August 26, 2010 0

The doodle project

By rhiannon in Rhiannon's Diary

It was a great feeling when last Saturday morning, I woke up to a completely free of plans weekend. The past week had gone well so my thoughts drifted to what I could fill my next two days with. Top of the list was to conquer the final chapters of the third installment of the Stieg Larsson Millennium trilogy, a completely gripping series of books of which I highly recommend to anyone who loves a good book.

Opening the pages, it struck me how I had missed that feeling of being completely immersed in a story, oblivious to the happenings around me. More than once those around me tried to converse and snap me out of this zombie like state, but a good book takes priority and so I became an antisocial slump in the corner, my face edging closer to the pages with every word.

After a brief break to refuel, I returned to the Larsson world and powered through to the final page turn.  Then it hit me, that brief feeling of elation on finding out whodunit and closing the cover, followed almost immediately by the sinking feeling that its over. I love reading…until I’m not.

This time the sting was worse as the trilogies author is not around to enjoy the success of these books, also meaning that the last truly is the last.

I found out, after some browsing, that these works were something that Larson did after work to pass the time, writing was just something he enjoyed doing. On completion of this fantastic series and a brief fact finding exercise of the web, I was left feeling rather inspired.

Before starting on placement when I had more time on my hands, I spent it doodling and strumming on the guitar, both of these I’ve rather neglected in the past few months, however the coupling of a free weekend and finishing of fantastic book has directed me to start a new project – a doodle project. It’s a simple matter of putting pen to paper every day and creating some sort of line illustration of the day’s thoughts, events and musings. Nothing fancy, but it keeps the artistic part of the brain functioning and gets me away from a computer screen.

As I type it is day seven, and so far so good, no masterpieces as yet but who knows, the mind boggles at the inspiration of a blank page.

Tags: , , ,

August 26, 2010 1

The joys of Joomla!

By rhiannon in Rhiannon's Diary

Having a product is great, whether it be a photo, a song or even an entire business; it gives a great feeling of accomplishment to have achieved a final product. It’s even better when it gets seen, heard and talked about, and the web has become the forerunner in how to present your wonderful brainchild to the the world.

The range of sites out there for the looking is amazing, the power of Google allows you to track down almost anything, the new craze of social media sites lets you receive the “hey didn’t I go to primary school with you?” messages and numerous sites that are simply there just to pass the time. But with every website out there, some effort has gone into creating it, from LolCatz to the BBC.

I see the task of creating a website as being both artistic and technical, requiring pre thought as to what you want to achieve with it. There are numerous ways to create a website, from flat design such as using a Photoshop file to completely in code, however this week I delved into something completely foreign to me;

It’s called Joomla, and I’m already a fan. Based on a content management system, it allows you to manage your websites content through a user-friendly online interface, with access to image template files that can be taken into an image editor and altered easily enough.  The flexibility of your site comes with the template, with varying module positions allowing you to move the content around the page with a click of a button.

This way of creating websites is far different from how I’ve made them in the past, favouring the Dreamweaver and template method. The Joomla approach allows the content to be managed from the front end as well as from behind the scenes, a lot less hassle than changing code and much more appealing to clients who update their sites fairly regularly. One click and you’re there.

This praise of Joomla comes after only a week or two of using it and I hope to make use of some of its other more complex features in the future. What I’ve experienced with it so far is the tip of the iceberg so hopefully it’s all go up from here on.

If you think you would like to know more about the web design work that Media Eden can provide, don’t hesitate to drop us a line.

Tags: , , , ,

August 18, 2010 0

Current news musings

By laura in Just for you

Last Saturday my girlfriends and I were sat around discussing the week’s events and generally putting the world to rights when we came to discussing the trial of Charles Taylor. Everyone has varying degrees of knowledge on the trial, yet most know about the testimonies of Naomi Campbell and Mia Farrow. The media coverage of this story went from paragraph to front page by having two celebrities giving evidence at the trial. As my friends and I tried to piece together our knowledge of the trial we found that the bit we all knew most about was whether or not Naomi Campbell accepted diamonds or a bag of rocks and the contradiction between these two celebrities testimonies.

