As the automotive customer journey is constantly evolving, we discovered a need for a more immersive experience in Ford’s showrooms – a customer-led approach that improved the decision and sales process.

Think

Behind a driving force of changing customer expectations Ford required a solution that would improve customer service and signposting within their dealerships, creating a more immersive experience. It was vital that the end result had the ability to evolve and grow as well as fit in any dealership.

Create

We were tasked with facilitating a premium showroom upgrade programme across Ford’s European dealerships; managing communications, manufacturing, procurement, logistics handling and implementation for materials, such as free-standing walls and furniture.

Deliver

We created 4 fully interactive customer ‘zones’ in each showroom, along with over 1,000 pages of self-guided, multilingual documentation and videos for dealers. Due to varying dealer sizes, we produced modular ‘kits’ that would work in any dealer environment across Ford’s 3,500 locations.

“APS’s end-to-end management approach has delivered some great flexibility for us and our dealers and customers have been really impressed with the service.”

Manager Retail Experience, Ford of Europe

Think

Mitchells & Butlers came to APS after recognising a gap in the market for a quick turn around steak restaurant. Our task was to create a completely new restaurant name and brand identity as well as to design all of the supporting launch collateral that would ultimately help them really stake a claim in the crowded restaurant market.

Firstly, we needed to come up with a name – and out of a long list of suggestions, we hit on Son of Steak. From there we set about creating a refreshing personality that would inform the design, menu, and style of the restaurants, based on key insights on who the target audience would be.

Create

Working with the Son of Steak chefs, we directed a photoshoot that would capture the food, environment and feel of the restaurant. We also developed a strong tone of voice for a variety of multi-channel communications to enable the restaurant to attract customers with a little disruption.

Deliver

This complete top-to-bottom rebrand was handled on time and to budget, which allowed the first Sons of Steak restaurant to open as scheduled in Birmingham. The launch of the new brand was met with a huge amount of positivity by both Mitchells & Butlers and the people of Birmingham.

Discover

For a number of years, we have worked with Philips to produce and mail their referral marketing communications, delivering between 100-200k customers pieces per month across their lifeline, well-being and professional healthcare divisions.

Design

Philips asked us to look at innovating their existing direct mail packs, as it was felt that they had become outdated in their creative execution and customer impact.

Deliver

We suggested a new design each month, including a tactile and eye-catching pop-up self-mailer, something Philips had not previously tried before. The mailer had a soft touch coating to add interest when picked up by the respondent.

Develop

Harnessing our extensive vendor base, we were able to deliver production cost savings of over $3.5k, as well as giving Philips new options for their direct mailing. Through their monthly A/B testing, we are working with Philips to use insights gained to further improve response rates.

With Philips recently acquiring Biotelemetry, the Philips research department were looking to launch a new technology that would allow clinical trial patients to do ECG’s at home and send the results directly to the relevant clinics.

We were tasked with helping to create a new kit of marketing collateral. This involved the design and concepting of ideas, in line with current Philips brand standards whilst incorporating new brand standards for Philips Biotel Research too.

Our teams developed a multitude of assets including brochures, social media posts and an animated sales video. Furthermore, we coordinated a photo shoot for new lifestyle imagery which involved location scouting and model casting.

“We had a challenge to bring a new product to our portfolio of services with pre and post marketing materials in a specific timeframe while working to adopt a new brand.  Once we found The APS Group we felt instantly confident in the team’s abilities to meet all the creative, copyrighting, as well as, their ability to walk us through new approval processes to deliver all the material on time and within budget.”

Amanda Myers, Philips Bio-Tel Research , Demand Generation Specialist