Powered by imagination: how I’m making stock imagery creative with AI

If you can think of an image, you can conjure it up with AI. Our Creative Director, David Alexander, explains how he is letting his imagination run wild.

Me Now: Margot Kliebhan and Sophie Meadows

“Me now” is our series of women talking to women about being in the creative industries today. Margot, Account Director, and Sophie, Creative Strategist, talk about being a cheerleader for the team and why we should all apologise less.

A game plan for success: how B2B brands can tap into the spirit of sport

It's been an incredible summer of sport, from the Euros to the Olympics. For B2B brands, this offers a unique opportunity to explore human stories – and capture hearts and minds.

Taglines aren’t just for fun. They help your customers fall in love with you

Businesses with a strong tagline or slogan have the potential to become a household name. So why do so many B2B organisations shy away from them?

Me Now: Louise Sheeran and Mayuri Premdjee

“Me now” is our series of women talking to women about being in the creative industries today. Louise, Content Director, and Mayuri, Account Director, discuss taking inspiration from song lyrics and why listening is so important to agency life.

Strategy is complex, but winning brands keep it simple

Brand strategy can seem daunting and complex – and bringing the right stakeholders and insights together can certainly be an involved process. But keeping the final output simple and direct is rarely going to be a bad choice.

Me Now: Charlotte Irwin and Rose Stewart

Welcome to our series of women talking to women about being in the creative industries today. Rose, Design Director, and Charlotte, Senior Writer and Editor, talk about ruffling feathers with creativity and the value of being yourself.

How to avoid perfectionism paralysis (and make it your greatest strength)

Can our work ever really be “perfect” – and does it matter? Sophie navigates the doubts, debates, tricks and triumphs that make up a standard day in the life of a creative strategist.

Introducing: Small AI for brands

AI might seem overwhelming, but we’ve found ways to make it work for our clients and their customers in small-scale creative implementations.

Ready to reinvent? Challenge accepted.

You probably won’t hear this from your typical management consultant but strategy is fundamentally a creative exercise. Our new B2B reinvention model will help you reframe business challenges and consider strategic choices you never knew you had.

The inside story: why your people shouldn't be just passengers on your brand journey.

The secret to creating a successful brand is right in front of you: your employees hold all the answers.

Four creative lessons B2B designers can learn from B2C

B2C design is known for being fun, provocative and daring. B2B doesn’t have the same reputation – yet – but it does have the same potential.

The different ways we find moments of calm

From a short walk outside to a couple of minutes spent learning something new, these are some of the little things we do each day.

Trendspotting: what’s caught our eye in technology

What’s new? What’s coming? And how are brands using these trends?

Let's talk about X

Twitter, as we knew it, is no more. There’s a famously fine line between genius and insanity. Which camp does Elon Musk’s latest move belong in?

Carbon dating: the power of trust and relationships in driving business strategy

It’s not every day you get to combine business strategy with baboon spotting. But that wasn’t the stand-out experience of our recent Tanzanian adventure.

And the winner is…

At Cannes, and closer to home, humanising business marketing is striking gold.

Cut the jargon. The best B2B writing is plain and simple

Far from making you sound smarter, complex language makes things – well – complex. Stick to simple language to engage your audiences and stand out from the crowd.

Design lessons from the middle of the Atlantic

What do sailing across the Atlantic and a career as a Digital Designer have in common? Quite a lot actually. Fear, adaptability and teamwork all play a vital role in the success of both.

The Estorick Collection at 25

2023 marks two milestones: London-based Italian art gallery, The Estorick Collection, celebrates its 25th anniversary and The Frameworks marks its 20th year working with it.

More than an afterthought: UX builds emotional connections

You can’t reverse-engineer emotional connection, so stop trying to cram UX into the end of your design process.

Not a debate: mental health support at work is imperative

Remote working makes it all too easy for employees’ mental health to fly under the radar. Mental Health First Aid could close the awareness gap.

Credibility in ESG means showing your work

We’ve seen enough greenwashing. It’s time for the companies that are genuinely working hard to improve their sustainability to take centre stage by using more truthful storytelling in their sustainability reports.

Trendspotting: what’s caught our eye in design

What’s new? What’s back? And how are these trends being used by brands?

