DBA Member Forum | June Summary
At our latest DBA Member Forum, we explored navigating uncertainty and making confident decisions in a shifting economic and political landscape.
Main Content
Legal health check
You can benefit from a free legal health check provided by Humphries Kirk as part of your membership.
“For a small business like ours, the health check has been really valuable in giving us a better understanding about legal best practice. I have been amazed with the service Humphries Kirk has provided us with. It’s rare to find genuinely excellent quality customer service these days but the guys at HK definitely seem to have gone above and beyond. I am delighted to have joined the DBA and to have met with HK. My experience of working with them so far has been worth our annual DBA membership on it’s own,” says James Hill, Director of Fudge Animation.
Image credits: © Roman Motizov | © Paisit Teeraphatsakool Dreamstime.com
At our latest DBA Member Forum, we explored navigating uncertainty and making confident decisions in a shifting economic and political landscape.
What is the EU AI Act?
The transparency rules of the EU AI Act will come into effect in August 2026. HK Law's Alexandra Clapp explains the AI Act, the transparency obligations and what these mean for your business.
The era of the Client Partner has begun
Client service helps generate serious returns and it's time to recognise its value. The Client Partner era has begun.
DBA Roundup
A roundup of industry expertise, exclusive resources, business support and tools for your design business.
Agency marketing is changing: here’s what’s working
Don’t let your marketing sit on the ‘too difficult’ pile – the nature of ‘sustainable marketing’ has shifted in recent years and this is good news for design agencies.
In Focus: Staff cost to fee income ratio
DBA Expert Mike Almandras explores a key metric you should be looking at to set your design business up to be profitable.
New Designers 2026
The UK's largest graduate design event is back this summer and you can secure a free trade ticket for the event today.
DBA Member Forum | May Summary
At our May Member Forum, we were joined by Diageo's Jeremy Lindley, Phoenix Studio's Jonny Westcar, Gunpowder Consulting's Lucy Mann, and Else's Warren Hutchinson, as we explored how AI is reshaping DBA Member businesses.
Why design businesses can no longer afford to run their channels in isolation
In today’s market, creative and design-led businesses face an increasingly complex challenge: how to stand out, stay relevant, and grow in an environment where attention is scarce and competition is relentless. TDC PR's Tim Duncan outlines a holistic approach to standing out.
Podge Beach Club Summer Party
Podge & the DBA are joining forces this Summer to bring you an evening of conversation, creativity and cocktails on Tuesday 9 June, 5.30pm til late, at the Podge Beach Club Summer Party at Century Club in Soho, London.
Main Content
Case: Challs International and their Buster brand
With limited budgets, Challs International’s main marketing investment is in design. Its ongoing design investment and long-term collaboration with agency Elmwood has elevated its Buster brand from obscurity to a serious category contender in the last decade, and Challs are convinced on the value design brings to their business.
“When you don’t have huge above the line budgets, you need to invest wisely. The focus of our investment for 12 years has been using the power of design to cut through at the point of sale, and that has been pivotal in making Buster the No.1 brand”, says Challs International’s MD, Graham Burchell.
Buster emerged from obscurity on to the supermarket shelves following a brand overhaul by Elmwood in 2004. Since then the company has continued to invest in design. A brand evolution in 2009 helped elevate the brand to No.2 in the sector, but by 2013 the continuing global recession and competition from well-financed mega brands in the UK plughole category, meant the market wasn’t exactly free flowing. With specific objectives to create a platform for sustained growth, to expand internationally and ultimately to claim the top slot in the UK market, Challs chose to invest in design once more, and Buster has made it to the top of the market with packaging that cuts through at the point of purchase.
The objectives:
- Develop a strategy and platform for growth, both in the UK and abroad which would double UK value sales by 2017 (5 year plan)
- To strengthen the impact of the Buster brand on shelf, in order to become the No.1 brand in the market sector by January 2015
In a sector where consumers are normally faced with a wall of power graphics, Buster challenged category norms and contrasted with simple, calm design and a change of tone, becoming the No.1 plughole brand in the UK market months ahead of target in May 2014, and reducing its heavy reliance on sales of one of its products.
The results:
Buster is well and truly on track to achieve its 5 year plan of doubling value sales way ahead of schedule.
- In 2014 sales were up over 50% in a market growing by 13.9%
- Sales grew from £6.65million pre-redesign in 2012 to £11.47million in 2014
- Listings have been secured in 5 new international markets
- The workforce has increased by 20% off the back of this success
Elmwood and Challs International’s GOLD winning DBA Design Effectiveness Awards submission can be viewed in full here.
Image credits: © Rawpixelimages Dreamstime.com | © Ivaylo Sarayski Dreamstime.com
DBA Member Forum | June Summary
At our latest DBA Member Forum, we explored navigating uncertainty and making confident decisions in a shifting economic and political landscape.
What is the EU AI Act?
The transparency rules of the EU AI Act will come into effect in August 2026. HK Law's Alexandra Clapp explains the AI Act, the transparency obligations and what these mean for your business.
The era of the Client Partner has begun
Client service helps generate serious returns and it's time to recognise its value. The Client Partner era has begun.
DBA Roundup
A roundup of industry expertise, exclusive resources, business support and tools for your design business.
Agency marketing is changing: here’s what’s working
Don’t let your marketing sit on the ‘too difficult’ pile – the nature of ‘sustainable marketing’ has shifted in recent years and this is good news for design agencies.
In Focus: Staff cost to fee income ratio
DBA Expert Mike Almandras explores a key metric you should be looking at to set your design business up to be profitable.
New Designers 2026
The UK's largest graduate design event is back this summer and you can secure a free trade ticket for the event today.
DBA Member Forum | May Summary
At our May Member Forum, we were joined by Diageo's Jeremy Lindley, Phoenix Studio's Jonny Westcar, Gunpowder Consulting's Lucy Mann, and Else's Warren Hutchinson, as we explored how AI is reshaping DBA Member businesses.
Why design businesses can no longer afford to run their channels in isolation
In today’s market, creative and design-led businesses face an increasingly complex challenge: how to stand out, stay relevant, and grow in an environment where attention is scarce and competition is relentless. TDC PR's Tim Duncan outlines a holistic approach to standing out.
Podge Beach Club Summer Party
Podge & the DBA are joining forces this Summer to bring you an evening of conversation, creativity and cocktails on Tuesday 9 June, 5.30pm til late, at the Podge Beach Club Summer Party at Century Club in Soho, London.