Creative Times - Features

Dates Announced for bTWEEN09

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

bTWEEN the UK’s best interactive media forum will take place 10-12 June 2009
Hosted by FACT, Lverpool & MOSI, Manchester

Full details will be revealed over the coming months at bTWEEN.co.uk

b.TWEEN is the future of conferences: an industry gathering with networking, honest peer exchange and business at its core

bTWEEN09 will take the event to it’s fifth year and on offer will be a huge raft of opportunities for indie creatives. Including real commercial briefs from big brands with commercial commissions worth thousands of pounds

Details of the inspirational three day action packed programme designed to break down barriers between speaker and delegate through galleries, presentations, conversations, one to ones, keynotes, pitches with feedback and workshops will also be unveiled very soon
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b.TWEEN is a must-attend event for those who matter in the media industry
re-visit this years sessions here:
http://just-b.com/btween/programme
click on any session title to watch & listen again
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The bTWEEN Mapping Creativity opportunity to win a
£25,000 commission continues:
http://just-b.com/btween/mapping-creativity
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Seed | Share | Sell with the bTWEEN community at bTWEEN.co.uk

Graduates guide to breaking into design

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Are you a newly qualified Graphic designer? Are you struggling to find employment? I bet every design studio is looking for an experienced designer... am I right? Well you're in luck, economic difficulties might mean hard times for most companies, but it's perfect timing for you to create an amazing portfolio and win some clients to help you earn those extra coins as you go. Follow these basic principles on building a commercial portfolio and demonstrate your creative skills and commercial experience, and build yourself a client base in just 2 weeks.

Its a problem that every budding graphic designer has to face. Finding a job is the probably the most challenging task you will face, just getting your foot in the door is difficult enough. All design studios ask the same questions, what experience do you have? show me some real work. Most of the time they can spot a student portfolio a mile off and are really not interested in spending time training new recruits. And in todays economic climate, taking on inexperienced staff is something only very large studios can contemplate.

But have no fear, where theres economic trouble - there is opportunity. In todays business climate, you the fresh graphic designer, straight out of college and living with your folks - full of ambition and drive can sneak right under the noses of the big established businesses and not only create your first 'commercial' portfolio, but also have the opportunity to lay the foundations of your own successful design studio.. Let me explain.

The first thing that most companies do when times are hard is stop spending on advertising, or start demanding more from their creative studios, at the same time they want to pay less. Many of the large studios simply don't bother with such clients and will drop them to concentrate on the more profitable ones. What are crumbs to a big design studio can be a feast for a startup design studio or fresh design graduate.

Its easy, you have all the time and very little expenses, and thats a perfect starting point.

Step One:

All you have to do to start creating your portfolio and building a small client list at the same time, is by taking a drive around your neighbourhood, and find all those existing businesses that have crap logos and brands. Pick 6 companies that you think could REALLY do with a brand overhaul.

Step Two:

Spend a little quality time and redesign these brands as you see fit, create your ultimate logo for these companies - no restrictions, let your imagination roam wild. Develop a set of stationary and maybe a web page layout. Do this for 6 companies and build up your 'real client' portfolio.

Step Three:

When you are happy with your work, make sure its well presented, check and double check for spelling mistakes and then take a wonder over to these businesses and show them what you have done.

Step Four:

Offer the design at a discounted rates, remember you have very little expenses and anything will help, and always ask for a testimonial. Also leave your business card or contact details incase they ever need your discounted design services. Pay these people a regular visit every 2 months in person and I can assure you will win them over as a client over a period of time if not immediately, and at the same time you will have developed a commercial portfolio.

Don't worry if the company rejects your work, the point is that its a real company and you have created a real brand. Just keep your eye out for bad logos and do your environment a creative favour by making it more pleasant :)

Supercharge Your SEO Rankings and Generate Web Traffic

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

A well-constructed SEO campaign will drive customers to your website, but effective SEO is only the beginning. By following the Reach BCS 'Booster Strategy' you can make sure your site gets the highest visibility and give you an opportunity to communicate directly with potential buyers.

a. Blogs. If a blog has regular updates about interesting stuff, it'll draw in loads of visitors. And if it's hosted on the your site, they're naturally going to click around and explore the products and services. So a frequently-updated, well-written, factual blog about your wares could really serve the site well. It would have to be frequently updated, though, or Google will lose interest. And the topics have to be fresh and interesting so that they're not competing with all the other blogs out there.

b. Link Building. One of the best ways to get a Google position boost is to get relevant quality inbound links from well-respected sites. So for Fitness company this could quite easily be achieved by getting gyms, personal trainers, etc to link to the fitness site from their sites, which I'm sure they'd be happy do if they're a happy customer. We do link building with the directory submissions, but a link from a non-directory, relevant site is worth alot more than a directory one. Especially if you're not linking back. Google sees reciprocal links as obvious attempts to boost site positions, whereas one-way links are usually because one company genuinely likes the other.

c. Reviews. Allowing customers to review products is really beneficial for SEO, because it provides a lot of indexable content which is likely to be jam-packed with keywords.

d. Forum Signatures. If you know your stuff; join relevant message boards and provide useful, accurate advice for questions asked on there. And in your forum signature (which is appended to the bottom of every post), include a link back to the site. It's a good way to build up lots of links while remaining completely honest and un-spammy.

e. 'Viral' Material. The best way to get more visitors is to encourage people to share the link naturally. So anything that you conjure up that people would find interesting is worthwhile. Even if it's just tutorials on using your products but presented by someone well known or physically perfect, people will share the link around to their friends and it'll draw in visitors. In the case of a Fitness company A gorgeous women using the equipment to demonstrate correct usage will find an instant audience on sites like You tube.

f. Encourage People to Stay. Install a message board on the site, so that visitors can chat. It'll build up high levels of textual content and give people a reason to re-visit. You could even develop an automatic discussion thread for each news item, so there'll always be something relevant to talk about.

Letter to the Editor

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Dear Editor,

How ironic to read about the [Manchester Evening News outlining its new CityLife website](http://www.creativetimes.co.uk/stories/142) in the same issue of Creative Times (11, Sept-Nov 2008) as a [feature by Luke Bainbridge](http://www.creativetimes.co.uk/articles/29). After Luke Bainbridge resigned as editor in August 2003, the MEN management adopted a far more hands-on approach to the magazine, inflicting on it at the end of that year an editor with little knowledge or understanding of publishing, and even less of the city and what made it tick. I shall not dignify him by naming him.

In the 18 years I was involved with City Life, both when it was run as a workers’ co-operative and under MEN ownership - my name appears in comfortably more issues than that of anybody else - the magazine was authoritative, comprehensive, informed, and provocative. I was forced out in February 2004 by Luke’s replacement, and like much of Manchester, I ceased reading it. Was it authoritative, comprehensive, informed, and provocative under its final editor? The magazine published its final issue in December 2005, which perhaps goes some way to answering my question.

Wearing my hat as the Media and Communications Manager at the Library Theatre Company, I wish the MEN well with its CityLife website; publicity for the city’s creative community is always welcome. MEN Media’s Matt Davies is largely correct to say that “there is a lot going on in the city but so far it hasn’t been reflected in the media available”; how is it that in Bristol, for example, Venue thrives, while in Manchester, there is little but a handful of vacuous glossy ‘lifestyle’ magazines? Is Bristol really a greater creative powerhouse than Manchester?

It is approaching ancient history now, but if Matt’s employers had left City Life in the hands of people who understood it and the market it appealed to, MEN Media might still have had a credible what’s on magazine in its portfolio of publications.

Yours sincerely

Mike Barnett

Bort - A Base Rails Application

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Almost all of the digital work done by Fudge involves the use of Ruby on Rails in some way or another. Those of you that have worked with Ruby on Rails will know that the first steps in creating your application often involve installing and configuring the same items over and over again.

We're working on several community based projects at the moment, all of which depend on a basic set of functionality. For example, we almost always need mechanisms to power systems such as:

* User authentication
* Record pagination
* Error notification

With this in mind, we have put together a base rails app configuration that we have released to the rails community at large. We call it Bort (due to the mild Simpsons obession shared by our development team), and it's aim is to save us, and many others, the time it takes to get your app off the ground.

You can download it from [Github](https://github.com/fudgestudios/bort)

Jim Neath (a developer at Fudge), has put together some more info on his blog:
[jimneath.org](http://jimneath.org/2008/09/09/bort-base-rails-application/)

Feel free to give us feedback through Github. And don't forget, if you think it's good, but doesn't do exactly what you need, you can easily fork the project with your own Github account.

To find out more about us, visit [fudgestudios.com](http://www.fudgestudios.com)

Q&A: Architecture

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100

CREATIVE Times talks to directors of a small, medium and large architectural practice.

![Paula Butterfield](http://media.creativetimes.co.uk/Paula_Butterfield.jpg "Paula Butterfield")

### Paula Butterfield
###Butterfield Architecture

####Tell us about what you do.

I’m an architect, director of Butterfield Architecture. We specialise in architecture and design, often working with existing buildings - either refurbishing, remodelling or extending.

####What is the main source of inspiration for your work?

As we deal with private clients, often working on their homes, it’s the clients or the buildings themselves that often provide the biggest inspiration. International precedent also provides a huge source of inspiration. A lot of time is spent researching and drawing together the best of the ideas.

####What are the advantages and disadvantages of working as an architect in Manchester?

The opportunities in the last 10 years have been significant. Manchester has become visionary rather than reactionary, and that has inspired and stimulated creativity. I think it has also encouraged talent to stay in Manchester.

Compared to London or other European cities, architecturally speaking there are less opportunities to test limits and boundaries - often resulting in projects that are not necessarily at the forefront of architectural excellence, although perceived to be advancing for Manchester.

####Tell us about a project you’re particularly proud of.

We worked with a Preston-based practice on a house extension for David and Brenda Taylor, which recently won Grand Design’s Best Re-designed House of the Year. It featured a cantilevered glass-walled swimming pool, which was both a design and technical challenge. We’re also working on Barton Arcade - updating a significant piece of Manchester’s heritage with a twist.

