FAQs.

+ How are you different from branding agencies?

We aren't a brand agency in the classic sense, but a small, senior brand-led team for hire. Our freelance and distributed business model means we don’t have a number to meet at the end of the month. This affords us the freedom to choose our clients, and for our clients to choose us, regardless of location.

Cousin was founded to meet the need of ambitious founder led and SME businesses in need of a brand partner they can trust. With a finite budget, they need to get results first time. A real Cousin advantage is bringing all the big agency talent, but none of the costly overheads.

We’re all about smart conversations, real life situations and working with purpose, meaning and lots of creativity. This means collaborating much earlier in the process – pre-brief if you like. We’ll understand the vision and business challenges. Then together, we'll define the programme of work. It's an important step that prevents wasting time or budget on guesswork.

+ How does your distributed model benefit us?

With no costly overheads, you benefit from a fee that is fair and reflective of the value we deliver, and our Cousins get compensated fairly too. Our flat structure means you don’t pay for internal management time, professional development, or internal meetings. Free from internal responsibilities or distractions, we focus on your work, and yours alone.

And you'll always work with our three founding Directors, Chrissy, Lynsay and Gill. Covering Brand Planning, Strategy and Design, there isn't much they can't do. But if required, we have the Cousin network of talented creative professionals to call upon when we need to scale up, or bring in other specialist expertise.

+ Who is a typical Cousin client?

Honestly? No client is ever the same. We work with solopreneurs up to large SME's throughout their lifecycle. But if you had to pin us to a list of sectors, they would include Health & Wellbeing, Professional Services, Food & Drink, Sustainable Energy, Arts & Design, Charitable Foundations, Education and Technology.

The most successful partnerships rely on three essential ingredients – chemistry, mutual respect and a realistic budget.

At Cousin, we work best with people who:

• Know the value of a great brand
• Appreciate the impact of design
• Have good intentions for the planet
• Have a purpose we can get behind and amplify

Making our client's vision a reality is what gets us out of bed in the morning. But Cousin is not for everyone. If you want multiple account managers, a huge global network and a state of the art HQ, then we’re probably not for you.

+ Is my project too big/small for us to work together?

Absolutely not. Our model means we are elastic so it’s easy to scale up and down, how and when you need us to. But we will always be honest with you about what is achievable within the constraints of time and budget. We have the capability to do almost anything, big or small.

We’re connected by a desire to produce stunning work that results in real tangible value to our client’s businesses. For us, it’s as much about us choosing you, as you choosing us. And with the aim of balancing optimism and realism, we usually find a way to make things happen if we believe.

+ Will you work with our in-house team?

Absolutely. In fact we always advocate for working in partnership with you and your team to get the best results. We are experts in branding, you are experts in your business, industry and customers.

+ What are typical project timelines?

Every project is different, but we don’t drag our feet. Having such an experienced team means we can work well and work fast, taking only the time we need. It's also why we prefer to present proposals based on value delivered, not hours spent.

+ What is the average investment per client?

We work in the customised service business. Every project is designed to completely fit the needs of the individual client. Working at the intersection of business and brand, we strive to move the needle significantly for every client. Typically, most projects fall in the ballpark of £25,000 - £80,000.

+ Do you offer startup packages?

We do on a case by case basis. Tell us your story, and if there is an opportunity to do something brilliant, fun, creative or interesting we’ll find a way.

Money isn’t the only currency accepted at Cousin. When we're in, we're all in.

+ Do you offer flexible payment terms?

Yes. Though we can't bankroll your business, we can be as creative with our payment terms as we are with our ideas.