Xmas day out

I was recently banished from the 44media office to make this years Christmas cards.
Here's some shots of the print coming together.





Hopefully if you made the 44media xmas card list you should be getting one in the post any day now.

Merry Christmas

Go Go Gadget

I was recently asked about what i thought of the new apple iphone.

Now i'm a bit of a avid collector for all things gadget, such as often getting the latest gadget as soon as it comes out.
I also own quite a few apple devices, but I hadn't felt the desire to rush out and buy an iphone.

These days the trend is to converge all our devices into one, in an attempt to make our lives simpler by not having to carry or buy more than one device.

It was whilst discussing the features of the iphone that it was pointed out that it lacked certain features.
The iphone web browser doesn't support flash, for one and the ability to send multiple text messages, were just two of the simple features missing.
Being limited to one network and not being able to change the battery, also removes that element of choice.
I'm sure all these features will be included in the next generation iPhones as the technology improves.

But it's because of this need to cram it all in and the limits in technology that somethings had to go.

With all the improvements and convergence, products are suffering.
Improved functionality often has to be sacrificed in order to reduce cost, keep a product size down or just to get it out in time.

As the old saying goes "Jack of all trades, master of none".
It's better to have a device that does what it does well, rather than trying to do a bit of everything and failing.

Now convergence can't always be bad, certainly when it enhances the primary function of the device.
For example, the advent of camera's on phones has turned everyone into a photographer and has provided them with the ability to record and send images to friends.

The original purpose of putting cameras on phones was so that people could make video calls (does anyone actually do this?). The functionality of the phone can't get much better but with the addition of the camera the phone has been enhanced for both good and bad (happy slapping-!!??).

Another fine example, is internet connections and wi-fi in games consoles. There has always been that extra enjoyment when playing against a friend rather than the computer, the interaction, the challenge, and the ability to gloat!
Now the ability to play anyone all over the world has opened up the arena and the chance to play and interact with someone else.

Television watching habits have changed over the last few years with the combination of a hard drive with a TV set top box. People can now chose when and how they watch and record there favourite TV programme.

These are good examples of a secondary function being added to a product to improve it.
This is all part of good product design.
Thinking about how to improve on a product, device, service is what design is about not what can i add.

So when you think about it, do you really need just one device to fit into one pocket?
Next time take a look at your new device and see how it works, however i might add i did say the iPhone look good!

Two products i have come across recently which caught my eye was the glo pillow and the new Samsung NV digital camera.

Now i often feel particularly tired in the mornings, especially in the winter months. But if i was to to treat myself i would get one of these.

The glo pillow is an alternative to the traditional alarm clock. It was designed in response to a brief to create a product which helps to combat the pressures of a "24 hour" lifestyle.

The pillow uses an LED fabric below the surface to wake the user using light. This fabric also functions as a display, showing the time on the pillows surface using the grid of LEDs below.

40 minutes before the set alarm time the pillow begins to glow and gently brings the user out of sleep. This natural waking process helps to set the circadian rhythm or "body clock" and results in more healthy sleep/wake patterns.


The second product is more from a aesthetic perspective. The new Samsung NV digital cameras are a just thing of beauty. Whilst the technology inside the camera is up to date, the styling harks back to the 1970's style SLR cameras. The old roll film SLR cameras were rarely messed with when it came to functionality. The choice of buttons and speed settings were rarely changed, with only the lens being updated.
Digital cameras are constantly being improved with the number of pixels being upped everyday. Samsung have combined the latest technology with a simple design which has gained recognition, having been recently included in the current Best Design and Advertising exhibition at Urbis, Manchester.

Record Covers Pt.3

Here's a great blog about record covers - Sleevage

A lot of time on their hands!

Fashion Trends

For those people in the Manchester area looking to spruce up their wardrobe, should go and check out the Fashion Weekender at Urbis, 4th Oct - 7th Oct. The event promises to showcase the latest up and coming design talent out there. There will also be the opportunirty to buy some of the clothes on show.
So for those of you who are looking for something a bit different and not your usual mass produced high street shop, then it's worth checking out, you'll aslo be supporting the up and coming talent.

On a side note, 44media's very own Ty Abiodun will be taking time out of his busy schedule to supply the music during the event. So if you're there, why not say hello and let him know if you like his music or not!

44media Update

There has been a distinct lack of posts from us recently due to work commitments.
We've been quite busy over the last few weeks producing Comments Cards for Urbis, an Annual Report for 42nd Street (not the club!), a Map and Promotional Material for Odd and Odder Bar and a Website for Pau Brasil (a new Brazilian restaurant in Manchester, which is worth checking out).
Hopefully when we get some time we will update our site with the latest work. So keep checking back to view the latest work updates.

