Merging Is Not the Only Way
We have been a digital agency for over twenty years.
This means we have grown and changed a lot over the years. Back in 2001, the world of digital was very different. But we knew that it was the future.
We believe that it’s our ability to constantly evolve towards the future that has led to our success. When it comes to creating a successful business there is a strong urge to merge. It makes sense on paper to have everything you offer under one brand.
We see it a different way.
The Origins of Big Picture Group
Big Picture Group began as a design and marketing agency called Corporate Image. Given that we offered both, it made sense to merge these market needs under one roof to offer clients everything they need. As the internet dramatically shifted during the early 2000s, we started the Emote Digital brand to specifically cater to clients who wanted a digital agency to help them both get online and grow. During 2009 it became clear that Corporate Image wasn’t maintaining its relevance. This is where Emote truly came into play — a technology focused, analytical brand that focused on measurable results. To complement this we also created Bellman, a branding agency that was all about playful creativity with an emotional core. While digital is still the massive growth area, we wouldn’t be where we are without Bellman. When clients come to us for branding services they often don’t realise they will need digital too. This is why the Big Picture Group was created.
The Benefits Of The Group Approach
We know that digital can be both exciting and frustrating — which is where a multi brand approach really shines. We use our unique brands to target different audiences. Clients are always coming to us with their own ideas about digital which means that they all have different needs. This is of course never a slight against our clients — it’s simply that digital moves so quickly it can be difficult to bring clients into the future.
“We knew that pushing a group approach into the market would fail.
And it’s not because we don’t believe in ourselves — it’s just that the market was still looking for niche brands. This is why we have only just begun to market ourselves externally under Big Picture Grou”
As a digital agency, we are deep in the nitty-gritty every day. Predicting how the markets will react in years to come is our bread and butter. We don’t expect our clients to see that — but we are always looking towards the next big development to bring measurable results. Our group approach works in a completely complementary way. Since 2005 our multi brand approach has allowed us to generate 100% inbound interest.
How We Manage Our Multi Brand Approach
Imagine your agency like a home. Each separate room has an individual function. But even the most disparate people will all congregate in one room every day — the kitchen. It’s a place where you sit down, share a meal and talk about your day. We view Big Picture Group just like this. It’s the heart of our business. This idea of a centralised hub of your business is absolutely key for any multi brand agency. At a work level, we use the same systems, email addresses and accounting for all our services. This also extends to a culture level — even our Slack is named Big Picture Group. Internally we remain essentially brandless but use the two brands at a client level. Not only does this create the illusion that we are bigger than we really are, but also inspires a greater level of trust with our clients. If you are looking at starting your own multi brand agency it’s important to get your technical structure right from the beginning. Allow your brand to cater both for the now, and the future. There is no point in offering the future when your buying market can’t see it. You need to stay in the game until they catch up with you.
Looking Towards The Future
What is next for Big Picture Group?
For us, we see two major trends on the horizon — content and social. For content it’s simple, we understand the power of content yet the market still seems to be playing catch up. There is still a strong perception that while most people know they can’t design they still believe they can write. We cannot force the market to adapt but we can help nudge them towards the benefits.
It works the same for social. Everyone uses social media yet so many companies don’t advertise on it. It’s not that they don’t want to — it’s that a client’s current perception of the industry can stop them from seeing the results. This is where patience comes in.
After all the years working in this industry, we know that patience is key. We know that our multi brand approach will be the next frontier for agencies in the coming years and we are ready.
Big Picture Group is built for the future of digital.
Did you miss Big Picture Group's session at Agency Growth Events Season ONE?
Livestreamed over three virtual events in Q4 of 2021, Agency Growth Events brought together experts from the worlds of Digital Agencies, Media, and Management Consulting to talk about How to Grow a Digital Agency.
Watch 📹 “Panel: Merging is not the Only way” by Big Picture Group.
