A new strategic brand consultancy has been set up by a trio of senior marketers.
J44 was founded by, Kevin Murphy, founder and managing director of The Foundry; Brian Sharp, founding managing director of Wm Grant & Sons Australia and marketing director at Scottish and Newcastle Breweries; and Steve Yelland, former creative director at Protocol, Inside-Out Branding and Graham Poulter Partnership.
The business will have “hubs” in Manchester, Edinburgh and Harrogate, to provide analysis and advice on brand and commercial strategy.
“Our expertise lies in our ability to take a new and sometimes challenging look at commercial risks and opportunities,” said Murphy.
“By providing an analytical outside-in view we believe we can offer brand and marketing managers a unique perspective – a sideways-look – at current issues and challenges.”
J44 is currently working with a number of “UK and international” clients in the financial services and consumer goods markets.
“We’ve been building and re-building brands and business plans across the UK and internationally for more than 30 years – there’s little in the way of commercial challenge we haven’t met and overcome,” added Sharp.
“With marketing management under more pressure today than ever before, we think our experience and expertise can quickly add value to teams and relieve some of that pressure. We are able, using our sideways-look process, to run analysis and quickly identify potential ways of building profitable business into the future.”
