B&V Creative News

How to write for Webworld

noreply@blogger.com (Helen) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:46:00 +0000

There’s no doubt about it, ‘cutback copy for the concentration-challenged’ is how to write for a marketing Webworld.

As online business flourishes, today’s writers must script for a new and increasingly younger audience with a gnat-like attention span of, if you are lucky, 5 seconds - which has to be the most gloriously successful benefit imaginable of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

This is because the average virtual-space hopper does not read. They scan. Rapidly. This demands an instant-gratification writing style aimed at maximum stick and minimum bounce. For the uninitiated, ‘bounce’ is the swift response of a dissatisfied surfer to a website that doesn’t deliver the goods quickly enough i.e. now. In a flash, they hop from one site to another until a clever one captures their interest and speeds them successfully towards the required action.

As always, money’s behind it, what with online budgets overtaking offline budgets faster than you can hit a ‘Buy Now’ button. Focus is moving from traditional, passive promotional paths to digital, mercurial marketing at a rate of knots.

So, goodbye (well, not quite, but getting there) to newspaper advertising and direct mail (a 40% drop in market share according to some sources), and hello to websites, search-engine-optimised text, podcasts, texting, blogging, social networking, YouTube et al. The list is long and evolving at a brain-boggling rate.

So here’s how writing for Webworld shapes up:-

Get To The Point Pronto – state the problem and solution swiftly and succinctly;
Highlight Benefits Immediately – save time and cut to the chase;
Use Short Sentences – bite-size chunks of easily-digested information;
Use Plain-speak – concise, objective Standard English for direct communication;
Keep It Conversational – zero formality for total connection;
Ban Bureaucratese & Jargon – honest, no-barriers straight-speak at all times;
Tailor To Your Market – e.g. write for Youth and you can sling slang willy-nilly;
Keep Text To A Minimum –plenty of elbow room for the great god White Space;
Pepper With Bullet Points – lots of these for the terminally impatient.

Just as pre-Webworld designers responded to a developing digital scene by migrating from drawing boards and traditional skills to computers and design software, so too have trend-spotting writers drawn upon honed capabilities such as good communication, flexibility and discipline to meet the needs of a burgeoning online market.

Having hoofed the distance to write in this growing Webworld, they are super-fit for purpose which has to augur well for a progressive business community that values a contemporary capability supported by a proven pedigree.

So, if you ever wondered why well-scripted websites support a cutback style of copy, it’s because it pays big dividends, competing successfully in an ephemeral and demanding market that cannot resist an astutely-crafted path to the ‘Buy Now’ button in all its guises.

I learnt something new today!

noreply@blogger.com (Angela) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:22:00 +0000

I learnt something new today!

So I need to ask you if it was just new to me or new to you all?

How many of you are space-sweating? And would you know if you were?

It sounds like a very unpleasant way of working next to someone you’d rather not be near…but in fact it’s the newest expression for maximising space in warehousing!

Used to be called ‘cramming’ or saving on rent but not any more!

And of course, there will be environmental advantages to space-sweating too.

Getting more ‘stuff’ into a smaller space saves on lighting, heating or cooling, land..

need I go on?

So next time someone goes all minimalistic on you just be surprised and tell them that’s so passé. Space-sweating is the new buzz, don’t waste space you don’t really need – just build a mezzanine level in every room and crouch all day!!

I’m trying to work out how to get ‘space-sweating’ into my next press release…

Maybe you could suggest something?

Take care

Angela

Fings ain't wot they used to be

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:07:00 +0000

I recently read - via email, the significance of which will become apparent shortly - that over 50% of adults felt their intelligence was being judged by others based solely on the way they write emails. To counter this, large numbers of people are adapting their style of writing and language, thus creating a kind of alter-persona who exists only as an email correspondent.

Interesting. Not because it’s surprising, but rather that it would be surprising if we believed we would NOT be judged by poor grammar, non-existent punctuation and nonsense sentences. After all, we’re judged by so many criteria these days.
Have you ever tried to pick the meaning out of an email or blog completely devoid of capital letters or full stops? The feelings of “Ahhh...bless...a novice on the keyboard...” soon dissipate and a much less charitable notion soon takes over.

