New work for Argos

It’s not every day you get to help relaunch a British high–street institution.

But that’s just what we’ve been up to recently, alongside our long–term collaborators at The Partners.

We’ve been developing, articulating and training staff in a new tone of voice for Argos — one of those brands that just seems always to have been there.

Argos is the midst of a root–and–branch overhaul right now, moving from the analogue world of doorstop–size catalogues and little pencils on string to a thoroughly digital service.

The Partners have been leading the update of the identity, and asked us — almost two years ago now — to help refresh the tone of voice.

Since then we’ve been working with them and the client to refine a much more contemporary, lively and concise voice. An Argos for today.

The latest Argos stores have tablets instead of catalogues, set on sleek tabletops and surrounded by video screens. (Image above from this Guardian article.)

The brand is also making no bones about its keenness to get people buying online: the printed catalogue reminds customers that, while still enormous, it contains only half the range available at argos.co.uk.

We should know — we’ve written the opening pages of the last two catalogues, which explain everything you need to know about shopping with Argos. Writing the Argos catalogue: it’s kind of like being asked to take over as script editor on Corrie.

As well as such practical tasks, we’ve written the new identity guidelines, including a dedicated set of principles for the tone of voice.

We’ve also delivered four workshops with teams from different parts of the business, using practical exercises to help them get to grips with the new tone, and how best to deploy it.

The project is continuing, and it’s proving a real pleasure to work with such a genuine legend of British retail. We’ll keep you up to date with any further news as things progress.