Few of us have time to be aware of all news stories from around the world but it is undeniably sad that by having a recognisable face tied to your story you can be assured press coverage. This may be understandable in the case of releasing a new model of car but is shockingly transferable to war crimes of a former president.

I woke up on Sunday morning with a thirst to know more about the trial (along with a dry mouth and slight headache) and after finding this brilliant article on the BBC News page I ventured out to coffee feeling much more informed.  With the horrendous crimes Mr. Taylor has committed I couldn’t help but feel ignorant at not knowing about the trial before a waif and an actress became involved. In many ways I should be grateful that the story finally got the media coverage that such a historical case deserves. It could be that for all the resentment we feel towards celebrities infinite power in the media this is one time that an appearance helped educate the ignorant… Although I do think there could perhaps be a bit less airtime and column inches given to the did she didn’t she saga – I guess you can’t contest the popular.

Tags: , , ,

August 17, 2010 1

The genius of Watson’s blog

By laura in Marketing

Blogs help break down the filters between the customer and the company allowing you to communicate rather than exclaim. This is great for business and it is becoming common fair that alongside your informative corporate website you have a fun talkative blog. I think blogs are brilliant at helping raise business profiles allowing you to quickly and cheaply keep your followers updated.

Of late I find myself enthralled with the creative angles being taken on traditional blogging, most notably so by the BBC. Not only does the BBC have a great array of blogs covering topics from politics to technology they seem to of really caught onto the interactive element that makes blogging so popular. Along side their much buzzed about show Sherlock they have created a blog page for Dr. John H. Watson that is written by the character and retells the stories from the show, ah but the genius does not end here, in the show Sherlock, Watson and other characters refer to the blog – I swooned at the brilliance of this.

I am by no means suggesting that a successful blog equates to it being written by a fictional character and then mentioned on TV but I think that there is a lot you can be take from how on the button this idea is. Having a blog that references current affairs, news stories and even TV shows makes it seem present, fresh and interactive.

Blogging regularly is proven to build readership so why not write about something that has happened recently or an article you read that interests you. Keeping your blog current, engaging and tangible means you will have some avid readers awaiting your next post.

Tags: , , , ,

August 13, 2010 1

Tweet success

By laura in Marketing

Twitter is increasingly used by businesses to raise their profiles, make them personable and engage with their audience but as with all social media this is done with varying success.

Whilst perusing the latest tweets last night I began to think about the different tacks businesses take on approaching this social networking giant. Below are some of the main trends I’ve picked up on:

The all work and no play tweeter

This business uses Twitter purely as an information outlet keeping their followers informed of their events or latest business developments.  I find this a pretty boring way to use Twitter but I suffer them because occasionally they tweet about a useful seminar they’re holding or a client they are working with. If you want to play it safe with Twitter this is the profile to adopt but you certainly won’t be getting anyone chatting about you over morning coffee.

Conclusion: An informative bore.

The work, work, oh something shiny tweeter

I admit that I fall into this category along with the many others out there who use Twitter for work but get a bit side tracked from time to time. This person has a profile normally including their work name, company logo, snazzy work background and the best intentions for networking until oh ASOS have a sale on better tweet that.

Conclusion: Interesting, effective and fun (well of course)

I may work XYZ but my tweets are all my own thoughts and I don’t conform to their corporate ideals tweeter

This is one of my favourite types of profile and is commonly seen on media folk’s profiles such as employees of newspapers or BBC. They make it very clear in their biog that they are only going to be sharing their personal opinions yet spend more time than any of the above promoting work.

Conclusion: Ironic

The buy our latest edition and my cat just died tweeter

Inappropriate tweeting is inevitable with so many users sharing their thoughts on such a regular basis but when done on a business profile it brings a whole new façade. Often these tweeters will be set up under their business name e.g. LifestyleMagazine and will share business news intersected with the woes of their life. I find myself shivery at their unabashed sharing of tragedy and it’s irrelevance to promoting their business.

Conclusion: I’m sorry that your gerbil has leukemia but I’m following you to hear about your magazine not Snuffy’s final hours.

If there are any business profiles you’ve picked up on let me know and I’ll get them added on. I’d love to hear everyone else’s thoughts on Twitter in the workplace.