####What advice would you give to someone starting out in the industry?

I would say get a good grounding, and then decide if you want to work in a field that you are passionate about or one that’s more financially stable. Then, tailor your experience and drive to that end. Too often, architects miss out on opportunities as we’re so engrossed in the now and don’t look to our future.

####What’s next for you?

To consider the current economic climate as an opportunity. More of our potential clients are likely to be high-end luxury homes/country clubs, or renovations and refurbishments for those for whom it makes sense to improve the houses or buildings they already own. For a long time sustainability has been a vogue topic but has now started to become a reality.

W: [www.butterfieldarchitecture.co.uk](http://wwwbutterfieldarchitecture.co.uk)

![Ric Frankland](http://media.creativetimes.co.uk/FKDA.jpg "Ric Frankland")

### Ric Frankland
###FKDA

####Tell us about what you do.
I’m founding director of FKDA. We work on a diverse set of projects; from community buildings, school projects, housing, private residential houses to small scale office developments. I’m also an Associate Lecturer at Manchester School of Architecture.

####What is the main source of inspiration for your work?
We don’t have a single source of inspiration. Our projects reflect an informed and original interpretation of the site, brief and budget. We try to create buildings that employ simplicity and sensitivity. We’d use the word ‘robust’ to describe our buildings; materials, forms and details that are not only resilient to day-to-day use but don’t easily date over time.

####What are the advantages and disadvantages of working as an architect in Manchester?
Since the 1996 bomb and music revolution, city leaders and some bold individuals have played a major part in delivering some extremely innovative and successful projects. In turn, this has inspired the younger architects. It’s raised the bar and created a healthy appetite to be successful.
But, perhaps more importantly than the physical attributes, Manchester has great spirit. It’s progressive, modern, independent, radical and open.

####Tell us about a project you’re particularly proud of.
We’ve just completed the design and development of zero carbon house system. The really exciting part of the project is that it addresses a number of important issues that are often overlooked in house design. It’s not only meeting the Government’s sustainability objectives, it’s also challenging space requirements and affordability, and supporting communities. We’ve actually built a full sized mock-up of the house in Urbis.

####What advice would you give to someone starting out in the industry?
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, but ensure that you always act professionally and diligently. Support design and the profession; understand its values and your importance in the changing construction industry – this will help you provide a good service and deliver better-designed buildings. Oh, and wear black.

####What’s next for you?
Now that we’re almost five years old, clients seem to have more confidence in our ability to deliver larger and more complex schemes, so we’re now preparing a feasibility study for a large college building and a medium size housing development.
We also want to focus on improving our architectural website oube.co.uk, and we’re investigating how we can collaborate more with other creative disciplines.

W: [www.fkda.co.uk](http://www.fkda.co.uk)
W: [www.oube.co.uk](http://www.oube.co.uk)

![Dave McCall](http://media.creativetimes.co.uk/Dave-McCallhead.jpg "Dave McCall")

###Dave McCall
###OMI Architects

####Tell us about what you do.
I am a director of an architectural practice employing around 20 staff.
I balance my time between the day-to-day running of the business and working as an architect on a number of schemes within the office.

####What is the main source of inspiration for your work?
The context is fundamental to us. We take inspiration from architectural heroes such as Le Corbusier, Mies van de Rohe, Alvar Alto, CR Mackintosh, Patkau Architects, David Chipperfield, Tadao Ando, Benson and Forsythe, and James Stirling.

####What are the advantages and disadvantages of working as an architect in Manchester?
A strong Manchester-based architectural community cut its teeth on the warehouse conversions of the early nineties. We now have a confident city (led by an enlightened Council) that celebrates its Victorian heritage, whilst embracing good modern design.
As far as disadvantages go…as a city, it lacks dramatic settings - hills, rivers and parks.

####Tell us about a project you’re particularly proud of.
A housing scheme we designed for the Guinness Trust on Boundary Lane in Hulme. Completed in 1997, it replaced a series of 1970’s deck access concrete blocks and consisted of 175 houses and flats, a couple of local shops and a community centre. It was one of the first residential schemes in the UK to challenge the low-density suburban developments that were prevalent at the time. Terraced building frontages were used to define a series of permeable streets and public squares. We created a recognisable neighbourhood that encouraged a real sense of community and civic pride.
The design principles we adopted at Hulme helped shape Manchester’s approach to dense urban development in the city, and for it we received our first national RIBA Award for Design Excellence.

####What advice would you give to someone starting out in the industry?
Get a business partner you respect and trust, who can share both the burden of setting up a business and the design challenges you will inevitably face. Phil O’Dwyer and I set up back in 1993 and our blend of skills has been fundamental to the architecture we produce and the success of the business we now enjoy.

####What’s next for you?
The range of our work is becoming more diverse as the credit crunch begins to take affect. Our housing work is moving from private to social housing – we’re doing some exciting regeneration schemes in Moston, Rochdale and Oldham. We are also due to complete a major museum in Derbyshire early in 2009.

W: [www.omiarchitects.com](http://www.omiarchitects.com)

Letter to the Editor

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Dear Editor,

Andy Lovatt’s critical piece on the Government’s creative economy strategy was timely and relevant.

As a consultant who worked with one of the groups contributing to the then ‘Creative Economy Programme’, I know that his view that it is largely old hat, lacking big ideas or new money, is commonly held. An early sign that it might not be cutting-edge came during the consultation phase, when it became clear that the DCMS database of ‘creative businesses’ was cobbled together from an incomplete ten-year old Yellow Pages list.

However, there are elements of the Creative Britain vision that the North West should run with, because they represent areas in which the region, and Manchester in particular, has a head start.

Take the picture of a Britain where in “10 years time the local economies in our biggest cities are driven by creativity”. Arguably, this is something that is already coming to fruition in areas of Manchester. Visit Islington Mill Studios; home to over 50 homespun, but often internationally-focussed creative businesses; or speak to some of the companies in the Northern Quarter and you’ll see what a thriving local creative economy with serious global ambitions (and success) looks and feels like.

With MediaCity:UK firmly moved from drawing board to hard-hat stage, Manchester is already leading the way in another core aspect of the vision, “that the creative industries move from the margins into the mainstream”. No other UK city gets close to such a significant and obvious statement of intent around the centrality of the creative industries to its wider economic prosperity.

So while I would agree wholeheartedly with Lovatt that Creative Britain as policy is lacking, from a North West perspective the opportunities contained in its vision should be looked at seriously.

Andrew Erskine
Senior Associate
Tom Fleming Creative Consultancy
E:

Here It Comes, and So It Goes: The Fall and Rise of Manchester Music

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100

#### It’s been a long time since Factory Records dominated the UK independent scene, but undoubtedly Manchester remains a great place to set up a record label as Luke Bainbridge writes…####

**illustrations:** [Mark Brown Studio](http://www.creativetimes.co.uk/directory/profiles/20876)

We built this city on rock’n’roll and football.

Well, we built this city on rock’n’roll and football, and the industrial revolution, the cotton industry, the world’s first stored-programme computer, the biggest student population in Europe, oh, and Betty’s hotpot.

But mostly, in the last 40 years, we built this city on rock’n’roll and football. Nothing has defined the city more than the style and success of Manchester United and Manchester music.

Our dear departed Tony Wilson, the godfather of Manchester music, believed in the city and its music more than he believed in himself. Almost.

He once explained to me, passionately, and at length (did he have any other way?), how, “The idea of the city as an attractive vibrant place to be, begins with rock’n’roll.”

How could you live in a shit-hole, he argued, if when it came to rock’n’roll, something you held so close to your heart, your city was more important than Tokyo, Berlin and Paris. You couldn’t.

Although (original) modern-day Manchester may not be home to a record label that has the profile that Factory once had, scratch the surface and there’s a plethora of independents that have picked up the baton and are carrying it forth for a new generation. The times may be a changin’, for both the music industry and Manchester, but the city remains a unique location to start an independent record label.

This is, lest we forget, the city that spawned what was arguably the first independent record – Spiral Scratch by The Buzzcocks. While the Sex Pistols were busy signing to a major – anarchists indeed – it was Howard Devoto and Pete Shelley who, in the true DIY punk spirit, recorded and released their own EP. With that single gesture they showed a generation that if they could do it, anybody could. And they did.
One of the true legacies of Factory was the network that established in its wake. When Factory signed a band, not only were the band members from Manchester but most likely their manager, road crew, sleeve designers, merchandisers and PR agent (and, certainly, their drug dealers). Everyone in Manchester seemed to know someone who did something in the music industry, and this, coupled with Factory’s ethos, gave young Mancs a belief that they too could forge their own way. That they could either get a shit job they hated, or invent their own.

>While the majors may face tough times ahead, in some ways, there’s never been a better time to be in music in Manchester.

Dave Cooper has been embedded in the local music scene for the last two decades. From a base in the Northern Quarter, he now runs his own PR company and record label, In House and Melodic respectively, whilst managing the European arm of several American labels. While the majors may be forced into a radical rethink of their outdated business model and face tough times ahead, but in some ways, argues Cooper, there’s never been a better time to be in music in Manchester.

“I think it’s easier to run your own label now than it was 10 years ago due to rise of the internet,” he says, “Simply having a website where people can see all your previous releases and order them makes a big difference. In the past small labels would print up a few hundred copies of a single and have to sell almost all of them to break even, digital-only releases mean small labels can make their whole back catalogue available.”

“We’ve been around for a while now, we had our 50th release last year,” adds Cooper, “and once you’ve got an established catalogue and just a few hundred sales in different territories, it makes a difference. I’m astounded at the people I meet or get in touch with from different parts of the world that know the label and have got some of the releases. It’s a shame that Twisted Nerve and Grand Central couldn’t have lasted a bit longer, as I’m sure they would have started to really reap the benefits. For instance, the Working for a Nuclear Free City album got a good review in Pitchfork and off the back of that they’ve picked up two car adverts – one for Chevrolet and one for Jaguar.”

