WMH&I

WMH&I
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryAdvertising, marketing
Founded1997
Headquarters
London
,
England
Key people
  • Daisy Benn (managing director)
  • Wybe Magermans (director of growth & strategy)
  • Mark Nichols (creative director)
ServicesBrand strategy and design
Number of employees
30
ParentWrittle Holdings
Websitewmh-i.com

WMH&I (an acronym of Williams Murray Hamm & Identica), formerly known as Williams Murray Hamm (WMH), is a British brand innovation, design, and strategy agency based in London.

History

Williams Murray Hamm (WMH) was founded in 1997 by Richard Williams and Richard Murray.[1] Garrick Hamm joined the firm a year later.[2] WMH was acquired in 2006 by Loewy Group, a business that was itself acquired by Writtle Holdings in 2011.[3][4]

Richard Murray died in 2010.[5] Wybe Magermans was appointed to the board in 2016 and became the agency's Managing Director in 2019.[6]

In 2021, WMH merged with Identica, another design and branding agency, to form WMH&I.[7] Following the retirement of Richard Williams in 2016 [8] and Garrick Hamm in 2021[9], Daisy Benn was appointed to the board[10], and promoted to Managing Director in 2023 with Mark Nichols joining the Benn and Magermans on the board as Creative Director in 2023[11].

In June 2024, WMH&I become a B-Corp Certified company.[12]

Work and accolades

WMH's work in Fast-moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) packaging for GSK's Horlicks,[13] Hovis,[14] McVitie's Jaffa Cakes[15] and Sainsbury's SO organics[16][17] and Sainsbury's Basics[18][19] led to the business being named Design Agency of the Year by Marketing Magazine in 2002 and 2004.[20]

WMH has won DBA Design Effectiveness Awards for its work on Here Organics, Sainsbury's SO organic,[21][22] Wild Brew (which also won a D&AD yellow pencil),[23][24] while Hovis and Clipper Teas won the DBA Design Effectiveness Grand Prix in 2002 and 2004 respectively.[25][26]

Other work includes 2003's redesign of the Barclays Bank identity,[27] 2004's relaunch for Fortnum & Mason,[28] via a brand book and repackaging exercise. The company has maintained an eight-year relationship with Syngenta, the Swiss agrochemicals business.[29] Other WMH clients include Beazley,[30] Way to Blue[31] and Jamie Oliver's store Recipease venture,[32] Burger delivery start-up Chosen Bun,[33] Magic Me,[34] JuiceBurst (Purity Soft Drinks),[35] Syngenta,[36] charity Ella's Home,.[37]

More recent work includes the launch of Waitrose & Partners Free From range of foods, creation of completely new container shipping company, Ocean Network Express (ONE), and USA-based food producer Lamb Weston.[38]

In 2015, the agency was awarded the top prize at The Drum's inaugural Dream Awards[39] and gold at the Fresh Awards[40] for its packaging design for UK erotica brand Coco de Mer.[41] Additionally, WMH won gold in the body category at the celebrated Pentawards[42] for its work with beauty brand Prismologie.[43]

2016 saw WMH's return to win gold at the Design Effectiveness Awards (Design Business Association) for their interactive brand design work with JuiceBurst (Purity Soft Drinks).[44] The award-winning continued for its brand identity and packaging work for Coco de Mer winning the coveted D&AD Yellow Pencil Award,[45] the Drum Design Award,[46] Design Week Award (Package Design Category)[47] and Creative Review Annual where it was awarded 'Best in Book: Design'.[48]

Led by Benn, Magermans and Nichols, the agency’s approach is centred on the 'power of creativity' in shaping brand identity and communication[49]. This has led to well received work for the likes of GameStop with the creation of Candy Con[50][51], Vetoquinol and its Drontal brand[52], London professional dominatrix Jane Grey[53][54], Redbreast whiskey rebrand for Pernod Ricard, and pro bono work to raise awareness of Ehler-Danlos Syndroms[55][56].

In 2025, the agency also was recognised for the changes it made to internal culture and won Best Agency to Work For at Creativepool [57].

