Presented by Julian Sykes (Brands Director), Hoffi's brand workshop is perfect for developing an understanding of branding and how it is integral to your company.
During the morning Julian will discuss examples of what branding is, what it is not and why having a good brand is valuable for your business. Covering what the key ingredients of a good brand are, concentrating on how to use your brand to position itself in the marketplace.
| 8.30 - 9.00 | Networking and refreshments |
| 9.00 - 9.30 | Understanding brands how they evolve within the marketplace |
| 9.30 - 10.00 | Workshop: Develop a rich understanding of your customer and how they interact with your brand |
| 10.00 - 10.30 | Networking and refreshments |
| 10.30 - 11.00 | The Future: How brands are changing within the market place |
| 11.00 - 11.30 | How trends affect your brand |
| 11.30 - 12.00 | Networking and questions |
When: 9am - 12pm, Thursday 31 May 2012
Where: Enterprise House, Cardiff Bay, CF10 5LE
If you would like further information on our seminar, please contact Julian on 029 2048 7941 or e-mail shwmai@hoffi.com to book your place.
Please remember places are limited, so please remember to book early!
This has been a question for 1,000's of years I guess. The idea of what interests us and what makes us want to know more. If people could crack it then you imagine the education system would benefit hugely. I have mentioned it before on twitter but I love THE BIG BANG THEORY. For those that dont know the show it's an American sitcom that revolves around a group of insanely clever geeks. Recently there was an episode which had one of the main characters investigating the flags of the world. One item struck me in the episode, and it was a fact about the Haiti flag and the Leichenstein flag. Where in the 1936 olympic games they for the first time met and realised they had almost identical flags, with Leichenstein adding a crown to it's flag from that point onwards. A few days later it made me look into this and find out whether it was true. The need to know this was pretty strong and looking through the forums it seemed that there equally inquisitive people who had also been drawn to the question through an American sit-com.
So firstly I have to ask why was this so interesting that it went beyond just watching? Why did it become participation? and then why did I want to know about this particular fact?
I think for me there was an element of, is it really true? and leading on from that, what was the story that led two seemingly separate cultures and communities to create the same thing? For many years this has interested me more and more. How can people create the same thing? this has seen quite alot of publicity with the patent law suits around the world between Apple and other mobile device manufacturers. It brings me to the belief of are ideas anyones? are ideas important? and can they ever be seen as being owned by anyone person or organisation?
This might seem odd but lets take a look at the word implementation a great example is the release of two films that are about the launch. Both are about the old fable of Snow White one being a comedy called Mirror Mirror - The untold adventures of snow white starring Julia Roberts. With the second being Snow White and the Huntsman starring Charlize Theron. So the idea or concept is the same yet the implementation or 'take' of the film couldn't be more different? If we take this argument a bit further in theory should all things be able to be created by a person in isolation? for example there is the story of Srinivasa Ramanujan a Hindu Indian man in isolation who came up with the concept of infinity. A concept that had perplexed scholars for years.
So are ideas really the thing we should hang our hats on in the future? is it really just a different view point? a different story?
There are many that will disagree hugely with this talking about the first and it being important that to be the first takes determination and should be protected. And I think this is indeed true pioneers really should get more support and should be recognised for this. But I can't think of a single company or product that was genuinely the first in it's field and then became market leader. Google wasn't first, neither was facebook. Apple might have had the first personal computer but Xerox showed them the way with the desktop concept. And they are hardly market leads in terms of computers. iTunes was second to market with SONY not realising what they had, and in a similar way to XEROX back in the day.
So is it really about the perspective and the story that is important. Is it easier to create something once the 'idea' is realised to then improve and adapt it?
Yesterday was the first official launch of Coreo Cymru, Creative Dance Producer, Wales in Chapter Cardiff. Coreo Cymru is a new initiative set up to encourage and manage the creation and production of new dance activity, and to support the development of Wales based artists and companies.
Initiated and supported by the Arts Council of Wales, the three year programme is being developed in partnership with Creative Producer, Carole Blade and Chapter, Cardiff and also includes partnerships with Wales based organisations along with international partnerships and co-producers.
Coreo Cymru aims to connect with audiences by offering a mix of inspiring ways to engage with the programme, offering new and accessible ways of presenting dance.
