So who is Paul Jamie Kidd? Paul Jamie Kidd – slightly geeky but a real jobs-worth when it comes to anything creative! He is incredibly enthusiastic in all aspects of his job. He is his own number one fan but also his number one critic and strives to be the best he can possibly be. He is happy in his work and proud of his achievements so far. He is constantly looking forward to the next project which comes his way. He just loves designing things!!! Check out his website at www.kidd81.com

1) Describe yourself in five words?
Fun-packed, geeky, humorous, happy, perfectionist

2) Which design tool makes the biggest contribution to your creative output and why?

The Adobe Creative Suite has allowed creatives’ to work seamlessly across a variety of platforms whether it’s using Illustrator to create base elements for my websites such as logos and graphics, InDesign to put together a brochure or press advert or Photoshop to create web design masterpieces, Adobe CS is a staple tool for any creative.

In the build process I am fully conversant with CSS and for anyone who builds websites the universal use and recognition of Cascading Style Sheets has made front end development the best it’s ever been. CSS allows fellow developers who are familiar with the code to pick up where you have left off.  To make a wholesale amend to a page you only have to change one style such as the padding of a header or a colour of a rollover state, as opposed to having to go through each page individually. CSS has been around for some time now but I would say it’s such a beneficial tool for developers alike.

3) Tell us what you consider to be the most useful technique in the design/development process?

Designing and building a website from scratch I find a thorough brief vital in the development process. Even before you begin any design work it’s important to know exactly what your client wants in terms of content and objectives. A written brief and sitemap will allow both myself and the client to ’sing from the same hymn sheet’ and when you produce your first set of visuals it will close to what they are expecting as you have agreed in principle what the site should contain. Once the site has been designed and built there will be only minimal amends as all the hard work has already been done. =D

4) Web creatives’ love designer fonts. What’s your favourite and why?

I am big stickler for using a wide range of fonts in my work. When I first started in design, I was a big fan of Pixel fonts such as ‘FFF Atlantis’ and would find myself trying to implement them at every opportunity. However having established myself I find myself going back to the more versatile fonts such as ‘Franklin’ and ‘Helvetica’ as they have a wide range of styles in their family. I also went through a stage of experimenting with slab serif fonts such as ‘Rockwell’ and ‘Clarendon’.

One font, I always seem to find using and would consider it as one of my favourites is DIN… DIN is another font which has many variations in its family and feel it can be used effectively in both print and web mediums.  One thing I do try my best to avoid is using fonts off freeware sites; mainly because I like using fonts which are rarely used, such as ‘Pintor’, this was a bought font that I used for my website.

5) Give us three top tips for aspiring designers?

My most important tip I would give any aspiring designer is to believe in and have 100% confidence in everything you produce. Try and establish your very own style and run with it, never be too precious in your work.  It’s a time critical industry.

Use the web as your first point of call for inspiration and resource. There are hundreds of CSS galleries and aggregators and are there to be used and abused… appreciate the latest trends whether it’s in design or in the build process… make use of tutorials and open source scripts. That is what they are there for.

Learn to take criticism constructively. Designers hate having their work criticised or receive a ‘luke warm reception’ at work you have enthused over. Good designers channel criticism constructively, and use it to make you a better at what they do… however it does take a while to perfect! ;o) Design things with justification in mind.. do things for a reason as opposed to beacause they look pretty. Always bear in mind that design is subjective so not everyone will like what you produce.

WD: Do you think we now know the DNA of branding?
JB: A brand personifies an organisation. Businesses that are built around a personality (Virgin, Apple or any of the political parties spring to mind) have a lot easier job managing their brands than a faceless corporation.

WD: Can we now define what branding is and how businesses can construct their own using the internet as the delivery mechanism?

JB: Constructing a brand is easy, communicating it is the tricky bit. Brand stories, metaphors, pictures and parallels help us to do that in using the same storytelling techniques that mankind has used successfully to make things stick since the dawn of time. As an interactive platform, the internet is the first medium to behave like face-to-face communication, in that questions can be asked halfway through and the story can evolve as it’s told through audience participation. There is therefore no substitute for human craft, someone who understands the brand, the audience, the medium and the art of conversation is required – in effect an online editor.

WD: How do you think branding has evolved?

JB: Acquisition is no longer the goal, the goal is engagement. At Story, we say it’s no longer about two per cent conversion but about 98 per cent engagement, if people feel better about themselves as a result of having contact with your brand, the next time they are in a position to buy, your brand will have a head start.

