Just taken delivery of the first printed work we’ve produced for BT and couldn’t wait for our next web site update to show it to you.  We are extremely pleased with the end result as the project posed some challenges for us.

Understanding how the BT brand should be implemented posed our first challenge. Fortunately BT’s comprehensive online guidelines made this easy. In fact it was very interesting and dare I say enjoyable. Understanding the their brand bought about our second challenge.

The guidelines stipulated that only product related images should be used inside promotional literature. As BT People Consulting provide HR service this meant that our design approach would have to be almost completely typographical.

The final challenge we faced was to produce both printed and digital versions in line with BT’s accessibility policy. This required the printed brochure to be easily readable by the visually impaired; and the pdf document to be compliant with screen readers.

Its funny to think that the people who receive these documents, whether printed or digital, will have no idea how much thought and consideration has gone into producing this information.

In addition to the brochure we have also produced an e-flyer to promote BT People Consulting’s core services. This will ultimately be emailed using our online email-marketing portal.

Yesterday was a long but very enjoyable day. On the road by 7am we were on our way to London to attend the Official Skillsfirst Launch Event.

Aboard the Dixie Queen Paddle boat on the River Thames, we set sail around Midday as the presentations began. Special guest speaker, Lord Digby Jones gave an inspiring speech and everyone enjoyed the exclusive opening of Tower Bridge as we sailed underneath. We were all on deck as we passed under the bridge to the cheers of London tourists above. It really was a unique experience.

Drawing on our experience of branding Pirelli’s Worldwide Calendar launch, we have worked closely with Skillsfirst over the last 6 months to brand and promote the event to ensure its success.

Our first task was to decide how best to use the available budget. We needed to create awareness of the Skillsfirst brand and promote the organisation  during the event and long after it. Through a series of consultations we identified and costed a communications plan.

Our proposals were agreed and digital invitations were designed and emailed through our online e-marketing portal. This allowed us to track and monitor through custom reports the progress of the campaign. We also supplied the invitations digitally in pdf format to Skillsfirst for emailing directly during their follow up processes.

Companies who confirmed their attendance received a printed ticket or boarding pass giving full details of the event, a location map and boarding instructions

With the invitation process underway we continued with the design and production of the rest of the material.

To promote the Skillsfirst brand beyond the event itself, we decided to provide guests with something tangible to take away and hopefully use again. So we produced zipped A4 conference folders, pens and ruled pads all branded with the skillsfirst logo.

The brand was further reinforced during the event through a pop up display stand (also used as a backdrop for the video interviews), roller banner stands and presentation slides.

To provide information about the organisation and their services we produced printed sales packs which guests would also take away with them.

Skillsfirst primary markets are employers and Further Education Colleges, each with different requirements. The pack would also be used as a sales tool after the event. With these factors in mind we designed the pack to consist of a folded wallet with pocket and inserts. The folder contains general information about the organisation and the inserts address each markets specific requirements. This will not only allow Skillsfirst to easily tailor the information they give out but also reduce reprint costs. Only replenishing the most popular inserts when necessary.

To further reinforce Skillsfirst brand values the packs were produced to a high standard and various print techniques (matt laminating and spot UV Varnish) were used to enhance the look and feel.

Example of spot UV application

Employer leaflet inserted into wallet

The launch was very successful and we are extremely proud to have been part of it. One of the guests were so impressed with the work we produced, they asked Skillsfirst for our details to help them with a similar event – What a day!

Watch an summary of the launch event
(notice our pop-up display and roller banner stands)

Watch Lord Digby Jones’ speech in full

As part of Elmfield Training’s re-brand their new website goes live today.

This totally bespoke content managed website will allow Elmfield to control most features of the site including navigation, headers and footers. Elmfield are also able to manage news feeds and post job vacancies to the site which can be viewed by category or region. Job seekers are able to apply directly for the position from the post.

We rather like the modern stylish design which has been carefully created with the brand guidelines very much in mind

The latest stage in development of the Music Up website is complete. The site which offers a portal for unsigned artists to sell their music across the globe now includes a music player.

