Report: Analysis of Colour & Thing Marketing and Advertising Firm

This report provides a detailed analysis of Colour & Thing, a marketing and advertising firm based in Bristol, UK. The report begins with an introduction to the company, its services, and its history. Section 1 focuses on the research project, detailing the business description, products/services, target market (business customers aged 18-60), and key players/competitors, including Watershed Limited and Periscopix. The report then examines key developments such as campaigns and expansion of services, including website and app development, and the challenges faced by the business, like staff turnover and competition. Findings are discussed in relation to academic and trade literature, referencing sources like Leonidou (2011), Lee, Yun and Haley (2013), and Ketelaar et al. (2015), highlighting the role of the advertising industry in job creation and career development. Finally, the report evaluates the relationship of the company with professional development and career plans, concluding that working with Colour & Thing offers potential for career advancement and skill development. References include journal articles and the company's website.

RESEARCH
PROJECT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
SECTION 1 – RESEARCH PROJECT...........................................................................................3
Identification and description of the business which is a focus of the report..............................3
Identification and description of the product/service the business provides...............................3
Identification and description of its target market.......................................................................4
Identification and description of the key players/competitors in this area..................................4
Identification and Description of the key developments of the company...................................4
Identification and Description of key challenges faced by the business.....................................5
Developing and discussing the findings in relation to relevant academic and trade literature....6
Evaluating the relationship of the company with professional development and career plan.....6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7
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INTRODUCTION
The present report describe the background of the company Colour & Thing which is a
marketing and advertising company based in Bristol, UK (Colour & Thing, 2016). This research
project is mainly emphasized on providing detail information about this company. Furthermore,
the whole information is compared with the relevant academic theory and also the own learning
and development plan have been evaluated.
SECTION 1 – RESEARCH PROJECT
Identification and description of the business which is a focus of the report
Colour & Thing is a marketing and advertising firm which was incorporated on 11 June
2004. The firm is located at Bristol, United Kingdom and has a official website as
www.colourandthing.com. This company is a private limited company and has been registered
under Companies Act 2006. Further, the previous name of this company was Digital Media
Productions Limited and it was till 2012. However, from 2012 the company changed their name
to Colour & Thing plc (Colour & Thing, 2016). Moreover, the nature of the business is
Specialized design activities. Along with that, company also specializes in brand and digital
communications. Thus, the company is a creative agency that are based in Bristol. This
organization aims to inspire their business client to become brave and imaginative. Moreover,
the organization do online advertising, website, social print, etc. This organization is not only
limited to Bristol in fact their imagination has reached far beyond. This company works from
strategic thinking to colourful things. They mainly take their work in a serious manner then
themselves and majorly value the honesty and transparency in their work above everything
(Colour & Thing, 2016).
Identification and description of the product/service the business provides
Colour & Thing is a mixture of research and strategy, Branding and Designing, Digital
Development and lastly Content and campaigning for other organization. This organization do
the research in gaining brand insight, consumer behaviour, trend analysis, concept development
and planning for the same. Furthermore, this organization develops the brand, provide art
direction, builds 2D and 3D designs and multi media production (Colour & Thing, 2016).
Moreover, websites and apps are also developed by this firm, SEO and SEM, interface designing
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is developed. In addition to this, social media campaigning is done, news are generated, stories
and memes are developed and published. This company has carried out its services for several
businesses which helped in reaching at success. Moreover, in 2015 the company launched a Go
Green campaign which supported the businesses, charities and organizations. Further, in 2016,
this firm launched No Fixed Abode campaign because Bristol is facing the challenge of housing
(Colour & Thing, 2016).
Identification and description of its target market
The target market of Colour & Thing is the business customers. It is because this
organization is Business to Business working as it provides services to the business organization.
Further, the company organizes the campaign where it targets the people within the age group of
18-60 both male and female are targeted. Furthermore, there is no particular sector which is
being targeted by this company. All the sectors have been covered by this firm (Lee, Yun and
Haley, 2013).
Identification and description of the key players/competitors in this area
Colour & Thing is working as a marketing and advertising agency and this sector has
many competitors. The major key player of this company is Watershed Limited which is also a
digital media company located in Bristol. This organization opened in 1982 and it was the first
dedicated media centre in UK (Ketelaar and et.al., 2015). Along with that, it is a mixture of
cinemas, cafe, technology development studio and art centre. Further, on a national level, this
organization has Periscopix as its key competitor. It is because, this competitor also providing
the similar services as digital marketing.