The well-written word still means a lot, even in these days of electronic supremacy. Whilst the delivery systems have changed, much of what is being delivered has not. I found these lovely examples of mass dyslexia at GetReading.co.uk....

- ‘people lossing jobs’ (careless lossers!);
- ‘gullable’ (a naïve bird perhaps?);
- benifit (used twice so not a slip of the fingers);
- ‘suprise suprise’ (er ditto);
- propergander (having a good look at?);
- I new five girls (as opposed to I old five girls?)
- In countries such as Italy, which has higher morale values (happy Itis!)
- Alchol (hic!);
- Escape goat (I blame whoever left the gate open);
- Speach (or sapple or spear?)
- Opertunity (to be had at an opertune moment).

As you know, spotting howlers isn’t a new sport - it has a long and distinguished history.

‘So what?’ I can hear you say.
Well, quite a lot actually. Your company’s credibility (let alone your sales potential) is being affected by everything you email, communicate or upload, so it’s worth making the effort to ensure it’s not dangling participles in the faces of your readers.

We at B&V spend a huge amount of time and effort minimising errors (often in client-supplied copy), so that our communications make sense. Of course, in the perfect world, a spelling mistake would never exist. And when we all move to this much-anticipated ‘perfect world’ we’ll all breathe a sigh of relief. But until then, it’s back to the usual methods - sharp eyes and read it again and again and again....and then a bit more.
Incidentally, many years ago we used to keep a folder, titled The Studio Bok of Deliferate Mistales, into which all our howlers went. Amongst the gems was a series of 6 visuals, all for the same advert, all containing a different spelling of the word ‘refrigerator’ and proof, if proof were needed, that artists and designers cannot spell - never have been able to, probably never will.

B&V Digital is LIVE!

noreply@blogger.com (Ross) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:57:00 +0000

Our brand new B&V Digital site launched last week, and we want to know what you think of it!

In a departure from the corporate feel of our main site, the BVD site extols all the virtues of internet marketing and how our dedicated team help clients with web design and development, search engine marketing, email marketing and video for the web.

As you can see we’ve gone for a contemporary look and feel to the site but as a contrast to the clean white appearance of the B&V Creative site the look is darker and hopefully a bit more funky! The content too has been written with approachability in mind, to come across as relaxed and conversational.

The main idea with the content was to stress the benefit of internet marketing and the uncovered potential it can help realise in any business. The example page on the right is trumpeting the use of email marketing for instance…

We haven’t forgotten to sell ourselves though – especially the fact we really do tailor our digital marketing to our clients. Each project is tackled on its own merits, we don’t provide off the shelf solutions!

We’re pretty pleased with the site – and the ever expanding and increasingly informative blog. There are still a couple of new videos to upload (so keep an eye out for them) but we can definitely say, with excitement, B&V Digital has arrived!

If you’ve got any comments on the site, please do give me a shout!

Cheers Ross

Paper: is the writing on the wall?

noreply@blogger.com (Helen) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:08:00 +0000

ince the internet exploded into households around the world and rocketed the contents into cyberspace, information technology in general has become something of a black hole, swallowing long-established methods of information, communication and entertainment into a Central Resource for Everything: whatever we need or want, simply turn on a device and, voilà, in moments it is before us, without so much as getting off our already under-exercised derrières.

So what does the future hold for paper, our predominant information medium since 2nd-Century China? Books are holding strong, but for how long? Publications already have their online versions, so a logical conclusion is that paper will soon disappear into this virtual galaxy, taking with it a plethora of seductive charms: the scratch and rhythm of pen and ink across a sheet of quality handmade, the comforting rustle of a broadsheet cocoon, and even the desire, need and ability to read a book, not to mention the time and application that such pursuits require.

Will e-paper, with its blend of digital flexibility and the feel of physical paper, bridge the chasm between old and new? People may take to this compromise but, if they follow the easiest and most convenient route (which they usually do), then e-paper may well be little more than a bright idea as existing devices take over.