WD: When you deconstruct your brand, what do you think makes it a powerful marketing tool?

JB: Brands exist to differentiate you from the herd. For example, Story’s USP is that content and specifically editorial is at the heart of everything we do. We won’t only produce a website for our clients, we’ll supply an editor, a copywriter and a creative to maintain it and determine the direction of online marketing. However, brands become truly powerful when they also possess a little bit of intangible magic that you can’t put your finger on. Something that can only come about as a result of an energetic ‘make great things happen’ company culture.

WD: What do you think the future of online branding looks like? What are your business’s plans for developing its brand in 2009 and beyond?

JB: The future of online branding is about turning your brand into media, media that someone will genuinely gain value from consuming, be it information, entertainment or as ‘pass-it-on’ currency.

GREG REWIS is the group manager, Creative Solutions Evangelism at Adobe Systems. With over 20 years of computer industry experience, Greg spends in excess of 200 days a year on the road talking with customers, giving product demonstrations at trade shows and seminars, and speaking at industry conferences…

WD: To start, what is the main philosophy behind CS4 and Web Premium in terms of product integration and designer workflow?

GR: The main philosophy behind CS4 Web Premium has to be the focus on providing web designers every tool necessary to build modern, standards-compliant websites and rich, interactive web experiences.

WD: When speaking to designers when you’re out on the road, what are the key benefits they attribute with using CS4? What do they care most for within the upgrade?

GR: I think that depends upon their speciality. While there are certainly those designers that “do it all”, I tend to see audiences that are divided into HTML specialists or interactive Flash specialists. For each of these, there are huge benefits with CS4. On the HTML side of things, the new Live View and Live Code features of Dreamweaver generally leave web designers speechless, because they are so used to having to go to the browsers, aided by several plug-ins in order to get that functionality. To be able to truly see and also interact with the page as it appears in the browser without leaving your authoring environment is spectacular. On the Flash front, the simplified animation model is a definite crowd-pleaser, making it so much easier and faster to do animations. At the same time, however, the more experienced users love the control they get with the new Motion Editor. But by far, the two features that stand out the most are the 3D and Inverse Kinetics features.

WD: What requests do you get for new features that may be incorporated into the next release?

GR: That’s the problem with building software – just when you think you’ve built the perfect application, someone finds a shortcoming, or a technology evolves and you’re back to the drawing board. On the web front we are obviously watching the continued growth and popularity of the various AJAX frameworks, as well as the explosion of dynamic content systems such as blogs. For Flash, it’s all about continuing to make things easier for new users, while exposing even more creative possibilities to our advanced users.

WD: Where does Dreamweaver specifically sit within the modern web design toolset and has its role changed as other solutions have evolved?

GR: Dreamweaver continues to be the dominant visual web-authoring tool, and I think it has managed to “keep up with the times” quite nicely. As someone who has been around HTML editors for a very long time, I’ve had the luxury of watching the industry grow up. And as I always point out in my presentations, I’ve seen every version of Dreamweaver, and this release is by far the biggest in terms of real productivity gains for web professionals. In fact, I have the most fun when I get to show it off to the hardcore web standards’ crowd. These are the folks that don’t believe there’s anything “in there for them”. Once they see the Live Preview and Live Code features, however, they start smiling. They generally admit that “Dreamweaver has definitely come a long way”.

WD: For the future, where should Adobe be moving with CS tools to follow mobile trends or counter webbased publishing solutions?

GR: As any software company must, we are constantly watching trends within the industry. And as the mobile world matures, we are obviously very cognizant of the need for our tools to play a role in content creation for this platform. You’re seeing evidence of this not only in our own tools, which every release includes additional mobile-related features, but also in our commitment to the Open Screen Project to ensure that every internetconnected device can view rich, interactive content and experiences created by our customers. Simultaneously, you see us expanding our own web-based solutions. Acrobat.com is a prime example of this – and one I use daily. And as a web professional myself, I’m really excited by our BrowserLab service that we have recently released on Adobe Labs. There will always be a need for desktop software, but we realise there is also a lot to be said for these cloud-based services and applications

From a base in Oslo, Norway, graphic design agency Bleed (www.bleed.no) has built an impressive international clientele. Creative director and partner Kjetil Wold explains the ins and outs.

