HKLM plays a remarkable numbers game

Strategic brand and communication design consultancy, HKLM may be in the creative business, but they’re playing a remarkable numbers game.

From a four-man start-up nine years ago, and looking forward to its 10^th birthday on March 1, the 60-strong agency is recording its best bottom-line profitability ever in financial year 2012 with a 31% growth in revenue and new billings topping R10m.  Lost business was negligible and most existing clients renewed their contracts and accessed more of the group’s 360⁰ brand solutions than ever before.

Several organisations, including Nedbank and Nigerian mobile service provider, Globacom have been clients since inception and continue to grow their service usage with HKLM. Numerous others such as Singita, Conoil and the University of Johannesburg are similarly notching up their six-year anniversaries with the branding agency in 2012.

The group won numerous blue chip accounts during the year including Exxaro, Royal Bafokeng Holdings, Development Bank of Southern Africa, Hitachi, Gold Fields, SAA, Merafe, Liberty Group Properties and EOH.

HKLM also opened an office in Nairobi in July, its third outside South Africa and strengthened its presence in West Africa through a joint venture with one of Ghana’s leading entrepreneurs.

Sean McCoy, CEO of HKLM, points out that the success of the independent agency comes from a deep passion for their craft and what sustainable brand-building can do on a commercial, community and national level.

“We’re on track for our best year ever, but we’ve remained true to our founding objectives which were to introduce a more imaginative and strategic approach to brand consulting and communication design and to develop long-term relationships with clients that are built on trust, integrity and value.  Those were our words at inception in 2003 and nothing’s changed.” What has changed is the scale and scope of HKLM’s influence and activities.

Their awards list is already well into double figures this year.

HKLM took home several accolades for Transnet’s Integrated Report 2011 at the SA Publications Competition including Best Annual Report as well as certificates for Excellence in Communication and Design.  In addition the report was recognised for the third time by the South African Chartered Secretaries Awards in the SOE category while Cotlands was acknowledge for its second time in the NGO category and Merafe Resources in the Small Cap category. Further recognition for the group’s creative and design excellence included three accolades at the SA Publications Forum Corporate Publications Competition and seven Silver Graphis awards.

The group was also honoured for the Best Online Publication and the Best Corporate Website for Anglo American’s Communication Summit(??) website– an achievement which McCoy says reflects their expanded brand offering.  “The brandscape is evolving rapidly, technology is playing an increasingly important role and I think part of our success has come from our ability to remain focused on delivering business-centered outcomes whilst exploring new frontiers.  Being innovative and flexible as well as being relevant is key.”

The group remained committed to branding in emerging markets, cementing its position as the leader in sub-Saharan Africa through its existing office in Nigeria and the new one in Nairobi.   New accounts in HKLM’s African operations came from across the industry spectrum and included Nexus Alliance, FCMB Plc, Heritage Bank, Aquila Leasing, Recare and Kenna partners in Nigeria and Ubora Hospital and Tatu Coffee in Kenya. Efforts in the Middle East have yielded client growth in Dubai and Abu Dhabi while Qatar has presented new opportunities and a key financial services appointment has also just been made in Saudi Arabia.

“It’s been a stellar year,” McCoy added, “and the numbers look good as we approach our first decade of business.  But as much as were pleased with our performance during 2012, the only real number that we’re concerned about is making sure that our client relationships remain our number one priority.”