| Kelvin Taylor
Kelvin Taylor, Director at Australia-based Diadem, talks with Anaezi Modu for our Expert Interviews series. Read his insights on implementation, Diadem, and their success for clients. > diadem.com.au Video below of Giant Bikes  > LinkedIn Group - Brand Implementation: Environments Who are you?Diadem is a professional services company that implements brands into physical spaces. I am the director and partner at Diadem in charge of marketing. Operating in the marketing communications sector, Diadem acts as a bridge between the client principal, creative agencies and suppliers. What do you do?In the realm of environments or physical spaces, Diadem has developed a unique ‘plan, develop, deliver’ service model whereby we take full responsibility for the delivery of a project in a more holistic manner. Our in-house expertise covers a range of professional disciplines including graphic, product and interior design, architecture, merchandising, wayfinding, procurement, project management and construction management. With offices across Australia and New Zealand, Diadem has implemented brands for local and global businesses across 40 countries with projects ranging from a single shopfront to a railway network of over 300 passenger stations or a global bank with over 4,000 assets to rebrand.  Melbourne Airport Why does it matter?Diadem is in the business of problem solving. Essentially we are a safe pair of hands that clients can rely on and entrust with their brands. There are many examples of brands that are poorly executed in the field. While the creative direction may be sound, there is often a disconnection when the brand standards are transferred from marketing and communications to property and procurement. What seems to occur is a ‘lost in translation’ moment where the pragmatics of delivery often ride roughshod over the creative intent. This need not be the case if the client engages with a specialist third party to help them navigate this transition. We are positioned as an independent professional adviser who can assess and manage the risk on behalf of our clients. This impartiality is critical in obtaining a solution that is ‘fit for purpose’ rather than one that is steered by a manufacturing agenda or limitation. Why do you do what you do?Looking back I can honestly say it has been quite a journey. For me it started in the early 1980’s when I was studying for my Visual Communication Degree in Sydney. It was at this time I was first exposed to the idea of a brand implementation consultancy. Over a period of 30 years, culminating in Diadem, I have been fortunate enough to work in North America, UK and EU and across the Asia Pacific basin helping companies implement their identities on time, on budget and most importantly ‘on-brand’. So for me, brand implementation is in my blood. I continue to hold that passion as I enter my 4th decade in the industry. What is interesting is that while, over this period, we have seen the rise of global communications giants such as WPP, Omnicom and Interpublic, it would seem that the creation of a truly global brand implementation industry is yet to be fully realized. Who do you do it for?Over the past 10 years Diadem has worked on an exceptionally broad range of branded environment projects. There are multi-site brand programs for large international corporations like ANZ Bank, Goodman Group, K-Mart and Mitsubishi. Diadem also undertakes many wayfinding projects for mass transportation, public space, education and commercial precincts. Our work with Auckland, Melbourne and Perth Airports are a good example of this. Then you have the more specialized interior and architecturally-driven retail projects where the whole environment and customer journey requires strategy, design and delivery. It is these projects where a holistic design and delivery service model is required to tie all the design disciplines together. A good example of this type of project is the work Diadem is undertaking for Giant Bikes – one of the largest bicycle manufacturers and retailers in the world. Giant Bikes Diadem is currently working with Giant Bikes Australia to roll out a premium dealership network called Giant Cycle World. Our role encompasses interior space and customer journey planning, merchandising and fixture design, lighting, furniture, graphics and signage. Working in close collaboration with the client principal, Diadem is responsible for strategy, design development and documentation, project tendering and construction management of the store, whereby Diadem contracts suppliers and obtains practical completion of all works. Giant is a good example of where various design and management disciplines combine as an integrated service offer. We provided the client with control and certainty of the design outcome coupled with supply transparency and risk management. What one thing have you learned in your business about yourself or Diadem?Never assume you know everything. It pays to be open to new ideas and creative ways of approaching a problem. It is easy to become entrenched in old habits and ways. Advancements in technology are having a dramatic impact not only on the product deliverables but also on design and management. What one thing have you learned about clients?I had an enlightening experience working in Singapore for a year with Caltex Oil Corporation’s global marketing division. The client from Texas and I were engaged in serious negotiations with a European supplier from Denmark. At a critical point of the negotiation the supplier asked if they could converse amongst themselves in their native Danish language to which we agreed. Little did they know that my Texan client was married to a Dane and understood everything that was spoken. Lesson of the day – never assume you are the only one who speaks your language. What tips would you offer someone just starting in business?Starting in business for yourself can be daunting and, in start-up, is often associated with longer hours and less financial return. I would encourage anyone who believes in their abilities and has a genuine passion for what they do to stick with it. Success may be measured in many ways. You don’t have to become the biggest and the best in order to make a meaningful contribution to a project or to have a positive impact on someone you are working with. What advice would you offer a prospective client about the best way to work with a brand implementation consultant?Brand implementation consulting has been a professional discipline for over 30 years. However it is not universally recognized as an option open to clients who traditionally go straight from creativity to product supply. The first piece of advice for clients is to have an open mind about the procurement alternatives that are available to them. It is widely recognized that the implementation costs of delivering a brand far outweigh that spent on strategy and design. This often translates to cost saving initiatives being a primary performance measure of implementation. Clients need to be educated that delivering cost savings do not have to come at the expense of creativity or quality. An independent adviser can recommend cost effective solutions that are outside of the traditional supply and logistics parameters and that do not compromise creativity or quality. The reality is that an independent adviser is not going to push a predetermined outcome or a certain method of production. The second piece of advice is for clients to understand that the implementation of brand-based projects is not the same as implementing a standard building or interior fit-out project. I have seen many instances of large procurement specialists trying to enforce a commoditized procurement solution onto a branding project. The results of doing this can be disastrous and will often result in predetermined suppliers dictating the solution rather than the preferred outcome where the preferred solution will guide the selection of the most appropriate supply option. The more we learn about firms like Diadem and the all-important implementation aspect of our work, the better. Thank you Kelvin.Thank you, Anaezi. I am most pleased to talk with you. |
