We are proud to announce our recent work for New York film production company, Cinereach. Dedicated to producing socially aware and thought provoking film, we help raise Cinereach’s profile by creating their new identity, stationery and developing a rather swish website. Check it out at www.cinereach.org

Private airline, NetJets has launched an online catering system developed by “still waters run deep”. Allowing customers to pre-order cuisine from some of the world’s finest restaurants before takeoff, the website features a custom built CMS and is designed to reflect the bespoke nature of the NetJets service. For more information, visit http://catering.netjetseurope.com/.

Stretching 6000km in a dotted line across China, the Great Wall was begun in the 5 ^th Century BC. As it snakes across the mountains it conjures up a sense of history which is difficult to grasp until you have had the opportunity to experience it.

 

Fortunately (or not), me and Amalia were some of the lucky ones who, along with 36 others, spent 10 days in China taking on the challenge of the Great Wall. We had some fantastic Guides, including a local called Alan who spoke flawless English and knew the wall like the back of his hand. Each time we conquered a mammoth section of the wall, Alan would sit us down and give us a lesson on China and answer our burning questions!  At night we were welcomed into the homes of local farmers who’s food and hospitality gave us a true cultural experience of rural China.

 

The trek itself was both a physical and mental challenge. Some sections would wind through remote woodland and terraced farmland with slippery stones and crumbling rocks. Other parts would lead us up the sides of mountains and across some high, narrow ridges with gale force winds – there were a few hairy moments!

 

But we couldn’t have reached the top of those mountains if it hadn’t been for all the support from our family and friends back home. So far the grand total is at £5,823 and we’re still collecting! Your generous donations will go towards Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital’s new cardiac theatre. This new facility will provide the flexibility to accommodate future advances in surgical techniques ranging from cardiac transplantation to keyhole surgery.

 

Overall, the new cardiac theatre will allow GOSH to maintain the quality of care expected of a centre of excellence, and ensure that the future vision for cardiac surgery is delivered, and children needing cardiac surgery get the best care possible.

 

As well as fundraising for GOSH, this trek gave us the chance to get our new charity, My Ten Days, off the ground. The charity encourages owner/managers of small to medium size businesses to give an extra ten days’ paid leave to one member of their team to do something worthwhile, either in the UK or overseas. www.mytendays.org

 

When we arrived at Gatwick in our hiking boots and oversized rucksacks, we didn’t know a soul. By the flight home, we had left China as a team who had helped each other out of some sticky situations and been together along one of the most incredible journeys any of us will ever experience.

 

Donations can still be made at www.justgiving.com/brightley-hodges

 

If you have been inspired to do something amazing, get involved with Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital at – www.gosh.org or lobby your boss and visit www.mytendays.org

 

 

Here at ‘still waters run deep’ we are committed to nurturing and guiding young talent. For over 15 years we have been running six week placements for students studying degree level graphic design.

 

However times are changing and it is becoming increasingly difficult for graduates to get a foot in the workplace after leaving university. Although our six week placements have proven to be hugely beneficial to our students, we feel that an extended opportunity would provide them with the training and skills to better prepare them for employment.

 

This is why ‘still waters run deep’ is launching the SWRD! Academy . A six or nine month apprenticeship scheme offered to top graphic design students helping them to develop from graduates to designers in industry through a comprehensive fast-track programme in a top London agency.

 

Interested students can find out more by visiting-

www.stillwaters-rundeep.co.uk/academy  

Entry deadline: 26th June 2009 

My Ten Days is a charity to encourage owner/managers of small and medium sized businesses to give one employee an extra ten days’ paid leave in order to do something truly amazing and improve the lives of many in the UK and overseas. The My Ten Days initiative allows individuals the opportunity to fundraise and volunteer for charities without having to worry about not having enough holiday allowance and so leaves them free to make a real and fantastic contribution. Employees simply register on the site www.mytendays.org where they are taken through the process step by step. The website is also a central hub for charities to post schemes and voluntary opportunities.

Ten reasons why bosses and staff should be part of My Ten Days:

Bosses:

1. A great team-and loyalty-building tool
2. Good PR for your company in terms of reputation and attracting staff
3. Fabulous opportunity to give something back
4. Because your business really can make a difference
5. Be part of a ground breaking initiative
6. Helps to build bridges internally and externally
7. Brings the small business community together
8. Networking opportunities
9. Shows your commitment to corporate social responsibility
10. Oh, and last but not least, the tax benefits
    

Staff:

1. A personal challenge
2. Inspiring and rewarding
3. The opportunity to represent your company
4. A chance to help people and make a difference
5. A great way to experience another culture
6. Develop new skills
7. Visit an amazing place
8. Meet new people
9. A new perspective on what’s important in life
10. And, of course, ten days out of the office
    

Amalia and Anna are managers of a monthly women's networking event called 1230 Mayfair. This month they welcomed Claire Young as guest speaker. 

