ONE of the north west's leading independent day schools is set to be given a brand makeover by Manchester's Glorious Creative.

Merchant Taylors' Schools, which originally began life as a boys' grammar almost 400 years ago, now has 1,800 pupils across four separate schools.

Earlier this year, Michaela Riches was appointed as Merchants Taylors' first-ever marketing director. Riches previously worked at Sony Playstation as European marketing manager.

Ms Riches hired Glorious Creative after seeing proposals from six leading consultancies from across the country.

She said: "Merchant Taylors' has an incredible heritage with an enviable academic record. This is about developing our brand image. An image which has been developed over hundreds of years of excellence and tradition.

"We want to showcase our true culture - a modern, dynamic group of schools which produce high-achieving, well-rounded and confident individuals. It's all about the best education for life.

Significant

"This is a significant appointment for us. The four schools are currently established and marketed individually. We want to bring the schools under one strong brand that is flexible to allow each school to retain its own identity. We needed an agency which would be sympathetic to the brand, but move it on significantly."

"Glorious researched the project extensively in advance."

Merchant Taylors' Schools boasts some of the country's most famous sons and daughters including Rt Rev Lord Runcie and author Beryl Bainbridge.

'Old boy', Arthur Witty, was one of the founders of European football champions, Barcelona Football Club in 1903.

Witty adapted the original rugby colours (of claret and blue) from 'Merchants' for Barca.

Scott McCubbin, managing director at Glorious Creative, said: "Merchant Taylors' is an incredible brand with excellent potential.

"Every element of marketing should evolve from the identity, which is why the Merchant Taylors' project has stimulated such interest from us as an agency,"

Glorious, with offices in Liverpool and Manchester, have won more than 50 national and international design awards for D&AD, New York Type Directors Club and European Advertising & Design.

Tweet