Project: MacKenzie and Cruickshank - Christmas Campaign Materials
Summary: AVC has been working alongside MacKenzie and Cruickshank since 2008, providing brand communications, graphic design and digital media solutions for both the Garden Centre and Department Store.

Background

MacKenzie and Cruickshank are a well known Garden Centre and Department Store, run from two locations in the North East town of Forres.

The Garden Centre is now considered to be one of the top ten independently run Garden Centres in Scotland, while the Department store sells cookware, lighting, china, gifts, DIY supplies and soft furnishings from its town centre location. The Department Store, open since 1997, also incorporates the Watering Can coffee shop.

Summary

AVC has been working alongside MacKenzie and Cruickshank since 2008, providing brand communications, graphic design and digital media solutions for both the Garden Centre and Department Store. Past projects have included brand development and design, promotional and competition materials and the development of their company website and new online wedding list service.

In the months running up to Christmas, AVC was asked to design a suite of promotional materials to accompany their Christmas campaign and included the development of posters, vouchers, menu’s and adverts.

The first of these was a double sided voucher offering money back to customers when they spent a certain amount in the Department Store. The vouchers had to feature a subtle Christmas design and this was specifically designed to ensure that customers were inspired to begin thinking about Christmas shopping and seasonal gifts for friends and family. The simple design was consistent with the brand guidelines AVC had previously developed for M&C, resulting in an eye catching, fresh design that clearly promoted the offer available.

Christmas posters were developed to promote the Christmas meals on offer at the Garden Centre coffee shop. The design had to be quirky and fun, in keeping with the campaign strap line of ‘Even Santa Eats at M&C’. The Christmas menu was also developed by AVC, specially developed for the festive season. The menu had to maintain the Mackenzie and Cruickshank brand style, keeping everything clean, simple and eye-catching, while incorporating the seasonal messages and imagery.