It’s Friday 13th, everybody’s favourite scary day. So to take the edge off, Remedy are giving you the chance to face your fears and visit Phobia Land home of the UK’s top phobias.
Archive for the ‘remedy’ Category
Take a trip to Phobia Land
Friday, January 13th, 2012New annual report for Pepenbury
Tuesday, January 10th, 2012Pepenbury is West Kent’s biggest not-for-profit employer. They support adults with learning disabilities both in the charity’s own residential settings and in the local community. Remedy first started working with Pepenbury in 2006, and in 2007 helped them celebrate their 80th birthday with a complete re-brand across all services and facilities.
Significant policy changes in their sector, along with Pepenbury’s ambitions for growth, mean that there is an increased need to raise funding for major service developments planned for the next five years. This includes building an outside gym for adults and adjoining play area for children, extending their art studios and developing training services to market to other organisations.
Pepenbury’s annual report presented a great opportunity to not only provide a financial update for their supporters, but with the right content and design approach, it was felt that they could achieve much more from a marketing perspective.
We helped them devise a new design and structure that would stimulate greater engagement with key stakeholders. These include new and existing supporters, major donors, trustees, strategic partners, corporate sponsors and volunteers. Our role in producing the new-look annual report entailed advising on content and structure, graphic design, copywriting and commissioning new photography.
Pepenbury’s annual report will be used as a powerful marketing tool throughout the year.
And it looks like 2012 is going to continue to be busy for Pepenbury and Remedy, with 19 new leaflets and brochures already in the studio, so watch this space.
Le Diner Dans le Noir?
Thursday, December 15th, 2011Well we’ve had some fun Christmas parties at Remedy Creative over the years, but 2011′s festive feast has to be the most surreal. Last Friday, we all boarded the Polar Express (the 14.21 from Tunbridge Wells) to the frozen North (Charing Cross) and after a few Winter warmers, visited a rather novel restaurant in Clerkenwell called ‘Dans le Noir?’
Now I’ve been in some places with what you might call moody lighting, but imagine a restaurant so dark that you literally can’t see your hand in front of your face. No, neither could we, but we were intrigued.
So we arrived and were greeted in a lit reception area where we chose from four menu options – green (vegetarian), red (meat), blue (fish) and white (surprise me!). In reality, what ever you order, it’s going to be a surprise, within basic dietary parameters, but that just adds to the fun.
After cocktails we were led, crocodile-fashion, into the restaurant by our waiter, a blind viola player called Takashi.
The Remedy team pose for the camera
The highlights: accidentally sticking my nose in my food trying to smell it, pouring drinks, clinking glasses to make a Christmas toast, Sam being silent for several minutes trying to freak everyone out, guessing what on earth we were eating, having to put total trust in our waiter, getting a ‘glimpse’ of a very different reality… The experience was quite bizarre and we all had a fantastic time.
Seriously, if you ever want to try something completely and utterly different for your office Christmas do, I couldn’t recommend it highly enough. You can find out more here
Movember draws to an end
Wednesday, November 30th, 2011For many a gentleman, it’s the last day of sporting a moustache. Yes, Movember is almost over!
It’s been tough; the jaunts, the jibes, the toast crumbs left dangling precariously for all to see, but overall it’s been fun.
And more to the point, at the last count, we’ve raised £345 for a very good cause, so thank you to everyone who has made our hirsute pursuits worth it.
If you would like to help us tip the £350 mark, you can still sponsor Team Remedy at:
It’s the wall of inspiration again!
Tuesday, November 29th, 2011Wall of inspiration #6.
There’s creative inspiration everywhere. Graphic design, photography, typography, editorial design, packaging…
If we like it, it gets pinned up on the Remedy wall of inspiration.
On this month’s wall: Andy Warhol and David Hockney rub shoulders with Converse sneakers and Costa Coffee.