So what becomes of the ‘paperless office’? This concept seems to remain notional as people consume even more paper by printing out e-mails, web pages etc. Of course, this could be no more than a transitional phase practised by luddites who have a foot in both camps; those who value a piece of paper between their hands and before their eyes, despite the undeniable pull and benefits of information technology.

Perhaps the paperless office belongs to the generations being raised within the cradle of information technology. Those highchair cherubs who can navigate an electronic device/virtual landscape with the prowess of a seasoned explorer of Amundsen or Thesiger proportions; who respond to immediacy and things that ‘do,’ such as computer games and voice-activated gadgets, rather than things that ‘don’t’, such as books and board games - things that require something from their users to reveal their joys; things that are fostered and accrue and pay later dividends, not least being face-to-face inter-personal skills.

Has the eco-friendly paperless office merely been postponed? Will it help protect the world's forests or merely confer paper’s market share to other hungry harvesters? Ultimately, how long before information technology absorbs not just everything but everyone, and we are digitised into a mainframe, Lawnmowerman-style, living a virtual life in a virtual world?

Oh, well, just a thought. Now, please excuse me while I print this out for a final reading…

It’s all about mood

noreply@blogger.com (Angela) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:09:00 +0000

Well I did it. I wrote to the BBC. You would think as a writer I would often express my opinion in words but in fact it’s a luxury when you spend your life writing for clients. I’m happy to report that I wasn’t moaning either, just enjoyed BBC 1’s Desperate Romantics so much I needed to tell someone. Of course, it was about one of my favourite artistic periods – the Pre-Raphaelite Movement – but oh the fun they had with the subject! It was the whole mood the programme makers created with music, costume, colour, script…need I go on?

It got me thinking that that’s what we try to do when we’re creating a Brand. It’s the result of a process of researching the mood of the company and then reflecting that mood in all that we do to support the Brand.

So what would you be if you were a Brand? It’s a fun exercise. Do you see yourself as an adventurer with a sharp, funky personality? What colour might you be? Or maybe you see yourself as a bit of a teddy bear, in soft colours and slightly squidgy? How hard would it be to live up to that Brand or even change it in future years?

The point is that next time you find your mind wandering (not at work obviously) you might have fun looking around and creating a Brand for someone in your social circle or even in your family. Do you know I might have started a new craze or the breakdown of some beautiful relationships!

Anyway time to get back to the serious Branding challenge of a new client.
Have fun

Opinion: trust me – I'm a Designer!

noreply@blogger.com (Diarmid) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:48:00 +0000

I've just read an interesting article entitled "Why logo design does not cost $5.00" and found myself agreeing with just about everything – but maybe not all – that its author was saying. And it did really set me thinking on why it seems to be that design in general seems to be somewhat undervalued in today's world.

It does seem to me that, as creatives, we designers really do work in a difficult industry. We all trust doctors with our health, dentists with our teeth, mechanics with our cars, lawyers with – OK, maybe we don't really trust lawyers, but you get the idea! But what do all these professionals have in common? Exactly that: they are PROFESSIONALS. They've trained for many years, built up lots of experience and generally know their onions. Well, believe it or not, the same is true of designers. We've all trained for years (usually at least 4) and the more experienced of us have many years of knowledge to draw on. Not only that, but we're constantly having to evolve and adapt, always searching for new, fresh ideas while having to embrace changes in technology.

But why then are designers and their skills so often undervalued and often ignored? Well, quite simply, I suspect it's down to human nature. As human beings, I believe we all have an innate appreciation of art & design and we all have our individual sense of style. So in truth, we can all legitimately say "I know what I like…". But is what we LIKE actually what is best for the job? As designers, it's not that we are particularly more "visually able" than anyone else – it's more that we're trained to really analyse the problems, explore possible solutions and then employ various strategies to best achieve results. It's this professional and technical expertise that we're really paid for. Sure, as human beings designers will always have opinions on a particular solution, but we are also able (or should be!) to step back from those opinions and assess whether it's the RIGHT solution. Factor in the experience element and there are also times when a good designer can almost instinctively cut to the chase and get very close to – if not right on – the money almost from the start. This is the area where most clients who insist on forcing their opinions through can really come unstuck. It's very easy to get hung up on personal taste and opinion, ignoring possible alternatives no matter how logical or suitable they may be.

