The new video channel will host Endemol’s digital series, ‘The Gap Year,’ which was produced and featured on social networking site, Bebo.

‘The Gap Year’ is a multiplatform digital series which follows six students around the world on their glob-trotting travel adventures. The series see the six travellers face challenges, experience new cultures and meet local celebrities.

The first series will be broadcast on The Independent’s online student section, despite already being documented on Bebo’s social networking site via video diaries, blogs and photographs.

Complimentary sponsors of the online video site will be organised by The Web TV Enterprise. Through the sponsor, advertisers will receive in-paper promotional branding, on-site exposure, and pre-roll ads around the content.

Bill Swanson, Managing Director of Independent.co.uk, said, “It is key that Independent.co.uk continues to seek content that is relevant to its audiences.

“The brand fit is fantastic, while the content will provide a regular destination for our users.”

The series is due to run from June to August 2009, in the build up to the university clearing process in 2009; the busiest time for the Independent.co.uk student section.

Promotion of the series will be ran through the newspaper, website, allowing the content to be used as a travel guide.

Endemol specifically created and developed the series ‘The Gap Year’ for Bebo to offer a fully interactive online video entertainment experience. The contestants for the series were carefully selected from the Bebo community, from all around the world, including, UK, Ireland, America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. On a weekly basis, viewers are able to vote on decisions about the group’s journey.

Peter Cowley, Managing Director of Digital Media at Endemol, said, “We are delighted that The Independent will be carrying the first series of ‘The Gap Year.’

“We are very proud of the success the show garnered on Bebo and the extensive catalogue of travel content it created that deserves a wider audience.”

James Estrin, MD of The Web TV Enterprise, said, “The Web TV Enterprise has brought ‘The Gap Year’ to a whole new audience due to its partnership with The Independent.

“The Endemol series will complement existing online content on The Independent, which includes guidance and advice for students looking to find accommodation, research courses and plan a gap year.

“In my opinion, ‘The Gap Year’ is one of the best examples of how compelling short-form content works best on the web.

The revamp is due to be rolled out in June and will be first time in nine years the chocolate brand has overhauled its packaging.

The new packaging, by Pearlfisher, has been redesigned to reflect the flavour of each varying chocolate, moving away from the predominantly dark brown colours the packaging currently adopts.

The change has come after research conducted by Green & Black’s found that 20 per cent of consumers in the UK believed that the range solely comprised of dark chocolate, when in fact over half of its products are made out of milk chocolate.

Kellie Fernandes, the brand’s global head of marketing, said, “At the moment you could look at the packaging and think it is a dark chocolate range.”

Fernandes described the packaging as ‘recessive’ and told that the new packaging has been designed in a variation of colours to stand out from other brands on the shelf.

In February, Green and Black’s launched a Creamy Milk variant as part of its attempt to attract new customers. The revamp is being supported by an ad campaign created by advertising company, Brave.

The launch of the new chocolate is expected to bring Green & Black’s up against chocolate giants, Cadbury’s and its Dairy Milk and Mars’ Galaxy bar.

So far, the creamy milk variant has sold over 1 million bars; however Green and Black’s regular milk chocolate bar sits at 5 per cent year on year.

Fernandes believes the levelling out of Green and Black’s sales is down to the weakness in the premium chocolate market. “The category is up 5 per cent, but that rise is being driven by the mainstream brands,” she said. “Driving penetration will depend on us speaking to people who don’t know Green and Black’s that well.”

Green and Black’s went through a restructure in January this year, integrating with Cadbury’s UK and Ireland business.

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) claim that every week around 39 pubs are closing down in the UK, while at the same time the government is believed to be planning to increase the tax on beer.

The fall of UK pubs comes during the struggle to make ends meet during the current recession, with consumers spending less in the pubs and more in the supermarkets, purchasing cheaper alcohol in bulk.

This fall has led the BBPA to run the Axe the Beer Campaign, specifically targeting chancellor Alistair Darling’s plans to raise the Budget on April 22nd.

So far, the campaign has seen over 200 MP’s sign a parliamentary motion to scrap the increase in tax.

Wychwood brewery, on the eve of Cask Ale week, launched a protest against Parliament, projecting one of their famous Hobgoblin characters on Big Ben in London.

The Hobgoblin character was posed in the style of Lord Kitchener, in the famous WW1 recruitment poster, accompanied by the phrase, “British beer needs you!”

Stephen Oliver, managing director of Marston’s Beer Company, which owns Wychwood, said, “Cask Beer is one of a few British treasures left. Crafted using British grown ingredients, for thousands of years, it is truly part of our heritage and something we vigilantly need to protect.”

Cask Ale week is a celebration of Britian’s national drink with over 6,000 pubs nationwide, running events to keep the British tradition alive.

Mark Hastings, BBPA director of communications, said, “Beer is our national drink.

“The Government should support national champions, but our Chancellor continues to load punitive tax increases on beer.