You can see our last wall here
And as ever, if something grabs your eye and you think it should be on the next wall, give us a shout:
The Wall,
Remedy Creative
17, Mount Ephraim,
Tunbridge Wells
Kent
TN4 8AE
Working with designers #2
Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011Here is part 2 of a talk that Remedy gave at the Not For Profit Technology Show in London, alongside James Higgott from The Royal Marsden Hospital.
The first part was about preparing a website design brief, this part is about choosing your design agency and the third part (blog post to follow) is about getting the design right.
Choosing the right design agency
1) Who’s work do you like?
Boutique web design specialist? Integrated design agency? Award winning, West End hot shop? A freelancer that a friend recommends? Whoever you shortlist and however you come across them, the first filter you need to apply is “do I like their work?” If there is a design sensibility or aesthetic that you admire in their portfolio, then that’s a great start. Also, it’s good to keep an open mind – just because the agency doesn’t have experience in your specific sector, doesn’t mean they can’t create a fantastic website for you.
2) Understand who you’ll be working with
It’s all very well meeting the Creative Director, Managing Director and Head of Online Strategy, but will they actually be looking after your web project? If not, it certainly wouldn’t be unreasonable to know the calibre of the team that will be designing and writing your website and who you will be dealing with on a day-to-day basis.
3) Understand their processes
Every agency will have it’s own ways of working. Some will be a comfortable fit and some will drive you up the wall. One marketing director we recently met described working with his previous agency as being like “pulling teeth”. Websites don’t happen over night, so you will, by default, have to build a relationship with your design agency; so make sure it’s one that will work.
4) What do they expect from you?
From day one, right up until your new website is launched, you will have to be part of the process. Make sure from the outset just how involved your agency will expect you to be and what they will need from you, and when. Will they want to work with you to determine site architecture? Will they want draft copy at the outset? Will they want a face-to-face meeting every week? To help things to run smoothly, insist on a project schedule that is realistic for both you and the agency.
5) Ask for references
You’ve met the team. They’re charming, eloquent and have some great work in their portfolio. If they’re really as good as they say they are, they will have left a trail of very happy clients in their wake, so don’t be afraid to ask for a couple of references. It could well save a lot of heartache.
6) Choose people you get on with
Yes, it sounds obvious, but this is just as important as choosing a design agency who’s work you love. If they’re creative geniuses, they could also be prima donnas with egos the size of Ben Nevis. So, here’s a simple formula – a great portfolio + nice people = at least half way to choosing your design agency.
7) What does the estimate include?
Websites are complex, with lots of elements to consider, and all adding to the cost. Architecture, wire-framing, front-end design, content management system and CMS training, copywriting, Search Engine Optimisation, imagery, hosting… Make sure that you know what is included in the price. If there is a lack of clarity in the estimate, ask the agency to spell it out in black and white. Remember, a seemingly simple functionality change could have significant cost implications, so agree the functionality spec. at the start.
8) Licensed CMS?
Sometimes, a bespoke content management system is the best solution, often an open source system will work just as well. Think long and hard before you choose an agency that insists, come what may, on using their licensed, bespoke content management system. However, if your new website requires functionality that means a bespoke CMS is the most practical option, it is important to understand what happens if, at some point in the future, you want to move your site.
9) You get what you pay for
‘Websites from £500′ shouts the poster in the agency window. Now, let’s stop a moment before getting our cheque books out. Even if the agency only charges £50 an hour, can they really plan, design, build and optimise a website that will help move your business forward, in 10 hours?
A website is more often than not, an organisation’s most powerful marketing tool. If your website is going to be your shop window; a key way to communicate with members, clients or supporters; or the first port of call when anyone wants to find out about you, don’t make cost the most important factor when choosing your design agency.
