Former Special Group CDs Pim van Nunen + Will Miles launch brand and design consultancy UNKL

Pim van Nunen (ex Mojo and Leo Burnett CD, co-creator of Boag’s Pure Waters and Bundaberg’s ‘Men Like us Like Rum’) along with Will Miles, (former Host CD and co-founder of award-winning gin, Distillery Botanica) have launched UNKL – a brand and design consultancy, based in Sydney.

Says UNKL: “Beautiful things seduce us, we can’t help it. It’s in our nature. We are predisposed to indulge on what has been designed with love and care. Sure, what beauty means for one might be different for another, but the truth is we simply trust good aesthetics; and trust is confidence, and confidence will lead to success. It sounds simple, just make a brand look good, right…?

“But the reality is the world around a brand is constantly changing and beautiful looks must go hand-in-hand with purpose these days. People don’t want vacuous. They want substance. Making a brand part of the world is a journey of inventing, visualising and shaping. And to be successful, brands need to be nurtured. Their identity and voice must be looked after, well fed. That’s how a brand stays relevant. And where true beauty get’s born. So when more and more people began asking us to help them with their brands, UNKL was born.”

Miles and van Nunen met at Special Group 18 months ago, where they successfully created, launched or re-launched brands like Made By Cow, Simplicity, Quinoa & Co, Fred’s, Charlie Parker’s, Petbarn and R.M. Williams; helping the agency to win Adnews, Mumbrella and B&T Emerging Agency of the Year, and B&T Branding & Design Agency of the Year in 2016.

Before Special, the pair were already involved in shaking up category conventions with brands like Smile Makers (the World’s first vibrator brand in health and beauty stores), Bundaberg’s Mutiny (A Caribbean spiced rum crafted in Australia) and Distillery Botanica (Miles’ own Garden Grown Gin).

UNKL’s business model will be project based, to give the company flexibility and freedom to do projects direct for clients, their friends at Special and other creative companies, or launch their own products and services.