Q. When you are working with clients like Pepsi, do you have to compromise your ideas to fit their global vision?
A. Clients like Pepsi allow us to challenge them within the set vision of the brand. I think that great ideas are often brought to life when you manage to challenge the brief and work with creativity within the borders. We don’t do a lot of compromising; if we believe in a solution we stick to it and work more on discussing why we believe in it, rather than just pushing out new ideas all the time. Pepsi has shown us a lot of respect for our creative competence and that’s how we can develop unique solutions that strengthen the brand and solutions.

Q. Who do you generally deal with and can it be a long process to get approval?
A. We generally deal with the marketing manager and category manager, first on local markets then internationally. Once the overall concept is approved, we are more or less free to develop our ideas. It can take some time in the beginning of the approval process, but once it’s blessed it moves ahead fast, and it often has to in order to meet the deadlines.

Q. Does the client provide all the elements, logos and copy that you have to incorporate?
A. The client provides Bleed with the necessities, but often Bleed develops most of the graphics needed for the campaigns.

Q. Do you generally provide all the advertising strands, product branding, point of sale, websites and so on, to a client like Pepsi?
A. It depends on the job, but often Bleed sets the concept, develops the style and sets up the websites for Pepsi. The different elements are through a developed toolkit folder sent and incorporated by other agencies on retail, events and advertising.

Q. And finally, with a client so high profile, how does it feel seeing the finished product?
A. Seeing the end result is always the highlight of any project. Being satisfied with it and knowing that people are being affected by your decisions is a great bonus.

We hear from creator and project founder Carlos Ulloa to listen to his thoughts on what Papervision 3D means to the Flash community as a whole

WD: What advice would you have for designers or developers who are discovering Papervision for the first time and want to master it quickly?
CU: The blogs and forum are an excellent source of tutorials and inspiration. You can also subscribe to the mailing list. For those in a real hurry, there are several training courses around the world, offered by Papervision3D team members.

WD: What do you think 3D capabilities bring to web-based content?
CU: Web-based content can benefit from 3D the same as all other kinds of content: from simple things like accurate 3D models that can be examined from all angles, friendlier picture galleries or 3D dynamic transitions and effects, to more complex things like those traditional gamers are used to.

WD: What examples of Papervision-based Flash work do you admire on the web and what constitutes good use of the technology?
CU: Everything that appears on the PV3D main blog (blog.papervision3d.org) is interesting from one point of view or another, and I try to post there all the work I find inspirational. But when it comes to admiring, I tend to lean towards projects that make heavy use of cuttingedge technology, but keep their focus on the user interaction. It’s not easy to achieve the balance between the two.

WD: Can you give us any indication of possible additions or revisions to future Papervision iterations and why should devotees be excited?
CU: The PV3D team is working on a new architecture written from the ground up to leverage the new capabilities of Flash Player 10. We are focusing on making Papervision3D more flexible and extensible, without compromising its simplicity and ease of use.

We hear the story behind an extraordinary class project that allows the world’s most promising digital designers to get noticed. Student and project manager Sanna Wickman talks to us exclusively about Hyper Island’s 53 Colors…

SW = Sanna Wickman, student of DM10sto and project manager for 53 colors.

www.hyperisland.se
http://53colors.com/

WD: What is/was the purpose behind the 53 Colors project and why might it be beneficial to Hyper Island students?

SW: The purpose behind the project is the module Marketing & Promotion, which aims to make us students learn about Marketing, promotion and public relation. 53 colors is the name we have chosen for our class: Digital Media 2010 Stockholm. The project consists of different parts: a website, a release party and different PR and guerilla activities to promote our class, the site and the launch party. The benefits lies in two different areas, actually. The short term benefits is that the project gives all of the students a chance to be exposed and promoted in the industry, so that we more easily can get internships and get to know the industry and the people within it. The long term benefit is that we through the process learn about marketing and promotion, by actually doing it! We learn the tools of branding, strategy, and public relations, which will be useful throughout our coming careers.

WD: How did 53 students manage to come together so effectively to produce such an effective website?

SW: Well, it sure wasn’t easy, and the project was full of challenges. Both technical issues like choosing a platform for and building the site and agree upon a concept for the campaign itself, but also to get every individual in the class to work towards the same goal. Most of the people in the class are very motivated and ambitious, but that also means that there are 53 strong minds that needs to get together and agree upon something. The website is actually just one part of the whole campaign, which consisted of many different parts. The key success factors was that everyone got to contribute with something that they felt was important or fun. We tried to make everyone involved, both designers, project managers, planners and developers. To get a proper overview of the project and guarantee that the campaign felt solid as well as no one in the class was left behind, we had a project board group consisting of project managers from each group; the concept, sponsorship, design, website, event, PR and strategy group, as well as a project manager and two production managers for the whole class. The board group met once a day, to brief each other on what was going on within the different activities, ask for help and share success stories. Once that everyone was on the same track and started to put their soul in what they did, everything just happened. It was amazing to be a part of that process!