The solution? Well, it's maybe not always that easy to ignore the human nature side of things, but it might be worth bearing in mind why the designer was employed in the first place. There was obviously an initial requirement to which someone made the suggestion of spending the money on bringing in a professional to help out. So, if a client is spending the money on bringing in specialist help and advice, does it not make sense – financially, if nothing else – to listen to what those outside specialists have to say? After all, if you were suffering from chest pains, would you go to the doctor to find out what's wrong and then disagree with any diagnosis because you once had a Fisher Price medical kit as a child?

Google AdWords - did you know?

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:31:00 +0000

Google AdWords – scary word? Maybe to some people but as this is now becoming a must for companies if they want to show up on the first web search page, I thought it would be good to share with everyone a very brief overview of what it actually means:-

Using Google AdWords can allow the largest company to the one-person company operating from home the ability to target a huge web audience with minimal spend. If someone was looking to find a company that, say, supplied fish food, they would type in ‘fish food’ in the Google search box and enter, and then over 2 million results would be shown on numbered pages. On the right-hand side of the Google search page would be targeted ads specifically about ‘fish food’.

A company’s website needs to attract new clients and convert them into paying customers; using relevant keywords in your website text will allow you to fulfil this primary objective. Using the correct keywords can attract targeted users that are looking to buy your product or service. Well-written, relevant copy on your website will help you rank better in searches, so by continually optimising your Google AdWords campaigns and keyword usage, you will expand the potential market visiting your website.

There is no rule on how many AdWords you should use, as it depends on the desired results and funds available. Ad groups will have keywords that convey a similar idea and may contain as few as 10 to as many as 100 keywords.

This is a very short overview of the basics of Google AdWords as there is much more to learn, such as finding profitable keywords, creating AdWord headlines, persuasive Ad text and Click Through Rates.

If you would like more information we are happy to help. Why not try Google AdWords for yourself, with the added bonus that B&V can manage your AdWords campaigns for you! We can also supply a monthly Google analytics report so you can see for yourself where your website’s traffic is coming from.

Opinion: A Third Way?

noreply@blogger.com (Diarmid) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 09:12:00 +0000

We've all heard them before: "speculate to accumulate"... "fortune favours the brave"... "adapt or die"... "live long and prosper"... (sorry, that last one just sort of slipped in!). Seriously though, we're all well aware of the recession and the press do seem to love trotting out the old clichés – but, as with many old wives' tales and nursery rhymes, there can be a solid foundation to even the most hackneyed of sayings.

In these days of economic uncertainty, opinion is often divided when it comes to marketing and a quick search of the Internet will turn up literally thousands of blog posts advocating that companies should cut their marketing spend in a recession. Confusingly there are at least as many taking the view that companies should up their budgets rather than cutting them! Certainly for many companies, marketing is often seen as a soft target: an expense which can be easily cut without having to resort to laying people off. But with the need to increase sales in order to survive, how can companies grow their customer base without actively marketing to let those potential customers know they are there?

Well, there can be a third way.

The world of business, just as in nature, really can be a case of survival of the fittest and a deep recession is the equivalent of a tsunami or an earthquake. It is the plants and animals that are able to adapt to new conditions that are most likely to survive. And the ability to adapt is, I believe, the 'third way' which is most likely to produce results in the current economic climate. Cutting marketing spend can result in rendering your company virtually invisible. Increasing it can certainly be a gamble which – although it could reap great rewards – might result in further economic woes. But reviewing HOW that budget is being used and modifying some of the approaches taken could make all the difference, both financially and in terms of customers' perception.

By partnering with a marketing agency who has their clients' best interests at heart (and we certainly do – if our clients do well, then we do well) and applying some strong strategic thinking and exploring possible new avenues, marketing can be one of the most effective and important tools available to businesses – not just in surviving a recession, but also in ensuring you come out of it ahead of any surviving competition.

Here's an example:

It's well known that – although it has its place and can be very effective if well executed – the traditional newsletter or mailshot can be quite costly to produce & send. Many end up in the bin, mailing lists can be out of date and there's no guarantee of a response. But making better use of modern technologies can really improve on this – dramatically.

