DesignYak

Staziker Jones has a blog!

The agency I work for, Staziker Jones has a new blog. There's only a few posts so far, but be sure to have a look and to keep visiting every so often to see what we're up to! Click here to visit. We're also on Twitter, which is here.

Copycat logo?

Firstly, sorry for the lack of action this past week, I'm moving into a new flat this weekend so have been busy stressing and buying furnishings/beds/wooden spoons etc. I'm going to a private viewing of the Banksy exhibition tonight, so I'll take pics to make up for it! Anyway...

This logo has been one of favourite logos for a long time. It's by The Chase, and is for Leaf Street, an environmentally friendly housing association.

It's lovely. If by some chance you've never seen it, I expect your jaw to be on the floor. So this made me annoyed...

Yuck.

Innocent mistake? Blatant rip-off? Coincidence?  

Limited Edition Prints by Bark Design

Ben from Bark Design has been in contact to tell us of their new limited edition prints. 'This first batch is entitled “Domestic bliss” as the economy improves, the print editions will become much more decorative and colourful - Much like a ’barometer’ to economic recovery.' These prints are available to buy from the Soma Gallery in Bristol. Might take a trip there myself this weekend. Bark Design were generous enough to send their last self promotion item to me a while back, to see it click here. 

FIG.IT OUT – Bark Design

Bark Design have sent me a copy of FIG.IT OUT, their latest self publication that aims to explore current themes, notions and ideas. And what beautiful thing it is. I love the newspaper format, it's just a great thing to hold and really compliments the ideas, layout and typography that is explored.

Is there a need for design agencies to have a blog?

Interesting article on Design Week's website...

Consultancies should invest time in launching blogs, rather than creating a quick-fix effort, says Christian Barnett, planning director of Coley Porter Bell.

Writing in the forthcoming issue of Design Week, Barnett, who recently launched CPB’s Making Brands Beautiful blog, says consultancies should allow a couple of months for the process, in order to fully prepare and get everyone on board.

He says the most important factor is to work out the purpose of the blog, adding, ‘Many blogs fail because they are rudderless, leading to a never-ending series of “What we/I did today” posts.’
Barnett also advises taking time to find compelling content and finding the consultancy’s ‘natural bloggers’ to ‘lead the way’ in postings.

I'd take this article one stage further and ask is there a need for design agencies to have blogs? I think it can work and be useful. It's good for graduates who want to research and get to know agencies. But I think the agency itself has to ask itself what's the purpose of the blog, is it just a selling tool? 

What annoys me about design agency blogs is that some are hardly ever updated. I think if you've got a blog on your site then use it, if you don't use it, what's the point in having it?

As a blogger myself, I'm free to say what I like on here, you can agree or disagree with what I say, but can a design agency blog give an opinion? Is this why a lot of agency blogs just end up being “What we/I did today” posts? – Because this is safer and won't alienate clients/potential clients? 

Do you know of any successful/unsuccessful design agency blogs?

Ruiz+Company

I've seen this Barcelona based agency doing the rounds on a few blogs, and I thought I'd join in as their work is extremely good, I love the work they've done for the Chocolat Factory, so here's a taster but be sure to visit their website.

New website for Dirty Design

Bristol based Dirty Design have a new website, stroll on over and take a look!

New website from Departures

Departures has a new website, with great work new and old, check it out...

Top 100 South West Creative Companies 2009

The Top 100 South West Creative Companies of 2009 have been announced. It's the first time a list of its kind has been compiled in the region. As with other similar lists, like the Design Week Top 100, it's based on turnover. Top 10 sectors are released for each creative discipline, so here's the top 10 design companies of 2009 in the South West...

1. Oakwood Media Group

2. Epoch Design

3. Ignition DG

4. Studio Six

5. Design Activity

6. Mosaique Design Consultants

7. Magmatic

8. Robson Dowry Associates

9. Duttons Design

10. Kubiak Creative

Visit the website for the full 100 and other top 10 sectors including Advertising & Marketing, Animation and Digital. They've also created the top 5 'most respected', with Aardman Animations coming out on top here, (look at their website if you've never seen it, tis pretty cool). I wish there was a way to compile a list focused more on creativity rather than turnover, obviously I know this would be nigh on impossible as it's all subjective, so maybe I'll have a think and make my own list. I like what is happening in the south west, and in particular Bristol, how they are all collectively working to raise the profile of the Bristol design scene. I also think compiling this kind of list would be a great idea for the Welsh design community.  

London Design Festival 2009

Promotional material for the London Design Festival, by Pentagram. The theme for this year's festival was Be Bold. The promotional materials use the distinctive red and white of the festival and use quotes from designers, including Pentagram co-founder Alan Fletcher. 

The Festival will run from the 19th to 27th September, click here for details. More about the work to be found at the Pentagram site.