Author Archive
Posted by Andy on 16 July 2009
Tags: | Technology
I am currently trialing the web browser Flock. First impressions are good. Here is some blurb on it…
Open Source Social Media Browser
If you are a social media hound you probably have Flock, a web browser full of extensions and other tools for interacting on the web. Flock is an open source web browser built on the same Mozilla architecture that Firefox is built on so many of Flock’s features should be familiar, like tab-based browsing and the ability to add extensions. However, there are a number of cool new features that appeal to the social networking crowd.
http://www.flock.com
Posted by Andy on 9 July 2009
Tags: | Social Networking
In 1978 viewing figures for the Morecombe and Wise Christmas show on ITV were in the region of 28 million people. Around the same time Nescafe launched an advertising campaign involving the Gold Blend couple which at its peak attracted more than 30 million viewers.
The connection is obvious. Three decades ago the most popular television programmes could attract almost half the nation. Vast numbers of people where on the same frequency. All an advertiser needed to do was position their product in between shows like Morecombe and Wise or soap operas like Coronation Street, and they had a totally captive audience.
By contrast, nowadays, in the modern home very few people are listening or watching the same thing. There are no longer two or three television stations, there are hundreds available via satellite. And countless radio stations. A recent survey carried out by JupiterResearch found that online users are now spending about 14 hours a week, on average – the same amount of time that they spend watching TV – surfing the internet.
By their nature web users are far less passive than the average television viewer. They spend time networking with friends, swapping information and sharing views. They comment on blogs and upload videos and photos. They are busy doing research, downloading music and checking out weird and wonderful facts.
Collaboration and participation are the buzzwords of today. As described in the book Wikinomics by Don Tapscott and Anthony Williams: “Blogs, wikis, chat rooms, search engines, advertising auctions, peer-to-peer downloading, and personal broadcasting represent new ways to entertain, communicate, and transact. In each instance the traditionally passive buyers of editorial and advertising take active, participatory roles in value creation. Some of these grassroots innovations pose dire threats to existing business models.”
Our job at Global Beach is to be like a new generation advertising agency creating communication strategies that respond to and reflect modern tastes.
Posted by Andy on 13 June 2009
Tags: | Design
Creativity is a strange thing. Some people find that are at their most creative when they are messy. They thrive in an environment of abandonment. I have known certain design studios to be full of clutter and chaos. Many designers love to collect weird and wonderful objects – from their childhood, from markets and boutiques – such as toy robots, match books, comics, neon signs and mannequins.
Others prefer order and clarity – a place for everything and everything in its place. I definitely belong to this later group.
As I see it, when you strip away the excess, you get to essence. When you have essence, you have identified the true value of an idea.
Posted by Andy on 8 June 2009
Tags: | Design
I went to an event recently called Book Slam. It featured the writer David Simon who helped bring the television show The Wire to our screens. He read from two of his books Homicide and The Corner.
Simon is like a modern day Dickens. He sees through the hype of the American Dream and reports on a more authentic and vulnerable society in Baltimore. What stood out for me was his commitment and consistency in bringing his stories to light.
For some of us who have been involved in web design for a long time, we have experienced many highs and lows. For instance, in the mid-90s I worked for an agency that produced some of the first movie websites including Pulp Fiction and Toy Story to popular acclaim. And, in 2000 I worked on huge budget projects for the likes of BP and UBS. I have also experienced my share of recession, cutbacks and downsizing.
Taking David Simon as an example, I think the key to making progress in this current climate is staying committed and consistent. Our constant aim is to deliver quality work for quality brands.
As The Wire’s Avon Barksdale would say… “No doubt.”
Posted by Andy on 3 June 2009
Tags: | Design
We are constantly looking for innovative ideas for delivering dynamic brand experiences online. We collaborate with lots of different creative experts who help us achieve this. One person we are working with closely at the moment is Patrick Gosling, who is a photographer with extensive experience of automotive brands. For many years he was Ferrari’s principal photographer on the F1 circuit.
He has started to produce a series of movies using both stills and video to create a varied and engaging narrative. An example of his work is on our new site – the Tokyo cityscape. Other examples can be viewed on www.patrickgosling.com
Posted by Andy on 26 May 2009
Tags: | Design
There is a well known Native American saying: “if you want to understand a man, walk a mile in his moccasins”. This seems particularly apt for our creative studio at present because we are working on three footwear projects for different brands.
To help illustrate the diversity and scale of our work we recently produced a mini brochure outlining a day in the life of our agency. Clients have responded well to it because it strips away much of the usual jargon of web building. We intend producing several more versions throughout the year to show the progression of our client’s projects.
Many of our clients are walking a hazardous path at the moment. Nervous about economic conditions and looking to ensure they are making the most of their web presence. Our consistent aim is to provide the right tools to ensure that they feel in control of their brand and confident that they are moving in the right direction.
Posted by Andy on 30 April 2009
Tags: | Design
It is ironic that, more often than not, the journey to simplicity is full of complexity.
Right now, our focus is on crafting a clear and concise communication strategy for our agency. Whilst we have a great legacy of work and relationships to build on, life moves on. Anticipating and articulating what comes next is the big challenge.
We are looking to position ourselves as a Web 2.0 specialist. Nowadays companies don’t just want to put their corporate brochures online, they want to be in the driving seat – using their websites as a publishing tool for marketing, selling and networking.
Our job is to enable them to achieve this as efficiently and effectively as possible. We are paid to conceive; design and build the right solution and facilitate ‘intelligent interaction’.
As the new Creative Director at Global Beach, my first task to help Peter and the team convey our offering and capture the imaginations of our clients.
