We work in the UK and internationally with:

• Asset and investment managers
• Retail, private, corporate and investment banks
• Card payment and merchant services companies
• Credit agencies
• Private equity firms and hedge funds
• Insurance and pension companies
• UK government departments and agencies

Strategic and creative
We help our clients achieve their business and marketing goals through a combination of strategic insights, content development and creative services.

Evidence-based approach
Even without a formal research component, most assignments begin with insight and analysis; our recommendations are well informed and based on evidence.

Clear commercial focus
We work with some of the world’s most dynamic organisations. Whatever role we play, we aim to add real value to projects and relationships.

Our people
Our people are professionals with agency and client-side backgrounds who understand what matters from your point of view. We operate a genuinely client-centric business model, combining different teams according to the needs of each assignment. Our principals play an active role in liaising with clients and managing projects from start to finish:

Elizabeth Campbell-Warner
Head of Strategy & Research
Liz has over twenty years of consultancy experience working on brand, research and marketing strategy, and as a writer. Client-side roles include business marketing and communications at UBS Investment Bank, Deutsche Bank (Corporate Banking & Securities), and Barclays Private Bank. Prior to co-founding Gabriel, Liz held executive board positions with London-based international marketing services companies. At Osca Plc, she was Director of New Business and Marketing, and at Aidcom Plc (subsequently acquired by Addison/WPP), she was head of its brand consultancy business. Liz has a degree in English and European Philosophy & Literature, is a Full Member of The Chartered Institute of Marketing, and a Certified Member of the Market Research Society. Gabriel’s research team works to MRQSAB standards.

Chris Warner
Head of Creative Services
Chris has twenty-five years of experience as a creative and business consultant with a wide range of clients across different markets and industries. Prior to co-founding Gabriel, he held senior and executive board positions with some of the UK’s leading agencies including Design House Consultants and Yellowhammer Advertising where he was influential in building blue-chip brands. Notable projects include Investors in Industry’s re-launch as 3i, Barclays Bank’s brand identity across Europe, Africa and the Caribbean, and the positioning and branding of Aldermore. Chris has a BA in Design Communications and an MBA from the Richmond American International University in London.

Barnaby Dixon
Head of Digital Services
Barnaby leads the Gabriel team that helps clients take advantage of the opportunities offered by new technologies; this includes the development of research and analytics software (in support of our research programmes), web management services to help clients evolve effective internet strategies, and a variety of other services in support of brand, marketing and business development. Barnaby is a PHP 5.3 Zend Certified Engineer, accreditation that demonstrates one of the highest degrees of PHP expertise. In addition to his first class technical qualifications, Barnaby holds a BA in French & Business Studies from Queen Mary Westfield, University of London.

Clients past and present
Aberdeen Standard Investments
Al Khaliji Bank
Aldermore Bank
AllianceBernstein
Alliance Trust Investments
American Express
AnaCap Financial Partners
Arab Bank Group
Arab Bankers Association
Arab Bank Switzerland
Aviva Investors
Barclays
Beaubridge
BlackRock
BNY Mellon
Brewin Dolphin
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development
Colombia Threadneedle
Deutsche Bank
Europe Arab Bank
First Data Corporation
First Trust Global Portfolios
FT Business
Housing Bank for Trade & Finance
Ingenico Payment Services
Kleinwort Benson
Quilter
Royal Bank of Scotland
T. Rowe Price
UBS
United Bank UK
Visa Europe

We cover all aspects of a go-to-market strategy and brand management:

• Strategy
• Creation
• Management
• Protection

Value proposition development
For new and established brands, we use a six-step process to define the optimum value proposition, taking account of markets, the customer experience, offerings, benefits, differentiators and proof points.

Brand-building from the inside out
To ensure that a brand is authentic, everyone in the organisation needs to believe in what it stands for, feel a personal connection and a sense of ownership in its creation, which means building the brand from the inside out. For established brands, we work with HR, brand and internal communications teams to help attract, retain and develop staff, and ensure that employees are on board with new initiatives.

Naming
Gabriel has developed corporate, service and product brand names. We use a tried and tested method. Once the creative process is complete we screen names and work with our intellectual property partners to ensure that we can present brand and domain names that are available for use in all required trade mark classes and regions.

We cover all aspects of a go-to-market strategy and brand management:

• Strategy
• Creation
• Management
• Protection

Value proposition development
For new and established brands, we use a six-step process to define the optimum value proposition, taking account of markets, the customer experience, offerings, benefits, differentiators and proof points.

Brand-building from the inside out
To ensure that a brand is authentic, everyone in the organisation needs to believe in what it stands for, feel a personal connection and a sense of ownership in its creation, which means building the brand from the inside out. For established brands, we work with HR, brand and internal communications teams to help attract, retain and develop staff, and ensure that employees are on board with new initiatives.

