“Through our brand work with The Pudding, we succeeded in repositioning the mindsets of our team and the mindset of those considering the brand.” A conversation with Gillian Pierce, Director of Marketing at Carton House.

Today with sat down (virtually) with Gillian Pierce, Director of Marketing at Carton House and client of The Pudding. Having worked with us for a number of years, the past twelve months have been some of the most crucial for this luxury resort.

Overcoming significant challenges imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, Carton House has triumphed to become Ireland’s only Fairmont-managed hotel. In this instalment of The Client Chronicles, Gillian sat down to talk to us about her journey working with The Pudding. 

1. Can you tell me about your partnership with The Pudding

and how you came to seek our services? 

It was soon after I joined Carton House that we sought a brand agency – someone that was able to reposition and redevelop the strategy for Carton House. I wanted an agency that would get it. It’s a very special product; a historic, niche destination.

I was referred to The Pudding, and we established a rapport very quickly. I had met with a few different branding agencies – four in total. But I knew instantaneously that it was The Pudding who got it. And I was very right. 

2. Can you tell us about the strategy work with The Pudding?

It is not common for most hotels to have their own brand guidelines, but we created a document that will be there indefinitely. Everything was really considered: the strategy, the look and feel of everything we do at Carton House. Even when we were designing Carton House’s sub-brands, we always related back to the guidelines.  

One thing I really noticed about The Pudding’s workstyle is how personal they took the project. There was such passion for the brand and everything we were doing to ensure it was right. There was a constant commitment to improving and ensuring that we were hitting the mark. I saw them as an extension of our marketing team at Carton House. 

3. How did you find the process of working with The Pudding?

To begin, we completed a number of workshops with The Pudding. The depths of research that the team went into at the time in order to develop the strategy was immense. 

Branding and marketing is not an area that everyone gets and likes, I suppose. It always seems to be one of the areas of the business that’s spending money, but the team at The Pudding handled it really well. They explained it in reality and kept referring back to the bottom line. They always ensured they were talking correctly to the right audience.

4. What was the outcome of your strategy work with The Pudding?

Through our brand work with The Pudding, we succeeded in repositioning the mindsets of our team and the mindset of those considering the brand. 

The Pudding understands how you need to communicate to the relevant people in order to make the importance of branding heard. This is a common challenge – getting the cost over the line. What we did was not a cheap exercise, but it was completely worth it in the end.

5. Would Carton House work with The Pudding again, and would you

recommend working with The Pudding to others?

I would 100% recommend working with The Pudding and also work with them again myself. There isn’t a question there. If we have a big-ticket item, I will go straight to The Pudding.