If you are putting together a shortlist of agencies (three is the magic number), we recommend that you read our previous post on preparing a website design brief
You can download all of this presentation in PDF format including slides from James Higgott at www.ioftech.org.uk/resources
Movember – just 2 weeks ’til the moustaches come off
Saturday, November 19th, 2011
Red likes: huntin’ shootin’ ‘n’ fishin’ Cletus likes: Jambalya, Crawfish Pie and the Bayou
Please help Red and Cletus raise money for The Prostate Cancer Charity and the Institute of Cancer Research. You can donate online at: http://mobro.co/remedycreative
Thanks y’all
Please support Team Remedy for Movember
Tuesday, November 8th, 2011Oh no, did we really agree to this?!
One week in, and we’re getting odd looks from strangers in the street (and family members for that matter). Yes, it’s Movember, the month when foolhardy men grow moustaches for a very good cause.
If you would like to help us raise a load of money as well as a smile, please visit http://uk.movember.com/ hit the ‘donate’ button in the main navigation bar, then click the ‘TO A TEAM’ button and search for Team Remedy.
Come on, if we’re prepared to go around looking like this, the least you can do is sponsor us for a few quid!
If you could do anything with a free hour…
Thursday, October 20th, 2011The clocks go back next week, which means traveling home in the dark,
but looking on the bright side, you get a whole hour, gratis, to do anything you want with.
So to celebrate, it’s Remedy competition time again. All we want to know is what you would do with your free hour if there were absolutely no restrictions. Where would you go (in the world, in time, incognito, in a stretch limo…)?
And what would you do for an hour once you were there?
Personally, I’d freak out with Hendrix at Woodstock
Tell us what you’d do and you could win the rather smashing, hot off the press, “Time Out” London Eating and Drinking Guide 2012. This definitive guidebook covers over 1,000 London restaurants, cafés, gastropubs and restaurants. It’s packed with reviews by Time Out’s team of anonymous experts who have ‘eaten their discriminating ways across London’.
We have 2 copies up for grabs, just keep your entry within the realms of decency please.
How to enter:
Leave your answer as a response to this blog post with your name and email address (see below) or send us a tweet @remedycreative. We’ll stick the entries in a hat and the first two out will be the winners
!
Terms & Conditions:
1. Entrants consent for their name to be used for publicity purposes by Remedy Creative Ltd. in printed and/or online formats.
2. Remedy Creative will not pass on your details to any third party without your prior consent, but your name will be shown on our blog.
3. The closing date is midnight 26th October 2011.
4. The winners will be informed via email or Twitter (depending on their choice of submission) on 27th October 2011.
Working With Designers #1
Wednesday, October 19th, 2011Remedy was recently invited to present at the Not For Profit Technology Show in London, alongside James Higgott from The Royal Marsden Hospital. We wanted to impart some insider knowledge to not for profit organisations on how to make the most of their relationships with external designers, specifically, when working on web projects.
Our presentation was split into three sections – preparing a brief, choosing an agency and getting the design right.
Here is an overview of the first section (with two more blog posts to follow):
Great work comes from a great brief
It’s very rare that great creative work comes out of a hastily put-together brief. Like the foundations of a building, get this bit right and the design and build won’t be in vain. So where do you start? What will a design agency need to be able to deliver a great website?
1) Background information
Assume the design agency knows nothing about your brand, or even your sector for that matter. Arm them with everything they need to get to grips with what you do and what you are all about: annual reports, brochures, flyers, web addresses, press clippings and any industry insights that may be of use.
2) Clear objectives
What is it you hope to achieve with your website? This could be a fairly lengthy list, but you should prioritise. Perhaps you want visitors to sign-up to a newsletter, download resources, make online purchases, recommend your organisation to colleagues, follow you on Twitter or request a quote.
3) Target audiences
Who are they? What makes them tick? Why might they want to do business with you?
Do you have any useful stats? If the majority of potential customers are 18-24 with a love of social media, or if they are chief execs who do a lot of their business at the 19th hole, the designer will need to know. The more an agency knows about your audiences, the more likely they are to come up with a design that resonates with them.
