Option two. The philosophy.
The Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said: ‘Character is fate. And the tone of the individual resonates with the music of his destiny.’ At its root this is the view that states that good things happen to good people (or businesses).
Whether it is a marketing textbook definition of the business philosophy or a 2,500 year old philosophers, we also believe in the value of conviction in business, in agreeing and understanding the way we want to work, and in the values that we hold and the behaviors that evidence those values.
Some examples? We hire as much from character as from CV or portfolio, we consider the long-term implications of who we work with as opposed to the short-term rewards of a quick win; and if we don’t think we can create value for our clients we’ll try and help them find someone who can.
We believe in things, and we make decisions and take actions for ourselves and for our clients based on those beliefs. You can call it a brand if you like, or a mission, a vision, a value or a blueprint. To us, it's just our way.
The Sable&Hawkes Way.
We believe that … those who buy design by the book have no time for innovation and creativity. If you appreciate high standards then you feel the same as us about mass produced solutions.
… that drawing nice things don’t necessarily deliver effective designs. It is never our style that counts, but the style that works well for our clients that is important.
… and yes, good design companies will design well, but the best design companies think well. And the intelligence of the solution is what makes it memorable.
We believe that … clients should expect their chosen design company to bring something intelligent, creative and of strategic importance to the table rather than an unusual typeface or an interesting paper stock.
… and in the act of commissioning you are providing your agency with implied permission to question your assumptions, challenge your brief and consider the problem from their desk, not yours.
… it is always our job to show, from brief to delivery, that we’ve been able to bring more to the table than we were asked.
And we promise that … if the process isn’t always linear, it will always be transparent, to time and on budget.
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