Blog - Branding

The Best Business Card in the World!

It's taken him 25 years, but according to Joe Bauer, he now has the best business card in the world!

Author, Mentor, Infotainer

Welcome to the wonderful world of Joe Bauer. Consumed by martial arts and magic, Joe has been developing his amazing business card for 25 years. Listen to him talk about how crap everyone else’s business card is and admire his own which in his own words, “is the most impressive he has ever seen”. (If he can ever get it out of his pocket!)

In all honesty, it truly is amazing. It even has a pop up! If only his website was as amazing. I don’t think he spent 25 years developing it!

Enjoy!

watch the video here

Posted by on 16th Apr 2009 in • Branding • Marketing • 2 Comments

Design to overcome the downturn

The Design Council have compiled research showing that more than half of UK's businesses are looking to design their way out of the recession

It may be easy for companies to cut their budgets when times are tough, but design can be a powerful tool for any company.

The Design Council have compiled some facts, figures and case studies showing that when the going gets tough, the tough get going (thank you Billy Ocean)

Facts
The Design Council research shows that more than half of the UK’s businesses:

Are looking to design their way out of downturn
Over half (54%) of the firms in our survey thought design would contribute to a large or great extent in helping maintain their competitive edge in the current economic climate.

Think design is more important now
Similarly, 53% thought that design had become more important in helping the firm to achieve its business objectives over the last three years.

Think design is integral to the economic performance of the UK
The same number agreed or strongly agreed that design is integral to the country’s future economic performance.

Case Studies
Our favourite case study from the research gathered shows how the Nottingham based brewery, Castle Rock, used design to improve its image and strengthen its main corporate identity and portfolio of brands. Since the rebrand, Castle Rock’s growth rates have doubled and its brewery is running at full capacity, with demand currently outstripping supply.

Take a look at some more case studies that have used design to overcome the downturn

Design Funding
Independent research shows that companies that don’t invest in growth, research and development during a recession are 2.5 times more likely to fail than those that do. But what happens if you just don’t have the money to invest into research and development? If your company spending is more than £10,000 during the tax year, then research and development tax credits could be available to you. (This includes design projects).
To find out how R&D tax credits can help your company, click here.
Or click here to see if you can claim R&D tax relief

Posted by on 05th Jan 2009 in • Branding • Graphic Design • Marketing • 0 Comments

Best Global Brands for 2008

See this top 100 list of the best ranked global brands for 2008.

Interbrand have yet again put together a top 100 list of the best global brands. Using information gathered for over 30 years, Interbrand have developed a method for valuing global brands. The method is proven and-so-they-say, straightforward. The formula is based on financial strength, consumer selection, and branded revenue. The list excludes privately held companies and companies that are not seen as being global.

To see the Best Global Brands List for 2008 - Click Here.

To read Interbrands methodology for valuing brands. Click Here

Or to Download the Full Report Click Here

Posted by on 04th Dec 2008 in • Branding • 0 Comments

The Power of Branding

A Practical Guide. The Design Council have supplied this excellent guide on branding for small businesses

The Design Council have created this free guide to shed some light on the subject of branding; what it is, how it works and how you can use it to help improve your business.

If you look up the word ”BRANDING” in the dictionary it gives you this definition:

“In marketing, the sum total of a company’s value, including products, services, people, advertising, positioning, and culture”

The second definition explains it a little better than the first:

“In marketing, the use of logos, symbols, or product design to promote consumer awareness of goods and services
Example: Branding has made companies like Apple successful.”

Its not the dictionary’s fault, but this is a little vague for what branding actually is. Branding is such an important part of any business that most businesses would not be able to survive without it.

Luckily, the Design Council have produced a manual that explains it in a little bit more detail than the dictionary. They have produced this excellent guide that no business owner should be without!

The guide covers these areas: