James Clay & Sons

Craft, curation and conveyance.

James Clay & Sons

The Challenge

Craft beer distributor James Clay was proud of its heritage; not just as a company that stayed true to its family-company roots, but as one of the driving forces behind the explosion of craft beer. But when it was time for a new generation to take the helm, their identity needed a similar generation refresh.

The Services

  • Branding.
    Strategy.
  • Copywriting.
    Video & Photography.
James Clay logo on a navy background with an orange border.
Black and white image of someone sketching logos for James Clay.
Tote bag mockup with James Clay logo on a black rectangle.

The Idea

Having worked with the marketing team at James Clay for a number of years, they asked us to deliver a rebrand that would more closely reflect their core values. This was to be orientated around a name change to ‘James Clay & Sons’ – in line with the leadership of the company being passed down from founder Ian Clay, to son James.

A business card mockup for James Clay.
A black and white image of two men drinking pints in a pub.

The Process

1. Brand Audit
2. Competitor Research
3. Brand Workshop
4. Brand DNA
5. Creative Execution

A James Clay pin on an orange jacket.
Black and white image of a drinking glass.
James Clay poster mockup. Far left poster is an image of beer bottles stating 'Curation & Conveyance. It's what we've always done' with the James Clay logo at the bottom. Middle poster states 'First there was a pub, in Sowerby Bridge. There was a van, and a Yorkshireman who filled it with beer. The best and most exciting european brews, all for those Sowerby Bridge taps' on a plain grey background with the James Clay logo at the bottom. Far right poster is a black and white image of the inside of a pub with the text 'A quest for the best beer and a company dedicated to it' and the James Clay logo at the bottom.
Tote bag mockup with James Clay logo on a black rectangle.
Three men in blue cardigans looking at beer glasses.

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