Claire is a young, driven business woman probably familiar to most of us because of her appearance on Alan Sugar's TV business bootcamp 'The Apprentice'. Claire came runner up in the 2008 series and has since gone on to establish her own business, Elegant Venues, which was developed to fill a gap in the wedding hospitality market.

When asked about her experience on 'The Apprentice', Claire says "The Apprentice was an amazing experience. It really is the hardest 12 weeks 
of business boot camp which pushes and stretches you in every way! 
It’s a great learning platform where you can seriously test yourself.

It’s been tough, challenging and for me life changing. It’s a real life rollercoaster. 
Would I do it all again? Of course I would, I’ve loved every minute. I feel that 
I have now got all the pieces of my jigsaw together and I’m ready for anything."

 

After a hugely successful call for entries where we were overwhelmed by the number and quality of the applicants, we have finally managed to chose one graduate who will receive invaluable training as part of the SWRD! Academy. Claire Marshall who graduated with a first from Cleveland College of Art and Design says she's "over the moon at winning the place at the SWRD Academy, I didn't think I would stand a chance at winning as there are so many talented graduates out there, all finding it impossible to break into the design industry."

But SWRD's Head of Design, Gary Lin says Claire won them over in her interview -

"We’ve had some really high calibre applicants for the SWRD! Academy and the competition was tough. Most applicants had great creative ability and are all obviously talented designers, but because the aim of the SWRD! Academy is to help develop young talent so they become highly employable at the end of it, we looked for someone with potential and an attitude that is deserving of the place, rather than someone who’s already the finished product. Especially in the climate of bleak opportunities for graduates, we tried to pick someone whom we believe will shine and contribute to the industry in the future, and more importantly who really wanted it.

The final winner didn’t come to the fore until the interview stages, and in fact she was ‘middle of the pile’ for most of the time. But in the end she was a clear choice. We picked Claire because she had a lot of spark and energy, she was full of ideas and importantly, keen and ready for the hard work ahead. She had great people skills and is a rounded individual that we thought will contribute to our team in more than just her design capacity. 

So to sum up the final deciding factors were – potential, attitude, synergy, and a bit of that X-factor!"

Only two graduates each year will be lucky enough to win a place in the SWRD! Academy, the next call for entries will begin in December.

 

 

'still waters run deep' are proud to be involved with Familiarity 09, the conference for family businesses and their professional advisers. Now in its fourth year, Familiarity continues to celebrate the family business community. Supported by the team at The International Centre for Families in Business, Familiarity is designed to meet the needs of the family business community an is a must for family business owners, directors, shareholders and their professional advisers. 

As a family business ourselves, 'still waters run deep' have been heavily involved with The International Centre for Families in Business and earlier this year we launched Family Business Place (www.familybusinessplace.com), a web resource for family-run firms giving them access to articles, news, advice, expert opinions and research as well as a network of businesses involved with the family business community.

So if you are a family business or have clients who are, please get in touch and hopefully we will see you at Familiarity 2009 on 1st October.

Familiarity 2009

The Watershed Media Centre, Bristol

Thursday 1st October, 8.30am - 5.30pm

 

The independent foodservice consultants commissioned us to refresh and develop their brand. The initial work consisted of a perception study, the results of which tailored our design.

Bespoke photography, succulent copy and beautiful design have all made Pret a Manger’s New York sales brochure a rich experience. Produced to promote the brand in the city that never sleeps, the document showcased to great success the benefits of having a Pret a Manger store on your block.

This month we delivered a delicious new website for travel service specialists, Food by Design. Behind the sumptuous bespoke copy and delectable photography lies an intuitive tailored content management system to allow the group to take ownership of their website. Find out more at: foodbydesign.co.uk

As the summer school term begins with gusto, the nation’s teachers can be sure they accurately record BBC shows for study groups with our new programme guides. Bold colours and iconic treatments of classic school subjects are the order of the day, ensuring the guides are easy to use and promote the BBC’s educational output. For more information ask your kids, or call Ben Procter.

There are many arguments for not buying a studio; you’re tied to one place, it’s your responsibility and it’s ridiculously expensive. For a long time we shared this view and even drew some satisfaction knowing when the heating packed in, it was someone else’s problem. However, rents only go up, never down and we were tired of lining our landlord’s pockets, so we took the plunge and started looking for a place to buy. The process is long and frustrating, but we’d recommend getting on the property ladder to everyone. Why? Freedom; you own a studio and you can do what you like with it.