In the late nineties, Andy Votel and Badly Drawn Boy’s Twisted Nerve was the coolest independent record label in Britain, if not the world. Although that was never the plan. “Twisted Nerve wasn’t even meant to be a record label,” reflects Votel, “It was just something to do on a wet weekend and it became this fully functioning label.”

Votel now runs a new label, Finders Keepers, and sees the lack of a single dominant label in Manchester now as part of the creative cycle. In fact, to Votel, it’s a sign that the city is going through a more creative stage.

‘‘I think Manchester is only on its creative up when the chips are down. When Manchester was at what some people might call its peak, you would ask people who their favourite band was and they would all give the same answer – ‘The Stone Roses’, or whoever. But now, you ask someone and everyone will give a different answer.”

Votel sees Manchester’s distance from the industry’s London epicentre as a positive: “You’re far enough away from the prying eyes of the music industry, not to have to subscribe to how they want you to behave and act.”

Does he think it’s got easier or harder to run a label from the city? “Global communications have made it less important where you are based, and obviously Manchester has some obvious benefits, like cheaper rent, but I would never say it was easy. It’s a risky business to be in, especially when you’ve got two kids.”

One of the big local successes of the last few years has been Blueprint Studios, launched in 2002 by Tim Thomas, Gary Hadfield and Ian Stewart. “It was obvious to us that Manchester no longer had a world class recording studio like Strawberry Studios,” explains Tim. “So even Manchester bands like Elbow, Doves and Damon [Gough] had no choice but to leave the city to record.”

Six years on, Blueprint have scored their first gold disc, courtesy of Elbow, with another on the way, and the studio has seen the likes of 50 Cent and Timberlake pass through the doors. Although the local network is important to him, he urges people to think beyond the M60. “It’s easy to be a big fish in a small pond, but it’s taking it to the next level that is tricky. I’ve got our sights on being renowned internationally not just nationally.”

>It’s clear there’s still a real benefit to be gained from being based in a place that combines a strong musical heritage with a solid music network.

Not every label in Manchester feels the benefit of the existing network, for some it feels like a clique that can be hard to break into. Ruth Daniel, Director of Fat Northerner Records, initially felt the Manchester music scene was a bit of a closed shop. “AIM (Association of Independent Music) run these nights in London called ‘Beer & Chips’ which are a chance for people from independent labels to get together, have a drink and chat about what they’re doing,” explains Daniel. “We tried to do a similar thing in Manchester when we first started and people didn’t seem interested.”

Thankfully, the mood seems to have changed in the last five years as a new breed of labels like Akoustik Anarkhy and High Voltage have begun to make their mark, championing the next generation of Manchester bands like Cats in Paris and The Maple State. Ruth Daniel is now organising a new event called Un-convention, which will take place in October, purely aimed at independent record labels in the north, and the new challenges they face.

Although the rise of internet and online culture means that new labels can be based almost anywhere, talking to different record labels in the city it’s clear that there is still a real benefit to be gained from being based in a place that combines a strong musical heritage with a solid music network. Which is one of the advantages Manchester has over, say, Sheffield and Liverpool. As Steve Beckett of Sheffield’s Warp records, said of Manchester: “There’s a small industry there. There are only one or two independents based in Sheffield, if we had been based in Manchester perhaps we wouldn’t have had to move to London.”

And, though Manchester remains a great place to start a record label, it still requires fierce determination and hard work. As Bernard Sumner once said: ‘You don’t get a town like this for nothing’.

Luke Bainbridge is Associate Editor of Observer Music Monthly.

On Equal Terms?

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100

With Black Arts Alliance and Queer Up North facing drastic funding cuts, it’s timely to consider how inclusive the arts really are. In this exclusive article for CREATIVE Times, Charles Lauder reasons that a lack of diversity within cultural leadership is threatening true equality in the sector.

Pray silence while we await the backlash. And backlash there will be; however diplomatically expressed or logically argued. In June, Harriet Harman introduced a white paper that proposes preferential selection of female or black candidates for a post – if they are as suitable for the position as a white male applicant. Those long involved with equality and diversity will be holding their collective breath in anticipation of the massed ranks of the reactionary regrouping and pressing the case for the status quo ...or at least a more judicious tinkering at the edges.

The plea will be for meritocracy to reign; that the ‘best person for the job’ should always be the standard. There will be references to the USA, where many states have reversed their previous commitment to what is called ‘affirmative action’. And there will no doubt be ‘case studies’ to illustrate that the poor working class white man is now actually the most deprived and marginalised.

Some context might be useful.

The Equal Pay Act was introduced in 1970. Yet, according to the Office of National Statistics annual pay survey in 2007, women in full-time work earned on average 17% less than their male counterparts. At director level that gap was even wider at 26%, whilst for part-time work the difference was a staggering 35%. In 2000, the Race Relations Amendment Act placed general and specific duties on public bodies that included the elimination of unlawful discrimination. Yet, in October 2007 just as the newly-formed Equality and Human Rights Commission was coming into being, the Employment Tribunal Service announced an increase in the number of discrimination cases. Racial discrimination cases had increased by 24% in the previous 12 months, sexual discrimination cases by 22%.

>So, there is training aplenty and laws in place, with more to come. It would, of course, be helpful if, as a basic minimum, compliance with the law could be achieved.

Back in February, Lenny Henry addressed the Royal Television Society decrying the lack of diversity in the media industry. Then, in May, Bonnie Greer took to the pages of the Guardian. In an article titled White Stages Greer questioned the lack of black and other ethnic minorities in positions of influence in the theatre:

“We do have our place, of course: in the annual report complete with photos; or in Black History Month; or the face wheeled out for meeting and greeting at fundraisers. Things have definitely gone backwards.’A few days later David Harewood took up the refrain, listing a veritable ‘who’s who’ of UK black actors who have had to go to the United States to find quality parts in movies or top television shows.

‘Bonnie asks: “Why are there not more black directors in British theatre?” I would add to that: why are there not more black British film roles or leading television characters? Somehow we seem to have been airbrushed out of existence, out of history.’

Innumerable research studies and reports on the subject over the last twenty years indicate little by way of change. Hardly surprising then that one of the most recent, the Ofcom Communications Market Special Report on ethnic minority groups and communications services (June 2007) reported that:

“Ethnic Minority Groups (EMGs) watch less television overall and less PSB (Public Service Broadcasting) programming in particular”.

And it’s not only television. Donald Brown is a sculptor, born in Dudley in the West Midlands, whose work graces the homes of General Colin Powell, Tiger Woods, Wynton Marsalis and many others. Now based in the USA, his work is gaining international acclaim. However, asked how his career would have progressed had he stayed in the UK his reply is frank and succinct: it would never have happened.

Yet the Skillset Employment Census 2006 indicates 7.4% of the television workforce are from the ethnic minority communities – which compares favourably with a 7% representation in the overall working-age population. And research for Creative and Cultural Skills recently published in the document ‘Access All Areas’ shows 5% representation across creative and cultural industries sector as a whole. Of course, more detailed analysis of those figures reveal the ‘snow capped mountains’ phenomenon that goes to the heart of the question about who occupies positions of influence. Research for the CCS Blueprint for England found that even now:

“Job recruitment in some industries is based on who you know rather than what you know.”

There are, of course, some successes worth celebrating. Queer up North and Manchester Pride have now developed to star status in the Manchester creative and cultural firmament. Artistic and creative work exploring or dealing with sexuality are part of the programme at venues such as the Cornerhouse, Contact and greenroom for example. Contact’s Young Creative Leaders programme, which features young people in the decision-making process as well as being advocates for the organisation is fast gaining national recognition.

That same CSS Blueprint - The Sector Skills Agreement for the Creative and Cultural Industries – has generated a plethora of training programmes and identified diversity and equality as one of the core challenges.

>The business case for diversity and equality needs to be made more forcefully and be better understood.

“It is essential that the Diversity and Equalities agenda is embedded in all programmes, for example recruitment to Creative Apprenticeships. In addition, to promote the business case and value of a diverse workforce and there will be an online resource, hosted by Creative Choices.”

However, when the aspiration is for improvement, there is a natural tendency to accept without fanfare what is good while focusing on how to make better what is not so good. So it is with members of the excluded or marginalised communities of black, disabled, gay and lesbian and young people.

So there is, or will be, training aplenty and the requisite laws are in place, with more to come. It would, of course, be helpful, if as a basic minimum, compliance with the law could be achieved.

What else can and should be done? Let’s return to where we began. We must be prepared with arguments and strategies robustly to rebut the backlash. The business case for diversity and equality needs to be made more forcefully and be better understood.

Rather like the language of youth, diversity and equality terminology is continually changing. In the area of race, for example, black becomes BME (Black and Minority Ethnic) and now BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) or even BARM (Black and Racial Minority). Aware that the appetite for diversity and equality is small, the attention span of those who need to engage short; there is a tendency constantly to change in order to remain relevant. Whilst there may be good logical arguments for these variations, the fact is they can add to obfuscation as well as increase people’s ‘fear of getting it wrong’. There is a need for clarity in communication.

>Black people, disabled people, gay and lesbian people, young and older people need to be among the hosts at the decision-making tables rather than occasional specially invited guests.

The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 requires public bodies publishing a Disability Equality Scheme [DES] to involve disabled people in the creation of that scheme. A similar commitment to involvement should be set as the standard across all the different equality strands across the cultural sector. Black people, disabled people, gay and lesbian people, young and older people need to be among the hosts at the decision-making tables rather than occasional specially invited guests.

One of the measures of success detailed in the CCS Blueprint is that:
“Employer and individual participation in key Creative & Cultural Skills programmes contributes to increasing the ethnic and social diversity of the creative and cultural workforce.”

This should have more bite. Providing concrete evidence of this achievement should be a prerequisite for any organisation seeking or wishing to continue receiving public sector funds.

