With a background in musical theatre and a flair for creativity, Sophie Smith brings a unique perspective to her role as Client Services Executive at Clone. Sophie is at the heart of our operations, turning client visions into reality across various projects.
Sophie’s journey from the stage to the world of branding and print highlights her adaptability and creative spirit. Her enthusiasm for storytelling and attention to detail make her an incredible asset to our team and clients.
What does an average day look like for you?
Every day brings new challenges and opportunities. I might start with a list of handovers from our sales team, dive into getting new projects into production, or collaborate with suppliers and clients on artwork. The variety keeps me on my toes and allows me to use different skills throughout the day. It’s never dull!
What do you enjoy most about your role?
The most rewarding part is definitely delivering the final product to the client. After months of discussions between the sales team and the client, I get to be the one who presents the finished work. Seeing their reaction when I say, ‘Here you go, here it is’ – that’s incredibly satisfying.
What inspires you about branding, print or design?
I’m inspired by seeing ideas transform into tangible products. We have done influencer campaigns for brands such as Robinson’s Squash; it’s great to be part of the process that turns concepts into reality.
What are the most promising trends or innovations that you expect to shape your industry in the future?
Sustainability is definitely at the forefront. There’s a growing demand for recyclable products or items made from recycled materials. It’s not just a trend; it’s becoming a fundamental part of how we approach projects. Being part of this positive change in our industry is really inspiring.
What’s been your most favourite or most interesting project to work on?
The BirdsEye fish finger project stands out for me. We created a mailer with Birds Eye fish fingers, a Playmobil Captain Bird’s Eye figure, and a magnifying glass. The clever part was using microprint on the packaging, which could only be read with the magnifying glass. It explained the brand and promotion in a unique, interactive way.
Speaking of BirdsEye, we had another exciting campaign for them involving Stormzy. After he posted about receiving fish fingers for his birthday, our client reacted quickly. We created the first-ever Captain BirdsEye Gold card, essentially giving Stormzy free fish fingers for life! It was delivered directly to his door, which was a fantastic way to engage with a celebrity fan of the brand.
Another project I loved was the Robinsons ‘Get Thirsty’ campaign, which tied in with their advert release. We created boxes with refreshed branding for their squash, and here’s the cool part – when you opened the box, it played the gargling audio from the advert. The boxes were sent to influencers, and I think the addition of music and clever copy created such an immersive unboxing experience for those lucky recipients.
Projects like these that blend creativity with practicality are what I love about my job.
Can you share a challenging project or problem you recently tackled?
A while back, we had a situation that highlighted the importance of adaptability in our role. We received an urgent print job for a large client – a last-minute addition to an existing project. Usually, this wouldn’t have been an issue, but it coincided with a company training day. The timing meant I couldn’t oversee the project from supplier to client as closely as usual.
Despite our best efforts to plan, things could have gone better. It was a wake-up call. But you know what? These challenges are where the real learning happens. It reinforced for me just how crucial it is to have robust systems for unexpected situations.
Since then, we’ve implemented new procedures to ensure seamless handovers and better communication, even when team members are out of office. It’s all about continuous improvement, isn’t it? Every hiccup is an opportunity to refine our processes and deliver even better service to our clients in the future.
What do you get up to outside of work?
Theatre is my biggest passion outside of work. I recently saw Hamilton again and absolutely loved it. My background in musical theatre gives me a deep appreciation for the creative process, which often translates into my work at Clone and Swag. When I’m not at the theatre, I’m usually reading. I’m a big fan of murder mysteries and crime thrillers – anything that keeps me on the edge of my seat. But I also enjoy a good love story now and then. It’s great when I can bring elements of storytelling and creativity from these interests into my role here.