Everyone’s a winner: exchanging value in B2B marketing

Marketing can sometimes feel like a one-way conversation. With interactive marketing it becomes a conversation.

No creator is an island

A developer, a designer, a strategist and a writer walk into a bar and... discuss how they collaborate to deliver creative magic for clients.

Print isn’t dead: The power of print in reshaping user experience

That new book smell – could it be your next piece of content?

How to be the dumbest person in the room

How do Strategists find simple solutions to complex problems? We focus on the “what”, the “why” and the “how”.

Understanding ABM in five steps

Are you thinking about account-based marketing (ABM) but aren’t entirely sure what it is? Fear not. Whether you’re new to ABM or want to remind yourself of the method, we’ve got the basics for you.

The party’s over. It's time for marketers to embrace privacy

As privacy laws tighten, what’s the future for data in marketing? Something a bit more transparent – and a bolder creative approach.

The problem with playing it safe

When the most risky thing to do is to play it safe, you’ve got to be bold and take some calculated risks.

We are The Frameworks

A year in review: 2022

Art is a catalyst for regeneration

Once a seasonal seaside town, Margate is now thriving all year round. Turner Contemporary is at the centre of this regeneration.

100 years of the BBC… sort of

This year marked 100 years of the BBC. We thought we’d celebrate this giant of video and audio by looking at the one thing the BBC doesn’t do - advertising. 

Want to be more creative? You’ve got to get weird.

Too often, timelines and client demands can stop the most creative ideas from seeing the light of day. So, how can you deliver fresh ideas and keep clients happy? It’s time to embrace your weird.

The end of office culture? The open talent economy is just the beginning

Can the open talent economy end office culture? Hasn’t office culture always been about far more than just the office? We certainly think so.

Faking bad: why marketers need to maintain standards in a post-truth world

When does creativity become dishonesty? Can you lie ethically? Ultimately, it’s about striking the right balance between outright lies and creative authenticity.

Clients want people-led problem solving, not a list of services

The days of securing clients by offering up a list of services and a snazzy PowerPoint are over. It’s time to treat client relationships more like social relationships and lead with our humanity.

Interview: the culture of recruitment

Sheri spoke with Silicon, a UK business technology publication, about the importance of culture in hiring, especially in the context of the “great resignation”. Here’s what she had to say…

Designing an authentic emotional connection

In conversation with Rose and David: it’s not just about creating an emotive campaign, the most successful brands are the ones that genuinely know their audience and can authentically reach them on an individual level.

Designing and developing web experiences for everyone

The web is continually evolving with new technical approaches and developments appearing every day. As developers, we must stay on top of these changes and make sure that inclusion is the key consideration when creating new experiences.

How to inspire decision-makers to be bold

If you continue to create traditional, “safe” content, you’ll be seen as a traditional, “safe” brand. But what’s bold for one organisation isn’t the same for another, so how bold should you be and how do you get decision-makers to agree?

Telling authentic tales

As tempting as the latest marketing trends can be, brand authenticity is more important. That's not to say there's no room for creative storytelling, brands can still be bold and experimental while staying true to who they are.

Where logic meets magic: why strategy underpins every great idea

While the strategist’s primary role is to lay solid creative foundations on which creative ideas can build, it’s not the whole picture. Strategists must also know when to sell and when to step in, step back and step up.

Why bold design is good business

Design is a great differentiator. It can stop people in their tracks. Make them laugh. Bring them to tears. And even set your brand apart from the competition – if you dare to be bold.

International Women’s Day: A call to inspiration and creativity

Two of our Frameworkers were featured in articles written by Creative Boom founding editor Katy Cowan on International Women’s Day. Here’s what she had to say…

Why marketers need to think local to sell global

We work with clients with international operations, including IBM, Siemens, and UST on projects that are both central and focused on local markets. What we've learned is how to manage that central-local dynamic — and how to avoid its pitfalls.

Research is how we ask questions, listen and learn

Our Think/Frame/Make/Work process always starts with Think: Research. We ask questions to validate a brief, and then we ask questions to get to the answers. But what we do most is listen, and look for opportunities to learn more than we expected.

The importance of being curious

It may have killed the cat, but we need to embrace curiosity to unleash our creativity.

