Design Week
17 May 2007
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11 Million
17 May 2007
The Office of the Children's Commissioner for England is relaunching this week with a new name, 11 Million, created by The Team. The organisation has been renamed after England's 11 million children.
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A bumpy ride, but it's worth it
17 May 2007
Going freelance can be rewarding, but to succeed you have to be positive, promote yourself at every opportunity and, above all, keep on training, says Richard Baird
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Activepassport
17 May 2007
Spencer du Bois has produced branding for Activepassport, an on-line CV tool for employers, job seekers and students, developed by SkillsActive, the sector skills council for active leisure and learning.
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Ami Brophy
17 May 2007
The New York Art Directors Club has named Ami Brophy, previously at the Clio Awards, as executive director. She replaces Myrna Davis, who steps down after 14 years.
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Apprentice designers created a dog's dinner
17 May 2007
In the week of the design challenge, on The Apprentice episode two, I couldn't have agreed more with Jack Stark's letter when he says, 'I wish there had been a designer taking part'. Watching the show, I was so ashamed of what was revealed about the state of product design that I wanted to crawl under a stone. The sad truth is that in a product design challenge, two product design graduates were not only on the losing team, but, in an unprecedented move, Sir Alan Sugar ...
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Balfour Beatty Construction
17 May 2007
UK construction giant Balfour Beatty Construction has appointed graphics consultancy 442 Design to redesign its Insight magazine, aimed at staff and external clients.
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Big issues
17 May 2007
Local designers are highlighting provocative topics on billboards to promote The Scottish Show - and some are bound to cause a stir, discovers Richard Clayton
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Boots
17 May 2007
Odd has created branding and product design for Boots' Extra Offers kiosk - the in-store rewards kiosk that will replace the store's Advantage Points by the end of August.
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Brandopus hunts for new Fox's identity
17 May 2007
Northern Foods has appointed design consultancy Brandopus to redesign the packaging and review the identity for its Fox's biscuits brand.Brandopus, the start-up company launched at the beginning of the year by ex-JKR directors, was appointed to the work without a pitch following a strategic presentation to Northern Foods.The consultancy will be tasked with redesigning the packaging, as well as reviewing the overall brand identity, architecture and roll-out across all ranges ...
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Careful thought is central to creativity - and to business
17 May 2007
Given the number of design consultancies claiming strategic skills in their promotions, it is remarkable that only 36 of the Top 100 groups can put a figure on the earnings they make from strategic work for clients (see News Analysis, page 9).The Top 100 listing, to be published next week, is ranked according to their fee-income and it is generally the more business-minded groups that enter the trawl, which makes it all the more surprising. Words such as 'positioning' creep ...
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CR expert highlights challenge for the design industry
17 May 2007
The design industry is facing an ever-growing challenge in terms of the impact of corporate responsibility.The increasing debate in the industry about what is responsible is forcing design consultancies to take the concept seriously, while many are employing experts in the field to develop their CR offerings.A joint report on the issue - Taking Shape... The Future of Corporate Responsibility Communications, by Radley Yeldar and corporate social responsibility group Business ...
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Egmont Books
17 May 2007
Egmont Books has launched a website, www.charlie-bone.com, to support the Charlie Bone series of books. Designed by ArtScience, the site is designed around a series of 'environments' to explore, as well as games and pop-ups.
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Elevation
17 May 2007
Artist Michael Pinsky has designed Elevation, a permanent, multi-screen animation that reveals a 'parallel world', visible through holes in the walls of University Hospital Lewisham's new Riverside building, which opens on 24 May. Pinsky filmed activities in the neighbouring Ladywell Fields from the roof of the hospital and edited footage to create 15 individual animations. The installation is intended to aid the recuperation process, as well as patients' natural thought processes.
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Foster & Partners
17 May 2007
Foster & Partners last week sold an unspecified minority stake in the practice to venture capital group 3i.
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Gavin Thomson goes 'wi-bi' on its Bicygnals
17 May 2007
Product design consultancy Gavin Thomson Design has created a set of wireless bicycle indicators and headlights called Bicygnals, designed to tackle the problems of cyclist safety, congestion and the environment.The super-bright LED indicators can be fitted to any bicycle, and use hi-tech radio-frequency technology so that the front and rear indicators are synchronised.Also, the front set of lights can be easily adjusted so that they can be switched on and off without letting ...