WD: How long did it take to build?

SW: The project started in the middle of January and the site was launched the third of April, so it took us about two and a half month to do this. The amount of time we put on this project has shifted over time though, we worked with 53 colors 8 hours a day (sometimes more) for four weeks. The rest of the time everyone has been doing other school projects parallel with 53 Colors.

WD: What kind of pressures or challenges do students face when it comes to being noticed and given a chance by this industry?

SW: The biggest challenge in getting noticed by the industry that we faced in the beginning of the project was to do something that had never been done before, and do it good. It’s basically as simple and difficult as that; to get attention by the digital media industry it just isn’t enough to shout as loud as you can, you have to have something important to say and say it in a creative way. The internet is full of different messages and people who demand your attention, so you really need to be unique in every way to succeed. The challenge for us as students was also to find that exact tone of voice that is suited for our target audience; the industry, and to be present not only on our own site but also where the industry already is: in social media and forums that they visit every day.

WD: Are there any lessons from 53 Colors that other students worldwide can learn from and what quick tips might you pass on to them from this experience?

SW: Personally, my biggest lessons from this project is that if the ground upon which you plan to build your house is solid, you will be able to create amazing architecture. It’s the same in any project. Don’t rush into a project without talking and thinking it through! That might work when you’re working on your own or in smaller groups, but if 53 people is supposed to be a part of the same project, you need structure. Lots of it. So my advice is; talk about it! How are you going to co-operate? What are you going to do and who will do it? Plan as accurately you can and make everyone involved in that process (the developer is probably the one who knows best how long it will take to get that flash-script working, not the designer). Make sure that everyone feels important and motivated, that way they will do their best. Realise that everyone makes a difference. If someone gets left behind you loose a great deal of creativity and important insights along the road. Before we started this project, I (the project manager) had individual sessions with every person in the class, talking about their goals, skills and challenges. I think that was an important factor in getting everyone engaged with 53 Colors.

Obsessed with those tiny little business cards that all the trendy web people swap at conferences? Lisa Rodwell of Moo Cards tells us about the company’s unique product, and gives advice on how to break into the market…

http://uk.moo.com/en/

WD: Why do you think the Moo card products have caught the imagination of the creative industry?

LR: We’ve seen a lot of interest from the creative community mainly because Moo cards give them a unique canvas to really stand out and showcase their work. They’re not limited to choosing one image, come in memorable shapes and sizes, and because we sell business cards in small quantities, they’re free to change their cards as often as they’d like.

WD: What do the cards offer web professionals that regular business cards don’t?

LR: MOO Business and MiniCards make a great networking and branding tool because you can have a different image on the back of each one, while also personalising it with text of your choice. A web designer can use the cards to feature all the sites or projects they’ve designed. Having your business cards at hand makes it easy to promote your past work without feeling like you are going in for a hard sell.

WD: What inventive stuff do people do with their Moo card collections?

LR: One great use of the cards we’ve seen is customers creating client gifts to celebrate the end of a project. They’ll create a set of MiniCards featuring images from the web project with the website URL on the back. They present it to the client as a handy way to promote the site in the real world.
With Moo’s textomatic you can make a pack with up to 50 different text-based statements. We’ve had designers use this feature to show client testimonials on their cards or their own brand statements.

WD: In terms of the designs, which kinds of card graphics seem to be most popular?

LR: The most popular card graphics are people’s own images that reflect themselves, their work or their brand. I would say the most common thing is for people to use Moo cards as a pocket portfolio that they can easily work in formal or informal situations. That means packs of illustrations, typography, photography and even close-ups of products. We’re constantly impressed with the creative ways that people come up with to use cards.
For those people who don’t have their own artwork or designs, Moo has a collection of designs that they can choose from instead.

WD: More generally, what advice would you have to those trying to get noticed in the creative trade and how might the range of Moo products assist in that?

LR: My advice is for people to remember that every opportunity is a chance to stand out from competitors. With so many people in the hunt for an opportunity standing out from the crowd and developing your own personal brand is increasingly important. Moo cards are unique and help people or businesses to become memorable, and they are very easy to hand out in a formal or informal network.
A few specific ideas include doing a direct mail with Post Cards, sending a personalised Note Card as a thank you after a meeting or pitch, or using the Stickers to brand your business stationery, kind of like the monthly invoice.
While much of our networking these days happens online, the connections you make in the real world still carry the most weight. Don’t waste an opportunity by not being able to provide contact details so people can easily follow up and remember you, grab those opportunities!

