Hello*
We're Kernel Mustard, a branding agency founded by marketing people with client-side experience. We've walked in your shoes and understand just how a profit-focused business operates.
Our work is therefore focused on creating, developing or revealing your brand, for a specific reason - to make it more attractive and therefore more profitable.
Finding the heat at the heart of your brand
We'll help you identify what makes you special, and amplify it so your target audience knows it too.
*There's nothing we like more than to discuss 'the elephant in the room'...
Driven by differentiation*
Something like 90% of all marketing budget is wasted - not remembered or acted upon!
If you want to be in the 10%, your brand should look, sound and behave differently to anyone else in your sector. You need a language all of your own (visual and verbal) so that you stand out.
To establish this language we need to discover the idea at the heart of your business – the kernel of your brand.
Our method has been designed, and refined, over nearly 30 years of client and agency experience developing brands of meaning, personality and conviction.
*Will you stand out if you only try to fit in?
Building brands with conviction*
If you are seen to be selling a commodity, the conversation will almost always start with price.
To avoid this you need to be selling an authentic, personal, experience and this is where a well defined brand comes to the fore.
So what does your brand really believe in? And what
are you doing about it? Is it compelling enough to encourage your customers and prospects to act?
are you doing about it? Is it compelling enough to encourage your customers and prospects to act?
*Great brands attract customers who share similar thoughts and beliefs.
An agency built by clients, for clients*
Our account team have all worked client-side so we still think like clients. We can’t quite help it. It’s just in our DNA.
And we see this as a very positive thing for you.
It means that we try to help you spend the budget you do have as wisely as possible. Rather than try to sell you stuff that we happen to do.
We manage timing and budgets like they are our own and work hard to keep you informed across all projects, start to finish.
Most of our clients have been with us for years and it's these partnerships that we're really looking for.
*Don't worry, we can't really dance like these guys either - it's just a metaphor.
Don't just take our word for it...
"It's the team's ability to get to the nub of the issue(s) that really sets them apart. Rather than taking the easy option of just accepting a brief, Kernel Mustard has not been afraid to get actively involved to help us develop it further, providing solid challenges where they thinks they add value – and they always do. The team has developed a real understanding of NAAFI, something that has continued to grow."
NAAFI
“The team at Kernel Mustard have been instrumental in helping me communicate our services to clients in a far better and clearer way. They spent considerable time in fully understanding what we offer at Device Access, and their interpretation of this has resulted in a very clear and professional message which has resulted in more business. I can not recommend Andy and his team enough!”
Device Access
"I was very impressed by how the team at Kernel Mustard tackled our brand refresh. They understood the brief but were brave enough to challenge certain parts of it. We are certainly delighted by the results which were described as ‘iconic, confident and professional’ during our research sessions. The new identity builds on the old one and really differentiates Southampton Airport from its competition."
Southampton Airport