How to turn insights into great creative

Good strategy with bad creative and bad strategy with good creative both lead to the same thing: a missed opportunity.

Operations in a post-Covid world

Covid pulled the operations function of our business into the limelight, and it responded. Insights into how we made it work.

Humanising B2B and leading with empathy

The sweet spot for deep engagement lies between education (knowing your stuff), and inspiration (thinking beyond it)

Building resilient businesses

The sheer pace of change can make it difficult for businesses to predict and respond to challenges and turn them into opportunities. So, how can businesses develop resilience? Clive Stevens, Chairman of The Frameworks, offers his insights.

Creating connections through design

Audience interaction is vital for brands looking to improve engagement. Good design elevates storytelling by turning an idea into something people can relate to.

How we build successful long-term client relationships

We work hard at our client relationships because it leads to excellent project outcomes, award-winning strategy and creativity, and long-term business success.

How to succeed at digital transformation: Influence many different people

Changes in human behaviour are at least as important to the success of digital transformation as the change in technology. And you can’t expect anyone to change – or become champions for change – without effective and empathetic communication.

How internal comms leaders can help firms reap the rewards of flexible working

Tips for internal comms to consider in order to build a flexible working environment based on trust.

Reactive Marketing: Why timing is (still) everything

Unlikely associations between seemingly disparate brands can be a stroke of reactive marketing genius.

Why marketers must fight for equality of representation

As marketers, we have a unique privilege. We can choose to act as a force for good, or we can squander that privilege. We see this play out in the stories we choose to tell on behalf of influential brands – and who we choose to tell them to.

Match point: how we created an integrated campaign for Wimbledon and IBM in just two weeks

In the grand scheme of things, two weeks is a very short period of time. It can flash past in what feels like a second, leaving you scratching your head, wondering what you achieved or who you caught up with. But put your mind to it and you really can pack a lot in.

How we navigated lockdown to deliver a suite of video content for Wimbledon and IBM

As sad as we were when we learned Wimbledon was not going ahead this year, seeing how the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club (AELTC) has pivoted was truly incredible. Being part of the campaign to celebrate this unorthodox Wimbledon year is something we’re very proud of.

Remote control: why we may never return to work as we knew it

If you’d have asked me where I’d be in May of 2020, I'd have told you that I would be celebrating my first year living in the UK and looking forward to revelling in a (mostly) sunny London summer. But plans change, evidently for the whole world.

Upskilling (sort of) in a time of lockdown

With daily commutes now virtually non-existent and our focus turned to activities much, much closer to home, Frameworkers have taken on (or returned to) all sorts of new interests. Here’s a look at the novel pursuits we’re all enjoying outside of WFH hours.

How to deliver cracking video content during lockdown

Just a few weeks ago, the thought that upcoming video shoots would have to be cancelled because of something as surreal as social distancing would have felt like – ahem – a sick joke. So much of the everyday reality of work has needed rethinking since then, but when you’re involved in creating content for brands, a lot of that being video, the need for new ways of working has been particularly pronounced.

All together now: how brands are lifting spirits in response to Covid-19

How things have changed in a matter of weeks. The seismic shift in, well, everything, has left us all grappling with a new reality. There’s no playbook for this new normal but there’s a heavy sense of grief for the things we took for granted.

Home truths: what it's like to start a new job in the age of isolation

Day one of a new job can feel daunting at the best of times. But what’s it like to join a consultancy when your new office has effectively just gone into quarantine? Our new Creative Strategist, Maja, reflects on two weeks spent getting up to speed with the “new normal”.

Reactive marketing: why timing is everything

What do Sainsbury’s and Beyoncé have in common? Until recently, not very much. But, thanks to a stroke of reactive marketing genius, this unlikely association brought Sainsbury’s a surge of engagement on social media. What can marketers learn from it in order to capitalise on other brands’ publicity, turn a PR disaster into a PR triumph or score serious engagement from a single post? One thing is clear: when it comes to reactive marketing, fortune favours the fast.

Our five favourite ads from Super Bowl 2020

Sunday 2 February 2020 marked a pretty big day in the advertising (and sporting) calendar. As in previous years, this year’s Super Bowl mainly had us talking about the things that happened between key events on the field. With the cost of a 30-second TV ad reaching $5.6 million, the standard for creative output is notoriously high.