Naming
Gabriel has developed corporate, service and product brand names. We use a tried and tested method. Once the creative process is complete we screen names and work with our intellectual property partners to ensure that we can present brand and domain names that are available for use in all required trade mark classes and regions.

Our deep knowledge and experience of the financial sector enables us to support our clients with clear, actionable insights. Beyond the comprehensive range of qualitative and quantitative research services we provide, we frequently write and design the associated communications and marketing collateral to deliver a coherent, end-to-end service.

Qualitative and quantitative research
Qualitative – e.g. depth interviews, focus and discussion groups
Quantitative – e.g. online, paper-based and mobile surveys, telephone interviews, longitudinal studies, and online polls.

A proactive approach to compliance and regulatory change
Our clients are committed to maintaining the highest standards of compliance and governance. We encourage and support a proactive approach so that they are always well-prepared and ready to provide an appropriate response. For example, the FCA’s asset management market study means that firms are under scrutiny to prove they offer value for money to investors and competitive, best-in-class products and services. Our services can help:

• Validate and communicate your product and service proposition
• Ensure that best practice is embedded in your processes and effectively feeds into business, product, marketing, TCF and other client service strategies

Beyond satisfaction
The best customer satisfaction surveys, be they printed on delivered online, go beyond simplistic box-ticking and should deliver meaningful insights from every way in which the customer interacts with your business and brand. We develop client experience research programmes that do just this and provide opportunities to take a deeper, more qualitative dive into key issues.

Bespoke and specialist panels
Establishing proprietary research panels enables you to retain control, reduce the costs of future research and maximise customer engagement. We build bespoke research panels on behalf of our clients and have developed four specialist panels which facilitate fast, targeted access to current opinions, behaviour and trends: an FCA segment-friendly Personas Panel, Financial Advisers and Wealth Managers, HNW Consumers, and Trustees and Pension Managers.

Thought leadership
A strong thought leadership strategy can be a powerful tool for improving marketing success, supporting business development and lead generation, and raising brand awareness. We offer a complete service: we propose ideas, plan the strategy, undertake research and deliver original content, copy and where required, design.

7 steps towards an effective thought leadership strategy

1. Your strategy should reinforce your core value proposition.The more closely aligned it is with business strategy, the more authentic and effective it is likely to be.
2. Don’t compromise on desk research to evaluate and validate ideas within the context of the competitive landscape.This phase helps to ensure that your initiative will be relevant, timely and meaningful.
3. Don’t be unduly concerned with originality, you might not produce findings that are completely new, what’s more important is the way in which you make use of insights and engage with your audience in sharing knowledge.
4. Target your initiative as precisely as you can and be clear from the outset what you want your audience to do as a consequence. Think about how your team will respond to the implications for them and what this means to your team and the wider organisation.
5. Before you start, consult different teams internally and check what intellectual capital you already possess. Use qualitative and quantitative research techniques. Take advantage of third party specialists who have the skills and experience required.
6. Spread the word: plan the way in which you will distribute messages to different audiences – clients, prospects, key business influencers, the media, advertising, corporate affairs, business development colleagues etc, and across channels.
7. Follow up each initiative with a review in order to learn from what worked and what was less successful; thought leadership and content marketing should be continuous processes.

Typically working as an extension of our clients’ marketing teams, we contribute ideas, original content and copywriting for all purposes.

Advertising
We originate concepts, write copy and design ads for national and international campaigns, global publications, specialist trade press and one-off events.

Business development and sales support
We provide a range of services in support of business development and sales teams: writing, editing and designing bid documents, sales presentations, pitch books, briefing and training guides. For start-ups, we can provide support at all stages, from targeting to value proposition development and fulfilment. Our team includes experienced consultants, with first-hand experience and business development know-how.

Client communications
We write letters, newsletters, investor updates and contribute ideas on how to build effective communications programmes that generate referrals and keep our clients’ business ‘top of mind’.

Internal communications
Strategy, tools and tactics: from briefing and training guides to talent development campaigns, cross-selling initiatives, newsletters, intranet content and copy.

Strategy and planning
Audits, SWOT analysis, segmentation studies and value proposition development or refinement; we incorporate qualitative and quantitative research as required.

Corporate reporting
Good corporate reporting not only meets regulatory best practice but also provides an informative, engaging user experience. Our service is designed to give you a comprehensive, cost-effective solution, to support you in managing the delivery of annual reports and other stakeholder communications.

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Shareholder opinion surveys
Using research to inform the development of annual reviews and shareholder communications helps ensure that your messages strike the right chord with your audience. In our experience, this kind of groundwork can make a world of difference to the end result, helping to bring alive your company’s vision in ways that genuinely resonate.