Loughborough manufacturer hopes to add £2.5m in sales with ad agency tie-up

A Loughborough visual display manufacturer has teamed up with an advertising agency in a move that will create 10 jobs.

SDI, which employs 100 people and is on course for £13m sales this year, has signed a strategic collaboration with agency M3 which it says will transform the way retailers and brands deliver the best possible customer experience.

It is anticipated that the end-to-end solution will give clients a single point of contact for all of their POS systems and display work, from the initial design and marketing planning to the manufacture, install and digital disruption that will drive traffic and improved sales.

The new approach is expected to generate £2.5m of new sales, with the possibility of creating up to 10 jobs across the two businesses.

“It’s a partnership that makes perfect sense; we’re pretty much fusing together the best of point of sale and retail displays with experts in advertising, marketing and digital,” said Matt Evans, retail sales director at SDI.

“What would normally happen is that the retailer or brand would use one, two or even three agencies to come up with the plan and the idea, then attempt to bring in a display specialist like ourselves to try to make it happen. As many people in the sector will tell you, this can lead to a lot of failed dreams and expensive mistakes.”

He continued: “What we are doing with this collaboration is offering a single solution where both parties are involved from the outset. This will help us deliver our value-added expertise earlier on in the process and should speed up lead times, be more cost effective for the customer and, importantly, unlock customer engagement.

“Between the two companies we have a client book that features fantastic brands, including Dior, F1 Autocentres, Harley Davidson, Harrods, Marks & Spencer, Marston’s and Tesco.”

The first client has now signed up to use the new solution.

ROKiT, a new player in the 3D smartphones marketplace, has appointed SDI and M3 to look after the fit-out and digital engagement strategy for the first of many retail outlets.

Nick Lovett, managing director of M3, commented: “We are really excited with this collaboration and believe it gives us a natural partner to open up new opportunities for our business.

“Both companies thrive on creativity; SDI deliver it through the latest techniques, finishes and the technology it builds into its displays and visual merchandise, whereas our team of specialists can provide the digital disruption.

“All retailers and brands are looking for their displays to work harder so they get the consumer engaged, drive footfall, promote special offers and deliver successful proximity marketing. Our collaboration gives them a clear way of achieving the best of both worlds.”

M3, which employs over 40 people across offices in Birmingham, London and Wolverhampton, offers brand development, creative, digital marketing, media planning and web development services.