When has the position of a chief executive officer, director or senior manager been under threat if they did not deliver diversity and equality objectives? Diversity and equality should be an integral part of the performance review of all personnel, especially those in senior management roles.

And isn’t it ironic that at the same time that this article is commissioned as part of a raised awareness, the existence of BAA [Black Arts Alliance] is under threat after 23 years? Through its ‘Acts of Achievement’, BAA has been hugely instrumental in mainstream venues engaging with artists and events to celebrate Black History Month. If there are genuine reasons for disinvesting in BAA – where is the debate? What consultation has there been and how much of it was with black artists or the wider black community?

We are where we are primarily because of a failure of process and a lack of diverse leadership within individual organisations and collectively across the sector.

Charles Lauder is Director of Talawa Consulting.

W: [www.talawaconsulting.com](http://www.talawaconsulting.com)

Try something new today

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Innovation isn’t just about wowing your client with the latest technology. Emma Unsworth goes along to the b.TWEEN 08 conference and CIDS’ very own innovation event to investigate.

Innovation. It’s a word so frequently used that it’s almost, well, not a very innovative thing to say any more. In the modern world, we often associate it with technology, but in its broadest sense ‘innovation’ can be defined as ‘new ways of doing things’ – which, as any artist, thinker, or businessperson knows, is the only way to move forward.

So how can businesses add a touch of adventure to their ventures and, given that innovation can occur in many places – not just where you might expect it (and certainly not just at a computer) – where can we find some ‘hidden’ forms of innovation in practice?

As Managing Director of Preston-based 3D image and animation design company Realtime:UK, Tony Prosser encounters cutting-edge software on a daily basis. Yet, unexpectedly, this isn’t where he finds his most inspiring and lucrative sources of innovation. As he explained recently at the innovation-focused event hosted by CIDS, his world-class clients seem far more impressed when he finds new ways of improving their relationship than when he simply wows them with the latest trends in fast-moving pixels.

>You always need to learn new things – otherwise you’ll stay still and people will overtake you.

“You soon realise the service goes beyond the work,” says Tony, who started the company from his student bedroom 12 years ago and now counts Disney and Audi among his supersized customers. “It’s how you communicate with the client, especially when there are the inevitable problems and issues. You have to understand your client and carefully manage that relationship.”

But while this ‘relationship management’ is at work, there has to be the quality product to back it up. So, how does Tony justify his more touchy-feely priorities and ensure that Realtime:UK can still come up with the goods – especially when there is currently what Tony himself describes as a ‘worldwide skills shortage’ in the industry?

“It’s difficult to find people with niche production skills, so we’re addressing this by growing our own,” he explains. “We employ people who have a spark of the right core skills and ‘buddy’ them up with someone with more advanced skills. It’s a very ambient, organic way to work.”

Tony also employs innovative ways of improving the skills of existing staff.

“We can’t always set aside specific time to keep up-to-speed,” he admits, “but you always need to learn new things – otherwise you’ll stay still and people will overtake you.”

‘Hidden innovation’ in the extreme, then. Wise words from a man who at the age of 23 had the vision to turn down work lacking an impressive end product (even though his fledgling company desperately needed the cash) in order to create a purely top class portfolio and generate more high-end work.

Attracting the right sort of customer is central to business – even when that customer literally could be anyone. Brian Greasley, MD of the MediaCity:UK development at Salford Quays, explains how flexibility has been a key factor in his plans.

“MediaCity:UK will fundamentally change the way the media works,” Brian told delegates at this year’s b.TWEEN conference in Manchester. “However, this isn’t all about just installing state-of-the-art technology and computer capabilities.”

Convergence is also a big theme for MediaCity:UK, and a buzzword for business in general at the moment.

>A lot of it boils down to finding new ways of reaching out to people

“A lot of things, like the internet, are in their infancy and changing at a rapid pace,” says Brian.

Again, the opportunities for innovation within this rapidly changing climate can often be found – rather unexpectedly – in new ways of approaching good old-fashioned relationships with people.

Also speaking at b.TWEEN 08, James Kirkham, Managing Director of digital strategy agency Holler, laid bare the plans for a new cross-platform project, The Insiders, a TV show based on the blogs of six working people, aimed at a teenage audience and broadcast via the internet and Channel 4.

“A lot of it boils down to finding new ways of reaching out to people – whether these are colleagues, customers, or viewers,” says James. “Technology is just a facilitator. It’s more about getting people involved.”

The Insiders will engage teenagers with a slowly unfolding story and opportunities for interactivity online. In this way it’s classed as a ‘360’ product (i.e. accessible from all angles – broadcast, online etc) and Holler, as a reputable indie on the UK scene, will be able to present it as a case study to attract other heavyweight, pioneering clients in the future. James, like Tony Prosser, is keen to point out that the right kind of work is crucial when it comes to determining the future of your company.

“Don’t be afraid to say no to collaborators,” he says of the current
cross-platform trend. “Retain a sense of choice and knowledge. Just because it’s a cross-platform project, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will be any good – there are a bunch of duff ideas kicking about!”

Similarly, Jon Jordan, speaking after Tony Prosser, agrees that sometimes there’s innovation to be found in creating barriers, or at least working within them.

“All the technology in the video games industry can be seen as a hindrance to free thinking,” says Jon, who edits the Technology section of Develop Magazine. “The fact you can never immediately realise an idea, and that the big companies jump straight in, stands to stifle creativity. But sometimes such restraints can be a good thing, as they force the imagination to work in new ways.”

So however small or new your business, there’s plenty of scope for progress. If you need a hand developing specific ideas, NWDA-funded innovation service, Knowledge to Innovate is available free of charge to all types of businesses in the North West. By matching their know-how with your needs, they’ll create a tailor-made innovation programme for your business. Go forth and prosper!

W: [www.k2i.org.uk](http://www.k2i.org.uk)(Knowledge to Innovate)
W: [www.just-b.com/btween](http://www.just-b.com)
W: [www.realtimeuk.com](http://www.realtimeuk.com)

To access full audio and video content from the CIDS innovation event go to:

W: [www.creativetimes.co.uk/multimedia](http://www.creativetimes.co.uk/multimedia)

Getting Engaged: a guide on how to create a lasting relationship between your brand and your customers

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Stage 1 – The First Encounter

Picture the scene: you meet someone for the first time; in fact, it’s a first date. You’re understandably nervous. There are awkward silences. You ask questions with trepidation and are uncertain about how to approach them.

It’s the same when a customer encounters a brand for the first time. This is why customer engagement is so important. The future success of your brand marketing is dependent on you getting as close as you can to your customers.

But engagement doesn’t happen overnight: you need to act on what you hear, be brave, and be prepared to modify, perhaps even completely change, your marketing strategy to accommodate what your customers want.

Stage 2 – Getting Together

Once you’ve made that initial contact it’s about courting them and learning new information about them gradually. Finding out what you have in common and developing a growing understanding of them is crucial. Do you phone straight away or will that make you seem too eager?

To begin with take things slowly. Your customers are individuals and different audiences lend themselves to different channels. Asking them for too much information (after limited or no previous contact) will scare them off. A good start is to aim to find out their name and email address along with an agreement that it’s OK to contact them again.

The good thing is that in terms of brand communication you have an embarrassment of riches from which to choose. The proliferation of online advertising has opened up many new opportunities for you to communicate with your audience: social networking sites, microsites, blogs. These can work alongside the more traditional avenues such as direct marketing campaigns and other promotional offline tools.

Stage 3 – The ‘Rough Patch’

As the relationship progresses it can become a little stale. They’re tired of the same old jokes you tell. You feel like they’re looking at other people. You may take each other for granted. They might not be who you thought they were. It’s common. It takes an open and honest relationship to get through it.

In terms of customer engagement this is called a perception gap. How do you rectify this? What attracts a first time buyer is often quite different from what it takes to turn that prospect into a fully engaged customer. You have to remember that each of your customers is at a different stage of their relationship with you. To successfully acquire and retain customers you must understand their desire to engage with your brand and capture it through the information you have gathered about them.

But don’t alienate your existing customers by concentrating on the new ones. Many brands make this mistake despite the fact that it’s a lot more cost effective to retain an existing customer than it is to acquire a new one. It is a much better idea to engage more deeply with these existing customers and turn them into brand ambassadors. Reinforcing the original brand promise by continuing to ask them what they want and tailoring this promise will result in loyal and long-lasting relationships.

Stage 4 – An Enduring Relationship

To create an enduring relationship you have to listen to each other. Relationships aren’t static, they continue to change everyday. But by talking to each other and listening to each others’ needs then you will have more chance of making it succeed.

The fundamental change in modern marketing is that you now need to provide personalised conversations that engage your audience and provide them with real value.

By creating a call to action that will help acquire customer information your advertising will become more client focussed. The goal is then to translate these insights into something tangible, tailoring your advertising towards something which is relevant to them.

And you never know: the better a consumer feels toward a brand, the more loyal they will be, and you might get them to make the ultimate commitment: committing to your brand for the rest of their lives.

Lindsey Moore, Client Services Manager and Couples’ Counsellor

www.liquidsolution.co.uk

Manchester Congestion Charge - Can we overcome self-interest to understand what’s best for Manchester?

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100

One of the key topics of conversation in Manchester these days seems to be the issue of the congestion charge.

There are many arguments which address the issue of whether or not it's a good idea to levy this extra charge in order to gain a much improved public transport system.

The problem in Manchester is that any balanced debate is being overwhelmed by the noise and kerfuffle being generated by the two main lobbying groups "Manchester Momentum" and "United City". These two groups are so driven by self interest that it becomes almost impossible to see beyond the hype.

Manchester Momentum stands against the charge and is backed by Peel Holdings who own most of Trafford Park. Trafford Park as many of you who live around Manchester will know is one large haulage and distribution centre and sits within the congestion charging zone. You might wonder what impact the congestion charge will have on land prices in the area. Could it be that the lorry owners would consider moving their warehouses outside the charging zone driving down property values?

