Repositioning a heritage cottage industry for an untapped market
N.Harris & Son are a small family business based in the Midlands, UK. They make handcrafted glass dog figurines using a traditional glass-blowing method that goes back 400 years.
They originally made most of their sales at dog shows and trade events, however, customers often wrongly assumed their products were mass-produced. They wanted to change this perception and also transition into an online business.
To do this we had to tell a new story about an old tradition – placing their heritage and craft at the centre of their brand, elevating their products and their image. After launching their new brand identity they have tapped into a wider market, raised their prices and now make 80% of their income online.
Client
N.Harris & Son
Scope
Brand strategy
Brand identity
Print & digital design
Drawing from the golden age
We drew upon the rich history of arts and crafts from the Midlands and across the UK in the early 20th century, where maker’s marks were commonly used to identify artisanal works. We made reference to this in the logo to instantly convey the historical and handcrafted nature of N.Harris & Son’s glassworks.
From cut-price to premium-cuts
The branding process helped the Harris family recognise the value of their work – premium giftware that commands premium positioning. This shift in perception has helped them increase prices and make decisions that are aligned with the quality of what they produce.
From dog-lovers to design-lovers
To help the business transition online we built a simple and smart brochure site that told the story of Neil’s craft heritage and showcased the glassworks in sharp detail. Launching the site helped reinvigorate the business, generating interest from a new pool of design-loving customers.
“Loads of people have been in touch to say how much they like the site and branding and we've definitely seen an increase in sales in the last year, it’s about 80% online now.
It’s resulted in a lot of new interest from dog lovers, but also from people involved in art and design who perhaps didn’t pay much attention to Dad’s work before. People are taking us more seriously now, and that’s largely down to Major Keys.”James Harris
N.Harris & Son