Email newsletters can reach the intended person directly and have your message right there in their inbox, first thing. Even if they're roaming, with wireless laptops and smart phones emails will still find their target wherever they are. And, by building in links to forward the email to anyone else the recipient feels might be interested, it can be used to propagate more leads. We can design and build the email template for you, test it to ensure it's viewable in all major email client programs and organise and schedule the actual mailing. Even better, we can also monitor how many of those emails actually get opened and, where applicable, how many recipients then clicked through to your website. And the best bit? It really doesn't have to cost the earth! There's no print, no ink, no paper, no waste. Once the templates have been designed, each mailing campaign can cost as little as £20 to set up and a few pence per recipient to actually send out! And with the emails being better targeted and going direct to the intended person, the chance of success is much higher than the more traditional mailer or newsletter.

So it may well be true that you need to "speculate to accumulate" – but you may not need to speculate as much as you thought in order to reap the rewards!!

Live long – and PROSPER!

B&V Digital site almost live!

noreply@blogger.com (Ross) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:31:00 +0000

Here at B&V towers we are ultra excited about the upcoming launch of the new website dedicated to our digital marketing division, B&V Digital. It’s been a labour of love for our in-house design and development team, as well as the copywriters trying to piece together the ultimate digital marketing site.

As a busy agency often it’s hardest to find the time to implement our own marketing strategy,
but this time we’ve really enjoyed the challenge of putting together the BVD site – and we wanted to give a sneak preview of the design (minus real copy) because we can’t wait for it to go live!

One thing is for sure, we’re passionate about the importance of digital marketing, about the results it can have and about getting the message across that making use of these strategies is a prerequisite for any forward thinking enterprise.

So…we’ve tried to do two things with the site. Firstly promote the benefits of digital marketing overall and secondly, promote the services of BVD.

Having great web design, email marketing campaigns, search engine marketing strategies and video content is what we are selling, so we’ve also been very serious about incorporating all of that into our new site too.

We hope the idea of showcasing our talents within a darker, quirky design, packed full of the features we provide for clients is going to get our message - and image - across. Our last series of testing starts shortly so it won’t be long before we’ve found out!

The digital team are pretty proud of how the site is looking so far, and although there are some tweaks still left to administer, we really are looking forward to the official launch – 3 weeks and counting….

Feel free to add your comments!

Big and Beautiful

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:16:00 +0000

In the past year or two, we've seen dramatic changes to the landscape of the web. Computer screens are getting larger, connections are getting faster, and as a result websites are getting bigger, bolder and brighter.

We've tried to reflect this in our own work. Here's a selection of some of the recent web projects we've designed and built at B&V...

	Bettavend www.bettavend.co.uk Bettavend install and maintain a complete range of vending machines for hot beverages, cold drinks, fresh water, confectionery and food.
	The Coffee Bean Company www.coffeebeancompany.co.uk The Coffee Bean Company is a part of Bettavend. They work in Ethical Trading Partnerships in order to provide, as far as possible, sustainable Tea and Coffee.
	Titchfield Dental Health www.titchfielddental.co.uk A modern and comforable dentist in Park Gate, Hampshire. Titchfield Dental specialise in calming nervous patients, and have an enormous book of testimonials from satisfied customers!
	The Friarsgate Practice www.friarsgatepractice.co.uk The Friarsgate Practice are a thriving, enthusiastic and friendly Primary Care General Practice with surgeries in three locations: Central Winchester, Badger Farm and Kings Worthy.
	Stannah Lifts www.stannahlifts.co.uk Stannah provide a range of commercial lift solutions. We approached the redesign of this website with the intention of making the information much easier to find, using a number of "Web 2.0" techniques to enhance the end-user experience.
	Peters and May Global Logistics www.pm-gl.com Peters & May Global Logistics provides specialist global freight forwarding services, enabling goods to be transported worldwide, including to/from remote areas.
	Roger Pimm Marine Surveyor www.rogerpimm.com A microsite detailing the range of Marine Surveying and Consultancy Services on offer from Roger Pimm.