On the other hand, United City is backed by many of the city centre property developers. They like the idea of the charge because it could inflate property values in the city centre. From a commercial perspective, the city has such a critical mass it's unlikly that the office market will be adversely affected. However, at the moment there's a lot of empty domestic property in Manchester city centre which is rapidly going down in value. When/If the charge is instigated there will be a big advantage to living in the city, as you won't need to pay the "commuter levy".

I'm not certain if the charge is a good or a bad thing, I can see real benefits in having a much improved public transport infrastructure but I don't know if the proposed charges are the best way of funding it. Manchester is such a great city though that's been created by taking big steps when needed, I don't think we should be frightened of change we should just realise it's implications and be able to make an informed decision.

I-COM recently moved into the city from the suburbs, and all we can say is that as a place to practise SEO Manchester is fantastic.

The one thing I am certain of is that we're unlikely to get an impartial view from either of the lobbying groups. The only place to go to get unbiased information so that you can make up your own mind is the Greater Manchester Future Transport site.

To read more articles like this visit our blog Searched-Designed-Developed.

Top Tips to promote your brand

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

1. Do Your Research Find out what your competition is offering and how they are promoting their brand. Search on Google and find informative articles about your industry and gather ideas, concepts and websites that you feel deliver the message effectively. The idea is to keep this journal of information constantly updated and refer back to it regularly, and don’t be afraid to call the companies in question and ask them how effective their branding is.

2. Find a Reliable Partner
Find a reliable studio that has experience in developing brands. This is likely to be a long-term business partnership, so choose carefully. Bear in mind that branding in today’s day and age is very different to the pre-internet days. Now your logo and business identity has to work across a wide range of media, from print to interactive applications, and at a variety of sizes. Be sure your agency has experience in a wide range of creative disciplines, especially print and web. (Okay, it’s a shameless plug but it’s my article. So there.)

3. Be Bold
Be proactive on your brand promotion. Use whatever means you have available: word of mouth, newsletters, emails, leaflets, ads, gimmicks, press, the web, affiliates, resellers, networks, etc, etc, etc. Never stop in your pursuit to find avenues to promote your business. As the world famous marketer and showman P.T Barnum said - Without promotion something terrible happens... Nothing!

4. Be Consistent
If you have developed a brand - keep the message and ethos consistent across printed material and on your website. As customers interact with your promotional material, they must be able to instantly recognize your brand should they come across your website, or miss-spell the domain name and accidently land on your competition's page. The customer must be able to recognize, in an instant, when they are at the right or wrong site.

5. The Power of The Internet
How things have changed with the Internet! We absolutely love it - all the information in the world at your fingertips in an instant. As great as the web is, it’s becoming a crowded place and the public expect information faster, and to get to what they want easier. A good website is just the starting point - the need to get to the top of the search engines for your industry is what every business aims for. It’s the grand prize that all search engine specialists offer, but be warned - there’s a right and wrong way to go about this and you could be wasting a lot of money for short-term results. Don’t be duped by slick sales people offering instant online results, they don’t exist. It’s a steady and meticulous process that requires time and patience, but the sooner you get started, the better your chances of getting seen by your customers. There are two avenues when approaching the search engines. There's generic Search Engine Optimisation and Pay Per Click, both work and both require a considered approach, and ask your supplier for evidence of their effectiveness and then double-check for yourself that what they say is true. Needless to say, we build our sites to be as search engine friendly as possible.

6. Web Address
If you haven’t got a web address - It's worth spending the time to find a good domain name, preferably containing your business name and kept as short and memorable as possible. Although it’s not vital, it is worth finding a domain name with both the .com and .co.uk extensions available. The last thing you want it someone else registering the other extension and stealing your thunder, it happens. Make sure that you put your web address on all of your promotional literature. Whenever and wherever you promote your company, be sure to promote your web address too.

7. Printed Literature
We don’t care how cost effective it is, getting cheap or even free business cards from some web printer is not a good idea. They look cheap or free and your competition has just had some 400g, matt laminated, embossed business cards made. Printing has come a very long way in recent years and high quality, full-colour printing is readily available at very reasonable prices. Although nothing is quite like Litho printed literature, digital printing is catching up very quickly and is ideal for a short print run. Don’t be afraid to try various print finishes such as embossing, spot varnish, block foil, cutting forms or experimenting with different types of papers. Your design studio and printer will be able to show you lots of examples of quality printed literature and it’s always worth spending a few extra pounds on good business stationary, as it makes the world of difference.

8. Interaction
Don’t forget your existing customers. If you have some new service or products – let them know, and ask them to let other people know. This can be done through effective email marketing – so long as you’re not annoying your customers with too-frequent email offers, a short monthly email will usually be read and will keep your customer base informed of business developments.

9. The Customer is King
Once you have a customer, treat them like royalty. Your hard work has paid off and you have a return on your investment - It's a lot more cost-effective to get business from existing customers than constantly finding new ones! Encourage repeat business and ask for referrals and testimonials on completion of successful trades. A happy customer will tell his friends and make recommendations on your behalf, so treat them well and resolve any outstanding issues should they arise.

10. Feedback
Always ask for feedback. Use the completion of your trade as an ideal opportunity to learn about and improve your business and brand. Ask them about their shopping experience, how the website looked, what they liked about your branding, how they found you and what made them go with you in particular. Was it the price, availability, or something else? Effective feedback will ensure you have the information required to adjust and develop your brand to meet your customers' requirements.

www.ReachBCS.com

Inside the ATTIK

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Unlike many designers who I have met over the years, I don't profess to have been overly influenced by any record sleeves or any particular individual designer or fashion movement, I am very sad in the sense that I grew up spinning on my head, watching kung fu movies and trying to master the 1/4 inch punch, whilst evading the Master of the Flying Slipper - aka Mum and her side kick, the Master of Flying Spray Can, my brother Zulf Ali.

I managed to get through Uni without touching a Mac, it was all about omnicroms and colour copying and omnicromining on to colour copies back then. My first mac was a second-hand Performa and like any kung fu kid, my first task was to open it up and see what was inside, lots of dust!

Coming into the creative industry in the mid 90's I found Neville Brody and David Carsons creative style particularly attractive, but for me it was a wallpaper covered design book that became my reference book for all matters relating to life, a book called Noise 2; that would over the next 12 years influence an intricate career path and plonk me in front of the creative legend James Sommerville!

As a designer and founder of a design studio myself, Attiks influence has been pivotal. I was obsessed to work for them and in between career jumps I came very close. After submitting a rather comical letter of application I was asked to come for an interview, which resulted in several sleepless nights and a very nervous entrance to the then Huddersfield HQ. I kept my composure, had a laugh and joke with the team and got shown around, but alas there was no job.They just wanted to meet the author of the letter (I had threatened to kidnap their creative director if they didn’t interview me), I left on high with half a dozen ATTIK posters under my arm – Jackpot!

At my various jobs I progressed from junior designer, to designer, to senior designer to studio manager to Creative Director, always taking influence from the design stars and keeping a very close eye on Attiks development, and much like the rest of us felt a little let down with Noise 4. It wasn’t until 2 years ago when I started my own studio Reach BCS; that full gravity of Attiks achievements hit home. Their scale and success now seemed more impressive, so with renewed focus and armed with a positive attitude I forged ahead with my then business partner Robert Hand. Together we grew from a duo to a team of 26 in 24 months and then it all turned Pete Tong. My beloved Reach, my dream was becoming a fast food studio, get em’ in and out, we’ve got bills to pay, wages to pay, we haven’t got time to spend on this project, that client is full of sh*t etc - it was at this point I had a light go on in my head, since I’ve modeled my creative aspirations on the Attik - they must have faced these problems? maybe they can help?

I did a bit of research and found a video on the CIDS site of James Sommerville giving a talk about their ups and downs, he looked approachable enough. So I wrote my tale and as before I mailed it in. To my surprise I got a reply from Hilary, telling me James was travelling the world and wasn’t available for 6 months, well I certainly wasn’t going anywhere so I thanked Hilary for her reply and explained as passionately as possible that I was willing to wait, willing to travel, willing to fly to meet James anywhere, anytime, anyhow... It was obviously my lucky day, Hilary took pity on me and scheduled me in to meet James in 8 weeks time.

As you can imagine I was very excited about this meeting - it felt like a designers pilgrimage. I went about my business gathering my thoughts, thinking of uber cool designery type questions to ask James, and then the day arrived.

I turned up at the Leeds HQ and I couldn’t believe I was about to meet the MAN, I was actually sat in the Attik offices again (and they are cool offices) thumbing through the Creative Review, going over my questions in my head. I was told James was running late and he would be with me soon enough, I was totally lapping up the atmosphere and enjoying the anticipation.

Anyway I was summoned to the board room, 3 flights of stairs in to a bright office with beautiful red walls and ornate frames featuring choice pieces of artwork. Enter James Sommerville – he’s taller than I thought! Firm handshake and very pleasant. Flippin eck’ he’s not a one of those shirty business types at all! I had to actually apologies to James because I couldn’t stop grinning amd must have looked scary. So down to business, I thanked James for taking the time to meet me and explained how much of an influence the Attik had been in my career, and how much of big deal this day was for me. I forgot my questions and began by sharing my business challenges and aspirations. James patiently listened and openly shared his advice in relation to the problems the Attik had faced at various stages of its business life, issues with staff, relocation, expansion, clients, competition, new business - and funnily enough it mirrored much of what I was going through, only I was going through it all at once. Much of what he discussed was on the video on the CIDS website, only I had the opportunity to ask more detailed questions.

What was scheduled as a 30 minute meeting turned into a 90 minute one-on-one mentoring session with James and his insights and experience absolutely bowled me over. I had overlooked the simplest things and in my ignorance was letting 'my' business slip away - another light blub flickered in my head! James' advice helped me understand the gravity of what I had infront of me, what I had accomplished in a very short time, and through sharing his own experiences I began to see a clear way through my challenges. It was a powerful moment of realization. Well my time was up, we both had businesses to run and I had some serious soul searching to do, I had finally come full circle with the Attik and this time left the Attik studios, with a fresh sense of purpose!

