The Client

Simmons & Schmid is an independent, full-service communications and marketing agency based in London. Formed by industry veterans Mark Schmid and Tim Simmons, the agency offers a high-level blend of strategy, creative design, and digital execution. They work across diverse sectors—from luxury retail and hospitality to pharmaceutical and tech—helping brands find their voice through "uncommon thinking."

The Challenge

As a new agency founded by experts with decades of experience, Simmons & Schmid needed a digital presence that reflected their sophisticated approach. Their own website had to serve two purposes: it needed to be a high-performance portfolio that showcased their work for global clients (like adm Group and Matthews Goodman), and it needed to be a testament to their technical capability.

They required a site that was:

• Visually Striking: Reflecting their status as a "marketing and creative agency."

• Technically Robust: Built on a platform that allowed for seamless management and rapid deployment of new case studies.

• Scalable: Flexible enough to grow as their client roster and service offerings (including their "Fantasia Labs" trademark) expanded.

The Solution

Plan 9 partnered with Simmons & Schmid to develop a website that balances minimalist aesthetics with powerful back-end functionality. Utilizing the Umbraco CMS paired with the uSkinned Site Builder, Plan 9 created a digital environment that prioritizes user experience and content velocity.

Key features of the project included:

• Portfolio-First Design: A clean, grid-based layout that allows high-resolution imagery and project results to take center stage, proving the agency's impact across different sectors.

• Umbraco & uSkinned Integration: By leveraging the uSkinned framework, Plan 9 provided Simmons & Schmid with a modular "component-based" editing experience. This allows their internal team to create new, visually rich pages without needing a developer for every update.

• Strategic Architecture: A streamlined navigation structure that quickly directs potential clients to their core service pillars: Strategy, Design, Build, and Management.

• Performance Optimization: Despite the heavy use of visual media, the site was optimized for speed and mobile responsiveness, ensuring a premium experience on any device.

The Result

The result is a sleek, professional digital home that perfectly mirrors the Simmons & Schmid brand identity. The site successfully positions them as a strategic business partner rather than just a service provider.

Since the launch, the platform has enabled the agency to:

• Effectively Showcase Diversity: Easily managing case studies that range from B2B property firms to retail experiences.

• Establish Authority: Providing a platform for their "uncommon thinking" and strategic insights.

• Drive Growth: Serving as the central hub for their global business development efforts, which have seen them featured in the London Chamber of Commerce and international industry reports.