Earlier this month, I headed down to Swansea on the train to attend a mobile marketing strategy workshop set-up by Software Alliance Wales, presented by Rob Thomas a social media and mobile expert who heads up the Gloucester based arm of the American WSI marketing franchise.

It was an interesting morning with a mixed audience crossing over between private and public sector; those with no knowledge to those who were quite experienced in producing digital content for mobile devices. Rob hit us with some hard facts from Mashable about mobile users and content deployment, followed by an overview of quite a few tools and techniques that could be used by businesses to market themselves online. Includeing Mobile Websites, Local Search, Location Based Marketing, Mobile Advertising and Apps.

Local search or So|Lo|Mo (Social Location Mobile Marketing) took up quite a chunk of the morning, and Google places taking the limelight given that its soon going to be serving most of our search results on mobile devices. With Google automatically syncing business data from other sources for those not claimed their space on places, I can understand why Rob kept the topic alive for a chunk of the workshop. And I must admit when I returned to the studio, I claimed Hoffi's space, two weeks on I'm still waiting our verification code coming in the post.

However, the workshop felt a little bit like a sales pitch, with lots of data collection for WSi e-marketing and I was surprised that only a little information was given about a businesses online reputation. I understand that its important to be aware of what's possible, but some information could have been given towards managing the process and at least explaining that some of these will not be right for all businesses. Don't get me wrong each business is different and there needs will be different when it comes to choosing the correct tools for convey a brand digitally, which would be difficult to explain in a morning and rightly that's where consultancy fees to people like us and Rob come in. But, even just the slightest statement surrounding this would have placed an understanding that brand communication channels need to be chosen and used carefully.

I did take quite a few things from the workshop; Google Places being the main, but also an understanding of the needs and wants of business in Wales to take on and produce mobile content to either market or provide more flexible services for their customers, slightly swayed as people opted to be in a mobile strategy workshop, but refreshing all the same.

Earlier this year we helped Eco Design Centre develop an understanding of how they can share their data, convey confident communications about who they are and what they do as an organisation. Concluding with a number of 30 second ads made by the Eco Design Centre team, which was great because it really got the whole team thinking about who they are and what they do as an organisation.

Following on from the strategy project we have been working with the team over the last month or so to design and develop a new website that will allow them flexibility to explain their services, relationships with private, public and educational sectors and give them the tools to publish all that rich data online.

You can visit the website and find out more about Eco Design Centre at www.ecodesigncentre.org

On the 22nd of June we'll be joining Design Wales at a business breakfast held by the Caerphilly Business Forum. The event will be an opportunity for businesses to learn about the programme of service design support that's available from Design Wales.

Hoffi have been invited to talk about how we work with business using service design tools and design thinking to develop strategies that grow brands; adding value to your business through design.

To book your place please visit the following link and register here http://servicedesignwales.eventbrite.com/

Its great to see our clients in the press and its always prevalent when they are leading the way. During 2010 we worked with Kealth Foods to develop a brand strategy, identity and a number of communication materials, including packaging for Truly Scrummy Organic, Kealth's very own organic baby food brand.

Kealth originally began life making specialist meals for hospital patients who had difficulty swallowing food, which set them in a great position to produce meals for little one's, which is something that was recognised by ASDA, who are now utilising Kealth's experience for their supermarket own brand Little Angels. Acting in a consultancy role, Hoffi were commissioned as advisors to the ASDA design team for the development of the new Little Angels Baby Food packaging, to ensure things ran smoothly given our experience in the field.

Kealth's income could double as a result of the Asda contract, and the company will be looking to take on more staff as it increases production. We wish them every success with Little Angels and their own brand Truly Scrummy Organic developed with us.

For more information you can read more on Wales Online or on ASDA's Website.