After some very blunt discussion with my family, I had come to a major decision - me and my business partner of 2 years had to part ways. If I was to salvage my sanity and continue to develop as an entrepreneur I had to return back to my roots, quality over quantity, a creative work environment, a place of energy, focus and action. Going in to business and growing at a rapid pace had taken its piece my creative soul and I was going to get it back. Rapid growth felt very glamorous when I was in the mix cruising in my Range Rover Sport, but it takes alot of nerve and experience to manage that level of growth, workflow, finances and cashflow. Experience I didn’t have and yet we managed to keep stumbling forward, somehow making the right(ish) choices but it was taking its toll.

I had to make my choice and calmly explained my rational to my business partner and he was feeling much the same way. After an amicable split I retained the brand and the staff were free to choose which way to go. Thankfully the majority stayed put but I had to scale down. At 26 staff to pay something had to give. Like the Attik I scaled down to my core staff, the team that have worked together since pretty much day one. We regrouped and set our objectives, we set our limitations and our core services and I learned probably the biggest lesson of all, saying ‘No’. If your good, you will get work, more work than you can handle, and that was our problem, we couldn’t say No, No was bad, No went against everything we knew. But when I started saying No we began to realise our core strengths and thankfully we still have more work that we can handle.

There are some vital business lessons I learned which I would like to share.

1. You will be surprised at how approachable seemingly Godlike designers are, and the majority of them are more than willing to help you out. This applies to business people in general; they are generous with their knowledge, but be sure to return their time should they need help, very important!

2. Ask for advice, ask for advice even if you don’t need it. I was always told to keep your ideas to yourself, don’t tell anyone, that’s how you succeed. What a load of bollocks. Making money is a team sport, show me a millionaire who did it all by himself, it doesn’t happen. Share your ideas, express your concerns, help people out, It will come back to you ten-fold.

3.Be decisive. As creatives we live on gut instinct and I have learned to trust mine. There’s a difference between a knee jerk reaction and gut instinct ;and once you’ve learned to distinguish between the two and act on what you know is right, you will be much happier and your career path and business decisions will be clearer.

4. Speak your mind. This one is a big lesson for me. The amount of people I have come across in business, newbies and experienced folk alike who dread speaking their mind, fearing it will lead to a confrontational situation. I don’t think you can truly get to know someone until you have had a good argument with them. Just because you’ve raised your voice or defended your position, it doesn’t make you a bad person and it certainly doesn’t mean that you must damage your relationship. If its causing you grief, either deal with it and put it to bed, or let the beast out and speak your mind. I’ve found that you get a lot more accomplished once you’ve had a ding dong with however you upset with. Never be afraid to speak your mind!

So thanks to the Attik, thanks to James Sommerville, thanks to my ex-business partner and thanks to CIDS! If anyone needs advice from me, I’ve got some impressive battle scars and I would love to share my experiences.

Aftab Ali
Co-founder of Reach BCS

Aftab@reachbcs.com
www.ReachBCS.com

London calling?

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Ruth Heritage hopped onboard the 9:28 to Euston with some of the North-West’s top creatives to capture their train of thought on the Big Smoke.

Manchester’s creative sector may be booming, but you just can’t resist the call of ‘old London town’ if you’re serious about success – so how do you capitalise on the capital?

Currently developing their reputation in London are graphic design agency True North. Their MD, Martin Parr, notes that London is where clients “who are excited by graphic design and expertise” are based, and what’s more, he sees a higher concentration of potential clients that are “receptive to good graphic design” in the capital than he does at home in Manchester. For him, the occasional Pendolino journey will suffice. Looking down the line, the client relationship management could relocate, but their creative team couldn’t operate outside Manchester’s unique creative space.

Bill Green from Funnel Creative (another agency seeking more clients in London) successfully manages their clients through regular meetings and email contact. With new business gained through targeted networking in London, a speculative move to the capital would be pointless. Manchester is cheaper in terms of print, operations and logistics - costs that carry to the client. Companies “up their game” working with London clients, feeding into the work they do elsewhere – so Funnel’s next logical step would be international, rather than taking a second UK office in the capital.

>Companies 'up their game' working with London clients, feeding into the work they do elsewhere.

Web-designer Tim Harbour works with mainly London clients from his countryside home. Networks, specialist knowledge, quality products, and word-of-mouth recommendations are crucial for building up his business, taking time and ground work. Having started his business in London, he has no intention of moving back: “I’m happy - the quality of clients pushes my work. Hot-desks are accessible solutions. But meetings are often a waste of time on both sides – it can be an advantage having fewer!”

However, taking on a London studio has worked for four23’s Warren Bramley, who cites it as preferable to “fighting for a consistent wi-fi signal in Soho coffee shops” when commuting. And whilst “clients wanting you on the doorstep is outdated”, the move does hold “obvious client benefits”. Yet it is four23’s staff who really benefit from the dual location: they can move with their partner without moving jobs, simply try it out, or even just work from ‘Office Two’ on the Friday and Monday of a weekend away.

One thought unites these creatives. If London-folk want to romanticise that people in the North-West are ‘flat-cap wearing black-pudding eaters’, and that nothing happens outside the M25 – let’s capitalise on it. As Bill suggests, savvy operators can work with this: “London clients can feel that they have found something ahead of the game working with a Manchester company”. Martin also has a word of warning: “start-ups should ensure their eye is on the long game, the quality portfolio they want, and not just take on clients to keep the turnover on-track. Take the opportunity to do great work and build a profile.”

W: [www.funnelcreative.co.uk](http://www.funnelcreative.co.uk)
W: [www.thisistruenorth.co.uk](http://www.thisistruenorth.co.uk)
W: [www.uc48.net](http://www.uc48.net)(Tim Harbour)
W: [www.four23.net](http://www.four23.net)

Capital Gains

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Sarah Tierney caught up with a selection of businesses from our industry to ask why they chose to look beyond the M25.

To be successful, you have to be in London. That’s the attitude encountered by many, whether they’re just starting out or have been trading for years. But, according to representatives from several sectors, the view that Manchester has little to attract creative businesses compared to the capital is short-sighted. They give a variety of reasons for setting up here - and they are rarely the obvious appeals of cheaper rent and a geographically-central location.

The regeneration boom motivated creative agency Smoothe to open their Manchester studio in 2000. Smoothe had a London office but recognised a wealth of potential property clients in Manchester and later they discovered that Manchester has other benefits.

Account Director Sam Crothers explains: “It has a very different community to London. There’s a lot of buzz and camaraderie and support. You can collaborate with agencies with different skill-sets to deliver the big package to clients. In London, clients often stick to big agencies and creatives don’t interact as much.”

Simon A. Morrison of PAD Communications also cites strong networks within the creative industries as a motivation for establishing his business here.

“It’s a city that will give you a lift up,” he says. “The people are willing to help you. And although it’s a big city, it’s small enough that you can bump into people and network, literally, on a street level.”

Simon was unemployed for two years before setting up PAD, so he understands what Manchester can offer people at the start of their career - a community of established professionals ready to offer a ‘way in’.

>In London, clients often stick to big agencies and creatives don't interact as much as in Manchester

Over at Baby Cow Manchester, you can see how that support relationship works from the other side of the table. Established by Steve Coogan and Henry Normal, this London-based TV production company opened a Manchester office in 2005 to harness the city’s new talent – and they’ve so far found success with Emma Fryer and Peter Slater, up-and-coming character comedians currently featuring in the BBC3 comedy series Ideal.

“We’re responsible for finding and developing talented people,” explains Ric Michael, Head of Development at the Manchester office. “I spend a lot of time going to comedy clubs, student final shows, theatres - anywhere you could find performing, writing and production talent.”

Alex Barclay, a creative consultant and director of digital media company Web-head, is considering opening a Manchester office for similar reasons.

“There’s loads of talent here and an openness to fresh ideas and collaborative working,” he says. “But London is a talent magnet so it’s critical that Manchester holds onto it and exploits ideas here.”

Sam at Smoothe agrees: “Many people still see London as where they’ll go once they’ve graduated. It’s getting students to realise that Manchester produces fantastic work and has so much to offer on a careers front.”

This persisting belief that London is the only place to succeed in the creative industries appears to be one of the few things holding Manchester back as a business location. But with the city’s supportive community, strong networks, and belief in fostering new talent and innovative ideas, that consensus may be about to change.

W: [www.smoothe.com](http://www.smoothe.com)
W: [www.babycow.co.uk](http://www.babycow.co.uk)
W: [www.padcom.co.uk](http://www.padcom.co.uk)
W: [www.web-head.co.uk](http://web-head.co.uk)

Letter to the Editor: Simon Robinson - Manchester is my Planet

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Dear Editor,

Reading the article ‘The Business of Going Green’ I was drawn to reflect on personal experiences of the benefits of thinking and acting green.

In the mid-nineties I took something of a career detour from the environmental world and found myself being interviewed for a post within television production.

After acquitting myself pretty well in terms of evidencing the ability to drive, add-up, read and write, I remarked on the T-shirt of one of the company directors - which featured a picture of planet earth with the word ‘Gaia’ written beneath.

“So are you a fan of Lovelock?” I asked. (James Lovelock being the acclaimed environmentalist and author of The Gaia Hypothesis)

“Oh yes,” she said, “Do you know him?”

“Err, no…” came my fresh-out-of-college response.

“He’s wonderful,” she responded, “last month we talked of the wonder of life whilst warming our toes in front of an open fire”.

Clearly I didn’t operate in the circles of my soon-to-be new employer! However applying a little environmental knowledge had reaped dividends; the job was mine.

In the years since, through a environmental career spanning countryside management,travel planning, environmental policy co-ordination and now climate change programme-management, I’ve been heartened and inspired by the tremendous efforts of enlightened and driven individuals who seek to improve the environmental credentials of their organisation.

Businesses at the forefront of positive environmental change such as Creative Concern and Carbon Creative (as featured in your article) are to be applauded for their efforts, and their good practice replicated and improved upon.