Whilst we think of some musings that you might be interested in, why not have a look at these beautiful illustrations by Stina Persson.



We also bought this book Two Faced.



and this one, If you could......



Both books contain quality illustrations and the 'If you could' book asks the thought provoking question, If you could do anything tomorrow, what would it be?

Both these books are worth looking at and will make a wonderess edition to your bookshelf or coffee table.

Listening to.......

Space Beats

Strange mix covers but quality music on offer.

Tony Wilson - R.I.P

Its every so often that you hear of the passing away of someone famous, who you don't really know and you just can't quite belive it.
Tony Wilson's passing away last Friday was a shock to all.

Tony Wilson was a staunch ambassador of Manchester and as a Mancunion it was always easy to relate and feel proud of that regional patriotism.
I remember from my younger days seeing him on Granada News and being aware that he was somehow behind the music that i listned to from Factory records.
It's testimont to his eruditeness and personality that he could have achieved what he did in the south, but he was keen to promote the North as a place of creativeness and industriousness.
It was Tony Wilson's can do attitude and creative entrepeneurship which kick started the revival in Manchester's fortune. With a host of the current Manchester creative entrepeneurs being in some way influenced by one of Tony Wilson's products.

He was often referred to as a W@!'$r, for his comments on scousers, the south and religion, but considering what he had achieved, he had every reason to be smug.
From the development of the cool independent record label to the hiring of a young talented designer to the precieved music mogul of a 'Madchester' scene to the co-owner of the first superclub, his influence runs deep.

He will be remembered for lots of reasons good and bad, but he surely must be considerd as one of the most important people in recent times, to have a influence on the 'Mondern' city, music and culture.

His importance to Manchester was so important that I'm sure there will be some kind of celebration of his life and his influence.
I'll see you there!

The Inter web

I finally got round to installing Google Analytics yesterday. If you haven't installed it or seen it, then it's worth checking out.
As well as providing the statistics you need for your site, It also presents them in a more intuitive graphical way. We have the standard stats software on our site but Google Analytics gives a nice clear visual representation of where your users are and on which links have been clicked and how many times.

When the leading search engine provides are web statistic tool like this, it's worth taking note.
It seems Google can do no wrong.

While putting this together it got me thinking of the other useful sites and tools that i use on the internet.
So i thought i'd join the list brigade and compile my top sites and resources.
That's of course if you are interested!

In no particular order

1) Google - need i say more.

2) Wikipedia - Whenever you're stuck for that bit of knowledge.

3) Newstoday/ The Serif - Design forum/blogs which provide a daily link to great work and resources.

4) BBC - This is the news!

5) SXC - A great resource for free quality images.

6) IMDB - For when you can't remember that film or what that actor has been in.

7) Alluc - Films, Television galore.

8) Kuler - Adobe colour tool.

9) Flickr - A site to create an online archive of your digital photos and share your images.

10) Any site that has list of useful links and resources.

Record Covers Pt.2

An album cover trying to be clever.


Read and see more here

Say What

Contains strong language.

One laptop each

Read more about it here

Nice!

Nice site

Thanks to Serif

Always wondered who...

did these.

It's Adrian Johnson.

visual treats

Listening to...

Beneath The Surface

Nosmo King

Came across this re designed no smoking poster.
A simple design.
Due to the new smoking ban in the UK, maybe we will see signs develop to fit in with their surroundings.

Courtesy of the serif publishing re design.

Pray

The designers prayer.

Courtesy of the Johnson Banks Blog

Toys Toys Toys

I've not had a chance to get into those vinyl toys out there, but i certainly like the look of these.
Alas you can't buy them in the UK.

Record Covers

One of the things that got me into Design along with a few others, was the design of the record covers i used to collect.
Factory, Warp Records and 4AD to name a few.

It was while thinking about some of these designs that i remembered one of the last record labels to push the boundries of design was MoWax records.
Their sleeves were designed by Ben Drury.

On the site it states that James Lavelle the record label boss encouraged him to source new materials, use special printing processes, develop new packaging solutions and to experiment across the range of formats.
If you look through history, it's often a similar story in design and music, with 2 creative forces encouraging and responding to each other that produces the celebrated creative work.

With the demise of Vinyl and the attention paid to the artwork, i think less people are going descover design through this medium.
The large labels now prefer images of the artist on the front as this sells the artist and iTunes giving you a tiny jpeg, there is less inclination to collect them as a piece of design.

I remember atending a talk a few years back which was about the demise of record cover artwork and the popularity of mp3's.
Ben Drury was one of the speakers at the event. I think he claimed that he wasn't working in design anymore and that this area of design was dead and not worth it.

