News stories from 2006...
EMDA prefer Optima…
Optima have successfully tendered to become a preferred supplier to EMDA, the East Midlands Development Agency. The tender was subscribed by over 550 applicants in Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire and Rutland. Optima were notified that they had been successful in November 05 and had moved forward onto the preferred suppliers listing. Since then Optima have been delighted to start work on a number of different projects for the Agency and in doing so have been made aware that they are one on only 4 regional agencies appointed. Optima are proud to represent the County of Lincolnshire on the list and look forward to developing our links with everyone at Emda.
Streets celebrate 100th year…
Top 50 Accountancy firm Streets is celebrating its centenary year. In 2006 Streets do much more than just prepare and audit accounts. In order to communicate their offer, Optima revisited their brand in 2002 and have helped to develop a suit of promotional and marketing materials for Streets with James Pinchbeck, director of marketing and marketing assistant Katy Johnson, to promote their services. Optima have also recently rebranded Streets Financial Consulting plc which deals with personal investment, pension and insurance needs.
Streets personalised approach to clients has helped the firm to its leading role in the East Midlands and Yorkshire. The firm was positioned 52nd out of 16,000 practices in the UK for 2005. In 2004 the firm was sighted as the fast growing accountancy practice. Streets Ahead, the company’s newsletter, has been highly praised and is to be entered into the Institute of Public Relations annual awards.
Optima wish everyone at Streets continued success and hearty congratulations on reaching such an impressive milestone.
Two figurehead pieces for the University of Lincoln…
The University on Lincoln has commissioned two crucial pieces of literature from Optima. “Completing the Project” is aimed at illustrating the development of the campus to date and unveiling new campus structures for the future. These include the new state of the arts student Union, the library extension and a new media centre at the heart of the campus. Optima we commissioned by the Vice Chancellors office and developed the brochure as an awareness fund raising tool to attract further investment to the University’s impressive campus.
Optima have also produced 10,000 brochures to send to prospective students, entitled “It just gets better”, specifically targeting the USPs of the University. The market place for students is becoming increasingly competitive and this document is very student and parent focussed, pulling in some key messages that communicate what a great location the University is for study.
Optima have worked with the Universities marketing team on these projects and many others over the last nine years. The University has seen huge growth and year on year increases in applications, rising to the top of the table with a 20.2% increase in 2003 and pushing Manchester in to second place.
Two year deal for heritage Services…
The Heritage Services department at Lincolnshire County Council have just agreed a two year deal with Optima to provide their Heritage Sites leaflets, a print run of over one million leaflets spread over 10 sites. Optima have been working closely with the Marketing team to create a structure to the leaflets and a commonality through style.
The brief was to communicate the unique assets of each location, their value and quality of visitor experience AND then to promote all the other Lincolnshire Heritage sites a part of that quality of offer made by Lincolnshire County Council. Visitors would then make the link and visit multiple sites where up to now they had only visited one or two. Optima have created a palette of colours, fonts and icons that bring a uniformed style and create a strong suite of leaflets. Each site retains it’s own individuality but now that the literature forms a range, the field marketers have grouped the literature as a strong set which re-enforce each other and we have already see people picking up the literature in sets.
This is the second year Optima have won the contract and we look forward to developing the suite over the next two years.
New identity for Regional Show…
Optima were approached at Christmas 2005 to propose a logo for the Lincolnshire Show, Lincolnshires premier Agricultural event. The show was looking to move forward and while keeping its agricultural roots, develop the show as an event for everyone in Lincolnshire.
Working with the Marketing team Optima worked up ideas based on the new Flag for Lincolnshire that has recently been developed for the county. A certain amount of re-drawing was required in order to create a strong graphic style to the flag.
The final logo has been unanimously accepted by the Show’s committee and has now been developed into a folder and stationery. The logo will be launched at the 2006 show with full implementation by 2007.
The next Lincolnshire Show will be held on 21 and 22 June 2006.