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Ghost
17 May 2007
British fashion house Ghost has launched packaging for its fifth female fragrance, Anticipation, designed by Dew Gibbons.
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Go out on a lyrical limb
17 May 2007
Rembrandt distinguished himself with his attention to detail and experimentation, says Jim Davies, but only a few designers today stand out in the same way
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Groove
17 May 2007
This is the first glimpse of Weetabix’s new Alpen snack bar Groove, with identity and packaging by Blue Marlin Brand Design. The consultancy has developed the brand strategy for the bar, to include the strapline ‘Go against the groove’. The packaging design uses a palette of colours for the three variants of lemon, chocolate and strawberry. It launches next month.
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Guidelines are not a barrier - they're a spur to creativity
17 May 2007
In his recent letter, Stephen Willard is quite wrong to state that corporate guidelines stifle creative design and innovation for designers who have to work with the brand. In our experience, working within these guidelines is a spur to greater creativity. While it may be true that they can present a challenge, the ability to overcome these restrictions - which are usually but not always relevant - to produce insightful and convincing communications is what differentiates good ...
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Hidden treasures
17 May 2007
While high-profile, big-ticket exhibitions generate lots of PR and much-needed income for museums, their permanent collections - the reason they were set up - often go unnoticed. Scott Billings looks at three attempts to redress this situation
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Inspired
17 May 2007
As that Martini ad once famously intoned, 'anytime, any place, anywhere', inspiration is a slippery beast waiting to creep up and slap you when you least expect it
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Inspired
17 May 2007
I regard myself as a graphic designer. When I respond to the 'What do you do?' question at parties, I say I design in two dimensions, but it's more than that
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It worked the first time - why not use it again?
17 May 2007
I am bemused by the similarity between Unison's logo and the new identity unveiled at the launch of Unite. More surprising is the claim made by Adrian Day, managing director of FHD, when he says,'In creating the identity we eliminated several alternatives to arrive at a design that we feel is truly unique from the competition.' Unison's logo was designed and produced in-house 14 years ago - when Cohse, Nalgo and Nupe merged. In designing Unison's identity,te my ...
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Kitchen Monkey
17 May 2007
Leicester digital design group Eazytiger has developed a website for Kitchen Monkey
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Land Design Studio chills identity for NHM
17 May 2007
Ice Station Antarctica, a touring exhibition dedicated to the science behind the British Antarctic Survey devised by Land Design Studio, opens at London's Natural History Museum this week.Land Design Studio has been working on the project for more than four years, having been appointed to the project without a pitch, as a result of the Natural History Museum's design framework. The family exhibition, the result of a collaboration between the Natural History Museum and the British ...
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Landor survey reveals confusion about Greenness
17 May 2007
The British public perceives big-name brands like Nivea, Shell and BP as 'Green brands' alongside those such as The Body Shop and Aveda, according to a WPP survey released last week.The survey, conducted by Landor Associates in collaboration with Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates and Cohn & Wolfe, polled 1525 people of all socio-economic backgrounds about their perception of 37 mainstream brands across diverse sectors, including cosmetics, petrochemicals and retail.The ...
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Make local work on a global scale
17 May 2007
Working with independent stores as well as corporate chains can stimulate your consultancy, argues Luke Carrington
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More than empty words
17 May 2007
As the first flush of enthusiasm for offering strategic branding services dies down, Lynda Relph-Knight looks at its financial potential
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N.One
17 May 2007
Kemistry has rebranded North One Television's commercially funded TV production and distribution division as N.One.
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New Blood
17 May 2007
University of Lincoln graphic design student Michelle Noel has entered her Barefoot Wine piece into next month's D&AD New Blood creatives exhibition
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News in Pictures
17 May 2007
Naoto Niidome's furniture line Kleopatra is set to feature at the exhibition space at the Artek Esplanadi Store in Helsinki until 26 May.
