It’s annual report time again!
We are currently working on annual reports for most of our Australian clients and our focus is, as always about how brand can be infused into the communication to make it valuable and engaging for all stakeholders.
Every year, many organisations are required to produce an annual report. But instead of just going through the motions this is a great opportunity to use your annual report as a powerful brand communication tool.
BP&O is a Branding, Packaging and Opinion blog led by British designer Richard Baird. What can we say – when it comes to brand and packaging design – these guys have exquisite taste.
You can check the review of our brand and packaging design on BP&O here.
You can see all the pics of our new TOM Organic packaging here.
You can check out a bunch of our other packaging design work here.
Pealing yourself of the couch and heading out for a run is not always the easiest thing to do after a hard days work, but the threat of a Zombie invasion is sure to help you on the way to those elusive abs. This innovative game is a total winner, getting you fit and keeping you interested. Read the rest of this entry »
We are proud to launch the new brand identity and packaging for TOM Organic.
The first and only range of feminine hygiene products accredited by the Australian Certified Organic organisation, all TOM products are 100% biodegradable, made entirely from organic cotton and free from chemicals, bleaches and synthetics. Previously only available in selected independent stores, our brand development work has helped TOM secure distribution in national retailers including Woolworths and Chemist Warehouse. The new packaging is on shelves this week. Read the rest of this entry »
Reversing stereotypes through personal brand story telling is how four Kenyan men, Gabriel, Benard, Brian and Derrik turned a simple idea into a viral campaign for charity. After watching Alex Presents Commando they wanted to tell their own story about African stereotypes in Hollywood movies. The video gives us a sneak peak into the lives of the Kenyan men, humanising their world and showing a different Africa, one that is filled with hope, laughter and kindness. It has been produced for Mama Hope who have released a series of personal stories from African nations to raise money for education and much needed community development.
The Kiwi Sceptics is part tourism campaign, part airline campaign and part dig at stubborn Aussies. The premise is to take Australians with unfavorable opinions of New Zealand and trick them into traveling across the ditch to change their minds. It is a lovely case of well executed brand story telling, twisting cliches and misconceptions, all told through the eyes of characters that are easily related to and reflecting stereotypes that are at times scarily honest (for an Aussie). The campaign is by Air New Zealand, but you would be forgiven for mistaking it for a New Zealand tourism piece, which is an interesting platform, leveraging creative brand positioning, Air New Zealand is promoting and supporting their own national identity, their own people and their own culture, which is a lot more than some national carriers some can boast.
In Australia, retailers continue to struggle. A two speed economy and continuing frugality amongst consumers looks like being around for some time into the future. Data released by the Reserve Bank at the beginning of this week indicates that credit and debit card transactions shows the average credit card limit grew only 0.7 % over the past year, the slowest growth on record over the past 17 years. The Age on March 13 also reported Commsec’s Economist Craig James as stating ‘…the new age of consumer conservatism shows no signs of ending. Consumers are likely to maintain their preference for value shopping, keeping the pressure on margins.’
Theo Jansen builds giant, kinetic, wind powered moving animal’s that fall somewhere between the disciplines of Art and Engineering.
The project is 22 years along the animals evolutionary path, each variation is a step closer towards Theo’s final goal, where his animals can survive by themselves on their beach environment. Each reiteration has new survival techniques. Allowing some to turn the other direction when reaching water or the sand dunes. Some have the ability to store energy in plastic bottles and some, to survive a storm by driving a peg into the sand.
Surfing brand Billabong International is moving down stream into retail to better control how its products are sold. An increasing trend amongst the large retail chains is to increase the proportion of merchandise they sell under their own brands. Brands like Billabong can either cop it sweet and sit back and let their share of floor space and sales decline or they can take steps to control their own destiny. It is pleasing to see that Billabong has opted for the latter. Billabong is increasingly seeking to make retail acquisitions as a way of gaining greater control to their route to market. Last year they acquired the California based RVCA brand, the West 49 retail chain in Canada, Surf Dive’n’ Ski and Jetty Surf in Australia. Likewise Billabong is investing to build its online sales, which currently makes up 3% of their revenue.
Happy Birthday kikki.k
One of my all-time, absolute favorite retail brands; kikki.k celebrated their tenth birthday this week. For those unlucky enough to not have a kikki.k store in your city, the brand create truly beautiful stationery with the promise of making the world a well organized and elegant place to live. I got along to the tenth birthday bash on Wednesday night, and as always Kristina and the kikki gang pulled-it-off with typical style and grace.