Secrets of success: how to get ahead in a creative career (part 2)

More advice from Frameworkers as they reflect on the things they wish they’d known before starting out in their careers.

Harnessing the power of social media for good in times of crisis

Australia has gone from sunburnt to fire-scorched in a matter of months. The frightening impact of fires so furious they generate their own weather conditions has included the startling loss of animal life (it’s estimated that up to a billion animals have died) and utter devastation to homes and property, livelihoods and any dreams of a future unscathed by climate change.

Secrets of success: how to get ahead in a creative career (part 1)

We love visitors at The Frameworks, and we’re always pleased to welcome people to our London studio (not only so we can show off our amazing view). Recently, we had a visitor who made an impact on all of us. A graduate who has worked hard to get through university and was keen to glean some advice on the reality of breaking into – and sustaining – a career.

Too much story. Not enough telling.

A great deal of virtual ink has been expended over the past decade or so on the theme of storytelling in marketing. And it’s easy to see why the idea is so appealing.

Which women inspire you?

Today, we’re celebrating some of the inspirational women in our lives. Women who have inspired us creatively and professionally. At home and at work. Women who have played a part in shaping who we are – and continue to influence how we look at the world. Today is International Women’s Day.

Onwards and upwards

Six months ago, The Frameworks engaged in an act of vandalism. On our clean white office walls, we broke out the Sharpies and released our inner Banksy. A few hours later, we gazed with satisfaction at the mural in front of us – and then we took a sledgehammer to it.

Teaming with creativity

There can be few more encouraging votes of confidence than an industry award. And when it comes to awards there are few better than a Cannes Lion.

Four ways designers can help save the world

Our planet is precious and many people are fighting to protect it. But sometimes I can fall into the trap of thinking “what impact can little old me really make?”.

Microinteractions (small but mighty)

Everyone has experienced microinteractions. Whether it’s when you’re asked to accept a cookie policy or when an online shop notifies that you've added something to your basket, microinteractions are everywhere.

The Japanese narrative: re-defining a national identity

If I asked you to describe your personal narrative, what would you say? What characteristics would you use to describe yourself? Would you draw from your own experiences or try to project other people’s perception of you?

Sell me your monsters

I hate to break it to you. It’s never about the magic of Christmas. It’s about the magic of marketing – or branding, to be precise (but I’m a sucker for a dollop of alliteration like I’m a sucker for a dollop of cream on my mince pies).

My Bed, contemporary art, and a question of genius

Those who know me will be aware that as well as being Non-Executive Chairman at The Frameworks and Executive Chairman at Kreston Reeves, I am also the Chair of Trustees at Turner Contemporary, the gallery that is at the forefront of art-led regeneration in Margate.

I've got something to tell you

It has taken me nearly two years to find the courage to write this. So please bear with me. Since I wrote my last blog post, I've given birth to a beautiful baby girl (without even popping a paracetamol), taken 12 months' maternity leave to care for her full time, returned to my role as Creative Content Director (on a part-time basis) and watched more episodes of Peppa Pig than I can count. I'm a "working mum", like so many others, juggling and stressing and laughing and crying. Doing my best to be my best – at the office, at home, at the pub, at the play centre. When I'm wiping away tears. When I'm pitching to clients.

Value your brand? Then take IT security seriously

For most people, IT security is a bit like flossing: you know you should do it regularly, but somehow you never get round to it. We all know we should have a different password for every app, service or site – and that we should change them every few months – but how many of us actually do?

What the Tour de France can teach us about teamwork

Leicester City – not Jamie Vardy or Wes Morgan – won the “fairytale” Premier League title in 2016. And it was the United States that dominated Rio 2016, not Michael Phelps or Simone Biles. Time and time again, sporting success depends on the combined individual efforts of the people that make up the team.

Challenge university: making a case for apprenticeships

It’s September and the new academic year is upon us. Children are going back to school, teenagers are starting their A-levels and more than a few 18-year-olds are frantically filling out student loan forms, eagerly anticipating the freedom of university.

Tongue in tweet: how social media is changing language

One of the first essays I wrote at university – in the heady days of the early 2000s – was a study of the differences between email and letter writing styles. It all hinged on the shift to a more flexible, informal approach. It seems quaint to think about it, now that many of us spend more time bashing out social media posts and instant messages than we do crafting thoughtful emails. (And remind me, what is a letter?)

