Strategy
We support brands in their evolution and advise in the areas of brand, design and digital. Through close collaboration between strategy and creation, we find solutions that are both creative, yet effective. The foundation of a strong brand is strong positioning. Our strategy team works with our clients to develop the cornerstones for an unmistakable identity and action plan, which serves as the basis for the further creative and design process. Setting a clear vision that provides orientation, both internally and externally.
Strategy is a high level plan to achieve one or more goals. It generally involves setting defined goals, determining actions to achieve the goals, and mobilizing resources to execute the actions. A strategy describes how the ends (goals) will be achieved by the means (resources). Strategy can be intended or can emerge as a pattern of activity as the organization adapts to its environment or competes. It involves activities such as strategic planning and strategic thinking.
Business design is a field of inquiry that uses project management, design, strategy, and supply chain techniques to control a creative process, support a culture of creativity, and build a structure and organization for design. The objective of design management is to develop and maintain an efficient business environment in which an organization can achieve its strategic and mission goals through design. Design management is a comprehensive activity at all levels of business (operational to strategic), from the discovery phase to the execution phase.
At Foster + Svensson we work together with our clients, as a sparring partner. We are not the agency which will just execute the work, because we believe that there are many which could provide such services. That is why we rather work as fully involved, where our emploees are exploring the brand, the market, the challenges and comes with solutions.
We are also not conceited, nor do we think that we can do everything on our own. For this reason, we involve our clients in work process with us, to come up with the most effective solutions together. We read the briefs, but we also make suggestions if we notice areas that can be improved. But we also accept the feedback on our work if it will make it even more appealing. When we cooperate, we work together, for the benefit of all. And we don’t take sides. Agencies are not hired because it is fashionable, but because the support of experts and the profession itself is necessary, which will help the company and brand to position itself even better, reposition itself if necessary, and reach as many people and companies as possible.
Before we start working, we try to understand what the task is, what the challenges are, what are the pros and cons. This is extremely important to us, as it will help us to find the best solution. We dare to ask questions, because we develop through anwsers and feedback, but we also educate our clients about the rules and standards in the creative and design industry. There is a reason why the letters on visuals are large, why they are small, and why they are extra small. In addition to letters, there are other visual and graphic elements that are used, and we apply to all of them the standards and rules that we learned during our formal education, but also during work, considering that we have over 20 years of experience working in the area of marketing, brand development, product design and communucations. Such ruling is called the visual hierarchy. But before setting any or playing with any, we need to set-up a proper strategy that will cover all stakeholders, because at the end – the brands are working for people.
The propositions must be orientated towards right people, at the right time and at the proper media channel. We are here to support our clients with set of tools, inclduing major dimensions and disciplines in strategic work that will help us to shape the most effective solution.
For our clients we can either create strategic documents and presentations, design them, design the business itself, create branding and identity, but also to involve more deeper and work on profiling the target audience, create a marketing mix, prepare market segmentation, evaluate the brand and display positioning compared to its competitors, work on behavioral, psychographic and lifestyle segmentation in order to prepare proper market analysis, marketing and operational plan.
Any planning activity should be measured, where we use tools and set KPI’s for performance effects measurement. Our employees are certified for project management by PMI Project Management Institute, where we completely understand corporate culture, proceses and policies, and how to align them according to a timeline and budget. At Foster + Svensson we grouped our services in several main streams with its corresponding components.
Over the years we designed, developed, and created work for clients including Telenor Group, Samsung, Hisense, Eubylon, Blunspark, Frajni, Oaza Zdravlja, Smart Network Development, Richter Gedeon, Duboka Water, Skinfinity, Advanced Talent Solutions, Fashion TV, Vodafone Group, A1 Telekom Austria Group, Heads Adriatic Group, Qonnexa, Apothecary, Biogene, Renergy, to name a few respective clients.