Nicholas Da Silva is the founder and creative director of ZOOLOOK, a San Francisco-based new media agency established in 1996 that develops entertainment properties for the web, video, television, film and wireless entertainment. Nicholas is also an award-winning graphic designer, music producer and published author. He has developed projects for TechTV, the Beastie Boys, Charles Schwab, Wyclef Jean, Front 242, to name a few.

www.zoolook.com

WD: Do you have any favourite online comics or graphic novels?

NDS: I’ve recently purchased the Watchmen: Motion Comic [www.watchmenmotioncomic.com] from iTunes and I have to say … BRAVO! This is not only very cool but also very well done! I like the fact that the animation is subtle and not overpowering. I also like how the voiceover and the text dialogue compliment each other. It doesn’t feel like I’m watching an animated movie and it shouldn’t. This is a key factor that will help draw the line between a digital comic and an animated movie.

WD: Comics in general seem to have rapidly evolved over the last few years. Do you think these changes will continue?

NDS: I think the future looks extremely bright for this new media. As I peruse the web, I continue to see more comic book artists pushing the limits of digital comics and it’s amazing. Some examples include adding interactive buttons that allow users to decide how the story should play out. Other examples use After Effects to add just the right amount of motion to reinforce the dialogue for each panel. As for printed comics, I honestly believe that as long as we humans continue to collect things, there will be printed comics to collect. And that’s coming from a collector who still possesses the first print of Frank Miller’s SIN CITY and the Watchmen!

WD: Many people that want to create their own comics online but don’t know where to start. What’s your basic advice?

NDS: For starters, I recommend re-storyboarding your comic. Unlike traditional comics where each page features a series of panels that are arranged to not only tell the story, but help the flow of the story, digital comic books utilize one viewing frame so its very important to setup each frame properly to allow for continuity within your story. Skipping this step is a no-no. I would also encourage artists to not be afraid to experiment with their production technique. There is no wrong or right way to make digital comics. And sometimes the best solutions come from mistakes.

WD: Do you have any favourite tools when you are creating your online comics?

NDS: I would start with Adobe Flash or Toon Boom. Both are great for creating digital artwork. For animating the panels and artwork, I highly recommend After Effects for the job. You’ll also want to add sound and/or dialogue to your online comic so Adobe Soundbooth is a great option. When it comes to hardware, I recommend using a pen tablet over a mouse. With a pen tablet, you can be more precise with your work. The pen also provides less strain on your wrist.

WD: Many artists are looking closely at developing their webcomics for the mobile phone market. Do you think mobile devices will become the natural home for webcomics?

NDS: I do. I have an iPhone and I am amazed at the quality of digital comics when viewed onscreen. Reading a digital comic book on this device is pure eye candy. Plus, with mobile devices, you can carry your whole library of comics with you to watch whenever you want, wherever your want. Try taking a stack of comic books on the bus or train to read. It’s just not the same. From an artists perspective, going digital with your comics also make sense in a number of areas including financially. An artist can eliminate the expense accumulated in printing comic books. It also provides for the best distribution model to get your work out to the masses: the Internet. And just think of the trees we would be saving!

Catch our full Web Comics 2.0 feature in Web Designer 162, on sale 24/10/09

He’s Principal & Creative Director of Mayhem Studios, an award-winning design firm located in Los Angeles, California, developing identity and brand recognition for the business sector across the United States. He also serves on the Creative Latitude Management Team and boasts a twitter following currently pushing the 20K mark. If that’s not enough then Mr Lee also features in the new book by Steve Gordon jnr titled 100 Habits of Successful Freelance Designers: Insider Secrets for Working Smart & Staying Creative.
Calvin recently took time out from creating identity and branded collateral pieces, annual reports, brochures, logo design, advertising and interactive web sites to share his thoughts and experience with Web Designer magazine. Thanks Calvin.

Links
http://www.mayhemstudios.com/
http://twitter.com/mayhemstudios
http://www.mayhemstudios.com/blog
Creative Latitude Management Team
100 Habits of Successful Freelance Designers: Insider Secrets for Working Smart & Staying Creative

Describe yourself in five words?
Spiky haired designer with Twitter addiction

Which design tool makes the biggest contribution to your creative output and why?
Photoshop is the most used in my creative process. The reason: I’m able to quickly and easily layout a design in a rather short amount of time. The tools within Photoshop are incredible. The ability to restack the layer order, non-destructive filters and effects. Photoshop also has the ability to drop in vector graphics without losing quality. Making changes are a breeze, really speeds up my process.