References

  1. ^ "Incorporation date WMH".
  2. ^ Bedrossian, Rebecca (1 January 2005). "Williams Murray Hamm". Communication Arts. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  3. ^ "Exclusive: Loewy acquires WMH | News". Design Week. 1 December 2006. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  4. ^ "Writtle Holdings Ltd acquires Loewy Group Ltd to create combined £100m marketing services group – Writtle". www.writtle.com. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Richard Murray: 1965–2010". Creative Review. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  6. ^ "WILLIAMS MURRAY HAMM LIMITED – Officers (free information from Companies House)". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  7. ^ "Williams Murray Hamm and Identica Join Forces In A New Creative Agency". Marketing Communication News. 28 June 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Richard Charles John WILLIAMS personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  9. ^ "Garrick Lee HAMM personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  10. ^ "Branded appointment of CEO and internal promotions to drive further international growth – Writtle". www.writtle.com. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  11. ^ "WILLIAMS MURRAY HAMM LIMITED people - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  12. ^ "WMH&I - Certified B Corporation - B Lab Global". www.bcorporation.net. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  13. ^ "Design Awards: Packaging (food)". Marketing Magazine. 23 November 2005. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  14. ^ "Branding Interview: Williams Murray Hamm, sub section: Bread Winners". 2 March 2005. Retrieved 2 March 2005.
  15. ^ "WMH repacks Jaffa Cakes for a bigger bite of market | News". Design Week. 4 March 2004. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  16. ^ "D&AD Awards 2006 Professional packaging design winner wood pencil Sainsbury's Organics/". Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  17. ^ "Putting a Prize on Effectiveness | BusinessWeek". Images.businessweek.com. Archived from the original on 19 February 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  18. ^ "Creative Review: When Sainsbury's was out on its own". 25 August 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  19. ^ "Sainsbury's Basics as designed by Williams Murray Hamm grow fifty percent in one year". 27 November 2005. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  20. ^ "AGENCY 2002: Design Agency of the Year – Williams Murray Hamm". Marketing Magazine. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  21. ^ "Sainsbury's Basics as designed by Williams Murray Hamm". www.newswire.com (Press release).
  22. ^ "dba Insight magazine Winter Spring 2007" (PDF). www.dba.org.uk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  23. ^ "D&AD Professional Awards 2001 – Yellow Pencil for Packaging Design: Wildbrew". D&AD.
  24. ^ "A fur day's work". The Guardian. 19 January 2002.
  25. ^ "DBA Insight" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  26. ^ "Richard Murray". agIdeas. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  27. ^ "Barclays opts for WMH to develop cohesive image". Marketing Magazine. 26 November 2003. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  28. ^ "Team of designers restructures Fortnum & Mason brand | News". Design Week. 10 November 2005. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  29. ^ "News Wire". Newswire (Press release).
  30. ^ "CorpComms – News – 61 Risky Business". Corpcommsmagazine.co.uk. 27 April 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  31. ^ "A live neon identity for Way to Blue". Design Week. 23 May 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  32. ^ "Branding for Jamie Oliver's retail store Recipease unveiled by Williams Murray Hamm". The Drum. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  33. ^ Nias, Simon (12 June 2013). "Chosen Bun to launch world's first gourmet burger delivery business". marketingmagazine.co.uk. Brandrepublic.com. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  34. ^ "Williams Murray Hamm creates Plasticine identity for charity Magic Me". Design Week. 14 March 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  35. ^ Montgomery, Angus (22 January 2013). "'Exploding' fruit drink packaging from Williams Murray Hamm".
  36. ^ "Syngenta: "FLOWERS PRO CONTROLS" Design & Branding by Williams Murray Hamm".
  37. ^ Matthew McIntyre (7 April 2014). "Williams Murray Hamm's 'pretty' campaign against sex trafficking | Desktop". Desktopmag.com.au. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  38. ^ Derrick Lin (14 July 2015). "PROJECTS YOU SHOULDN'T MISS: Lamb Weston New Visual Identity".
  39. ^ "Williams Murray Hamm scoops top prize at The Drum Dream Awards". The Drum.
  40. ^ "Fresh Awards Winners 2015, Packaging Design, Coco de Mer". Fresh Awards. Archived from the original on 6 May 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  41. ^ Derrick Lin (5 June 2015). "Showcase and discover creative packaging: Coco de Mer". Packaging of the World.
  42. ^ "GOLD PENTAWARD 2015 – BODY – WILLIAMS MURRAY HAMM". Pentawards.
  43. ^ "PRISMOLOGIE". The Dieline.
  44. ^ "Winners/ Beverages: Gold – JuiceBurst & WMH winners". Design Effectiveness Awards winners 2016. Design Business Association. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  45. ^ "Coco de Mer | Williams Murray Hamm | Coco de Mer | D&AD Awards 2016 Pencil Winner | Consumer Packaging Design | D&AD". www.dandad.org.
  46. ^ "Drum Design Winners Announced". The Drum.
  47. ^ "@Design_Week DWawards16 Twitter @WMHagency". Design Week Twitter.
  48. ^ "CR Annual – Best in Book: Design". www.creativereview.co.uk. 27 April 2016.
  49. ^ Johnson, Mark (30 June 2023). "Five key things we learned about rebranding ourselves - WMH&I -". Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  50. ^ "GameStop and WMH&I shake up the gaming market with customisable candy-themed controllers". Creative Boom. 25 April 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  51. ^ Johnson, Mark (11 April 2024). "GameStop launches Candy Con personalised controllers -". Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  52. ^ Johnson, Mark (2 September 2025). "Drontal champions pet people in bold new campaign by WMH&I -". Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  53. ^ "Fifty shades of typeface, a London dominatrix gets her own brand identity". www.itsnicethat.com. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  54. ^ "WMH&I Unveils New Brand Identity for Professional Dominatrix Jane Grey". World Brand Design Society. 16 July 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  55. ^ "EDS sufferers pain made visible by WMH&I". The Drum. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  56. ^ Williams, Megan (14 November 2023). "A new campaign visualises EDS symptoms". Creative Review. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  57. ^ Creativepool Editorial (9 October 2025). "Building a Culture Where Creativity Thrives with WMH&I #AnnualSpotlight". Creativepool. Archived from the original on 18 December 2025.
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