The hardest part is finding somewhere everyone’s going to feel happy working in for eight hours a day, but we had a good idea of what we wanted; a well lit studio, smart enough to bring clients to, plenty of storage, close to our clients and near a tube. This meant most of central London was out of our price range, but after nearly two years of searching we eventually found the perfect studio in Waterloo. Well, almost perfect, we bought two units next door to each other. Our criteria always meant that some degree of building work might eat into our budget, but it didn’t make the process of finance any less complicated. There are many ways to actually buy a building, such as out right or linked to a pension. But whatever you decide, don’t forget the expense of moving itself, commercial lets often require vacating tenants to pay dilapidations (the cost of restoring a property to its original state). But the good news is once you’ve established your budget there are plenty of good deals for those willing to negotiate.

We had the money to turn our two units into one, but because poor management and running out of money are the main reasons projects fail we appointed an architect to plan and manage the process. You might think they’d be busy designing grander buildings, but for the majority, being able to fit your square peg in the round hole you’ve bought, is their bread and butter business. Don’t be afraid to ask to see previous commissions – it’s vital you trust and establish a good rapport. After all, you’re going to spend a lot of time together talking about costings, lighting specifications, things you can’t do because of building regulations and where the computer gear will go. But when things go wrong and it’s important to remember they always do, your architect will offer support. They’ve seen it all before and will know what to do next.

They can also help source builders, plumbers and electricians to put together your dream studio. Do not underestimate the value a skilled team of contactors can add to a build. No floor plan is ever 100% accurate and neither is the schedule of works. An experienced builder can spot and fix problems before they become expensive. They understand your studio needs plug sockets, not bare, live wires hanging out the walls. So look after them; buy them breakfast, get the coffees in. A lot commute from all over the country to work in London for the week, let them knock off early on Friday and you’ll find all the unexpected, tiny jobs that crop up are done for free. But above all be practical in your design and planning. Don’t insist your studio is designed to a five mill tolerance, don’t have the electricians in a day before the plasterers turn up and don’t be afraid to muck in when a deadline approaches. A little forward planning and healthy scepticism to earnest promises can make the whole process a lot less stressful.

Eventually you’ll get the keys and a new story to tell clients. Owning your studio sends out a very clear message, there’s permanence to your business. We decided to combine our move with a refresh of our identity and the whole process of new look, new studio has galvanised everyone in the company. It’s a chance for us to have the studio we always wanted. And if we outgrow our space in the future, we can always rent it out or sell it and move on.

Like any business, a design agency has to constantly assess and re-evaluate its business to ensure that it stays one step ahead of the game. Rather than resting on its laurels and relying on existing practices and business, it needs to take time to look closely at its own activities and image, just as it does with its clients.

This is the story of how one London-based graphics agency re-invented itself, by moving to a new studio, giving itself a complete re-brand and developing a new direction.

Our makeover was prompted by the desire to buy our own studio space. After years of leasing and dealing with ineffective landlords, the time was right for us to invest for the long term in our own property.

When we finally found a space that suited our needs, this set us thinking about the future: the sort of clients we wanted to work with, the type of work we wanted to do, and our vision for the coming years. We knew that we were working in an over-saturated market with too many companies competing for the same type of client. So we began to think about becoming more specialised and creating a niche for ourselves.

But before making this commitment we knew that we needed to do some fairly extensive research, which would be costly. We commissioned a 360 degree perception study and an independent audit of our company. The perception study was carried out by a specialist consultancy and the audit by a larger design agency that we respected and felt we could learn from. The audit showed that our initial thinking was right – the way forward was to re-focus our business.

This was scary stuff. But we knew we had to be brave and be willing to take a hit for while until we established ourselves in the market we were targeting. And once we had committed to this new direction, we had to be absolutely determined to succeed – all of us!

The perception study told us what our clients and suppliers thought of “still waters run deep”: what we did well, what we did less well and where we needed to improve. We took note of every single recommendation and after taking a long hard look at ourselves we knew what we needed to do to get to where we wanted to be. Although we had always had a very strong brand, we realised that it was no longer appropriate to our new direction. We were also very aware that the re-branding and the creation of the new studio were so interlinked that they must be done in tandem.