Opinion: The shape of things to come?

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:23:00 +0000

Technology really does seem to have an amazing rate of change, doesn't it? In the studio we're regularly updating software and hardware, getting our heads around new 'can-do's' and 'can't-do-anymore's' as everything shifts yet again.

A recent conversation bought up a fascinating idea regarding how our love affair with all things 'technology' might actually result in changes in human behaviour.
My fellow conversationalist, a chap deeply involved in new media, stated that once uploaded/ posted/ texted, there's no way of knowing if the information is ever lost. Someone 'out there' might have grabbed the info, so it may continue to exist long after we've hit the 'delete' button. His point was that we'll start to adjust our behaviour accordingly, knowing that everything we do or say is perpetually in existence somewhere and might resurface when we least want it to. A society of individual responsibility, self regulation and honest, law-abiding citizens would ensue...

I found the idea interesting - not least of all because I'm a touch cynical (who, me? You'd never guess!), but cannot deny he might have a point.
I wondered... is there anything in history to support his theory? Whilst one could argue that we've never had current technology before, we've had plenty of astonishing inventions and discoveries. Have they changed our nature...or have they simply changed the way we live day by day? It's not so long ago that everyone - all of society - believed utterly in an omnipresent and omnipotent deity...but this did not result in an end to crime or wrong-doing. Will new technology bring about this deep-seated change in our all-too-human nature...or will we just assume that technology is as fallible as the humans who create it and we won't 'get caught'?

I love the belief and optimism that technology might solve anti-social behaviour problems and bring about a safer, better community, but it will have to deal with human nature above all things...and I'm just not sure it's up to the job!

Dedicated to Digital

noreply@blogger.com (Ross) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:12:00 +0000

B&V Digital is a new division of B&V Creative, established to provide dedicated focus on a rapidly growing area of the marketing business.

Colin Breckenridge, MD of B&V Creative explains:

‘I’m delighted to welcome my son Ross Breckenridge into the business to lead the B&V Digital team to deliver digital marketing expertise within our range of services. His experience and MA in multi-media journalism will help us provide enhanced digital services around our core digital skills of web design and programming.’

Ross continues:

‘B&V’s reputation has always been for high quality design and excellent marketing support for all our clients; services they have been providing for 26 years.

We already provide a full range of marketing services, delivering a bespoke mix for each individual client. Today it is essential to have a strong website at the core of any marketing activities and with that comes an ongoing commitment to ensure each website informs, educates and engages its key target market – but that potential audience needs to be told where to look!

This is where B&V Digital can help.

By designing optimised sites or by optimising your existing site we can make it easier for google and other search engines to see and understand your site and get it up the all important rankings to increase the flow of traffic. We’ll design individual campaigns to drive traffic and increase your message through all channels such as blogs, twitter, video content, pay per click, search marketing, social networking, electronic news –the list increases week to week.’

B&V already have a wealth of website development in their portfolio and
host, maintain and promote sites for a range of clients with a range of budgets.

Call Ross on 023 8043 3348 to chat about how B&V Digital can help you maximise
your online message and increase business.

B&V - return to Honeypot House

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 08:52:00 +0000

B&V paid a very welcome return visit to Honeypot House in the New Forest to meet just a few of the hundreds of children who benefit from this UK Charity. The children are often full time carers and a visit to the New Forest holiday centre is a lifeline – a chance to just be a child!

‘ We were delighted to continue our year of support for Honeypot by presenting them with a cheque for £450 that our staff raised earlier in the year. It’s amazing to see all the additions to the facilities at the house made possible by the increased awareness of Honeypot in the Hampshire business community and beyond. It is a fantastically worthwhile cause and you need no more convincing than the smiles on the children’s faces at the start of their special holiday.’

Colin Breckenridge, MD of B&V Creative

If you’d like to know more about the Honeypot Charity visit them at http://www.honeypot.co.uk/

Honeypot Balloon Launch

noreply@blogger.com (Alissia) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:46:00 +0000

The hugely successful balloon launch, organised by B&V Creative on behalf of Honeypot, at this year's Business South delivered some valuable coverage for the charity in the Southern Daily Echo. Click the link below to see the article...

