Order Blog by:
January 31st 2012
Rumbles without grumbles for a good cause
Yesterday three University of Salford students on the Design Futures course stayed behind after a brief we gave to a larger group to tell us about a charity initiative called Go Hungry they’ve helped organise. It’s asking people to skip lunch for one day during the Poverty & Homelessness Action Week (28th January - 5th February) and donate the money they would have otherwise spent on food to a relevant cause.
One of the girls is now volunteering on a Manchester ‘Soup Run’ – an initiative Go Hungry donations will help to fund – so we thought the least we could do was raise a bit of awareness and hopefully a bit of cash among the Photolink faithful and beyond.
If you'd like to make a donation, all you need to do is skip lunch before the 5th February (Sunday) and donate the money you would have spent to Go Hungry. All money goes towards helping Mustard Tree, a Manchester-based charity that directly supports disadvantaged people who struggle to afford basic things we can often take for granted.
You can either donate via a secure Just Giving page (at www.justgiving.com/go-hungry) or by text message sending the message 'BITE12', followed by the amount you wish to give, to the number 70070. Donations can be anything from the price of a McD’s cheeseburger to the full works at your local cafe. Whatever you can spare.
Continue reading
January 30th 2012
Talking design heads
On Friday we were honoured to be hosting two academic heavyweights from opposite ends of the globe. Roy Chilvers (standing right with the Photolink flourish disappearing into his ear) Director of the Graphics & Media Division at the University of Salford came to talk about more exciting projects he wants to line up between his students and us, and brought along Jeremy Yuille a senior lecturer and co-founder of the Media & Communication Studio at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT).
The conversation revolved around the most recent brand promotion project we set for students on the Fashion BA(Hons) course and the forthcoming brief we’ve organised for students on the university’s pioneering Design Futures course. These creative briefs are giving students a chance to tackle a project governed by a real client brief that comes straight from Photolink Group Creative Director John Whalley.
Talk then turned to Yuille’s work at the RMIT and his affiliation with ThinkPlus, an innovative and incredibly interesting education project overseen by the de Bono Institute (after the father of lateral thinking Edward de Bono) that is set to revolutionise the teaching of thinking in the country’s schools. We also confirmed that we'd play host to a group of his students during the summer.
All in all, a very stimulating meeting with two very interesting figures dedicated to making sure the next generation of creative thinkers and doers are better than the last. It kind of makes us wish we were back at school really. Check out Yuille’s Media & Communication Studio online here and stay tuned for the results of the next University of Salford project on our blog.
Continue reading
January 27th 2012
Read all about it!
Hot off the press our Manifesto for Multi-Channel Retail Success in 2012 is now winging its way into post trays across the UK. Part of our proactive approach to a year that was effectively written off before it started (economically speaking), we felt the time was right to provide key players within the retail industry a little food for thought.
Built around the core idea that retailers who engage, inspire and lead will come out on top in 2012 and how simple, original thinking delivered by a dedicated creative agency is one of the keys to successful retail marketing, we designed a manifesto that hopefully practises what it preaches.
Simple, original thinking led us to delivering a newspaper, because faced with a front page that implores you to 'DO MORE THAN JUST COMPETE', we'd defy anyone to resist a flick through.
We kept the editorial concise and to the point so a flick through is all it takes to get the message. Perfect. If you'd like to touch, smell and read the printed version of our manifesto yourself, just send your name and address to info@photolink.co.uk putting MANIFESTO in the subject line.
Continue reading
January 26th 2012
New portfolios page online
We've just finished building an additional section into our online 'Work' page which contains a flickable selection of photography and design portfolios.
The 'Portfolios' page will feature indidual content from Photolink represented fashion photographers David Woollacott and Kirstie McNulty, childrenswear photographer Darren Taylor, and standout typographic and page design creations from our Creative and Artworks teams.
Take a flick through the books here or visit the 'Work' page and click 'Portfolios' to see the showcase.
Continue reading
January 25th 2012
Mario Balotelli out and about in Ardwick Green
This recent spread of images shot by Dylan Don for Vogue L’uomo was produced by our very own fashion production manager Claire Smith. Working to an incredibly tight deadline, she worked directly with Don to get the right crew together on the day, found the perfect location and even organised a Aston Martin DB6 for the Manchester City star to play with.
Part of a three-cover January edition of the Italian version of Vogue’s international men’s magazine featuring Lady Gaga and Michael Fassbender, the cover shot and feature images inside were all shot in and around our very own complex of design and photographic studios in Manchester’s historic Ardwick Green.
Our favourite shots include the Premier League star walking the yellow line in the Photolink carpark (now holy ground for resident Blues) and looking pensive outside our local café The Uppercrust. We'd pull out a favourite quote but our Italian's a bit rusty.
Balotelli’s main sponsor Nike were there for the shoot (check out the footwear) and they shot this behind the scenes video which will give you a taste of how the imagery came together on the day.
Continue reading
January 18th 2012
Simon Jersey wins with SimonJersey.com
We are very pleased to announce that client Simon Jersey has won Best Equipment Supplier (website category) at the Caterer & Hotelkeeper Web Awards for SimonJersey.com.
Held annually, the Caterer and Hotelkeeper Web Awards are the only web awards for the hospitality community. They recognise and reward the people and organisations responsible for developing some of the most effective hospitality websites on the internet.
We helped design and build the award-winning website, and produce all of the interactive imagery and video content that marked them out from the competition, so we are doubly pleased.
According to the awards official statement, SimonJersey.com was “commended for its innovation, in particular its mobile website and video facility and its interactivity". Take a look at the award winning website here.
Continue reading
January 6th 2012
Our manifesto for retail success in 2012
Over the past year we have all become acutely aware of the issues affecting the economy. From supplier to buyer, no single person, company or industry across the UK & Europe has been left untouched by consumer anxiety, governmental cuts and austerity measures. And for one of the UK’s strongest industries – the retail industry – some of the toughest challenges are yet to come.
As the majority of our clients operate within the retail sector – as independent brands or international retail groups – it goes without saying that we have a vested interest in their continued prosperity. We’re in it together. But our interest in their prosperity goes far beyond that of a commercial partnership.
We are proud to be our clients’ chosen creative partner, so we feel an incredibly strong responsibility to guide them through an increasingly rocky retail landscape and keep them successful in the long term. And this shows through the work we continue to do for them.
Our Manifesto for Multi-Channel Retail Success In 2012 is an example of our on-going commitment to the success of our clients. It is also an expression of our expertise within and understanding of the retail industry. In short, it's a thought-provoking resource for anyone interested in what a skilled creative agency can provide for retail brands of all sizes in challenging times.
The words come from the top but their creative sentiments and industry understanding are translated into every piece of work we do. They spell out the importance of original thinking in today’s fast moving retail landscape and the added value of investment in a dedicated creative partner. Take a look at our full manifesto here and talk to us if you would like to know more.
(If you would like a printed copy of our manifesto, please send your name and address to info@photolink.co.uk putting MANIFESTO in the subject line)
Continue reading
January 4th 2012