Tags: , , ,

August 13, 2010 2

Cracking the code

By rhiannon in Rhiannon's Diary

The busy times continue at the Media Eden base with my main workload consisting of the wildlife garden, moving on from design and into the world of coding. This world is a familiar one, but one I have not visited for a while, so this was a good chance to dust off the old Actionscript knowledge and really get stuck into it again. So, work began on making the creature filled garden an interactive haven.

However, the inevitable soon happened the dust wasn’t budging  as quickly as I’d have liked and certain coding aspects initially baffled me, simple things but vital none the less. Then again, a simple semi-colon in the wrong place or a lonesome bracket makes Flash throw a hissy and refuse to let you or your computer continue to function. No other work will be allowed to take over and you’re left looking at a frozen screen. Flash can be a rather selfish program.

Nevertheless, the coding continued and after the initial troubles, it came flooding back and the work progressed smoothly producing an enchanting garden filled with tea drinking squirrels and of course, the infamous bees in boots in which to explore and learn about local garden wildlife.

This project continues on and it’s great to see it progressing with knowledge gained before placement being put to use for a client in industry. I’m very much looking forward to seeing this go live in the very near future.

Stepping out of the world of coding and back to reality, one of my latest adventures was to the Silverstone Classic show. This annual event consists of classic cars and motorbikes gathering together and certain groups taking part in races around the Silverstone track. With Cheltenham Motor Sports picking up pace in the past few weeks I had cars on the brain and felt thoroughly in the mood  to see some impressive vehicles in the flesh. The collection of classics was fantastic and they had a real range this year, from the old F1 cars to massive American beasts that look and sound rather mean!

The racing this year, with the addition of some very smoky drag races, was entertaining, yet the lack of one particular race (Group C –Racing from the 1980s) was a disappointment. Overall the trip was well worthwhile, and a top opportunity for some well overdue photography.

There was one car however that made a unique impression. It was a racing Abarth Fiat 500 with striking green and pink panels and a speedy time around the track.
A contender for the new Media Eden company car perhaps?

Tags: , , ,

August 3, 2010 3

Confessions of a brand addict

By admin in Marketing

It was inevitable in many ways that I should work in marketing given I am the perfect marketing sucker. I have always been unashamedly influenced by images, adverts and articles which is what made me notice the truly successful and inspiring campaigns against the ones that I could wander by with nothing more than a disappointed head shake. Brands I love earn my business along with the many other thousands of people who buy, albeit with a slightly less mediated process than me.

Brands speak of the kind of person you are and show people a little bit of yourself before you even exchange words. This can be very subtle, it is not a case of wearing a t-shirt with a logo on or wearing one without, it is the restaurant we eat in, the web pages we browse and the mobile phone we use. Even if you feel beyond influence I am in no doubt you would pick up a can of Coke over a blank metal can when wanting something fizzy (and champagne isn’t to hand).

Loyalty is another factor about branding that I love, I have often listened to my friends sitting in a room debating whose phone is the greatest although on commission. When you settle on a brand you tend to keep going back feeling safe and content with the service you receive, this isn’t to say that your brand isn’t one bad campaign away from losing your business, we have all been driven to despair by the Go Compare TV ad. Although infuriating TV adverts have their own sneaky prerogative, aside from making you want to throw your new 32” TV out the window, they are memorable and despite your hatred you find yourself talking about them, just as I am right now.

Consistency in your marketing helps you retain a customer base, for example if you have positioned your product as being very exclusive and then start offering 50% off it loses credibility. This is exactly what happened to a tiny restaurant I used to love, it went from cozy to cluttered, which stopped me going and I expect the 50% off crowd did not hold much loyalty and soon moved on to their next bargain.

If you have a brand everyone is talking about it means you are using one of the most powerful marketing tools of all, word of mouth. I certainly know that I have attributed a few sales to Nike and Blackberry. I would love to hear who your favourite brands are, even if they are your own! What do you think makes them really great?

Tags: , ,

July 30, 2010 3

Don’t dismiss Offline Marketing

By admin in Creative, Marketing

I love all creative work, but there will always be a very special place in my heart for printed design and the benefits of marketing through traditional channels – the exchange of a business card and the instinctive collection of a brochure that grabs your attention.