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/search/display.var.2117976.0.howzat_for_a_lift_off.php

Grand Prize Draw Winners

noreply@blogger.com (Alissia) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 14:20:00 +0000

We would like to thank all those who took part in our Grand Prize Draw in aid of Honeypot (http://www.honeypot.co.uk/) our nominated charity for 2008. The Draw was a great success and we are delighted to have raised a total of £565 for the charity.

The winners of the Prize Draw are:

1St Prize - Susie Campbell, Armed Forces World
2nd Prize - Kay Blewitt
3rd Prize - Philip Ward, Ace Business Supplies
4th Prize - James Webb
5th Prize - Joe Freire, JMF Financial Services LTD

Kay Blewitt kindly re-raffled her hamper and raised an extra £60 for Honeypot and James Webb donated his prize of a large cuddly bumble bee to the Honeypot Bus for the children to play with when they are on board.

The charity is thrilled by everyone's kindness.

B&V Creative scoop Best Stand at Business South

noreply@blogger.com (Alissia) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 15:48:00 +0000

B&V Creative are celebrating after winning ‘Best Stand’ at Business South.

The creative advertising and marketing agency achieved the award for its refreshingly fruity stand display, distinctive branding, creative use of video animation, and pre-event promotion.

Colin Breckenridge, Managing Director collected the award for Best Stand from Rachel Fellows, Exhibitions Manager during the Exhibitors Party on day one at St Mary’s Stadium.

Business South provided the perfect venue for B&V’s 25th Anniversary celebrations. The company established in March 1983 by current Managing Director Colin Breckenridge.

“Winning ‘Best Stand’ was certainly the icing on the cake for us at this year’s Business South” Colin remarked.

“B&V‘s highlights during the event had already included a VIP Birthday Reception attended by those who had helped us to reach our 25th Anniversary. Our Balloon Launch outside the stadium with Hampshire Cricketer Billy Taylor and the Grand Prize Draw from our stand all in aid of the Honeypot Charity.

“The B&V team worked hard in the run up to the event. The design team produced a stand which reflected the very essence of our business and certainly caught the eye of passers by. The PR team organised a busy schedule of activities and promotions for the event and gained valuable coverage in the run up. We had a very successful couple of days at Business South and we hope it’s a good sign of things to come in our anniversary year.”

The Award took pride of place on B&V’s stand on day two of the event.

B&V Creative weaves a wider web

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:40:00 +0000

In B&V Creative's 25th year we are extending our services to our clients.

We are delighted to welcome Phil Le Cheminant in the role of Web Designer and Developer. Phil has been running his own multimedia company so brings with him a wealth of experience across a wide range of multi-media skills. He is also an accomplished musician/producer and has applied these skills to multimedia presentations, websites, advertising and soundtracks.

Founder and Managing Director of B&V, Colin Breckenridge comments:
‘Phil is an excellent addition to our highly skilled team. His technical capability is outstanding and will extend the range of services we can offer our clients. Recruiting team players is crucial for B&V and I know, in finding Phil, we have added a business winner.’

We provide graphic design, web services, advertising, PR, consultancy and direct marketing for a wide range of businesses. Come and meet the B&V team at Business South, St. Mary’s Stadium, Southampton on 5/6 March.

B&V Creative celebrates 25th Anniversary in 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:28:00 +0000

B&V Creative achieves 25 years as a full service marketing agency and is delighted to have yet another busy year ahead.

Graphic Designers, Colin Breckenridge and Mike Viana founded B&V Creative in 1983, and today Colin is still at the helm of the full service marketing agency.

The studio initially built up a client base in the south based on delivering innovative graphic design solutions. B&V Creative went on to develop a range of marketing services around the creative studio, providing clients with an all round advertising and marketing service.

B&V’s transformation into a full service marketing agency offered existing clients the convenience of all their marketing needs being handled by one agency.

With B&V’s highly experienced team of designers and marketing professionals, clients are confident in the agency’s ability to produce innovative, fresh and coherent solutions across all its creative disciplines.