4) What you want users to think, feel and do?
When someone comes to your lovely new website, what should their first reaction be? What do you want them to think about your brand and more importantly, on an emotional level, how do you want your brand to make them feel? And tying in with point number 2, once they have made an emotional connection, what do you want them to do?
5) Tone of voice and brand guidelines
How do you want your brand to come across? Corporate brand leader, no-nonsense professional adviser, an old friend you can rely on…? Every brand has a tone of voice (or at least they should have) and this needs delivering consistently whether online or offline.
Many organisations have a set of brand guidelines. Unfortunately many of them are kept in bottom drawers and not referred to. Don’t let this be the case with you and your brand. If there are rules when it comes to using your logo, your design agency will need to know. Similarly, do you have corporate colours, typefaces, a library of up-to-date imagery? If so, your new website should follow your guidelines (unless of course, it’s time for a brand refresh).
6) Competitors
In the Not-for-Profit world, these are known as ‘other players’. Whatever you call them, unless your brand’s offering is totally unique, there will be other organisations out there that are vying for the attention of the same customers/members/donors. So who are they, which ones do you admire and why? What can we learn from them? What mistakes are they making that your design agency should avoid?
7) Other brands
There may be organisations that do things in a certain way that, although nothing to do with your sector, you admire. Looking at their websites in particular, they may have a visual style that you like, a certain way with language or a particular way of organising content. It may be more of a ‘brand values thing’. Which brands have an attitude or personality that you might aspire to be like – John Lewis, Volkswagen, Apple, Shake ‘n’ Vac…
8) Content and functionality
Content is, 99 times out of 100, the one thing that will delay the launch of a new website. Whether you are supplying draft copy; fully edited, perfectly formed, search engine optimised copy or a list of bullet points, your site is going nowhere without content. The real need for this may come further down the line in the design process, but nevertheless, it’s best not to leave this right until the 11th hour.
Functionality however, will need to be addressed right up front. A design agency will need to know what your new website has to do. Will it be collecting data? Will it integrate with existing Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software? Will there be E-commerce functionality, members’ log-in areas, blogs, social media integration…? Without this information, the agency won’t be able to give you an accurate quote or get close to a design solution that makes sense.
9) Measuring success
Looking ahead; the new website has launched, the marketing department are proud to show it off to the world and the competition are green with envy. The question you need to ask yourself way before any of this has happened, is what will you consider to be a successful interaction? For many clients it will be orders or enquiries, but equally it could be Google rankings, the number of users who sign up to support a campaign or a Gold D&AD award. If you know what success will look like to you from the outset, this will definitely help to steer the design process.
10) Hosting
Who will be hosting your website and what kind of server will you need? This will be dictated largely by the amount of traffic you expect and how ‘mission critical’ your website will be.
11) Deadline
Websites take time. Well-planned, beautifully designed, carefully executed websites take longer. If you need to hit a certain date in your calendar, this should be in your brief, but schedules have to be realistic.
12) Budget
The $64,000 (wouldn’t that be nice) question. It would save a lot of time and effort for client and agency alike, if along with all the other nuts and bolts, a realistic budget was part of the brief. Whether you decide to share your budget or not, having a figure agreed internally is essential. At this juncture, it’s worth remembering that as with all things commercial, with website design you get what you pay for and invariably, a £500 website will look unsurprisingly like a £500 website.
If you don’t have the resources or expertise in-house to do some or all of the above, any design agency worth its salt will be able to help guide you through the process, but the more of the groundwork you can do, the better. Even if you are able to write a great brief yourself, the objectivity that a decent agency brings to the table means that you should be prepared for them to challenge, distil and even re-write parts of it.
Should you have a brief you want to discuss, or if you need help putting one together, we’d love to hear from you.
You can download the talk in PDF format including slides from James Higgott at www.ioftech.org.uk/resources