Identification and Description of the key developments of the company
The organization named Colour & Thing has undergone several development in the
recent years. The company is encouraging more cultural diversity in order to bring more
inattentiveness and creativity form several cultures. Earlier, this organization used to provide
only digital solutions by making advertisement. Recently this company is providing numerous
services to their clients. It also do the researching work and of making strategy in order to
provide all the marketing solutions to their customers. Furthermore, it also develops the websites
and apps (Colour & Thing, 2016). In 2015, this organization has build the websites for the
Quartet Community Foundation which briefly explain the profile of the organization by its
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website. Along with that, this company has also developed themselves and started launching
campaigns for the social cause and other issues faced by other companies. That is in 2015, the
firm launched the Go Green campaign which supported the businesses, charities and other
organization. Moreover, the business also launched a campaign in 2016 against the housing
challenges faced by the Bristol and it was named as No Fixed Abode. Moreover, the designing
services are now provided by Colour & Thing. The 2D and 3D designs are also developed by this
company (Colour & Thing, 2016).
Moreover, this company has launched its page on Facebook and created its profile on
Linkedin which have helped in gaining more popularity in the market. Furthermore, the company
also bring latest technological development in order to stay ahead in the competition. Along with
that, the company had popped up the Britain's highest peak (Colour & Thing, 2016). In a similar
manner, company also adopted the cost reduction method in order to maximize their profits. This
organization has re-designed its mission because for its development they are now focusing more
on valuing customers for maintaining good relations with them. Owing to this, the company are
now emphasizing more on Corporate Social Responsibility in order to accomplish its mission so
that they can earn more revenue (Colour & Thing, 2016).
Identification and Description of key challenges faced by the business
There are several challenges which are faced by Colour & Thing these days. There is a
high rate of staff turnover which has created a serious threat for the company to carry out its
working in an effective manner (Lee, Yun and Haley,2013.). Further, this industry has high
rivalry of competitions which is also one of the major threat. Every company strive to bring
many new innovations in their service which has created cut throat competition for this company
and the big challenge of satisfying and retaining the customers has been faced by them. Due to
the rapid changing environment, organization is facing the threat of highly skilled and
competitive personnel. Every time company cannot recruit new people in the organization.
Along with that, training is provided to the existing employees which requires heavy investment
and fund. But due to the economic crisis, there is more shortage of fund and this way company
cannot bring competencies and skills in the company (Ketelaar and et.al., 2015).
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Furthermore, the company is also facing the issues such as government interference after
the launching of campaigns for the social cause. Moreover, the threat of media hacking and
cyberoam terrorism has also imposed a biggest challenge on the Colour & Thing Limited.
Developing and discussing the findings in relation to relevant academic and trade literature
As per the Leonidou (2011) the creative industry is one where individual creativity, skills
and talent get originated and this have a potential for wealth and job creation. Therefore, the
advertising and marketing company plays an important role in generating the jobs for the people.
Lee, Yun and Haley (2013) stated that, most of the employment is done by this industry and they
help in building many new skills among the people and also enhances the creativity among them.
It has been explained by Ketelaar and et.al., (2015) this industry on the other hand also opens the
opportunities gates for the people for their career development so that economies get benefited
from this.
Evaluating the relationship of the company with professional development and career plan
The company Colour & Thing is related with my professional development and career
plan. This company is a advertising and marketing firm and it has huge opportunity lying with
them. It is the most imaginative and creative firm which has brought in many innovations in the
market. If I work with this firm then I may develop the career as faster pace and I can get many
new opportunities in the market. By working at this organization, imaginative and innovative
skills will get developed and also the interpersonal skills will get develop. Furthermore, the
career enhancement will be highest among me (Leonidou, 2011). Along with that, I will also
gain technical skills so that many new gate will open for me in the management as well as IT
sector.
CONCLUSION
After preparing this report, it has been concluded that researcher can now accomplish the
aim of the research because all the information about the company has been cleared. This will
assist the researcher in a more broader manner because almost part about the company, its type,
their competitors and the challenges faced by them have been already discussed.
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REFERENCES
Journals and Books
Ketelaar, E. P. and et.al., 2015. In ads we trust. Religiousness as a predictor of advertising
trustworthiness and avoidance. Journal of Consumer Marketing. 32(3) pp.190–198.
Lee, T., Yun, T. and Haley, E., 2013. Effects of mutual fund advertising disclosures on investor
information processing and decision‐making. Journal of Services Marketing. 27(2).
pp.104–117.
Leonidou, C. L., 2011. Evaluating the green advertising practices of international firms: a trend
analysis. International Marketing Review. 28(1). pp.6-33.
Online
Colour & Thing. 2016. [Online]. Available through: <http://colourandthing.com/>. [Accessed on
23rd April 2016].
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