WTS becomes ‘a brand agency’

Wickens Tutt Southgate has boosted its senior line-up and changed its name to reflect a shift of emphasis from pure design to brand communications across all platforms.

Now called Brandhouse WTS – bringing together its two existing arms under one banner – the London consultancy has also added three new consultants to its design team. They are former Research International managing director Daniel Dumoulin, Mark Taylor from Ammirati Puris Lintas and Mary Cawley, who has been working freelance with Abbott Mead Vickers.

South African digital media specialist Jonathan Kirsten also joins from Dockside Internet and Aqua On-line to become director of interactive branding. A fifth new role, for a copywriting heavyweight, is yet to be filled.

Brandhouse WTS will operate in four main areas – consulting, design, communication and interactive media. Mark Wickens remains chairman of the 50-strong group and creative partner on the communications side, with Mark Gandy and Paul Richards becoming managing partners. Paul Southgate will work with the consultants as strategic partner, while David Beard remains creative director of design.

According to Wickens, “We’re pulling the two halves together in response to client demand. We’re calling ourselves a brand agency, where clients can buy specific expertise, but we’re not a one-stop shop.” For the past couple of years that expertise has included advertising, as well as design and “thinking” and even radio advertising, he adds.

Brandhouse WTS is set up like the original WTS, established in 1989 by Wickens, Southgate and Simon Rhind-Tutt, says Wickens. “We’re hiring seniors and will grow our own talent,” he adds.