Recently in Enterprise Category

Today was an at-desk day. Actually quite a lot of days are kinda that way but generally I've got something in the diary that gets me out the building for a bit. Today though I had a proposal I was supposed to start last week, but didn't, that had to be done by 5pm today, which it was. 

In between constructing paragraphs about why the Delphi method rocks in research terms I was struck by the unfolding drama in my RSS reader. In fact I now realise how differently I use the internet from 12 months ago when I would probably have completely missed the row over whether or not Surface Unsigned are screwing unsigned bands and acting like dunderheads over the use of Cease and Desist notices.

It was fascinating to watch the Birmingham blogging community come together to support what it still the city's key resource for knowing what's happening and who's who in the creative and cultural industries. I'd presumed that they were fighting some corporate numbskulls who go out of their way to track down the mildest of criticism.  So, delighted to be distracted from proposal writing, I used the power of Companies House to track down the mighty Surface Unsigned Ltd. 

This week I've been deliberating on the subject of 'free pitching' in order to win contracts. As an agency, 383 Project are 'invited' on a pretty regular basis to pitch or tender for work. More often than not the potential client is after some development or concept work to be submitted as part of our 'pitch' and more often than not we find ourselves going through the same deliberations as to whether or not to meet the clients request. Now, before I go any further it's worth stating that this isn't a free pitch 'rant' per say as some of our biggest projects, and best clients, have been won through pitches. But, and it's a big but, just because free pitches can work, it doesn't mean it's necessarily the best route forward for both agency and client. As well as having several downsides for the client, there's also massive business implications for the 'losing' agencies involved as well - a side of the fence we've been on before too.

Sometimes the longer you spend in a creative job, the harder it becomes to actually keep on innovating. Over time, you find that your ideas are just becoming rehashed versions of things that have been done before or that you've become so entrenched in your day-to-day routines that you just can't remember how to think outside the box any more.

What's more, because everyone in your industry is most likely reading the same magazines as you, browsing the same Sunday papers, watching the same TV shows, and exploring the same websites, chances are that even when something does spark off an original idea, a dozen other people have just seen the same thing and are now beavering away on projects pretty damn near identical to yours.

So what the hell do you do about it? Jack it all in and work in a factory? Cryogenically freeze yourself until a time when your hackneyed ideas suddenly seem ironically retro? Bury your head in the sand and try to ignore the whimpered cries of your inner muse as it slowly shrivels up and dies?

No. Just get yourself lost.

My business aims to be green. I want to reduce its carbon footprint because I think it's an important thing to do and, frankly, I'm sometimes a bit scared about what the future holds for my children.

Politicians are now at last waking up to the fact that there are votes in saying you want to tackle climate change.

But despite what the Daily Mail might say I have my doubts as to whether making people pay 5p for carrier bags is really going to save the planet.

If you missed it, here is HM Treasury's own take on the environmental bit of the budget.

So, for my first post I thought I'd keep things short and sweet and tell you a little bit about who I am and what I do.

At the moment (and indeed for the foreseeable future!) I'm Creative Director and co-owner of 383 Project,a Birmingham-based design agency.

I've worked as a freelance designer and art director independently and for other agencies for around 4 years, growing my interest in online media and generally getting stuck in to the development of as many interesting projects and ideas as I can.

I helped co-found 383 Project early in 2006 and since then have helped to develop new accounts and clients across a range of industry sectors. Shortly after starting 383, we were named in Channel 4's Creative Class 06/07 and this year won 'Most Promising New Business' in the 2007 Creative City Awards.