I wish he could have said that when one of his designs convinced me to part with £60 for one album in 2 parts!

Two labels which seem to be investing in design are
Lex Records and Kindred Spirits
The music is woth checking out as well.

The only thing missing is a beach!

Here's the site that has greeted me for the past 2 mornings.
What a way to start the week and July!
Oh rainy Manchester.
I did learn a while back that even though Manchester has a reputation for being wet it's not the rainiest city in the UK.
Swansea has that title.
If it was wetter then it has been here in Manchester, then i dread to think what it was like there.

There was a famous quote from Ian Brown from The Stone Roses that said "the only thing Manchester hasn't got is a beach"
Well it is getting a temporary one, courtesy of urbis.

Beach Club

Apparently all the kids that hang around outside Urbis have been complaining about it, as they will have nowhere to go.

Should be interesting!

Sneaker pimps

Came across these trainers on the internet the other day.
They've been designed by Peter Saville, Ben Kelly (designed the Hacienda and Dry Bar) and Peter Hook from New Order.

Now i can't decide if i like them or if it's just a cash in for the nostalgia folks like myself!
At £345, i will go with a cash in.
Thanks to the Creative Review blog. Check out more pics and info here.

Keane as mustard

Now i'm not a fan of the Keane, you can't help but like the illustration work for there current releases. I managed to find that they were produced by Sanna Annukka

She will hopefully be selling some prints in the near future and i will certainly be checking back.
On a side note she's represented by Big Active who have a host of quality illustrators on their books.


I also recently bookmarked please let me design.
They do great work, check out the the experimental tropic blues band work especially.

Acceptable in the 80's

Managed to catch a good history lesson on the television last night.
Andrew Marr's History of Britain on BBC2 provided a rundown of the Thatcher era in the 1980's.
It provided a fascinating account of the state of the nation at the time. Andrew Marr's conclusion at the end of the program was that we are all in some way 'Thatcher's Children'
You can read more about the programme here as i don't have the time to expand on this theory in this blog.
But i think i have to agree with him.
Over the last 10 -20 years there has been a cultural reaction to that period of time.
Since then we've had the birth of House music, Madchester, Mortgages and more home owners, privatisation, lifestyle changes, Mobile phones and plenty more. There was even a change in the advertising at the time, with products projecting a lifestyle rather than a housewife with soap suds!

The music used in the show was evocative of the time as well, with the often minimal bleak sound of Joy Division to the decadence of the new romantic sound. The social commentary of the time was telling in hindsight with Harry Enfield's "Loadsamoney" highlighting the yuppies to "Shopping" by the Pet Shop Boys talking about the boom in available credit and the increase in spending.

Anyway i even think a lot of the fashion and music these days is harking back to the 80's

I'm showing my age now, so here endeth the lesson.

Social Music

We've recently done some work for Forty Second Street a charity set up to support young people under stress. They're planning on putting on a charity night at the Carlton Club in Whalley Range, Manchester. It's one of those old style social clubs which holds a few music nights every now and then.

The night will feature live music, including a band called Autokat who are apparently one of the up and coming bands in Manchester.
So they should be worth seeing.

We did our good deed by helping them produce tickets and posters and if you would like to go, contact us or Forty Second Street and we'll sell you some tickets. It's for a good cause you know!

Viral

Came across this blog recently about the viral marketing for the new Batman flm. Quite an ingenious peice of viral marketing, especially if you're a fan of the Batman story.

You can't please everyone...

Well there seems to be a big debate at the moment about the new London 2012 Olympic logo. So i thought i'd my tuppence worth.

It appears that nobody likes the logo and i have to agree. Designing a logo for such a global event must be very tricky. You have to create a logo mark which will appeal to a global audience and take it's place in history.

I think this is where they got lost in the conception of this mark. Before the launch, Sebastian Coe was talking up the launch and how it will be the launch of a brand. Now marketing has it's place but it's the first time i've heard them use the word to describe the olympics. It's odd as Mr Coe, who is an athlete is trying to talk like a brand consultant.
While it's admirable that they are trying to create something different, i think they lost site of what the event itself was about.
The event promotes sporting elegance, the unifying of the world and celebration.
I think the current logo makes no reference to that and the only way you can tell it's for the olympics is the small inclusion of the rings.
I don't think the colour palette references sport either.

The current defenders of the logo say it's aimed at kids, but surely this isn't the only audience of the games. They also say it's designed for the new media age. But somehow i don't see getting into sport, and sitting at your computer as a natural progression!

It seems the brief for the logo was this is London lets create something different, modern and stands out.
Commendable but i think it could have been achieved in a much simpler way.

