The journey behind the Strand rebrand

Laura Pearce, Managing Director

When I founded Strand at 22, it didn’t exactly look like the perfect roll of the dice. I was still waitressing to pay the bills, had £2,000 borrowed on a credit card to buy a computer and software and not a single contact in my back pocket. It was terrifyingly fun.

I remember sitting with my mum, searching for a name. Everything we came up with sounded like every other agency… the ‘purple/pink/green dolphin/frog/monkey’ problem. Then, after hours and many pieces of paper, we glanced at the Monopoly board. I was very conscious of being young and I wanted something established, serious and proper. That’s how we landed on Strand. Also being able to bring all the strands of marketing and communications together really resonated with me. 

Why rebrand now?

For years, Strand PR didn’t quite match what we were delivering. From the outside, we looked like just a PR agency. Inside, we were running full-service, integrated campaigns and solving problems way beyond media relations.

I don’t like ambiguity and the more our departments grew, the more confusing that old name became. The rebrand was about clarity. About saying out loud what Strand has really been all along.

And yes, there’s something funny about knowing the original logo only happened because I liked a font called Swanky and Moo Moo. It made me smile at 22, but that’s not the most thoughtful way to build a brand. This time, we’ve doubled down on values, client experience and what really makes Strand, Strand.

What the new brand had to feel like

We wanted the brand to feel bold, human and fun. The work we do is serious when it needs to be but working with us should always feel like Strand.

We leaned into the idea of strands because marketing and communications are full of them. And we built it backwards from the client’s perspective. Me saying the business is great? That’s just advertising. In 2026, no one listens to that as they’re watching Netflix and doing yoga at the same time. So, we listened instead. What do clients say? What do they value? That authenticity shaped the new brand.

What makes Strand different

At the heart of Strand are three values: fearlessly honest, relentlessly creative and exceptionally driven. They’re not just words, they’re how clients feel working with us.

• Fearlessly honest: We’ll call if we think something isn’t right. We’ll even pull our own work apart if it needs to be better. Kind honesty builds strong, long-term relationships. Sometimes being disagreeable, in the right way, is the superpower clients really need.
• Relentlessly creative: Complacency is the enemy. The reason clients stay with us for years is because there’s always a fresh idea, a new approach or a smarter way to deliver beyond the brief.
• Exceptionally driven: We bring energy. Deadlines aren’t optional. Quality can’t be compromised. We’re steam trains of humans pushing through, getting things done and delivering results.

What I’m proudest of

There’s no one headline moment; it’s the calls in the moments that matter. A crisis. A market shift. A client on the verge of burnout. We’re the first phone call. We solve problems, deliver results and give people confidence.

And when a client retires or reflects on what we’ve done together, you realise it wasn’t just campaigns. It was impact that made their lives easier, their businesses stronger and their teams more resilient. That’s the real work.

Why red stays

Some things never change. Strand is red. It always has been. Red means power, passion, urgency, confidence. Yes, it’s a harder colour to build around, but I wouldn’t compromise on it. Strand has always been red and always will be.

Finding the right place

After 13 years, Strand’s rebrand isn’t about a new identity, it’s about clarity. About showing the honesty, creativity and drive that clients have always felt when working with us.

If there’s one thing I’d like people to take away, it’s simple: when you find Strand, you’ve found the right place. Whether you’re a client, a potential client or just someone trying to cut through the clutter, you’re in safe hands.

Because we’ve never been ‘just PR’.