The benefits for these organisations often include reduced costs, enhanced reputation, reduced risk, legislative compliance as well as meeting the demands of ever more discerning consumers.

It is through harnessing our energy and creativity, combined with the environmental knowledge and practical support from Environment Connect and others, that we can set our organisations on a cleaner, greener and more profitable path.

Simon Robinson
Programme Manager
Manchester is my Planet
W: [www.manchesterismyplanet.com](http://www.manchesterismyplanet.com)

In Profile: The Neighbourhood

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Jon Humphreys and Ben Davies, two of the founding directors of The Neighbourhood, talk us through four projects and give us an insight into their growing studio.

We formed The Neighbourhood in July 2006 as four directors with a 10-year history in diverse fields of architecture, CG animation, digital media and illustration.

We combine new technology and storytelling to direct and produce bespoke illustration, animation and film for the architecture, broadcast and advertising sectors. We’re interested in the opportunities that new media formats and channels offer to creative film and image work, and we enjoy developing ideas driven projects through direct commissions and collaborations with other agencies.

It’s been a busy first 18 months. We’ve worked with global brands such as Sony Playstation and Formula One, completed large projects for key local clients such as Manchester City and Urban Splash, created content for city centre screens, spoken at international conferences and won industry awards for our self-led work. As well as the larger projects, we’re also excited by smaller independent projects, such as our ident work for Futuresonic, and film work with a leading artist at the Manchester International Festival. Now with a full-time team of eight, 2008 should be an exciting year, which will include a very special project with celebrity super-chef Heston Blumenthal.

![PS3](http://media.creativetimes.co.uk/profilethumbs/PS3.jpg "PS3")

After completing a 30-second animated sting to introduce the PS3 console at a large European launch event, we were re-commissioned for a second piece a few months later. This was a more creatively and technically ambitious commission requiring a 3-minute HD film to showcase 6 of the new game titles available on release of the PS3. We set about building and animating a 3D portal device to enter each game environment, a constantly evolving geometric ‘shardsnake’ structure. As well as giving this device personality and life, other challenges included bespoke transition sequences containing particle systems for stardust, dust clouds and explosions. Aside from the rewarding creative and technical achievements, this project gave us an opportunity to strengthen our relationships with established neighbouring agencies Bubble and Love Creative, who were also involved in the creative development of the campaign.

![Saxton](http://media.creativetimes.co.uk/profilethumbs/saxton2.jpg "Saxton")

When Urban Splash approached us to assist with promoting Saxton and Lakeshore, their two largest projects of the year launching within a week of each other, we knew we would have to think fast and produce something special!

Urban Splash are always refreshingly accommodating and trusting with the amount of creative license they encourage, and Saxton was to prove no different. In addition to the seven marketing images we created to communicate the design of Saxton, we suggested six animations each with its own distinctive narrative and animation style relating to a key sales message. These bite-sized films allowed a flexible approach and a variety of possible uses, from iPod downloads, viral marketing, through to broadcasts on large urban screens in Leeds.

We made designer’s sketchbooks come to life, garden gnomes grow their own giant beanstalks, and cartoon communities, all which help paint a rich and entertaining picture of what Saxton and the Urban Splash brand is about.

![The Neighbourhood](http://media.creativetimes.co.uk/profilethumbs/love-neighbourhood.jpg "The Neighbourhood")

One of our core values at The Neighbourhood is to appreciate and encourage self-generated work, and to ensure that we give space and time to develop those little ideas niggling away in the back of our heads. We call this Neighbourhood Play, and it’s one of a number of forums designed to nurture our people and our ideas. We bounce ideas around, inspire each other, and develop new techniques and pieces of work that ultimately help to inform our creative process.

Love Your Neighbourhood was an animation we developed as a Christmas gift to friends, colleagues, past and present clients, and hopefully a few future ones, too. Its completion coincided with our website going live and, to our surprise, it became a viral phenomenon within the first 48 hours. We had to increase our web bandwidth almost on the hour to accommodate the amount of hits and downloads from around the world. The piece went on to win a number of industry awards. We have just completed another piece to promote the launch of our latest website redesign called ‘Stories from the Neighbourhood’.

![The Hub](http://media.creativetimes.co.uk/profilethumbs/The-Hub.jpg "The Hub")

Inspired by some of our previous work in the property sector, Argent asked us for a fresh approach to help promote their new apartment scheme at Piccadilly Place, and Manchester as a city. Our solution was to base a narrative around a day in the life of a Hub resident, highlighting the benefits of city centre living without resorting to the clichés of ‘lifestyle’ imagery. To achieve this we directed a small cast of characters and props against a green screen and composited the footage into CG stage-sets and environments that we had designed. Shooting against green screen is an effective way of placing real characters in artificially created environments as we have seen in countless Hollywood movies, not even Pixar have perfected fully computer generated human characters yet!

T: 0161 907 3160
E:
W: [www.the-neighbourhood.com](http://www.the-neighbourhood.com)

Advertorial: Allegis answers...

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

#### Q. How do I make sure I employ the right person for my company?

###### Jenny Dunphy and Steve Maule from Allegis Group reply...

Start by asking yourself why it’s so important that you find the right people for your business? A quick glance at the costs and consequences of leaving a gap where a productive person should be is convincing enough! Projects behind schedule, missed deadlines and no time or ability to develop new business prospects can all have a major impact on your quality of output, your hard-earned reputation and ultimately your bottom line. Even worse, employing the wrong person can cost you much more..

A clear vision of the person that you want is a must. What are the skills and expertise needed? What’s essential? What’s ‘nice to have’? Perhaps the most important consideration is the soft skills; culture fit, passion, character and client-facing skills - think about it - why do you fit in? Deciding whether your potential recruit shares those traits and skills is your next obstacle.

Don’t know what you’re looking for? We help a lot of companies in this sector come up with the answer. In this, a very competitive market for skills, businesses must make themselves an attractive option for the right person. Try thinking about why someone would want to work with you. Put yourself in their shoes. Why do you come to work?
Like-minded people have very similar wants and needs!

Now think about how to ‘make your pitch’. Advertising directly can be a very successful method of attracting candidates, but there are pitfalls. It’s a sunk cost that has to be paid whether you hire the right person or not. You’re taking a gamble that the perfect candidate is an active jobseeker – did they really wake up that morning with the intent of searching for a new job? An advert may well put you in touch with lots of people…but are they right?
Do you dig out the black book and ask around for help? This can be very effective in the short term, but it has a finite lifespan and can be time consuming.

Whether you engage the services of an external recruitment company, or whether you go it alone, getting an effective selection and vetting process is crucial. If you use an agency, ask them to describe their processes. Do they seek to truly understand what the right person is? Do they know what makes you tick? Do they meet candidates first? Do they thoroughly screen for skills? How far do they go to really increase the odds of you hiring the right person? If they don’t understand the market, then there is no way they will be able to network into the vital pool of inactive jobseekers and this is where the right person may well be hiding!

It’s probably fair to say you didn’t get into this industry to concentrate on recruitment! However it’s a well known fact that those that do a better job of this task have a distinct advantage. It can be done…especially when not doing so just isn’t an option.

Jenny Dunphy and Steve Maule head up Allegis Group’s Digital Media Division for the North West. Allegis Group has been delivering technical staff who develop and support applications used by the digital media industry for over 10 years. With more than 220 offices across the globe, Allegis Group is the world’s largest privately held staffing company. Allegis help you: recruit for permanent positions, hire temporary workers, manage your workforce and control costs with their industry expertise.

W: [www.allegisgroup.co.uk](http://www.allegisgroup.co.uk)
T: 0161 926 9666
E:
E:

People Power

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

What’s your company’s biggest asset? Your People. In this an exploration of the issues surrounding staff in our industry, Gina Hewitt finds out how you can keep your people happy. After all happy people equals a productive business. Simple. Oh and sometimes it isn’t all about money, money, money…..

Over the last couple of years, councils, local development agencies and cultural ambassadors have finally recognised the importance of creative industries in Britain’s
cities and regions.

Creative industries bring enrichment, character and cultural status to areas, but what does the sector give back to its workforce? Long hours, a stressful lifestyle, and a lack of job security - to name but a few. Staff are one of the premium assets of any organisation, and whether you’re a director, a manager, or an employee at a creative company you really must learn to look after each other.

At a high-level in many creative businesses, companies often rely on hefty salary packages to attract and retain the best employees. However, a positive attitude to human resources within your company, and a thought spared for the practical needs and emotional requirements of your staff, could save you a fortune in wages. At a less senior-level staff retention can be an expensive problem, so happy people that want to stay with a company can save a fortune in recruitment costs.

HR has long been seen as an administrative burden, filled with hoaxey jargon that leaves teams feeling they should be transplanted into an episode of The Office. Creative types don’t want management meddling in their affairs but their personal growth and job satisfaction should not be left unfettered, as the standard of their happiness determines the success of the company or organisation. The creative industries are a fast-moving market for employers and employees. Creative workers are keen to explore options available to them, and as such they tend to want to progress quickly through a company, or work for more than one organisation at once. This, however, can be used to a company’s advantage. An ever-changing roster of individuals brings vitality and new ideas to companies, and hopefully some of these ideas will focus on employee satisfaction.

>A quality newspaper will be charging four figures for an advert alone. Why not use this money to keep the good staff?

A common problem facing smaller creative companies is working out how to manage their unique team. Working with freelance and part-time members of staff presents unique difficulties that more general HR advice ignores. Pearson & Associates is an accountancy firm based in Skipton, North Yorkshire. As well as providing book keeping and financial services they also offer professional skills and personal support for all business issues. Paul Mason, one of the four company Directors and Employment Law/HR Consultant, explains, “The creative industry sector does have it’s own nuances. This will link into the whole structure of a particular organisation. It is often the case in these types of organisation people work in isolation, that is the nature of the business. This therefore does not lend itself to team working ethics being developed.”