I also find it strange that Wolff-Olins the creators of the logo are being quiet, but given the critiscim, who could blame them.
Maybe people will come to like it by 2012 but all in all i think it will be remembered as the logo that tried to be different..

On the point of sporting logos, here a a few of my favorites.

From a design perspective i think the Munich 72 mark is a good example.
Designed by Otl Aicher the logo evokes the time, and the whole branding of the games was insightful and colourful.
Take a look at some of the graphics here.

With it's reference to Greek mythology, I also quite like the recent Champions League 07 logo.

From a nostalgic point of view the Mexico 86 world cup logo sticks out. Through trawling the sport logo archives, you'll notice all the sporting events held in Mexico used the same font.

Mixtapes

Don't throw away those old mixtapes.

Fire!

I thought i might write a bit about the recent fire in Manchester which affected us recently.

After only being in our new office for 5 months, it was quite a distressing period.
I awoke on monday morning to find out on the news, that there was a huge blaze in Manchester city centre.
The news reporter didn't say where exactly but that the traffic was a bit chaotic in town. I decided to hold on heading to work until the fire had been (hopefully) dealt with.
It was later on that morning, that the news reporter said the fire was on Dale street and lever street!
I began to panic and scoured the internet for any information on which building it was, but to no avail.
Reports came flooding in that the fire had spread to neighboring buildings and that there was a possibility of someone being inside the burning building!
From the reports coming in, i managed to deduce that the building was next door to my building, but that only made it worse due to the earlier reports of the fire spreading!

After a while images began to appear of the building on fire, the fire looked HUGE, but our office block looked ok from afar.
I then decided to go and check out the drama for myself.
By the time i arrived the fire was pretty much quelled, thanks to the 120 fire men and a few gallons of local fresh canal water!

From the outside our building looked fine, but the fire men said that there was some damage to our building, but they weren't sure what. All we could do was wait and keep checking back, we were told.

It was after a few days, that we were told we could go in the building for half an hour with a fire man escort to get the essentials and assess the damage.
On the day everyone was waiting outside with boxes, carts and anything else to mount a salvage operation.
Upon entering the building, the scene was what i would imagine the blitz or a blackout to.
Inside, the building was pitch black apart from the torch lights, there was a pungent smell of smoke and the shutters had been smashed in so the fire men could get in. We were lead up the dark stairwell and told to watch our step! as you could not see a thing.
Once we reached the last stairway to our floor, we were led onto the fire escape. It was then that more panic set in. Had the floor been burnt out? was our office safe?
On entering the fire escape, there was ash and burnt wood on the floor. We then all looked up, there was a huge hole in the roof! Everyone's worst fears were heightened.
We finally got to our office and slowly opened the door........

What a site, our office looked exactly how we left it on friday! Everything still worked.
There was a bit of dust on the window, which the building assessor said was smoke damage, however I'm not so sure (after a claim methinks).
We all loaded up with what we could carry and moved on. Everyone in our building got off relatively ok, with only the basement flooded due to all the water sprayed next door.
After a few days of collecting our belongings in half hour slots each day, the landlord informed us that the building would be closed for the foreseeable future, with no idea of when the building will be trading again.

This meant that everyone had to find new premises, with everyone looking for space the rush was on.
Fortunately after a week, Ash form our office knew of a space above a cool clothes shop in Manchester called Oi Polloi.
We of course, snapped it up and we are slowly getting things back to normal.

There was must have been at least 50 - 100 business affected by this fire. I had an idea that it would be great for someone to set up a red cross media centre in a tent type mess hall with free coffee and free wi-fi!

Makes you think about people who lose their homes etc.
Thanks to all the firemen and offers of help from the various agencies in Manchester.

Listening to...

If you are after a bit of quality music to listen to while you are chained to your desk / computer. Then check out Broken Beat Radio. They've got quality music from the broken, jazz beat spectrum. Check out the argo mixes especially.

Colour

Adobe has this nice site called Kuler. You can create your own color theme and share it or comment and rate other themes created by other people. You can download the themes to use with the Adobe CS. The site is done very well and is a nice little app.

Big Chip

Well first things first.
44media has been shortlisted for the "Best Freelancer/Micro Enterprise" at this years Big Chip Awards.
While we don't like to blow our own trumpet, we think this was a long time coming!
Fingers crossed, the award ceromony is on the 24th May at New Century Hall, Manchester. If you would like to attend and chear us on, then you can find all the info here

See you there!

The power of 4

Hurrah

We are 4!
Role on birthday number 5
44media would just like to take the time in this blog to thank all our customers.
It's been a pleasure to work with you.