Case Study/ B2B Fairytales

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An image of the inside cover of a book showing stepping stones disappearing into the distance and displaying the words 'Finding your way'
An image of a OOH advertising billboard displaying the Huff and Puff B2B branding consisting of a page divided by single diagonal line. On one side of the line is a cartoon wolf blowing air and on the other is woman in a meditative pose
An image of a book cover design for a brand called Beanstalk. The design shows a beanstalk growing through the floor of a corporate looking office and displays the words 'Who's Jack?'.
An image of a various merchandise and stationery displaying the Huff and Puff B2B branding
An image of a book cover design displaying the Faerie branding consisting of a fairy wrapping her arms around a natural mythical world and displaying the words 'Discover the magic of Faerie'
An image of a mobile website design for a brand called Lost and Found. The design shows a magpie flying across the moon
An image of an outside book cover design displaying the Beast branding consisting of and illustration of beast like creature that looks like a black mountain among white snowed capped mountains. The words 'Beat your beast' are displayed
An image of a packaging displaying the Huff and Puff B2B branding
An image of a book cover design for a brand called Beanstalk. The design shows a man wearing a T-shirt printed with the name 'Jack' and displays the words 'Who's Jack?'
An image of an inside book cover design displaying the Faerie branding consisting of close up of an element of the wider design, making it look like an abstract pattern. The words 'A door to a magic world' are displayed
An image of a desktop website homepage hero design for a brand called Beanstalk. The design shows the Beanstalk logo and the words 'strategy and planning' overlaying a photo of a business meeting
An image of an inside book cover design displaying the Beast branding consisting of and illustration of beast like creature that looks like a black mountain. Overlaying the beast is the photo of a man who looks as though he is celebrating an achievement. The words 'Be your best' are displayed
An image of a OOH advertising billboard design for a brand called Lost and Found. The design shows a forest and displays the words 'Can't see the wood for the trees?'
An image of a book cover design displaying the Huff and Puff B2B branding consisting of an orange and white chevron design on a black background and company logo
An image of an inside book cover design for a brand called Beanstalk. The design shows a close up of the logo, which looks like a plant shoot
An image of an inside book cover design displaying the Faerie branding consisting of close up of the fairy's face. The words 'Find your magic' are displayed
An image of a beanstalk growing through the floor of a corporate looking office
An image of an inside book cover design for a brand called Lost and Found. The design shows a forest and displays the words 'Your journey begins here'
An image of a book cover design displaying the Huff and Puff B2B branding consisting of a page divided by single diagonal line. On one side of the line is a cartoon wolf blowing air and on the other is woman in a meditative pose
An image of an inside book cover design for a brand called Beanstalk. The design shows an illustration of a beanstalk being climbed by a man and displays the company logo

How do you turn a brand into a fairytale?

NEO believes B2B brands deserve magical creative that doesn’t just make sense but captures the imagination as well. With this in mind, we set ourselves a creative brief to demonstrate how fairytales could serve as a visual theme for an imaginary B2B brand.

Not quite as fantastical as it sounds, there are lots of parallels between fairytales and brands. They share a purpose: to make sense of issues or to resolve a challenge. They each employ a plot or strategy to move their story on in order to to slay their particular beast and achieve their goal. Both make use of storytelling as a framing device – to position or describe a character, situation, experience or journey.

We used Purpose, Strategy and Journey – i.e., features that are common to fairytales and brands – as keywords to guide our thinking on how to illustrate an imaginary B2B brand.

Free to choose any of these key components to base our imaginary brand on, we came up with five creative interpretations in total – three for Strategy and one each for Journey and Purpose.

Our creative formula: ‘To make use of the fairytale brand formula’

Strategy:
1. ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ uses a beanstalk as a metaphor for growth and opportunity. Jack grows a beanstalk to reach new heights and opportunities, to realise his fortune.

2. ‘Beast’ uses a mythical monster to convey a solution to a challenge. Beast utilises his extraordinary strength (unique capabilities) to see off challengers.

3. ‘Fäerie’ uses the original Gaelic spelling for fairy and plays on its meaning: the idea that someone or somewhere is a bit magical or different – i.e., that they possess a unique selling point. Fäerie plays on her difference to stand out from the crowd.

Journey:
4. ‘Hansel and Gretel’ perfectly pictorialises a journey from ‘lost to found’ and in doing so provides a solution to a problem.

Purpose:
5. ‘Three Little Pigs’ illustrates the imaginary brand Huff&Puff’s purpose to protect and provide security, to keep the wolf quite literally from your door.

Additional magic: Taking the visual themes for our imaginary brands, we rolled them out across formats to show how they could be used in different and less conventional environments for B2Bs.

“We believe B2Bs deserve magical creative and that it’s our job to deliver it by wielding that wand. So, we like to keep wizarding-fit with a few of our own self-directed creative exercises. We had so much fun with this one. This really was thinking creative and the cross-pollination of ideas in action, with us taking concepts associated with a particular context and format and visualising how they might work in another.”

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