Goodbye Blogger

Thanks for checking out our blog, now that our new website is live you can head on over there for all the latest insights into MDE.

http://www.makedesignenjoy.co.uk

The new site gives an insight to us, our work and whatever we are up to right now. Please do check it out and feel free to comment on any of the content.

Thanks!

We're looking for new creative talent.

Looking ahead to another year of growth and success we're excited to announce that we're recruiting for a Design Executive to join the team.

Please head over to our recruitment page for full details and how you can apply.

What 3 Mobile's adverts should really say...

Targeted Re-Marketing

Something that's been on my mind a little recently are internet cookies and targeted 're-marketing'. Where we as users are delivered online adverts based on our previous searches or purchases.

Now, initially I'm probably like most people in thinking that I don't like this, it feels intrusive. But on the other hand, we're all exposed to advertising every day and we can all choose to ignore it - but if it has to be there, why not have it be something we might actually be interested in?

The underlying issue with this really is the fact that people are gathering data on us, and our buying habits. I for one don't have a store points card for any retailer because the 'rewards' are a long way off the value of the data I'd be handing over.

So where does the future lie for online choice in terms of the data we hand over? I'd be interested to hear people's thoughts on this, I'm no online data expert but I do think it's going to quickly become something we all have to deal with far more than we do currently.

Karl.

Digital Marketing for B2B With Google

On a fresh and crisp February morning myself and a whole host of eager advertising, marketing, digital, creative, nerdy type people queued outside Earls Court awaiting the opening of this years industry show - Technology For Marketing And Advertising.

Now, the reason for this rather enthusiastic early start to my day did not simply stem from the usual excitement of attending another exhibition, but the 10am keynote was being given by Richard Robinson, Industry Leader at Google.

The topic of his talk was specifically B2B digital marketing, this was of great interest to me as not only does B2B make up 70% of our client base, but I'm noticing an increasing trend towards digital marketing for these clients. The appeal of lower cost when compared to print, advanced methods to calculate ROI and the 'instant update-ability' of digital are all helping increase B2B client's interest in digital. These clients are also quickly becoming far more switched onto modern communication channels than before and especially so in the last 6 months.

Initial scepticism surrounding iPads, smart phones and mobile websites seems to be subsiding and we're now welcoming in an era of even the most conservative clients accessing digital information on a regular basis. And this access is going to change the B2B communication habits dramatically over the coming years.

Richard spoken specifically about some very inspiring projects showing dramatic success from utilising the ability to connect with audiences using digital platforms - in a B2B relationship. Everything from how we all access the internet to how much information is out there is growing, and this is really starting to effect the business buying process. Since 2008 there's been a 300% increase in B2B searches on mobile devices, and 62% of buyers spend more time researching online since the recession - we're all much smarter, more informed and more mobile decision makers.

This all makes the procurement process trickier for us, everyone in the office is able to Google something and find some local suppliers, information and reviews on them - hell, they can even see in their office windows with Google Street View! And I think as clients like ours are doing this themselves, they're becoming aware that their customers are probably doing it too.

I'm excited about this year, and we've got some great concepts on the table at the moment to use digital to great effect in some innovative ways in the B2B world. It'll be interesting to see what we can achieve by the end of the year.

Karl.

Thanks to @tfma_event for the tweets, the event images and the great coverage.

Robots in disguise...

We were up in Gloucester today with a client, they make the vehicles that tow aircraft around amongst many other massive powerful things. I snapped a couple of shots around parts of the factory so thought I'd post them up. They're great pieces of British design and manufacture, help move aircraft around all over the world and look like massive transformers!

Top of the chocs!

A couple of months ago we started something, something we were ridiculed for but we persevered like all trues visionaries. That something has grown into an opinionated, heated source of debate that everyone wants a piece of - Top of the chocs.

On a Top Gear style cool wall we each bring a bar into the studio once a week (usually Fridays) and then taste them one by one, voting and positioning them on the wall. Best at the top, worst at the bottom.

Everyone, I mean EVERYONE has something to say about the wall. It seems chocolate bars are somewhat of a sensitive point with everyone defending their favourite very strongly with the debate fuelled by sugar filled rage.

We'll tweet (#topofthechocs) and post up here the wall as it grows, we only have one simple criteria for entrants:

The bar must cost less than £1, it must be available in the corner shop, and no fancy stuff like Green & Blacks - strictly high street honeys up in here! I've posted shots of the entire wall below so you can scroll down it just like the wall itself (well, sort of, in a crude blogger kind of way).

If anyone else fancies having a go in their office please do share and in the mean time, I'm off to the gym - gotta work off all that chocolate ;)

Karl.