When choosing a business partnership, it helps if our vision and beliefs are similar.

In all relationships it's vital to have the right chemistry. We believe it's always easier to work with like-minded people. Don't get us wrong, we're not looking for soul mates but it definitely helps to have some common ground and some shared beliefs.

All you need to do is read the statements below, it isn't a test - there are no right or wrong answers just a little exercise to show you what makes us tick. All you've got to do is decide whether you think they are true (t) or false (f). Hit (b) and we'll give your our take on the matter.

Some agencies take a fairly scientific approach towards the area of communication ' they believe that if you use the right formula and you process the elements of a project in a particular way, you will always achieve results. Well, to a certain extent that's true ' but will you be getting the best possible results? You're likely to reap plenty of rational benefits and you'll probably end up with something that neatly meets the brief - but the chances are you'll be lacking in entertainment value.

We believe that good communication needs to be executed with passion and conviction. It should generate an emotional response ' winning over hearts, as well as minds. Box Clever work is always engaging and entertaining, as well as relevant and convincing. We take a rational and analytical approach to planning in the initial stages of a project but we add a generous dollop of creativity and love. Just as Box Clever combines the disciplines of the commercial and creative worlds, you could say that communication is the perfect marriage of science and art.

Not necessarily. The people at Box Clever have their individual strengths and expertise but they are all generalists ' they're fluent in all elements of the marketing mix. This means they can see the bigger picture and understand how your messages can translate across different channels. Dealing with specialist agencies for each discipline is a lot more labour-intensive (and expensive) than dealing with a one-stop shop and tends to open the door for inconsistency and duplication of effort.

We don't pretend we can do everything. In the rare instances where we don't have in-house expertise (like media buying and PR), we work with trusted external partners, selected on the basis of their skills and experience for each project.

By the same token, we don't specialise in specific sectors ' why limit what we can do? We believe that the Box Clever approach is relevant across all sectors and our broad range of expertise means that we are more likely to surprise you with a groundbreaking new approach rather than adopting a conventional tried and trusted route.

Well, yes and no. Obviously the specifics of designing a corporate identity are very different from the requirements of building a website, but let's take a step back.' We believe that at the core of every successful project is a single big idea. Once you've cracked that (no mean feat), it's relatively simple to apply the idea to any medium, ranging from traditional print collateral to social media.

At Box Clever, for each project we team our creatives with specialists who have the necessary technical know-how. Effectively, we have one big beautiful creative department, rather than strictly defined teams who are destined to only ever work in one area. We like to think of it as free-range design.

It has been rumoured that some agencies rely on a toolbox of tried and trusted tactics (although we couldn't possible comment) but Box Clever likes to shake things up a bit! And frankly, what could be more dull than recycling the same old tired ideas? That wouldn't get us out of bed in the mornings!

We start every project with a clean slate and an open mind. We do our research, get the basics right and then lovingly craft a bespoke suite of activities around your specific needs. The result? Fresh, innovative ideas that push the boundaries, challenge conventions and raise the bar.

In the world of Box Clever, the answer is a resounding 'no'! To our mind, business planning is absolutely vital when it comes to creating an effective communication strategy and we definitely like to get in on the act. We don't just want to be handed a fully formed brief and left to do our thing ' we need to be really in tune with your business.

Our experienced business planners understand overall business strategy, HR, sales, marketing ' and more or less anything else you throw at them! This voyage of discovery sets the tone, defines expectations and allows us to uncover 'insights' that serve as the basis for creative briefs. We believe that understanding what motivates customers isn't just one person's job ' it's everyone's job. We like to involve everyone in the strategic process ' from the creative team to the account team and, of course, you the client. In short, we must all be planners.

Perhaps we're a bit forward, but we like to get up close and personal with our clients very early on in the relationship. We don't just respond to a brief ' we want the back story. We're hungry to know everything about your organisation ' where it has come from, how it is doing now, what is holding it back and where it is headed. In an ideal world, we prefer to work with our clients to develop the strategy and only then can we begin to develop creative proposals and tactics that can truly meet your needs.

Too many agencies and clients operate on a 'them and us' mentality and to us, this just doesn't make sense. We're all professionals working toward the same aim ' helping your organisation to achieve its full potential. In our experience, things go far more smoothly when we work in a culture of mutual respect and openness. We're the closest to an in-house team you can get!

In the 'normal' world companies pick a few companies that appear to have the right credentials, give them a limited amount of non-confidential information and then ask them to spend a major chunk of (unpaid) time coming up with ideas for a company they know very little about and may never get to work with. The end result? The vast majority of concepts never see the light of day and once an agency is appointed, it's back to the drawing board to develop fresh proposals.

At Box Clever, we've noticed a strange phenomenon. A lot of the speculative work we develop for pitches actually gets produced and is pretty close to the original proposals. How come? It's down to our strong emphasis on strategic research and input ' if we're going to make recommendations, it will always be from a position of knowledge.

Despite our high success rate in pitches, we still believe that the system has many drawbacks ' for clients as well as agencies - and we strongly welcome the increasing move towards credentials presentations. These allow us to meet in a more relaxed atmosphere, talk about your problems and we can show you how we've solved similar challenges in the past. Then, if you like what you hear, we can take things further'