You’ve got mail (that you’ll actually want to read)

How often do you bother to read marketing emails? Like many others, you may wonder why marketers are so keen to keep e-mail communications alive. Put simply: they work. Why? Because we all still keep a close eye on our inboxes every day.

Free as a bird: a case for pursuing passion projects

You might think that when I close my laptop after a long day I simply switch off. But, as I’m sure is the case for many creatives, outside of work I often find myself thinking about ideas for side projects and not always devoting enough time to bringing them to life. But I think we owe it to ourselves to make time to express our creatively.

Pick a partner: why working together is the key to success

When you think of Tom and Jerry, it’s likely the first thing that springs to mind is their natural rivalry – each episode erupting into mayhem because of the comedic competition between the two characters. But if you think harder you might remember that, from time to time, the pair set aside their rivalry and defied nature to pursue a common goal. Although cat and mouse were created to be enemies, deep down they were always friends – “frenemies” before the term became mainstream.

A brand worth living: hoping for new wave of celebrity brand ambassadors

Back in 2014, Kelly Slater, an 11-time world surfing champion and one of the greatest athletes of all time, made the surfing community question whether his brain was waterlogged when he parted ways with his long-term sponsor Quiksilver to pursue his own clothing brand. Walking away from a 23-year, multimillion-dollar partnership that had him made the face of surfing for three generations looked like a strange decision, to say the least. It was the equivalent of LeBron James leaving Nike or Lionel Messi dumping Adidas to start their own sports brands.

Why you may need to think again about thought leadership

A couple of years ago we were asked to make some strategic recommendations about how an established B2B brand could gain quick traction and momentum in an industry sector outside its traditional sphere of influence. Specifically, we were asked to consider how “thought leadership” might play a part.

In for a penny: what the world can learn from the UK’s fintech industry

I recently celebrated three years living in the UK, having moved here from Tokyo in late 2013. I wanted to see another part of the world and seek out opportunities that I might miss if I stayed home following my graduation. So I secured a visa and headed west in search of work.

Beware the new IT virus: institutionalised thoughtlessness

Nothing worthwhile has ever been achieved in isolation. Communication and collaboration are behind mankind’s greatest endeavours, from mapping the human genome to landing on the moon. So, it’s surprising to me that communication remains a real challenge even among some of the world’s biggest businesses.

Maximising conversion: how B2B brands are seeing true value in sports sponsorship

Saturday saw England kick off their RBS 6 Nations campaign against France at Twickenham. I was lucky enough to be one of the 81,902 people in the crowd. I was even luckier that I was one of the 100-odd people attending as guests of Accenture, the Championship’s “Official Technology Partner”.

Yeezy does it: is Kanye West a marketing genius?

So this is it. The week Kanye West finally went into meltdown. Debate rages as to whether his rant about Donald Trump, rage against long-time friends Jay-Z and Beyoncé and cancelled show this week are just publicity stunts, but reports of his hospitalisation have understandably sparked concern.

No shirt, Sherlock: why the branded tee is marketing’s most effective method

In an over-saturated ad market, where every brand and its dog scrambles for a voice and some worthwhile engagement, it amazes me that more marketers don’t revert to an old-school, low-cost medium like the humble T-shirt to amplify deep-rooted brand devotion.

A matter of facts: The EU referendum and the power of mistruths

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ll know on Thursday the UK will flock to the polls to decide if the country remains in the European Union (EU). It’s a referendum that has divided many thanks to a tawdry campaign that has been a bilateral race to the bottom of taste and truth. And at some point along the way, some dynamic schism-monger in the “Vote Leave” campaign offices took it upon himself to stand on a chair and issue an edict to those gathered below:

A problem shared: how World Community Grid volunteers are powering scientific research

When the lights go down for the night at Frameworks HQ, some of our most important work begins.

When inspiration bites: Nine ways fishing informs creativity

Every summer, I spend a week fishing on Cranberry Lake in Danbury, Wisconsin. Friends, sun, beer. We don’t take the fishing very seriously, until we do. I’ve been lucky enough to win the coveted “Fish of the Week” trophy exactly once.