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News in Pictures
17 May 2007
London art promoter and publisher Concrete Hermit has published a book of postcards featuring previously unseen work by graphic designer Von
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P&W takes a bite of Healthy Food Brands
17 May 2007
Pemberton & Whitefoord is set to take a stake in Healthy Food Brands, a start-up company that owns packaged goods brands Honegar, Rayner's baking essences and PLJ cordials
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Profile: Geneviève Gauckler
17 May 2007
Illustrator Geneviève Gauckler combines photomontage and graphic design in her comic, poster and film work. Paula Carson talks to the French artist and sci-fi fan who likes to work fast, stay curious and keep things simple
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Profile: Raymond Depardon
17 May 2007
In his latest book, French photojournalist Raymond Depardon looks back to the start of his career, as a teenager setting up his own studio on his parents' farm. Yolanda Zappaterra marvels at his determination
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Revolution in the USA
17 May 2007
Forget the Internet and global warming - Hugh Pearman has seen the (American retail) future, and discovers it has a distinctly 1950s retro feel
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Richard Finmore
17 May 2007
Richard Finmore, finance director of 35 Communications, passed away last Wednesday, 9 May, after a year-long fight against leukaemia. His colleagues at 35 paid tribute to him last week, describing him as 'an ever-present support; Richard was bullish and direct, but was always completely honest and dependable'. He is survived by his wife Ann, and two daughters, Hayley and Alex.
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RIP James Herbert - he will be missed by all at JHP Design
17 May 2007
We are sad to report the recent death of retired JHP Design director James Herbert. James joined his twin brother John's consultancy in 1982 and he was responsible for many outstanding and award-winning projects. His migration from furniture designer (he designed the interiors for the QE2) to a master of complex architectural problems resulted in an unparalleled thoroughness and attention to detail. For James, there was no 'design intent', there was only how it ...
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Robin Kadrnka
17 May 2007
Harrison Fraser, the London-based strategic brand consultancy, has appointed Robin Kadrnka from Enterprise IG to its management board.
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Role of education select committee clarification
17 May 2007
I was mystified by references to the Education and Skills Committee in your article on the Glad conference. It says, 'The Education and Skills Select Committee sees the issue of design from a purely "commercial" standpoint.' There is simply no basis for this statement. I have a keen personal interest in design and design education, and have been involved with the Parliamentary Design Group and the Design Council for many years, but the Education and Skills Select Committee is not ...
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Spunky
17 May 2007
The design collective Spunky has launched its 2007 collection of graphic-led fashionwear. Pictured is Dollar Head by Joe Blakey. It is also on the hunt for designers to contribute to its SS08 range. Designers will be paid £200 for each design commissioned and will be fully credited for their work. The group can be contacted on designs@spunky.co.uk.
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Sweet idolatry
17 May 2007
British artist Graham Dolphin's raw material is ready-made, mass-produced pop culture - vinyl, fashion mags and record sleeves that feature famous imagery and iconic faces
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Taking the Mickey
17 May 2007
Philatelists of the British Isles unite: there's a new stamp album on the market. Only this one is going to be pretty difficult to get hold of, and the paperwork certainly isn't available in back copies from the Royal Mail. The collectables in question are a series of subversive stamps which have been appearing on the art market since 2005, entitled Stamps of Mass Destruction and released by the Cautese Nationál Postal Disservice. The fictitious organisation is run by art-prankster Jim ...
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The Apprentice - in desperate need of designer input
17 May 2007
Did anyone see the second episode of The Apprentice? I watched with great interest as it was the week of the 'design' challenge. I just wish there had been a designer taking part - it would have been a great example of how a designer's mind can add value in the corporate world. The challenge was to design a product that would appeal to dog owners, which the teams could sell wholesale to three retailers. It was incredible - as soon as the word 'design' had left Sir ...
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The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
17 May 2007
The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants has revealed an updated logo and brand style by Fitch. The look carries across the website and global launch materials.
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The Best of British
17 May 2007
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The final frontier
17 May 2007
As technology continues its relentless progression, Onedotzero has been reborn as a series of events that explore the rapid convergence of art, film and digital media. Yolanda Zappaterra explores this brave new world
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The Medical Protection Society
17 May 2007
The Medical Protection Society is not an insurance company, as reported last week, but a not-for-profit indemnifier for health professionals.
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The Partners adds character to identity for Spiegel & Grau
17 May 2007
Spiegel & Grau, a New York-based Random House publishing label, is set to launch its fresh visual identity in the UK, with design by The Partners
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Voxpop
17 May 2007
Mark Porter has defended The Guardian's decision to put functionality over aesthetic considerations when the paper relaunched its homepage last week. Did it deserve a more sympathetic response to its redesign?
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Voxpop
17 May 2007
The face of gambling is set to change with the launch of several upmarket casinos in the UK and a change in the laws later in the year. How can the use of design lift the image of gambling while maintaining a responsible social stance?
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What the Dickens?
17 May 2007
Sarah Woods takes a look at how design initiatives are helping to reinvigorate Britain's ailing theme parks