“Last year alone he put up tax on a pint by an eye-watering 18 per cent.

“Now he plans to put it up again in the Budget on April 22. The British people don’t want it. It’s time to say enough is enough and stop any further tax increase in this year’s Budget.”

Wychwood Beer are encouraging people to jump on board the campaign by mimicking the Hobgoblin pose and uploading it on their Facebook homepage, ‘British Beer Needs You.’

Opposed to using traditional methods such as cutting a ribbon and having a mass opening ceremony to launch the opening of a new branch in Southampton, the Swedish furniture store has decided to take a more unique approach on the 12th of February.

They have replaces the ribbon cutting and have decided to use Sweden’s tradition of sawing a log in half.  If that’s not enough they will also have a man live inside a glass box on the back of a lorry (similar to something performed by the street magician David Blaine).

David Chambers, a 32 year old Southampton actor will become Andres, a typical Swedish man who will be driven around the town in a glass box full of furniture living the ‘Ikea Lifestyle’.  He will be giving away hundreds of goodies and holding competitions for the general public.

Ikea has already implemented a number of unique and imaginative campaigns to try and prepare the launch of the new store in Southampton, they have used a banner advertising their meatballs in the attempt to drive diners away from their main competition, John Lewis.  They have also painted one of the cross-Solent Red Funnel ferries to match Ikea’s colour scheme.

To entice people to join the opening ceremony Ikea has stated that an undisclosed number of the first people in the queue will receive a surprise gift.  Whilst other mystery sections in the queue will receive an Ikea gift card full of cash or even an Ikea product.

You can expect to see a number of promotions held in store ranging from having huge price reductions to even a wheel of fortune type game.  This will pick random shoppers and give them their order completely free of charge regardless if it’s a small toy or a complete dining room!

Cadburys has become notorious for their TV ads recently attracting some great publicity from their drum playing Gorilla and airport trucks commercials, the next in line is a TV ad will be launched tonight during the final of Celebrity Big Brother on Channel 4. It features two siblings waiting to get their pictures taken. When the photographer is called away due to a ringing phone the siblings break into choreographed dance with their eyebrows.

This minute long commercial has a background soundtrack of the 1980s classic ‘Don’t stop the rock’ by Freestyle.

A partner at Fallon, the company that created the advertisement said that this campaign will spark the imagination and attract conversation offline as well as online.  The idea behind any creative ideas in todays world is to encourage imitation and connection from the public.

The marketing director of Cadbury, Phil Rumbol added a statement saying that the 3rd instalment of their new ad campaigns will definitely live up to the ‘Gorillas and Airport Trucks’ standards in raising some smiles and hopefully some eyebrows!

He also stated that the theme behind this creative remains exactly the same, it suggests that you should just lose yourself, embrace each moment and be happy.  This time round there is just a little hint of mischievousness thrown in. 

Cadburys will be using this ad throughout February in the attempt to sell branded coffee mugs for just £7.99 to the public, people can also visit www.photobox.com and upload a picture of themselves or a friend and include some comedy eyebrows with relation to their new ad campaign.

The most successful pitches and subsequent appointments are those that most closely match how you usually like to work with your agencies. If you invite the incumbent to repitch, make sure that it is because they have a fair chance of winning. Ensure every agency on your list could possibly be appointed, as pitching is extremely costly to the agencies in terms of time and money.

Issue a written brief and give agencies access to all key decision makers. The pitch brief needs to include everything that the agency should cover in its presentation. And if the MD, or other senior board members, are going to be part of the final decision process, make sure the agencies have access to them before the final presentation.

Decide on the type of pitch you are going to have. The traditional ‘show and tell’ of creative work is becoming less relevant. Clients are instead opting for strategic presentations or creative workshops where they can get a feel for the way an agency thinks and what it would be like to work with.

Also have a think about the evaluation criteria you’ll be using during the pitch itself and whether there is any weighting to be considered. For example  does the chairman get the casting vote, or is everyone’s opinion equal?

It can be very disappointing to choose an agency only to discover its fees are too high. Ask the agencies to provide commercial details covering estimated fees, staffing, day rates, studio costs and so on. This will also allow you to compare the agencies against each other prior to the pitch meeting. 

Ultimately, most clients will give their business to the agency with which they feel most comfortable. Ensure the process allows sufficient time for the key personnel to get to know the agency.

And be realistic, the whole process can take two or three months, so ensure the incumbent agency (if there is one) is given an appropriate notice period to allow for handover.

Once you’ve decided on your shortlist and finalised the pitch brief, you should allow around four weeks from briefing the agencies to the final presentations.

It’s also a good idea to have a press release prepared in advance to avoid your story looking reactive and/or defensive. It also gives you the opportunity to put forward your reasons for the review  to highlight a new product launch or a change in strategy, for example.

The process of finding an agency can follow the same basic steps as those you’d go through when buying a house. And whether this is for your practice or on behalf of a client, having the right mindset before you start the search will pay dividends.

