Unhooked Communications
Rebrand for Unhooked Communications to reposition and creatively evolve the agency ahead of a new phase of growth and business development.
Brand Strategy / Brand Identity / Messaging Architecture / Visual Language Creation / Animation / Merchandise
Founded in Manchester in 2018, Unhooked had built a strong reputation delivering strategic PR, communications and campaigns for regional, national and international brands. But despite the strength of their work, the agency felt its brand and pitch materials no longer reflected the confidence and creativity of the business.
The challenge was about creating a clearer, more emotionally engaging expression of who Unhooked had become as their decks and materials had gradually evolved over time and, in the client’s own words, had begun to feel “old-school.”
Competing against larger agencies with in-house design teams, Unhooked needed a sharper and more distinctive visual and verbal identity - one capable of balancing strategic credibility with creativity, pace and personality.
The work also uncovered something deeper. Unhooked’s differentiation wasn’t simply about structure or geography. It was behavioural. And through a series of positioning and messaging workshops, Studio Up North identified that the agency’s real strength came from the way it operated with senior strategic thinking and direct access to expertise.
The resulting proposition reframed the business as a consultancy built around intelligent, outcomes-focused relationships rather than traditional agency hierarchy. From there, the project developed into a broader brand evolution spanning tone of voice, brand architecture, messaging framework, typography and visual identity, and pitch and credentials document design.
The creative work explored connected strategic routes, focused on trust, integration and support. The result was ‘Moving Communications Forward’ a direction that reframes Unhooked as being embedded, experienced and strategically dependable.
The visual identity system evolved significantly, with Studio Up North introducing a more contemporary design language through cleaner typography, bolder layouts, simplified graphic systems, lifestyle-led photography direction and modern motion concepts.
We loved working with SUN on our brand refresh project. The team really took the time to get to know us, our business, our people and what sets us apart as a PR agency. A huge amount of thought went into the brand personality, messaging and creative assets, and the results are already proving worthwhile.
As a nine-year-old agency, our new look and feel now better reflects the work we do and services we provide, as well as the personality, senior experience and skills within our team. It was great working with the team at SUN. They are personable, strategic, creative and really listened to what we needed.
Claire Gamble - Unhooked Founder
Photography direction deliberately moved away from staged corporate imagery, instead focusing on candid environments, authentic interaction and people-led storytelling to better reflect the personality of the agency.
The result was a strategic and creative framework capable of flexing across credentials decks, proposal presentations, website development, social content and pitch materials.
The project ultimately repositioned Unhooked as a modern senior-led consultancy designed for organisations wanting smarter PR relationships, faster momentum and more meaningful strategic support.
Visit weareunhooked.com to move your communications forward