THE CHALLENGE

SMS needed a better way to define and market itself. A consensus was needed to focus and integrate marketing, and ensure the corporate website aligned with its annual report.

Work was required to create a new company website that would better position the business and reflect its ambitions. SMS needed a new look, one that showed it was going places.

THE APPROACH

As an inclusive and perceptive company, SMS knew that a more rounded view was needed and were open to us liaising with people across the business. 

So we held extensive interviews with individuals from diverse areas. We also organised a workshop with client-facing employees who shared their views and expectations for the new website. We took the time to talk to some key customers too.

The website was the main priority, and we benefited from taking an intelligence-based approach to its design and development. Getting constructive client perspectives on content, architecture, benchmarks and design was key – as was the support of key stakeholders, including the CEO, Alan Foy.

This extensive discovery phase also involved audits including analytics, SEO, peers and design reviews. We tested the existing site architecture. All the while, communications and messaging were being developed through free and open discussions. We could see the direction of travel.

This prepared us for a highly productive creative execution phase. Drawing on our knowledge, we delivered photoshoots in five locations. 

Not least, we worked with SMS to rewrite the web content, and presented information in a more engaging and compelling manner. Attention and focus was spent on employing clear calls to action, purposeful design and creative features including video and a chatbot.