Design Inc has always been a Staines-based creative agency. In fact, our managing director Dan, is Staines born and bred and the company was originally run from his parents’ home just around the corner – literally working from his bedroom.
Staines hasn’t always enjoyed the best reputation and I guess the name doesn’t help. In recent years it became known as the home of Ali G, Sacha Baron Cohen’s brilliant comic creation. And, ten years ago, back in 2012, the official change of name to Staines-upon-Thames was seen by some as an attempt to make the town appear more desirable than many believed it to be.
Yet the town has a very rich history that stretches as far back as the Paleolithic Age. Over centuries, Staines developed as a market town and its location next to the Thames made it an obvious base for industrialisation – first as a centre for milling and in 1864 the first factory to produce linoleum was opened. Staines even features in Shakespeare’s Henry V and much of Jerome K Jerome’s novel Three Men in a Boat takes place in and around the town – Staines is so much more than Ali G’s hometown.
Pounding the streets of Staines
But we are proud to be a Staines-based creative agency. Right from our first days, we inevitably looked locally for clients. We literally walked the streets of Staines, talking to every business owner we could find to build relationships and raise awareness of Design Inc. Joining local networking groups was also an essential part of our new business activities.
With Heathrow so close, Staines-upon-Thames is home to many freight and logistics companies. Not surprisingly, we’ve worked with many of them and it’s helped us develop sector expertise. Similarly, Staines’ proximity to London and good transport links makes it an ideal base for large companies and, again, we’ve worked for many of them too, including BUPA, Konica Minolta, Centrica, Wood Group and Ensono.
One Staines-based company, JP Kenny (which later evolved into Wood Group), was so pleased with the work we did for them that they introduced us to Subsea UK – now known as Global Underwater Hub – and we’ve now worked with this client for almost 15 years. It’s an introduction that led to wider involvement in the offshore industries, including subsea, oil & gas, and engineering, and enabled us to develop other sector specialisms.
We wouldn’t want to be anywhere else
When it’s so easy to join the M25 and access the M3 and M4 or get into London by train in just 40 minutes, getting to clients is never an issue. Equally, good transport links can make all the difference in luring talented designers away from the bright lights of London – that and an impressive client list, of course. Staines really is part of Design Inc’s success and we have much to be grateful for!
As Staines supports Design Inc, so we believe in supporting Staines. We’ve sponsored local football teams, worked with local schools and we’re delighted to be the official sponsor of The Big Duck Race , the flagship event at Staines-Upon-Thames Day.
Furthermore, it’s nice to be recognised for the work we do – one of the nicer rewards we’ve had is winning the Best Business in Staines award!
We love being a Staines-based creative agency and we love being part of the community. And, whilst our reach has become more global, we will continue to nurture local relationships in and around Staines.
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