In this episode of the Data Malarkey podcast, master data storyteller Sam Knowles is joined by Bill Wallsgrove, Head of Ideas at Brighton-based communications and design agency, Brandad.

Bill has more than 30 years’ experience working in business strategy, brand creation, and communications development. He trained at the London College of Printing and cut his teeth at the legendary design agency, Coley Porter Bell. Bill’s worked in 3D design and packaging design. He is also the man responsible for the creation of the McCoy’s brand of crisps.

Throughout his career, Bill has been keen to share the tools of his trade with succeeding generations, both through academic and industry bodies. These include the Design Council and the University of Brighton, where today he is an honorary lecturer in the school of Art and Media.

Through his wittily-named consultancy, Brandad, Bill today brings his decades of experience to a wide range of businesses and third-sector organisations, with a particular focus on start-ups in his adopted home city of Brighton, the start-up capital of Europe. Indeed, it was one of his start-up clients that named his business for him.

But Bill’s expertise is just as relevant to centuries-old institutions, as evidenced by his data-driven development and activation for the rugby football club, the Barbarians.

Bill’s approach to data-driven design is well captured by his son’s description of his role as “a fashion designer for businesses”. And though he’s into his fourth decade of advising brands on how to stand for something meaningful in their consumers’ lives – and trading as Brandad – his tools and techniques couldn’t be more contemporary.

An early adopter of AI – and particularly Midjourney for “30-second mood boards that might have taken days or weeks before”, provided the prompts are right – Bill advocates the use of artificial intelligence. “It makes the research process more effective,” he says, “it makes our jobs more focused.”

EXTERNAL LINKS

The Brandad homepage – https://brandad.co.uk

Bill’s LinkedIn profile (and Bill is quite prolific on the platform) – https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-wallsgrove1/

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