COMPLEX INFORMATION ➞ DOCUMENT DESIGN ➞ PRINT COLLATERAL ➞ TYPOGRAPHIC CONSULTANCY ➞ ADVERTISINGS ➞

Barratt & Cooke

Established in 1880, Barratt & Cooke is one of the UK’s oldest family-run firms of investment managers. In 2022 the firm embarked on a project to update and modernise their brand.

Having commissioned a London-based agency to create a new logo, colour palette, and website, Barratt & Cooke turned to Outthought to expand and roll out the new brand. Outthought designed and produced a rationalised set of typographic / layout conventions and styles to be applied across a suite of fund prospectus, quarterly newsletters, print advertising, and display.

An additional, vital element of the project was the redesign of an extensive suite of templated forms, questionnaires, and key financial documents that sit at the core of Barratt & Cooke’s business processes and client relationships as the most common point of interaction between the company and its customers.

Three Barratt & Cooke newsletters for July 2023, October 2023, and January 2024, featuring images of a swan, beach scene, and rocky shore.
Person holding an open financial brochure featuring asset allocation charts and income options text, with graphs illustrating distribution and reinvestment of income concepts.
Four tablets displaying financial and corporate content: one shows data tables, another a newsletter cover with coastal imagery, a third features a red ship with people in safety vests, and the fourth shows a chart on equity dividend growth.

Putting complexity out of business

With a modernised logo and visual language ready to roll out Barratt & Cooke initially approached Outthought to take on the not-insignificant task of addressing a slight oversight on the part of their former agency… The 300+ forms and documents that are at the core of their business.

Outthought’s approach was not only to bring this extensive document suite in line with the new identity but to actively reduce the inherent complexity for customers by applying consistent and considered typographic styling and information design principles. The success of Outthought’s work on the technical elements led to an expanded brief taking in advertising executions, design of investment prospectuses and ongoing provision for Barratt & Cookes quarterly newsletter update print and digital publications.

Green stylized letter 'B' with two blue dots above on a black background.
Creative abstract green and blue logo design
Graph with red line showing fluctuating data and a blue trend line, overlaying a green ampersand symbol.

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Open magazine displaying information about ESG goals and a company example focusing on sustainable solutions, with graphics representing the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Open brochure featuring TB Opie Street Balanced Fund and TB Opie Street Income Fund details with charts for asset allocation.
Open brochure showing a photo of a wheat field on the left page and financial charges information on the right page, including dealing and custody charges details.
Open brochure displaying information about the "Introduction to the service" and "Key features of the service" related to fund portfolio services. The pages include text about fund diversification and management, icons representing personal contact, portfolio reviews, fund updates, valuations, tax paperwork, online valuations, performance, and safe custody.
Magazine advertisement for Barratt & Cooke featuring the phrase 'Out with the old & in with the new' with a prominent green ampersand symbol. Includes a message about experience, stability, and personal service, mentioning Barratt & Cooke's dedication to core values since 1880. Website link provided.
Magazine page with title 'Ups & Downs', featuring abstract shapes in green and text about investing. Bottom text includes 'Barratt & Cooke' and website link.
Advertisement for Barratt & Cooke highlighting investment principles. Features a graph with upward trend lines and the words 'Time, patience & growth.'