Tell us what you consider to be the most useful technique in the design/development process?
I always start any project with research, more information the better. Then sketch out small quick thumbnails of my ideas with pen and paper. This really helps me with developing the concepts and layout. I use a pen, so I can’t erase. The point is to explore, as many ideas as possible and not having to worry about how it looks. Once I have the concept nailed down. I jump on the computer.

Web creatives love designer fonts. What’s your favourite and why?
Avant Garde has been my favorite font since I was in college. It has remained my favorite to this day. Avant Garde is elegant, classic and clean. I also like how it’s a bit wider then most fonts, it gives you a much better readability.

What is the one tip that you would give to anyone trying to get into the industry?
Networking is one of the most important tools in finding work, clients and projects. Get the word out to friends, family and anyone you know. Let them know what you do and you’re looking for work. Most times, someone has a connection that will get your foot in the door.
Also sign up for social media websites like Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Bizik and portfolio sites. From my experience, Twitter is the best way to network and connect with potential clients.

After being appointed a lead artist for various advertising campaigns including O2 Germany, Fuze and National Lottery, Radim has enjoyed a vast number of exciting projects with various record labels, fashion brands and magazine publishers worldwide. His award-winning creations have been used in the above and below the line advertising, books, magazines, product illustrations, album artwork, DVDs, posters… anything in need of injecting visual finesse and colour. Going under the moniker of Brand:nu, you can check out more from his fabulous portfolio by visiting
www.brandnu.co.uk

We invited Radim to give his opinions on branding and what strategies he adotps when trying to market his creative services to the masses (originally published as an industry feature in Web Designer issue 156)…

WD: Can we define what branding is and how businesses can construct their own using the internet as the delivery mechanism?
RM: The Internet makes it easier to achieve the global coverage. You can’t make everyone with internet connection familiar with what you do, but it’s a great tool to give you the chance to do so. We’ve definitely understood the possibilities as well as being in the process of discovering the unexplored. The DNA of branding is the same from day one; be clear, be seen and be understood. As we know, everything depends on three second attention span. If your message isn’t coherent in the space of time, you might be on the losing side.

WD: How do you think branding’s evolved?
RM: Companies put more effort to introduce their product and companies in conjunction with other side elements of what they do. Branding becomes more of a 360 task, where we try to engage the passer-by with a subtle introduction which gives them a bigger understanding of the brand overall.

WD: What do you think makes your brand a powerful marketing tool?
RM: I believe it’s about clear communication, it’s first impact and further consistency. Brand Nu goes through subtle revamps of it’s image every 14-16 months to reinstate the position it has on the creative market. As much as the website first ever became the must-have on the internet, everyone pushes the blogging keys even harder to bring more attention to themselves. Since Brand Nu’s work is 70/30 print/digital it’s always crucial to keep the online presence fresh and up to date. The clients and the admirers alike are kept informed about the latest happenings, to show there’s no thumb fiddling but hard work in progress. Secondly, I publish showcase books for the same effect. The books are sourced from high-profile printers to ensure the best quality, where the design work for print is shown in the best light.
The current Book Of Colours showcases completed work from the last year, housing the most cutting edge and innovative projects, bringing attention of the new clients to successful results achieved in the past. It’s great to have online presence, however you can’t beat the feeling of a printed material. Hence the reason why the hard copy magazines will be around for much longer. We’ve grown up with books and magazines, it’s the comfort of taking it everywhere with you, not relying on the Wi-Fi connection.
Book Of Colours was printed in the edition of 1,000 copies, sold mainly through www.brandnu.co.uk and promoted online in blogs and featured as a prize in competitions.

WD: How has your business constructed its brand and how have you used the internet to promote that brand to clients?
RM: We need to cater for everyone, be accessible from every corner and every angle. The potential client can be from any background of any interest and still needs to understand the brand message in the first encounter. Choosing an understandable and memorable moniker is always crucial.

WD: What do you think the future of online branding looks like?
RM: Viral marketing and ad campaigns are benefiting from the power of internet user ‘word of mouth’. It’s not only about creating an amazing ad which will be appreciated by many, it’s also about grabbing people’s attention, making them stop and think.