Hillier Consulting is celebrating a Win and a “Highly Commended” in its entered categories at the prestigious UK Veterinary Marketing Association annual awards for excellence held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London today, Friday, 16 March.

Hillier Consulting wins national award and gains a ‘Highly Commended’

Against competition from the UK’s largest creative agencies and the most sophisticated in-house teams in the global pharmaceutical industry, Hillier Consulting won the UK Practice Marketing Award category. The accolade of “Highly Commended” was awarded to Hillier Consulting’s entry in the Marketing Campaign Award (companies with a UK turnover under £12.5m). Both the hotly contested and highly regarded national awards were awarded for work the consultancy conducted for Ballinger Equine, the new equine veterinary practice based in Hertfordshire. Hillier Consulting is responsible for planning and executing the launch of the new practice on 12 September 2017.

Andrew Hillier devised and directed the business strategy and creative brief commissioning international collaboration between legendary illustrator Brian Grimwood and renowned advertising director Morten Saether. The stylised horse and horse-head logos, selection of a contemporary, cool, sophisticated palette and application of contrasting Trajan and Gotham typefaces perfectly characterise Ballinger Equine.

Innovative pre-launch teaser ad campaign

Hillier Consulting’s practice brand guidelines cover the full panoply of applications for the Ballinger Equine identity and brand. Print, online, staff uniforms, vehicle liveries, product packaging, advertising, stationery, signage, PR and direct marketing are all executed in line with the comprehensive brand manual.

Restrictive covenants required that no advertising, PR or marketing take place prior to the new practice launch date of 12 September 2017. To create interest, speculation and conversation, a full-page teaser ad featuring only the new logo and strapline with a cryptic roman numeral date was placed in equestrian print titles leading up to the launch. Inside full-facing-page and outside-back-cover placements continue in a detailed 12-month rolling media schedule.

Synchronising with and linking to pre-launch print advertising, an anonymous teaser page was published on the web. The new practice website was launched on 12 September 2017. Facebook and Twitter channels were also launched carrying content specifically tailored to subtly different target audiences, dovetailing with, and driving traffic to, the website.

Shortly after launching the practice, and to further boost the increasing momentum, Hillier Consulting announced and launched Ballinger Equine’s new range of own-brand equine feed supplements. Online retailing of the supplements continues and is supported by full-page print advertising, Twitter, Facebook and news blog posts.