IPH
Creating the network effect
Update: Winner of the 2021 Transform Awards ANZ - Best visual identity from the professional services sector. See all winners here.
Realising new value
As the largest intellectual property (IP) services group in Asia Pacific, IPH has always made bold moves to drive growth and challenge the status quo in the market. Folk continues to work alongside the business to help transform how they go to market.
Over time IPH had acquired multiple IP services firms in Australia, New Zealand and Asia and their portfolio represented a group of independently operated firms with IPH as the investor facing entity, holding firms to account. IPH’s ambition, to continue targeted expansion in new markets, drive operating efficiencies from their scale, and increase client referrals across jurisdictions was at the heart of how they would create sustainable competitive advantage and disrupt a very traditional professional services industry.
Reframing the role of IPH
Folk commenced by helping the IPH executive to reframe what IPH was and it’s role for firms and for clients. A new vision of a network that underpinned all the firms emerged, giving structure to how the business delivered centralised corporate service. This connected firms in a new way and gave rise to a new global service opportunity that could transform how a firm’s clients file into many jurisdictions seamlessly across Asia-Pacific. We called it the network effect and it became the new narrative, behaviour and positioning for IPH.
Designing a new service model
Building on initial momentum Folk worked further with IPH to understand the market opportunity for a network service that would allow any firm within the portfolio to help their client file into many markets through one front door – a process that is normally time consuming and fraught with risk. When the opportunity was validated we looked to map the proposition and how systems, technology and people could shape the underlying operating model to capture the opportunity.
A bold new presence
To help audiences, both internal and external see IPH in a new light, Folk developed a bold new brand identity to support the strategy and help project a new image for the business. The new identity has the confidence and strength the organisation needs and conveys the concept of combined operational power that underpins the network narrative.
Creating a competitive portfolio
Folk continues to work with the firms in IPH’s portfolio, helping them to differentiate from market competitors. As their sector is slowly disrupted by intermediaries and technology advancement each firm is continuing to evolve their client experience and market positioning to be fit for the future. See our work for Spruson & Ferguson in Australia/Asia here, AJ Park in New Zealand here, and Griffith Hack in Australia here.
