301 has solid experience in working with brands over substantial periods of time, overseeing the journey from initial launch through to becoming established, enjoying significant commercial success and then evolving and growing the business so it can stand the test of time and thrive well into the future.
Our work with leading engineering brand, Brown Beech and Associates (B2) over a number of years shows the positive impact that professional branding support can have through the lifespan of a business that is not content to merely survive, but to thrive and develop to keep pace with the world around it. Our working relationship with B2 has passed through four distinct stages.
1. In the beginning
The launch of B2
Brown Beech and Associates (B2) was set up in 1987 during the construction of the Second Bosphorus Bridge by a successful designer and civil engineer. Its aim was to pursue the art of long-span suspension bridge design across the world and to promote excellence in the field of civil engineering. David Boxall, now MD of 301 Design, joined the business soon after it started with a brief to help form the modern consulting engineering business and guide the evolution of its brand. David continues to collaborate with the founders of the business to this day, and to promote the legacy of its renowned lead designer, Dr William (Bill) Brown.
Brand management was integral to the running of the business from the word ‘go’, and David Boxall was soon appointed as the General Manager of the Consulting Engineers. In addition, he set up a design agency, now known as 301 Design, offering brand management to other businesses across various sectors. The branding work that David oversaw at B2 helped inform 301 Design’s approach to its own design projects and the agency is now in great demand from major clients such as Johnson & Johnson, National Audit Office, Prudential, University of London, BT, ICE, Novartis and other ambitious business owners across the UK and Europe.
2. Growing the brand
The rise of B2
"Every long-span bridge project is a new challenge. Brown Beech's objective must be to span distance more successfully than ever before, setting new standards in design and construction. It is our duty as designers and engineers to recognise, scrutinise and exceed past achievements."
Dr William Brown OBE RDI C.ENG
Brown Beech and Associates quickly became established as one of the world’s leading consultancies, thriving throughout the 1990s as a key player in the highly-specialised field of long-span bridge design and engineering. Clients were attracted by the company’s high level of expertise, clarity of communications and speed of delivery. Before long, Brown Beech had become known across the world of engineering as B2. Accompanying brand assets were generated and the b2.co.uk website domain name was registered in 1996 to showcase the ground-breaking bridge designs that were being produced by the business.
The incredible output of projects and designs being produced by B2 during this stage in its life were the second Bosphorus Bridge, several motorway bridges and technically complex long-span bridges, such as the Dardanelles Crossing, Java-Bali Bridge, Izmit and Messina Crossing, a proposed 3,300m single-span bridge connecting Italy to Sicily. Not to mention construction engineering work for Storebaelt and in Hong Kong and China.
3. Guiding the brand
Capitalising on success
B2 has always been what we would nowadays call an ‘agile’ business, with a shallow hierarchy and ability to identify and take advantage of the latest technology available. Part of the reason for its success and ability to move with the times was the constant adherence to the identified brand values of ‘expertise’, ‘innovation’, ‘experience’, ‘openness’ and ‘efficiency of delivery’. These values informed and inspired strong branding and ensured a long-term reputation for versatility and excellent customer relationships.
As the business grew and its reputation for excellence spread around the world, it was an inspiring time. The business enjoyed a hive of creativity and interest from engineers across the world. David and his team crafted and delivered presentations to top international conferences with excellent feedback and many subsequent enquiries. We created cutting-edge 3D bridge simulations and built our own wind-tunnel for testing. We generated vast numbers of publications and enjoyed top-level communications and collaborations with governments, financiers, the steel industry and designers from such diverse fields as F1 motorsport, aeronautics and product creation.
Six-part brand strategy plan
David devised a workable long-term strategy to inform the work he did on brand management for B2. Using six separate sections, he turned the company’s original vision into a comprehensive brand management plan that ensured its long-term survival and the admiration of peers, customers and other key audiences around the globe.
1. Plan
The brand management strategy started with a strategic business plan that encompassed the vision and ambitions of B2’s founders.
2. Review
The next stage was to conduct a full audit about how the brand is being perceived and how it compares with competitor brands.
3. Commitment
Work continued to ensure ongoing awareness of and engagement with a strong, clear brand through active brand management.
4. Consistency
We maintained a consistent brand message and market position using a sustained programme of activity to avoid confusion or dilution of the image we wanted to portray.
5. Creativity
Never resting on our laurels, we enhanced the brand through continual, creative development to maintain leadership in a competitive field, spotting unique opportunities to stand out where possible.
6. Value
Our hard work building brand equity paid off as customers continued to commit to B2 and recognise the value of its services and expertise.
4. Into the future
The publishing foundation
B2 was extremely successful for many years, so much so that it was eventually sold to a larger engineering practice, which prized it for its impressive assets and achievements. Part of the agreement was that the legacy of Bill Brown would be maintained under the original B2 name.
To that end, 301 continues to publish bridge design and engineering material on behalf of the Bill Brown Foundation, B2.co.uk. In 2015, David Boxall wrote and published Bill Brown’s Bridges, a 148-page biography of the engineer. Additionally, he produced a 200 square metre exhibition about Bill Brown’s work on the two Bosphorus bridges. Called Bridging Two Continents, the exhibition went on display in Istanbul for 18 months (six months longer than planned, by popular demand). The team has also contributed to several TV programmes and publications on the subject.
More projects are in the pipeline, including updating and re-publishing the B2.co.uk website and providing content for an exhibition about the Çanakkale Bridge in Turkey. Originally conceived by Bill and the B2 team in the 1990s, it will become the world’s longest single span bridge when work is completed in 2023. The new bridge will feature many design innovations borne out of work completed on the Second Bosphorus Bridge, thus providing a pleasing link back to the moment in time when the B2 brand management programme first began for David and his team.