Manchester-based advertising agency, Red C, has been commissioned to undertake a ‘brand refresh’ exercise for Wolseley UK’s ‘Center’ brands. The brand refresh exercise will see new logos and collateral designed for Plumb Center, Parts Center, Pipe Center, Climate Center, and Drain Center. As part of the initiative Red C was also asked to rebrand the Integrated Supply business to Integrated Services, complete with a new logo.

Wolseley UK is the UK operating company of Wolseley plc, the world’s number one distributor of heating and plumbing products. Speaking about the rebranding exercise Julie McLean, Head of Marketing for Plumb and Parts Center, who was part of the project commented: “We wanted an evolution not a revolution as we were building on our high brand equity and the trust our customers have in each of our individual brands. This was a very important project to get right and we knew we could trust Red C to understand that and deliver for us, and they didn’t disappoint.”

Read more…

It’s less than a week to go until our new campaign for cottages4you and VisitEngland is launched, so we thought it would be a good opportunity to look back on everything we’ve achieved – boy has it been a whirlwind few months!

This project started over 6 months ago, when we were asked to pitch for a joint campaign with cottages4you and VisitEngland. That in itself presented quite a challenge: 2 separate clients each with a different objective. It meant we really had to put our heads to together to come up with a cracking ad that essentially met 2 briefs! We knew it would be tricky but we couldn’t wait to start.

Read more…

It’s easy to get a bit disillusioned with award ceremonies. You head there with a nomination, hoping that this might be your year. Sometimes it is and you come back not just with the gong, but the respect of your peers too. But sometimes it’s not to be. And while it’s tempting to shrug your shoulders, pretend you’re not really bothered or that some terrible injustice has befallen you, actually it’s always better just to hold your hands up and say well done.

Read more…

Pot Noodle... it's what students live off you know!

It’s been a month since I completed my placement at Red C, and I’m back studying at university. I’m back into student life, which, in case you’re wondering, doesn’t just mean sitting around eating beans on toast and watching Doctors on daytime TV. But it does feel  strange as the reality of returning to university as a final year student is a far cry from what I imagined it to be. Whilst I’m sat in a stuffy lecture hall struggling not to fall asleep from the lecturer’s monotonous voice, making notes about theory models, I can’t help but think back to my time at Red C and think how different it was.

I find myself missing the hectic bustle of the office, the ringing phones, even having to check through all the email links. It’s then I realise just how much Red C has changed me, motivated me and inspired me. When I look around at the other students who didn’t complete a placement, I can’t help but feel they’ve missed out. I feel my time at Red C was invaluable in helping me develop and for setting me on course to achieve my goals in advertising.

Read more…

Clients to keep happy, prospects to pitch to, ideas to generate. It’s pretty much work, work, work all day, every day here at Red C.

We work round the clock, against the clock…and quite often in fear of the clock. With another deadline always looming it sometimes seems like we never stop!

Which of course we don’t. Ours is a fast-paced industry that throws us a new challenge almost every day – and that’s why we love it.

When the going gets tough we work twice as hard, sustaining ourselves with strong coffee, short lunches and plenty of biscuits. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

Read more…

We always knew when we created the direct mail for our Swinton Bikes Dealer campaign that we had a strong piece of direct marketing on our hands. And when the results came in for the piece we not only had a very happy client… we also had a potential award-winner!

So it’s good to hear that the nice people at the B2B Marketing Awards have agreed with our thoughts and nominated us in the category of ‘Best Use of Direct Mail’… and ‘Best Lead Generation Campaign’.

Read more…

Manchester based full service agency, Red C has created a new 30 second commercial for Hoseasons, starring model, actress and TV presenter Denise Van Outen.  The ad, which airs on Boxing Day is the first time back on our screens for Hoseasons since 2007.

Created by Red C’s Creative Director, Julian Gratton and Copywriter, Stuart Clark, and directed by Chris Gaffey from Mob Films.  The ad sees the Legally Blonde star walk, cycle and dance her way through a variety of different Hoseason holiday properties.

Read more…

We’re pleased to announce that Adrian Rowe will become Chairman with immediate effect, leaving Creative Director and Deputy MD, Julian Gratton to take on the full time role of Managing Director of the business.

Adrian Rowe has lived and breathed direct marketing for nearly 30 years, carving out a career first in the home shopping sector with spells at Empire Stores, Next and Great Universal Stores.  After moving agency side in 1991 with Interpublic agency SBW, he helped to found Red C (formerly RSCR) in 1994. His contribution to the industry was recognised in 2001, when he was made an Honorary Life Fellow of the IDM.

Read more…

The great thing about city breaks is wandering around taking in the different cultures, the history and the amazing architecture (in between shopping of course).

There are some fascinating buildings around the world that have been built with great care and consideration by talented tradesman and have lasted the test of time and Mother Nature but are starting to show their age.

German artist Jan Vormann has spent the last three years traveling the world fixing some of these crumbling walls and monuments. Instead of bricks and mortar, though, he’s used Lego!

Read more…

Location photo-shoots are one of my favourite parts of my job as an Art Director at Red C. I love the exhilarating mix of logistics, teamwork, improvisation and on the spot creativity that is required to pull off a successful shoot for a client. Factor the British weather into the mix and it can make for quite a challenging day!

However when the excitement is over you can find yourself sitting in a Travelodge feeling like Alan Partridge, contemplating dismantling the trouser press. So it’s great when you meet a photographer who is not only up to the job of taking fantastic images but can entertain you in the bar that evening (whilst the days photos are uploading, obviously) with wild tales of photographing Motley Crue and Aerosmith in LA!.

Read more…