Bell celebrates 50 years in business

Bell, the boutique branding, creative and digital marketing agency based in London, has reached a half-century. Founded in 1976 by Alan Bell in the final months of calm before the (then) hottest summer on record, Bell's initial trio set up in a basement in Duke St W1, Marylebone. Which, as you could imagine, meant they were really hot from the get-go. Literally. It was a blue plaque building; Simón Bolívar "El Libertador" lodged here during the summer of 1810 (also a steamer, coincidentally).

Of course, it was a different world back then. Sending out for bromides and Cromalin proofs. Long copy (sigh). Mark-ups by hand on the boards. Their first serious Apple Macs came in 1989; the II FX with an almost comically small (by today's standards) 16mb of RAM. Two of them, for an equally comical cost of £20K.

It's tricky to choose highlights from fifty years of work. Highlights include creating the 'Traffic Light' label you see on every packaged food product in the UK for the Food Standards Agency, for whom they recently completed their twenty-fifth Annual Report and Accounts (they also delivered their first one way back in 2001). Representing the UK design industry at the Shanghai Expo 2010 and working on the 2012 London Olympics are also definitely up there.

More recently, they've played a large part in changing the way universities are branded and marketed, starting with their multi-award-winning work for the University of Reading and continuing with the University of Winchester rebrand. Having worked with 9 of the 11 members of the G15 housing associations is up there, too. One of those members is NHG Homes, with whom they're in the midst of a major advertising campaign (their largest ever). You may have seen around town the numerous scenes from life depicted in their campaign: maybe a kitchen disco, urban jungle or a dog and owner sharing a meal. Working on Points Cross in Leeds, the King's Cross redevelopment, and Harley Street branding also stand out.

Bell's Managing Director, Bruno Alberini, says: "We'd like to extend a huge thank you to all our staff, clients, partners and suppliers who helped make these 50 years so special, and we look forward to embracing the opportunities ahead and continuing our journey together".

From their early adoption of in-house typesetting systems through to elevating digital marketing in the noughties, Bell has always endeavoured to stay one step ahead. Their merger with a digital marketing agency in 2017 added three new strings to their bow: PPC, SEO and Social. They also started our collaboration with their new sister agency in Paris, expanding their international operations.

As they move into their next chapter, what better time for a rebrand! Built on their robust foundations, it's been designed for the super-fast-moving environment in which brands and audiences co-exist today. Their new brand positioning and identity have evolved and needed to present an accurate picture of who they are, what they offer, and how they do things, also conveying how they will fit in and contribute to clients and the sector. With inquisitive minds, a love of craft and the search to find and convey meaning, they're all in on the future, but will always remain powered by people.

Bell
15 Alfred Place, London WC1E 7EB
+44 (0)20 3475 6940
W bell-integrated.co.uk
hello@bellteam.co.uk

We're a strategic branding and creative agency powered by imagination, craft and experience.

As a team, we're defined by our inquisitive minds, 'eyes wide open' approach, love of craft, and desire to find and convey meaning. We've been delivering work that's bold, impactful, and effective for a wide range of B2B, B2C, government and third-sector clients since 1976.

We create robust, effective brands and reimagine existing brands to empower them to reach new levels. We also develop memorable creative solutions that effortlessly connect with the right audiences in the right spaces, tone and language, from large multi-channel campaigns to tailored one-off deliverables.

This release was published on openPR.