I was intrigued to read an article in Marketing Week that reported that many small to medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are increasingly investing in offline promotion. There is no doubt that online is still king, but for many companies there can be equal benefits to investing in eye-catching and effective printed material which can enhance one of the most powerful marketing tools – word of mouth.

Whether these offline channels are PR or networking events, the savvy small business is stretching their purse strings a little further to cover every aspect of the marketing mix.

Web advertising (covering everything from pay-per-click through to banner ads) is still the top channel used by SMEs. According to the Marketing Week report: outbound email, direct mail, conferences and directories complete the top five marketing channels list. 

Top five channels used by SMEs over the past 12 months:

Source: SME Voice B2 Group, May 2010

All things considered, marketing is personal after all, you are bespoke, your brand is unique and your customers are individual. For this reason, marketing cannot be an off-the-shelf fix, and as the chart shows – online is not the only way.

Tags: , , , , , ,

July 28, 2010 0

Why is a rebrand going to help your business?

By phil in Creative, Uncategorized

It goes with out saying that we love branding.

If we were to look at your business as the human body, the brand is the heart – it powers the rest of the body, the brain is the strategy behind the heart, but the brand still holds the key to the feeling of your business, and allows better communication with others.

The logo is the ‘skin’ of your business and it is the first impression you create so it is a vital part.

So, basically what I’m saying is that everyone, and everything can look tired, and outdated – people know you are there, they see you but take no notice – however, if a person was to have a ‘make over’ they turn heads and suddenly get noticed, and it is the same for your business.

A successful refresh of your logo and visual appearance can be the key to creating new business, even for an old product.

For example, changing the colour scheme and fonts can open doors. Because how the public sees use of colours in logo design changes, choosing new colours can represent the ideas of a company in a new way.

Logos can also be a great way to influence public opinion. If there is an event that an entity would like to put into the past, both new management and a new logo create a sense of a “fresh start”. This has been used for decades to recover from poor public opinion.

In the end, re-branding with a new logo can create some great public relations. This can be used as a springboard into more public interest. This then transfers into more interest as well as likely revenue.

It is important to remember that a new logo does not mean you have a new brand – there is more to branding than just a logo. If you think you’d like a makeover, please let me know, we can arrange a brew and a chat.

Tags: , , , ,

July 28, 2010 0

Current News Musings

By laura in Just for you

Day one living behind The Times paywall and I find myself in a state of confusion and unrest, has the website changed? I’m trying to spot all the differences but it has been weeks since I’ve been on here with my initial reaction being similar to two thirds of the readership and rebuffing their attempts to make me pay for news but alas I became weak. Whilst perusing the daily headlines this morning I felt the familiar urge to check The Times and within minutes found myself confirming a direct debit that would be charging me £8 a month for the pleasure of their website. Justifications were spilling out of me along the lines of, ‘it is important for my job to be on top of the news’ and ‘if I don’t buy Grazia anymore I can enjoy so much more information for my money’. Dress it up how you will paying to access news stories is not a comfortable position to be in.

This week has seen opinions rushing onto people’s Twitter, Facebook and Blogs not to mention the stampede of journalists keen to pen their take on the situation (especially those from publications that do not charge for access to their site, yet). Facts and figures galore have been flying around with Experian Hitwise proclaiming two thirds of web traffic lost and then Beehive City saying just 15,000 people have signed up, I find myself in the minority.

So what is it like on the other side? Well it certainly feels different, the layout has changed and I find myself part of The Times + group which from my understanding is designed to make me feel like a superior newsreader.  My superiority has already caused me problems as I have attempted to post witty pieces to my Twitter page that nobody can share. There is no doubt I visit the site more readily than I did when it was free, after all I have value for money to consider now! The advertising has inevitably changed along with the readership and I’m faced with luxury cars, TV packages and jewellery, my one bed flat and ’97 Golf Cabriolet doesn’t correspond with.

Whether or not I will continue my subscription to this infuriating service is yet to be determined but I do have an underlying element of respect for the dangerous and opinion provoking experiment The Times have under taken and will most definitely be waiting for their statement on its launch.

Tags: , , ,

Older Posts