We often share our finished projects but rarely the craft we employ to get there.

Colour is a powerful tool, it can influence our perceptions, our emotions and our mood. We spend an inordinate amount of time exploring colour for our clients. Defining their colour universes based on factors like heritage, audience, environment, purpose and vision.

Starting with research, we explore our clients colour use, we make sure they understand their audiences and start to build colour palettes by creating mood boards as a starting point for colour definition.

Widely studied from Goethe and Schiller in 1798 to Carl Jung and contemporary studies of colour. Colour impacts how we feel about the brands, products and environments we encounter. Contemporary research tells us that customers generally make an initial judgment on a product within 90 seconds of interaction and about 62%-90% of that judgment is based on colour.

We consider what colour landscapes our clients ‘own' and how they can be harnessed, expanded and evolved to better speak to their audiences.

Mood boards allow us to play with subtle flexes and additions and how a complex colour palette can be ordered to provide both identifiable impact and pace.

When a palette has been defined we start to extract colours to build a clear hierarchy for use.

Next comes colour testing, we always test proposed colour palettes carefully across a variety of print substrates and processes, exploring colour options, tones, tints and the impact of substrate on colour. In some cases this is a laborious task, for Claridge’s we ran hundreds of print tests over two days to get the Jade green just right, with the energy and vibrancy our vision for the brand palette demanded.

And last but not least we define guidelines for use on every possible application from web, to print and three dimensional product.

In the current climate good news is especially welcome.

Despite the disruption of the last 12 months the Construct team have been working harder than ever to make sure existing clients have the support they need to manage disruption and plan ahead to capitalise on emerging opportunity.

During this time Construct have created new communications strategies, art directed campaigns and film shoots, created new brand identities and packaged precious products. Our clients have challenged us intellectually and creatively and together we have forged a deeper understanding of audience motivations and the dynamic of a new social and cultural landscape.

Perhaps the most exciting part of this experience has been the fulfilment of a vision Construct has held dear for more than fifteen years. A focus on quality not luxury, a focus on purpose and meaning over status and superficial values and last but not least a recognition within each of us of a desire to truly be ourselves.

As many of us explore these profound themes we also witness seismic shifts in communications, last week Bottega went ‘dark’ on social media, echoing the unease many brands have felt at the disproportionate power these platforms are having on the way they communicate and the relationships they have with their consumers. Bottega is bold but the strength of their brand means they can define how and where they engage with their audience away from the commercial manipulation of social media. Many other brands are questioning their return to physical spaces and the way in which they prioritse digital platforms. The rules are changing, now is the time to be bold and take a lead, to confidently double down on brand, authentic values and celebration of best in class product, service and experience. Creativity is key as customers lean in more closely to listen to brands with the bravery to re-invent connection.

A blast from the past...

15 years ago we wrote a piece about the future of luxury for Luxury Briefing and Sublime magazine. As we explore our vision for the next 15 years we have revisited our past predictions and thought you might enjoy a re-read with the benefit of hindsight.

Read the full article

Luxury Briefing

Expect The Unexpected – Service

Construct created and art directed the Expect The Unexpected campaign for The Carlton Tower, Jumeirah’s London Flagship hotel.

This campaign started its life as a sketch and took months of development, perseverance and an extraordinary team to come to life. This story, one of 8 stories told throughout the campaign, focuses on the exceptional service offering at the hotel – conjuring up a dreamlike world of incredible hospitality and service where boundaries between dreams and reality and blurred and emotions are brought to life in an incredibly surreal visual narrative.

The campaign required a complex set build which included the constructing of a mini Carlton Tower. The campaign also features parcels wrapped in The Carlton Tower’s unique Frink pattern created as part of the brand palette, copious pastries, fresh berries, piles of pancakes, multiple hand models and endless champagne.

On our Instagram you'll find a snapshot of our BTS video from the shoot, which showcases the craft and passion behind the campaign. In the video you’ll see a snippet of the team that worked on the set, from props, hair and makeup, stylists, models, to photography and film, set building, production, cake baking, plant sourcing and you will also be able to hear our bespoke soundtrack created specifically for the campaign.

Inspired by the magic created with large oversized figures and small props, a dreamlike colourspace and exciting and intriguing action within this set scape - this shoot is all about Expect The Unexpected.

With warm thanks to

Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts

Creative concept – Construct
Art direction – Construct

And credit to our wonderful extended project team:

Photographer – Sandra Freij
Hair and makeup – Jo Gillingwater
Set – Helen MacIntyre
Stylist – Miranda Almond
Models – Bianca O'Brien and Silke Hajunga
One Represents
The Hive
IMG
The Production Factory
Sarah Laird & Good Company