Graduate Intern helps to rebrand North-West Business

The Honeybell Soap Company was founded by Jenny Gould in September 2010. Jenny wanted to produce her own range of handmade natural soaps and toiletries. Based in their own workshops just outside Bury, Lancashire, they make all their soaps and toiletries by hand using only natural organic or sustainable oils wherever possible. The company have recently experienced a massive surge of interest in their products, but Jenny felt her company logo, branding and packaging no longer met her sophisticated corporate image or increasing client base. As a result, in March 2011, Jenny approached the University of Bolton to help re-design the company logo, brochures, and packaging to assist the company progress to the next level.

Following a meeting with Claire Pattison from the University of Bolton (Business Advisor – Unite with Business) it was soon established that a graphic design project should be set up through the free business support scheme, Unite with Business. Cherie Zand, a Graphic Design graduate from the University of Chester, was recruited to re-design the company logo and the design of packaging and brochures ready for a series of exhibitions.

Both Jenny and Cherie were really excited at the start of the project and Cherie’s enthusiasm and design skills have produced some amazing results. Cherie’s industrious 150 hours of work have proved very fruitful. She has now designed a new company logo, the paper wrapping around soaps and bottle packaging, display boxes, and a brochure. Cherie said “I am delighted to be working on such a great project, I love being able to be creative and work with such great products – and get paid!”.

Equally, company MD Jenny Gould is thrilled with the project. Jenny said: “This is a very exciting time for The Honeybell Soap Company. With our new branding and packaging I can’t wait to exhibit at trade events. It’s a chance to promote my newly branded products”.

The University of Bolton, in partnership with five other North West Universities (Lancaster, Salford, Cumbria, Chester and Central Lancashire), has secured funding through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to provide business support to North West SMEs. This project, ‘Unite with Business’, provides an injection of expertise by providing businesses with additional skills to achieve business projects through the use of graduates.

For more details contact Claire Pattison: c.pattison@bolton.ac.uk or 01204 903516.