Thompson Brand Partners

Contributors' address details

If you sent a contribution to our reasons to be cheerful poster via the blog, and we don't have your details already, could you send us your address details so we can send you the poster?

Email your address to anna@thompsonbrandpartners.com

Reasons to be cheerful. Part II

Our new piece of print is on its way.

If you helped contribute, then a sincere thanks and watch out for your copy. We hope you like it.

If you didn't, then you're in for a treat. 

No dreams were discussed

We kept pretty tight lipped about certain things in the first new business meeting we had in London yesterday. 

As you can see from the photograph, we were in psycho-analytical territory, so we kept to the stuff we something about - brands - and kept schtum about our inner most secrets and darkest dreams (for once). 

Although I did have an incredibly vivid dream earlier this week about a golden eagle devouring a baby chick emerging from an egg (seriously), I thought it best to keep that one under my hat for the time being....

Anyway - we had a great meeting with the people at the Anna Freud Centre and we hope we'll be able to work with them in the very near future.

Anchovy taped to underside of desk

Performance art or practical joke?

You decide.

If you've read Marketing Magazine 25/3...

... turn to page 8.

Music to our ears

The new identity for Leeds College of Music is looking very sexy indeed.

But what's been the most satisfying about this new brand refresh is the client's renewed sense of excitement and incredible passion for the new work we've been producing for Leeds College of Music.

Here's a few tasteful artistic images of the latest printed materials. Looking the business.

Wait til you see the prospectus.

Tackling social evils

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation are some of the most interesting people that I've ever come across. 

They are a completely independent organisation dedicated to helping to improve the lives of people in the UK. They are driving the agenda for social justice in all areas of society and I have to say they are very impressive in terms of the work that they do.

Founded in 1904 by the world famous Rowntree chocolate family, one of the original aims that still holds true is to "to seek out the underlying causes of weakness or evil" that should contribute to "the right measures of human advancement" which over a period of time could "change the face of England".

Inspiring. And we're very pleased that they've asked us to reposition one of their key events.  

We love designing stuff that makes a difference. It's not designing crisp packets is it?

Essex Guides

Those regular visitors to this blog will be familiar with the 'Rough Guide to Essex' project that we've been working on for the best part of 6 months now. The project was briefed in from our long standing arts-based client, Metal.

In fact I think the brief landed nearer 9 months ago making the analogy of birth/gestation/pregnant etc far to good to miss, and you know me, I'm never one to disappoint with a few birth related puns.

Anyway this project has been a real labour (geddit) of love for the guys who've been working on it - Chloe and Rich predominantly, although I think everyone in studio has had some input. It was a real treat then, when the first delivery batch arrived last week. 

In order to get the first batch of guides delivered (see what I did there) into the hands of the all important student contributors the following day, it was all hands on deck stickering and wrapping for a few hours and it was worth it, they looked super cool. 

Student reaction has been uncharacteristically enthusiastic (14 year olds have trouble getting excited about anything in case you didn't know) and it's testament to the finished items that we have a large group of teenagers quite rightly chuffed to bits in Southend-on-Sea, Harwich and Harlow.

Do good, feel good

Once in a while a project comes along which makes you sweat blood and tears, which involves innumerate late nights and which almost costs you your life (and certainly your sanity!). But sometimes those projects are for such a good cause that its all worthwhile - and Metal's You Are Here guide was one of them.

Long ago you may remember we travelled down to Essex to work with the students who produced all of the copy for the three books, and on Monday we went down to London's Southbank to present our designs and let them flick through samples of the printed piece.

In spite of attempting to stay cool, calm and collected, the 50 teenagers went into excitable meltdown when they saw their names and photographs in print! The atmosphere was fantastic.

Final books with covers are on their way, just a few teething problems to sort out with our good friends and suppliers who have been with us all the way on this project... Watch this space!

Flash@Hebburn

In 2001 the artist Charles Quick was invited to propose a piece of artwork for Hebburn Riverside Park as part of the Tyne and Wear ‘Art on the Riverside’ programme. After an initial period of research and consultation, he became aware of the almost invisible industrial history of the area and the pride that the population felt towards their community and its past.

He began to realise that in the past Hebburn had been an important industrial centre with a large number of heavy industries including coal mining, ship building, steel works, chemical works, coke production, high voltage electrical engineering, along with many others. Flashes of light could be associated with all these industries whether it be sparks, flashes of the arc welding or the dramatic lights of the shipyards on both sides of the River Tyne. He also identified that the industries of Hebburn had in their time all been at the cutting edge of innovation. He decided to focus on the themes of light, innovation, regeneration and celebration to inspire his unique design with its original use of light that echoes the proud industrial heritage of Hebburn.

Using the idea that flashes of light could be seen as a common link between all the main industries, the artist decided to propose a piece of work that would use sequences of flashes. Engaging with the people of Hebburn including apprentices from Swan Hunter and former employees of VA Tech Reyrolle and Hawthorn and Leslie Shipyard, he has worked with these groups to create a range of flash sequences that will be used for the artwork.

Through the design process, Chrles developed a number of proposals that have responded to feedback and dialogue with the community. The final artwork will take the form of 12 x 8 metre columns powered by sustainable energy through photovoltaic panels. Cutting edge radio technology will be used to control the light sequences that will use blue and white LED lights to create industrial flashes of light.
The light display will comprise of several thirty second light sequences throughout the day, and one fifteen minute sequence at night. One of ten different sequences will come on throughout daylight if triggered by the sensors on the footpath leading up to the artwork, and one of the eight different fifteen minute sequences will come on automatically at dusk each night emitting flashes from the riverside. Once a year a special midnight sequence will celebrate New Years Eve, to coincide with the ships sirens and flares along the river which once populated the river at this time. Visible from as far as Newcastle, Gateshead and Wallsend it will give Hebburn a distinct identity from other riverside communities along the Tyne.

Pictured is the second piece of print we designed for Charles to help get his project off the ground - Flash has been a fascinating and challenging project. We can't wait to see it actually installed.