​How to choose the right brand consultancy in London

When you’re on the look out for a brand consultancy in London, you’ll quickly notice the sheer variety of agencies on offer. And you might find that a lot of agencies are highly specialised in one discipline, like strategy, digital, or design. Whereas others, like us at The Team, offer a broader, multi-disciplinary approach.

So, now you need to make a decision. Which type of brand consultancy is right for your organisation?

Do you go with a niche agency that focuses on one area, or a multi-disciplinary consultancy that can support you across strategy, design, engagement, and activation?

In this blog, we’ll explore the differences between niche and multi-disciplinary and help you decide which path is right for your brand.

What we’ll cover:

• ​Step one: understand what you really need
• ​The case for a niche brand consultancy
• ​The case for a multi-disciplinary brand consultancy
• ​Key questions to ask when choosing a brand consultancy
• Why choose the Team?

Step one: understand what you really need

Before approaching any consultancy, it’s important to get clarity on your priorities. Ask yourself:

• Do we need to define our brand purpose and positioning?
• Should we refresh our visual identity?
• Do we want to engage employees as well as customers?
• Could a long-term partner help guide us through change?

By answering these questions honestly, you’ll have a better sense of whether a narrowly focused specialist or a broader consultancy is the right fit for your team and your brand.

As our Director Cliff Ettridge says,

“For me, this is the critical step, and it’s where any Brand or Employee Engagement strategy can go wrong. If you fail to collate the right inputs and ask the right questions, then you end up somewhere else. No amount of AI can anticipate that. It comes from human experience.”

The case for a niche brand consultancy

So, let’s start with the positives. A niche specialist can be a smart choice if:

• You have a specific, one-off challenge – e.g. a new logo, packaging update, or digital campaign.
• You’re looking for deep, technical expertise in a single area.
• Or, you have a limited scope or budget, and you’re not looking for wider strategic input.

In short, niche specialists can deliver fast, effective results when the problem is clearly defined and contained.

But what if your needs are more complex? Well, that’s where a multi-disciplinary consultancy like ours comes in.

The case for a multi-disciplinary brand consultancy

At The Team, we believe the power of a brand doesn’t lie in just one discipline – it’s the combination of strategy, design, engagement, and activation that creates real impact.

And here’s why choosing a multi-disciplinary consultancy might be the better choice for your business.

1. Joined-up thinking

When your strategy, design, and communications are handled under one roof, you avoid the risk of fragmentation. Because every touchpoint tells a consistent story, from the boardroom to the shop floor to your customer campaigns.

2. Combining customer and employee engagement matters

A brand is only as strong as the people who bring it to life. While many agencies focus solely on external audiences, we put equal emphasis on internal and external engagement. As a result, employees understand, believe in, and deliver your brand – making it more authentic and more sustainable. And enables a brand to design the best experience for external stakeholders.

3. Behavioural insight adds depth

We don’t just ask, “What should your brand look like?” We ask, “How should people feel and behave when they interact with it?” By applying behavioural science, we uncover the real drivers of trust, loyalty, and action. That’s what turns a brand into something people purchase, use and experience.

4. Experience across sectors

With four decades in London, we’ve worked with organisations as varied as Heathrow, Coca-Cola, Natwest, Rightmove, M&S, and Comic Relief. That breadth gives us perspective – we can bring ideas and lessons from different industries to unlock new possibilities for your brand.

Key questions to ask when choosing a brand consultancy

Whether you choose a niche specialist or a multi-disciplinary consultancy, here are the questions worth asking:

• Can they support you beyond the immediate brief?
• Can they understand how to activate a brand both internally and externally?
• Do they bring evidence-based insights as well as creativity?
• Do they have a track record with organisations facing similar challenges?
• And will they act as a partner, not just a supplier?

If the answer is yes to all of the above, you’re on the right track.

Why choose the Team?

With over 40 years of experience, we’re a brand consultancy who foster and maintain strong partnerships with our clients that can span years, sometimes decades!

Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do – it’s our driving force. Our team is always working towards the same mission – bouncing ideas off one another, to achieve the best results for your brand.

Our goal is to help organisations build brands that inspire belief, inside and out.

Our services include:

• Proposition Engineering
• Brand Strategy & Positioning
• Brand Identity & Design
• Employee Engagement
• Employer Branding
• Brand Activation
• Behavioural Science in Branding

And, unlike niche specialists, we offer a joined-up approach. We combine strategy, creativity, and engagement to deliver long-term value. As we are London based, we bring a personal touch, with a deep knowledge of UK audiences and markets.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right brand consultancy in London is about more than finding a creative partner. It’s about finding a consultancy that understands your strategy, your people, and your audiences. One that can bring all of those elements together to build something meaningful and future-ready.

​But most importantly, as our director, Sally Tarbit notes:

On and above the capability and quality of work, what I hear time and time again from clients old and new is that it’s also about the people. Not just brilliant creative and critical minds, but the chemistry too. The sense that, as a client, your agency is in your corner, like an extension of your own team, who care and are invested.

At The Team, we don’t just create brands. We help organisations live them.

Ready to find out more? Speak to us today.