The player  runs like a  radio show, playig selected tracks from the sites catalogue along with paid advertisements and infomertials and linked by a DJ. The site has the backing of Brian Travers from UB40 who heads the first show. More big names from the industry are planned once the site goes fully live.

Soft launched originally 12 months ago we have continued with testing and development of the site as artists come on board. We have come along way from its original design in 2007 where the band was targeted at UK unsigned rock bands only. The site was redesigned in 2008 to opened up to appeal to artists and music lovers of all genres across the globe.

We are proud of our association with the site and have many exciting developments in the pipe line. Keep an eye on our blog as we’ll post again as these are added. The designs delow show the original 2007 site design along with the site today.

The site can also be viewed at www.musicupltd.com. Please give it a try and let us have your feedback, we’d love to have your input and ideas for development.

The design of the site as it is today with the music player

The original 2007 design for the site

Elmfield Training’s re-brand continues with this first piece of printed material – a sales pack created specifically for the Australian market.

The packs consist of twelve page brochure housed in a six page pocketed folder. We love the clean design and are extremely pleased with how the concept has tuned out.

The Sales Director has flown out with them today blissfully unaware that the whole job was turned round in less than a week.

We received copy from a very anxious Marketing Manager late last Friday afternoon with only three clear days to design and print the packs. Due to drying and finishing times, the packs would require two full days of production. This meant we had very little time to create the design, proof and produce artwork.

Credit to the Detox Design Team who worked over the weekend to ensure the design was ready to proof first thing Monday morning. Alterations were made and artwork was handed to the printers by lunch time to start work. Luckily production went according to plan and the finished packs were delivered to the Sales Director on Wednesday afternoon  for him to include in his luggage

Phew – nail biting stuff!

Elmfield Training are one of the countries largest vocational training providers. An ambitious company they have experienced tremendous year on year growth. They came to Detox Design for help developing their brand to reflect their current market position.Working alongside their marketing department we are re-branding the company for delivery across all channels. This will include their corporate identity, website development and marketing collateral.

Providing clear brand guidelines with application suggestions will ensure internal departments project a consistent visual identity across all brand communications.

The new brand and guidelines will enable Elmfield Training to communicate with their clients in a fresh and consistent way.

This totally bespoke content managed website has been a great project to work on.

Skillsfirst wanted the web site to provide a paper-less online system that would simplify administration for both themselves and their centres. We have developed the site to include a simple 3 step registration process. Recognised Centres are able to view edit and submit forms using the site, administer their account and add users.

The look and feel of the website has been designed to reinforce Skillsfirst brand message and ensures a clear and consistant visual identity.

We enjoyed creating the web site and look forward to developing it further. www.skillsfirst.co.uk

We are delighted to have been chosen by BT People Consulting, BT’s own ground breaking HR consultancy, to help them promote their award winning practices to organisations throughout the UK.

Detox Design were recommended to BT and after a successful meeting at BT headquarters in London we were awarded our first campaign. At our meeting, BT enjoyed our suggestions and having successfully cleared all the appropriate chanels we are now an official supplier to BT.

The campaign will consist of printed and digital B2B literature and an email flyer.

We’ll post again when we have completed the campaign.

For the past three months we have been working with local dance school, Chelis to brand and promote their bi-annual charity dance show.

Work started back in November with a photoshoot of all the performers in full costume for each performance.

Next we designed the overall theme that would be applied to all the material to brand the event. Including posters, official show photos and DVD’s; and the all important show programmes.

In producing the programmes we were able to reduce production costs by selling several pages of advertising. Doing this enabled more of the proceeds to benefit the charity concerned.

Additionally the school gained valuable publicity when the event featured in the local press from the press release we issued for the show. The article also prompted enquiries for last minute tickets.

But our work did not shop there. The show is filmed and the design theme has also been adapted to brand post event DVDs. And with much interest in the theme illustration there’s even talk of producing mugs and t-shirts using the design – We’ll post some pics if this goes ahead.

Here’s a few images of the show programme, have a look at our portfolio page to see more of the work we have done for Chelis.