Working with Carole over the past few months, we developed the name, brand identity, brochures, leaflets, banners, video sting and holding page (finished website to follow in a few months). As part of the branding process we came up with the concept for the imagery and set up a photoshoot. The idea behind the imagery was to show an emerging form ready to grow and develop, similar to the brand. We are really looking forward to developing the brand in new and exciting ways as the programme of shows comes to life. The brand will respond and develop to each of the individual shows within the programme over the next 3 years.
Below are some behind the scene shots of the photoshoot, it was done with a paddling pool, gantry system, lots of bath milk, luke warm water and very understanding model (Chloe Loftus) and a photographer with vertigo issues (Jorge Lizalde)
Morph was the small scale test!
Over the last few months we have been working with Cynnal Cymru-Sustain Wales to develop their digital brand experience. Utilising the open source content management system Drupal, we worked with Cynnal Cymru to produce a core set of tools that will allow their online brand to grow overtime, yet remain open and allow for flexibility should they require to change in the future.
Its still very early days in the development and positioning of Cynnal Cymru's online content, but we have good ground to grow from... www.cynnalcymru.com
Last year we spoke about implementing things to do outside of the studio to help with new ideas and generally just getting out there to be influenced by different things. So this year we have been screen printing, attended multiplatform courses, organised a design pub quiz, tried to make lunch, LUNCH (as opposed to being in front of a screen) and finally we learnt to float!!!!! (no seriously) We have tried to go to as many things as possible. It's a big change to make, but we are getting there with, and hope that 2012 we can do even more.
So if there is something to be learnt from this. It's the old "you have to speculate to accumulate" but this is NOT in money terms but in experience, knowledge and social terms. So here's to more events and unplanned trips.
Last year we wrote a few pieces about what we had learnt, and what we were thinking about implementing ready for the next year. It seemed to go down quite well so we felt it might be good to do it again.
So what have we learnt in 2011?
Well this year has been pretty incredible in terms of projects. We have rebranded, restructured and redeveloped some brilliant companies and brands. We feel like we have moved on again and our projects have become that bit bigger and that bit wider reaching. With this comes more pressure and more expectation. But what we have really learnt is that people are people. They laugh, smile and cry just like the rest of us.
So if you are thinking about doing something give it a go. What's the worst can happen?*
*Check out the guy from social network in the above Dr Pepper advert.
A few weeks ago Elin was working on the research phase of a branding project, an element of that research surrounded minimal, clinical and colourful website design. Being Hoffi's resident geek and having worked in interactive design for well over the last decade I've built up quite a repository of directories and sites which I visit to stay up-to-date and generally get excited by the latest trends and technology. I thought it would be a nice idea to publish some links here, not only for us, but also for our friends and customers to see what's current in digital brand communication.
We have been working with Rubicon for a couple of years now slowly developing a new brand for them. Over the last few months we have slowly introduced their new brand on some communications to the public, but over the next month or two, there will be a new website, more communications, t-shirts and hoodies for the pupils and of course a new sign for the building. I popped over to the signage company this morning to get a sneak preview of the sign, installation will be next week and we are really looking forward to seeing it in the night!
Posted by Julian Sykes
Recently I have been thinking about the impact of brand and the struggle large companies are facing with the idea of being universal or relevant to the local community. One of the most obvious responses to this is the Starbuck approach with their Roy Street franchise. Making a huge brand feel that bit more.... friendly?
In a previous blog I posted about the idea of companies creating brands/companies that respond to a particular demographic. So what is happening?
I have been struggling to put my finger on it. But I think I have a bit more of an idea as to what it maybe. I think the main reason for this growth in this type of business model is to do with the internet. The basis of fractal information and hyperlinks bringing these pots of information together. Each area being a small bespoke element of that information. It also seems like it is not just brands. Stories, games and education are all developing multiple threads into the same subject matter. This aspect is in the public eye recently with the advent of the word 'transmedia' which is a more recent incarnation of the Japanese 'media mix', in where narrative is told through various media channels.
Could this bring a new level of richness to things?
Or could (like the documentary below) it be a really good story no matter what the media is the real star?
The Mast Brothers from The Scout on Vimeo.
If you are interested in kind of discussion, myself and Alison have been organising an event called playARK. Day one will have a series of speakers discussing everything from games through to attention spans.
In preparation for the playARK - games festival and talks , I have been thinking about getting some new trainers. I have for years now had Converse and Puma and have never really seen myself buying NIKE, but after playing around with NIKEiD I have a number of choices (in ARK colours of course), to decide I have pasted them all together for people to vote let me know your thoughts.
