (the same year England won the FIFA World Cup), establishes them as sports specialists with longevity.
This solid brand thinking, from day one, has set them up for success. Growing from a team of 11 in 2015 to a squad of 27, they advised on more than 200 football transfers with a combined value of more than £1 billion in the 2024 summer transfer window. A winning formula. Undoubtedly, your business will evolve as time goes on. Whether this is through additional employees, products, services or clients. A well-formed brand will allow for that.
The proof? We’ve been with financial firm Five Wealth on their full journey – from founding through to expansion. In 2016, we created the original identity to successfully launch the firm, inspire trust and gain investment. Now established as one of the north’s leading wealth management firms, this year we’ve taken them on the next stage of their journey. The refreshed brand acknowledges their growth and makes it an integral part of their brand story. New photography and a refreshed website reflects their growing team, deep understanding of their customers, and their confidence and personalised service. No reinvention, no shouty disruption, just steady growth and a trusted partnership.
So, brand, with all it entails, is something that founders should be taking seriously from day one, and every day then on. It’s key to long term success. It’s an investment in today, and tomorrow.