Like most business projects, more research at the beginning will lead to a better brief and ultimately deliver the best result. First, decide on the sort of agency you think will suit you in terms of size, location and type. Then start to narrow the search, collating written specifications for those that are available and meet your initial criteria.

Once you’ve looked through these, visit a few of them to see how they feel and whether you could be comfortable there. Finally, get some detail on how they like to work, what they could do for you specifically and how much it will cost you.

For all businesses who want to be taken seriously, good branding should be a priority not an afterthought. Allocating a budget to design at the start will provide a solid foundation for the launch and future marketing of your business – giving you confidence and credibility from day one.

Where should you buy it?

Don’t rush into buying a sign or signwriting a van until you have your branding established and are proud of it! Marketing will be far more enjoyable and less stressful if you allow a good design consultancy to guide you through and help avoid pouring money away producing material that simply does not do you justice. Your initial investment will pay dividends and avoid the pitfalls (and expense) of having artwork produced over and again by different people who have little interest in maintaining brand consistency.

A professional consultancy will ensure you find the correct positioning in the market place – are you selling a premium or budget product? It needs to show. They can identify your unique selling points and say what your customers want to hear – loud and clear! They can make you stand out from the crowd.

Compiling your design brief

A good design consultancy will help you to define your brief and it is important to make sure everyone is clear from the outset what is required. Misunderstandings can be costly and frustrating.

Design Audit

For established businesses who need to re-brand and kick start the business ask for a consultation to examine where you are now with your branding and marketing tools – and advise where you need to be to compete.

One of the wisest investments you will make

New businesses have a lot of expense and other things may seem more important. However, don’t put branding to the back of the queue. Cutting corners will make sales and marketing harder and more costly in the long run. A lot of time and care needs to go into perfecting your image but it is key to building a strong brand with a future.

Jackie Williams,

Creative Director, Primary Graphics.

www.primarygraphics.co.uk

Why a Design Consultancy?

A design project requires a lot more than a graphic designer. Your job needs a team working on it. This team will include someone with the experience to establish a clear brief.

To do this they will spend time with you understanding:

a) the culture of the business

b) your taste and preferred style

c) where the service/product needs to be positioned in the marketplace (is it budget or premium?)

d) who your competitors are and what they are up to

e) your unique selling points

f) your budget

Look for a consultancy that has experienced consultants as well as young, creative talent. (You don’t want them learning the ropes at your expense). Buying design (like print) can be a minefield…but shouldn’t be.

The brief then has to be conveyed clearly to the creative team.

First stop is the copywriter who will determine the basis for the concepts and come up with some inspiring and original headlines to spark off the designers. Brainstorming will follow to establish an original, bespoke idea, which will be presented as several alternative options for you to choose from as initial visuals.

If the consultancy is worth its salt, these initial ideas will contain the one that you warm to immediately and, with perhaps a little tweaking, can be worked up into your desired piece of original artwork.

If it is a print job, the designer will specify the best format, size, materials and finish and the consultancy will then source the best trade printer for the job and the best quote for you out of several suppliers they will have. Design studios attached to printers are not the best option as their work is geared to the machines they have, their limitations and what they want to print. Your consultancy should be independent and impartial where print is concerned to give you the best job for your needs – not to keep their machines busy – and they will be able to shop around for you.

A good design consultancy will have stringent proofing procedures to ensure that all typos and glitches – that can happen where human error and computer gremlins conspire against you – are picked up before a print run of X,000 is produced, and you thought you had checked it all thoroughly.

What to look for….

The website looks flash – but how does the actual work look? Does everything seem to follow one style? You want something bespoke and original – not a tried and tested formula that has been used many times on other clients.

Are there some genuine testimonials from satisfied clients? Get it from the horse’s mouth – it may even be worth contacting some of them to see how happy they were with the service and the results of the work provided.

Design is an industry where many businesses are ‘here today, gone tomorrow’. Opt for one that has a track record in the creative industry and survived in a highly competitive market. Its no good putting your website in the hands of someone who may not be here in a year’s time to look after it for you.

Can you get ideas for nothing?

It is better to spend your time selecting a consultancy that fulfils all the above criteria, briefing them thoroughly and allowing them to provide a selection of ideas than trying to play two or three consultancies off against each other. Why should two of them put all that work in for nothing? – to keep a studio of junior designers busy is probably the answer – and you will spend a lot more of your valuable time trying to plough your way through so many ideas with no real guidance from one reliable and knowledgeable project manager.

If you choose the right design consultancy, buying design will be an enjoyable and rewarding experience, not a wearing, drawn out procedure ending with a compromise that really doesn’t meet your expectations. Marketing and selling are easier with effective tools. Good design gives confidence and credibility and builds solid brands.

Jackie Williams,

Creative Director, Primary Graphics Ltd, full service design consultancy.

www.primarygraphics.co.uk