At the same time, the purchase of our new studio was moving on apace. We had to ensure that our studio environment matched our aspirations. We knew exactly the sort of space we wanted to create: it had to be inspiring and a great place to work, but also one which our clients would feel at home in and recognise instantly as “still waters run deep”. The space had to reflect the entire ethos of the company and the people who worked there. This was our showcase. Working with architects and our builders, we set about creating the kind of space we longed for.

The next step was to assess our resources. Did we have everything in place to help us achieve our new goals?

The audit had looked at every aspect of our business operation and the results told us that our technology was rubbish. We had always bought new equipment as and when it was needed but had never looked at the bigger picture and asked how technology could be used to improve our business. We looked at our requirements and realised that we had to make significant investment if we were to move the company forward. But once we committed, we saw immediate benefits with increased efficiency and more time freed up for staff to work on the stuff they enjoyed.

The audit also told us that some members of the team had talents that were being under-utilised so we restructured the staff to ensure that everyone was working to their full potential. And we had to make absolutely sure that everyone bought in to the new approach and knew their role in developing the success of the business. We also invested in new staff, bringing in people with the skill sets that were lacking in our current team.

The final stage was to address our brand. This was the fun bit! It was obvious that our existing brand no longer reflected our identity and the type of work we were doing and we needed to create a brand that would appeal to our target audience. The result was a brand that totally reflects our new direction.

After months of planning, we launched our re-brand and moved studio all in the same week. It was an operation that required meticulous planning and input from every member of the team. Everyone was allocated a particular responsibility and through great teamwork it was a smooth transition.

The period following the move was both exhilarating and exhausting! We were very excited about the change and set about communicating this to our clients by inviting them to come and visit us in our new space. After all, a new look and feel gives you a reason to tell clients that you are moving forward too.

Almost every day, we had clients dropping by for a chat over lunch or coffee. Without exception, they were keen to come to see us and it was great to have reason to re-establish contact with clients we might not have seen in a while. We could also show them that we practised what we preached and they could see first hand the benefits that a re-brand could bring. And now? Staff are happy that they are working to their full potential and can see the contribution they are making to the business, we have a great new brand, and we are re-energised, focused and absolutely clear about our future direction and how we are going to get there. And we are beginning to see the fruits of efforts with regard to new business. It has been a difficult but rewarding journey.

Tips for a successful makeover

Don’t wait until it’s too late to take a long, hard look at your business and where it’s going

Think of it as designing your company’s future – where do you want to be in 10 years time?

Be willing to learn from other companies and to take professional advice

Be brave and once you’ve decided to take a new direction be absolutely determined to succeed

Ensure that each and every person in the agency is committed

Make the most of the opportunity to tell clients, partners and suppliers that you’ve moved on

 

Angela Beevers is responsible for PR and Marketing at “still waters run deep”.

"still waters run deep" has been working with PureCircle, a Malaysian-based food ingredients producer formerly known as Stevian Biotechnology Corporation, to create a new company name, brand identity and website to help the business grow as it enters the global market. See their new website at www.purecircle.com.

Anita has completed the trek of a  lifetime in aid of the Cardiac Unit at Great Ormond Street Hospital. The trek involved walking for 5 days in the depths of Peru all the way up to Machu Picchu. Anita tells us it was a gruelling but totally exhilarating experience through which she raised over £4,500 for the charity. We are sure you will join us in congratulating Anita on her achievement.

Simon and Lee attended a fab conference on social networking organised by Simply Communicate. They learnt some great new stuff on the emerging communication tools that are crossing over into the business world such as web technology 2.0, blogging, micro-blogging, podcasts, and video-casting. Have a look at their summary of the conference here, or for further information, see www.simply-communicate.com.

“still waters run deep”  have created a new brand identity for specialist architects’ practice PDP Group Limited, to give a refreshed and cohesive look to all of its business communications collateral. For more information, see www.pdp.co.uk.

'still waters run deep' are proud to be involved with Familiarity 09, the conference for family businesses and their professional advisers. Now in its fourth year, Familiarity continues to celebrate the family business community. Supported by the team at The International Centre for Families in Business, Familiarity is designed to meet the needs of the family business community an is a must for family business owners, directors, shareholders and their professional advisers. 

As a family business ourselves, 'still waters run deep' have been heavily involved with The International Centre for Families in Business and earlier this year we launched Family Business Place (www.familybusinessplace.com), a web resource for family-run firms giving them access to articles, news, advice, expert opinions and research as well as a network of businesses involved with the family business community.

So if you are a family business or have clients who are, please get in touch and hopefully we will see you at Familiarity 2009 on 1st October.

Familiarity 2009

The Watershed Media Centre, Bristol

Thursday 1st October, 8.30am - 5.30pm