Brand Strategy - Purpose & Positioning • Marketing Strategy • Advisor

The Background.

I Would Be Here if I Could is a socially engaged art movement led by Alison Larkman – artist, curator, challenger, campaigner, and woman living with life-altering ME/CFS. Alison is the creative behind the visible journey of a large mirrorbox taking messages from people with Long COVID and ME/CFS to places they love, but are unable to reach. A visible challenge of being seen and heard, whilst not being able to be physically present. A visible amplification of absence.

The movement - not dissimilar to brand purpose, is inspiring and hundreds from a community of over one million people – currently absent from the lives they used to have, are engaging with the project. Twice funded by Arts Council England, I Would Be Here if I Could now needs amplification of its impact and significant financial support to help spread the word and aid the mirrorbox journey across the UK.

Our goals: collaborate and co-create a socially engaged art movement that amplifies the absence of the ME/CFS and Long COVID community. CONNECT. UNDERSTAND. PARTICIPATE.

The Opportunity for I Would Be Here If I Could.

Typically, the arts world is driven by grant funding but arts funding is harder to find with the situation expected to worsen in coming years. Funding from national bodies has been cut by 16%, leading to inequality of access to the arts and increased competition.

There is opportunity in exploring more traditional paths of funding alongside private equity and investment.

But with steep competition and more independent motivations, comes challenge, similar to those of a brand: a need to establish an understanding of audience and sponsorship market, consistent messaging, measurable desired impact, and clear return:

  • Backbone of a strategic framework for the movement/”brand”

  • Position as a challenger within traditional artist framework and expectations

  • Consumer-pull strategy: grow B2C community, deliver impact, and revenue through reach

  • Increase connection, understanding and participation: digital and on location

  • Craft a compelling brand experience and story, leveraging lead artist, community, and impact

  • Drive external and internal engagement

  • Social marketing strategy, including awareness and acquisition plan

  • Focus future spend and sponsorship return.

“This movement needed to be elevated above your average art project. It needed to have impact. And we needed to shape a creative product into a commercial offer for fundraising and sponsorship. Not in a typical art way of what it was, but really getting to the heart of why. Kind of the hook, the raison d’être… Nada came to mind because she is a rarity: an out-thinker who quickly establishes a trusting relationship.”

Nada is very clear, direct and honest. I think that’s a real strength with marketing. It can be too woolly. She has the capacity to go into high stress situations and perform. And that’s really important. If you’re a fast growth company or a start up, you need that type of character in that type of strategic position.”

— Alison Larkman, Founding Artist

The Outcome.

A refreshed movement DNA, overarching positioning strategy, visual refresh, and light-touch channel strategy, capitalising on Alison’s momentum and identified future ambitions for the movement:

  • Research

  • Core audience (identifying target market and functional/emotional benefits) and external environment review

  • Collaborative workshops, with lead artist and Strategic Fundraiser

  • “Brand” DNA: purpose and positioning (including differentiation strategy)

  • Messaging hierarchy

  • Corporate sponsorship marketing strategy

  • Visual brand refresh

  • New website

  • Comms strategy

  • Access to network: PR, copy, design and sponsors

The Impact.

“If you’re a founder/creator, you’re too close to a project regardless of how well you communicate and know your product. You’re literally too close to get that separation. You need to find someone with distance and perspective that will honestly reflect back. It’s really refreshing at Nada’s level; you’re getting expertise and clarity and you’re also getting push back. You’re not getting someone who agrees with everything.

With huge respect, I describe Nada as a formidable marketeer. She has the strongest backbone. If you work with her, you get something robust and she can really hold it. She knows her stuff. She’s going to deliver it. We have been able to transition from a creative project into an offer. Nada got the movement on the right tracks. The legacy of her work has gone into other roles. And we are off!”

— Alison Larkman, Leading Artist