A positive approach to HR is a matter of common sense and following the law, plus using your own creative flair to think about what your staff really want. “The role of HR is two-fold,” Paul explains, “Employers provide good conditions of work, look after their employees in a way that makes them feel cared for and part of a working community. In return an employer gets a productive, happy employee. Not rocket science - a very simple trade-off.”

There are a number of flexible benefits and incentives that a creative organisation can offer it’s employees, it’s just a matter of experimenting with what works for the personality of your company and staff members.

Looking after your staff isn’t just about attending to their immediate needs – there are many things a boss can do to help his or her staff in their future. By law, all companies that employ five or more people should be offering their employees the opportunity to join a Stakeholder Pension Scheme (a pension supplied by a commercial financial services company, such as a bank, insurance company or building society that complies with government standards). Paul Mason suggests that a Contributory Pension Scheme (where the employer also pays into the pension scheme) is a very rewarding benefit. “There is a cost to the employer, but so is recruitment if you keep losing good staff to competitors. A quality newspaper will be charging four figures for an advert alone. Why not use this money to keep the good staff?”

Significant investment in training and education also falls under a ‘benefits package’ heading. Personal growth is identified as one of the key factors by which ‘The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For’ believes that the happiest, most productive workplaces exhibit strength in. “We created a learning culture,” explains Jayne Barratt, from Leeds-based agency Elmwood, “We are very keen on people being happy at work and fulfilled. I’m a great believer that being good at something in turn makes you even happier...and you carry on getting better at it!”

>For bosses it's as much about recognising what you would want as an employee.

Trusting your people to do the right thing by your company is another skill you’ll need to hone if you’re going to develop the perfect creative team. Speaking at a recent ‘Loop’ event, Nick Johnson, from property developers Urban Splash, offered his take on staff development, “The best way of learning is through mistakes...I think that working alongside other people and being thrown in at the deep-end is quite important.”

Incentives are another way of retaining good people, keeping their ideas, knowledge and expertise in your company. “We’ve set-up The Elmwood Trust,” continues Jayne, “Everyone has shares in the company put aside, and it’s quite a substantial percentage of our earnings...that’s one way we reward people to stay with us.”

An easy way to find out what staff really want is to take them out of the working environment. Code Computer Love’s Tony Foggett explains, “We invest heavily on social outings involving the whole agency as a bonus to staff. It’s actually surprising how many interviewees comment on Code’s reputation as an excellent place to work because it offers a brilliant social life, and some even listing this as a reason to join us! For bosses it’s as much about recognising what you would want as an employee. It must involve all staff doing things together in a non-corporate way or environment. Don’t think of ticking staff benefit boxes. You can add extra value to day-to-day jobs by creating new experiences.”

Removing yourself from the daily grind can help you focus on what is important to your organisation, and the people within it. “We all jumped on a plane and did sessions in New York & Milan, to spend a bit of time together & understand each other and the way we like to work,” concurs MC2’s Mike Perls, “We then gave people training budgets to take that forward.”

On whatever level you choose to interpret good human resource practices it is paramount to take whatever you do seriously. As Paul Mason points out, “If only lip service is being paid to HR then inevitably it will fail in its quest to improve the employees within an organisation.”

The ultimate beneficiary of good HR is the employer. Happy staff equals happy customers and clients and hopefully a healthy bottom line too.

[www.businesslink.co.uk](http://www.businesslink.co.uk)
[www.employeebenefits.co.uk](http://www.employeebenefits.co.uk) [www.dwp.gov.uk](http://www.dwp.gov.uk) (Department of Work and Pensions) [www.pearsonandassociates.co.uk](http://www.pearsonandassociates.co.uk)
[www.codecomputerlove.co.uk](http://www.codecomputerlove.co.uk)
[www.elmwood.co.uk](http://www.elmwood.co.uk)
[www.urbansplash.co.uk](http://www.urbansplash.co.uk)
[www.mcmc.co.uk](http://www.mcmc.co.uk)

Q&A: Design

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

CREATIVE Times talks to Designers from three very different areas of the industry.

![Arthur Blake](http://media.creativetimes.co.uk/q_a_design/arthur_blake.jpg "Arthur Blake")

### Arthur Blake
Product

####Tell us about what you do.

I am a co-director of 257 - a product design and development agency based in the centre of Manchester. Our current projects include tableware for leading UK retailers, high-end scientific instruments and structural packaging. We are involved in all areas of new product development, from research, concept development and specification through to production.

####What is good design?

A combination of simplicity, joy of use, sustainability and profitability.

Good design will fuse innovation, aesthetics and ease of use into a product that is produced with appropriate materials using techniques that are environmentally friendly and sustainable. Good design promotes longevity, bucking our current disposable culture - it produces goods that people will want to own, cherish and keep, whilst being profitable for its manufacturer. Good design is not a vehicle for the designers’ ego.

####Does the city provide you with inspiration?

Inspiration was one of the main reasons we choose to locate in the centre of Manchester, it provides a hub for creative industries with a great atmosphere, buzz and life. You only need a short walk around the Northern Quarter to experience this.

####Tell us about a recent career highlight?

We have recently completed a project for an educational arcade game in conjunction with Stardotstar, a Manchester-based multi-media agency. Quantum Sheep is a game designed to promote the Cotswolds to inner-city kids.

We designed the cabinet for the game to encompass elements of the Cotswolds (the cabinet was stone clad with an astroturf inlay), the form of which was inspired by the original table-top Space Invaders to appeal to kids. The project allowed a fun approach and solution with a combination of materials that we would not be able to integrate into our usual projects, most of which require mass production.

####What’s next for you?

The biggest challenge for us will be to continue to promote the development of sustainable products, which, in the last 2 years has seen a dramatic rise in public awareness.

We are experiencing a positive reaction from manufacturers to this message and how they consider the full life cycle of a product from the cradle to the grave. Everybody has a responsibility to this from designers to manufacturers, and retailers to consumers.

W: [www.257.info](http://www.257.info)

![Mark Ross](http://media.creativetimes.co.uk/q_a_design/mark-ross.jpg "Mark Ross")

###Mark Ross
Graphic

####Tell us about what you do.

I’m a graphic designer. I work at Glorious Creative, an independent design company based in Stevenson Square. Day-to-day, I work on a diverse range of projects, some big, some small, from corporate identity programmes to advertising campaigns and everything in-between. On a more general level I’m responsible for the creative output, providing strategic direction for projects as well as the development of the more junior members of staff.

####What is good design?

I believe good design should clearly communicate a core message, engaging with its target audience. At Glorious we advocate ‘concept’ driven work, design with a strong idea executed in an appropriate style or manner. We also place a great deal of emphasis on good typography and craft. We have never had, nor ever will have, a house-style – always approaching a project with an open mind and working hard to provide an appropriate solution, whether it incorporates intrigue, intelligence or wit.

####Does the city provide you with inspiration?

Of course. Manchester is an incredibly inspiring place to work and live. Having experienced time in London, Manchester and Edinburgh early in my career, it was a very easy choice to make. With its diverse creative community, thriving music and vibrant social scenes, Manchester is the city to be in. It’s full of inspiring people and places. I’m very proud to be a part of the creative community and to have worked with so many inspiring individuals along the way. Long may it continue.

####Tell us about a recent career highlight?

It’s difficult to single out one highlight but a couple that immediately spring to mind are; our rankings in the North of England Design Consultancy of the Year - 1st for Strategic Thinking, 3rd in the Client Satisfaction poll and 4th overall. Additionally, winning a couple of awards at this year’s Roses Design Awards. And most recently, being appointed to the NWDA design roster, we were one of five companies selected from over 65 that submitted tenders. Very nice indeed!

####What’s next for you?

I don’t really think about that in terms of me, but for Glorious it’s continuing to produce effective, creative and interesting work to help further enhance our reputation. To steadily grow the business. We are in no rush and never set out to be the ‘biggest’ (that particular label holds no interest) to continually strive to be among the best. The team at Glorious are a great group of people who I enjoy working with and respect immensely.

W: [www.gloriouscreative.co.uk](http://www.gloriouscreative.co.uk)

![Sam Mills](http://media.creativetimes.co.uk/q_a_design/sam_montage-2.jpg "Sam Mills")

###Sam Mills
Jewellery

####Tell us about what you do.

I am a designer-maker of contemporary jewellery. My work conveys a personal interpretation on accessories for people’s identities. The people who buy my products like to display their individuality and can relate to the item, which makes it personal to them. Through the application of metal and textile techniques, I have focused on the creation of jewellery, but have also been commissioned for product and surface pattern design. I choose the materials and techniques to fit with the concept of the item; the idea always comes first and that is why my work has the personality of the buyer / wearer in mind. My designs are usually one-off pieces or small batch production for a niche market.

####What is good design?

A thought process - you know why you are designing that piece, and for what purpose. Taking it through design development into a well-finished piece. Questioning the relationship between people and that object or design. Everyone has different tastes, but as long as they can relate to that piece in someway, you’ve got good design. Even if they hate it, you have gained an emotional relationship between that person and the design.

####Does the city provide you with inspiration?

My work comes from concepts, so with ‘Architectonics’ Manchester City Centre was a major inspiration for my piece, which was based on the Daily Express Building. The people I meet and their emotions have a big part to play within my design, as the Architectonics piece was not only about the architecture and purpose of the building. It was about the restrictions in the press and the freedom of expression, due to talking to people who work within the media in Manchester. So, yes, Manchester does inspire me, all aspects of Manchester - from people and music to buildings.

####Tell us about a recent career highlight?

Becoming an international art jeweller through taking Architectonics to San Francisco and meeting the gallery owners of Velvet Da Vinci, who are international art jewellery exhibit co-ordinators.

####What’s next for you?

‘Wedding Adornment’ is touring for Manchester Jewellers Network. I’m also doing some bridal commissions. I am also helping in the development of The Woodend Artists network in Greater Manchester.

W: [www.manchesterjewellersnetwork.co.uk](http://www.manchesterjewellersnetwork.co.uk)