The B&V team offers a friendly and supportive approach to marketing and design, achieving open and strong relationships with each client. With 25 years experience the agency is still proudly producing fresh and creative work.

Colin Breckenridge explains,
“It’s a great achievement to reach our 25th year. Like most businesses we have had our downs, but each time we have come out the other side having survived and learnt from it.

The key to a long life as a full service marketing agency is the ability to keep up to date with the latest design trends, latest concepts in marketing and PR and the advances in technology and the impact on our client markets.

Ultimately listening to your clients and delivering them marketing solutions which meet their business goals is paramount. B&V are able to achieve this because of the great team dynamic which has been created in the agency.”
A busy 25th year is planned for B&V, who have nominated The Honeypot Charity as its charity of the year in 2008. Throughout the year B&V have organised a series of fundraising activities to raise money for the children’s charity.

B&V joined the festivities at the Honeypot Christmas Carol Concert

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:19:00 +0000

The B&V team joined 600 other well wishers at the Honeypot Christmas Carol in Winchester Cathedral on the 3rd December.

Honeypot provides support to very vulnerable children aged 5 – 12 through respite holidays, community visits, birthday and Christmas cards and presents.

B&V will be supporting The Honeypot Charity in 2008 and we thought it was a nice way to begin our support by attending the last fundraising event of 2007.

The entertainment was provided by the ‘Central Singers’ choir, made up of nearly 100 children from a Chichester Junior School who did a highly amusing rendition of ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ along with some other well known Christmas Carols, and ‘Gasp’ The Bath University Gospel Choir.

The Mayor of Winchester provided a reading and Amy, a Honeypot child, described her own heart rendering situation and explained just how important Honeypot is to her and the lives of other very vulnerable children.
The enjoyable yet poignant evening was rounded off with a mince pie and a glass of mulled wine. The event raised a total of £14,500 for the Charity.

Honeypot will make B&V’s 25th year a sweet celebration

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 11:13:00 +0000

2008 is B&V Creative’s 25th year as a full service marketing agency. As part of our celebrations we will be nominating The Honeypot Charity as our charity of the year.

The Honeypot Charity is dedicated to improving the lives of very vulnerable and under privileged young children living in Britain. Through the Honeypot House in the New Forest and the Honeypot playbus, the charity provides respite care and long term support to children aged 5 – 12. Often these children are young carers or come from a history of abuse, poverty and neglect.

We will be organising fundraising activities, throughout the year, to support the charity’s invaluable work in giving these young children the childhood they deserve.

Details of our upcoming fundraising events will be posted on our website in the New Year. Watch this space!

To find out more about the Honeypot Charity visit them at http://www.honeypot.co.uk/

B&V Creative will be celebrating 25th birthday at Business South 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 14:33:00 +0000

Next year B&V Creative celebrates 25 years in business as a creative service agency, and where better to celebrate the achievement than at the regions top business show.

B&V Creative will again be exhibiting at Business South held at Southampton’s St Mary’s Stadium, 5 & 6 March 2008.

During the two days visitors have the chance to meet us on our stand, find out more about our services and join us in our planned birthday celebrations.

Business South, now in its third year, has been growing from strength to strength offering exhibitors and visitors with two days of pure networking; gaining new contacts, meeting up with old ones, increasing awareness and creating business opportunities.

Everyone at B&V is very excited about achieving this mile stone and are looking forward to celebrating at Business South with old and new acquaintances alike.

The Pride of Andover Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 14:19:00 +0000

The B&V Creative PR team lent a helping hand to organise the first ever Pride of Andover Awards on behalf of our client Stannah.

The Pride of Andover Awards celebrated the amazing achievements of some very special people in the Andover area. Stannah was a major sponsor of the event and B&V represented them on the inaugural organising committee.

The committee utilised B&V’s in-house creative capabilities to design and produce the logo, nomination flyers, certificates and badge artwork.

Seven months of planning culminated in the highly commended award ceremony held at The Lights in October. The evening was compered by Original 106FM presenter Richard Cartridge and the awards were presented by broadcaster and journalist Esther Rantzen.

Twelve category winners were announced and presented with a Pride of Andover pin, a winner’s certificate and vouchers for a performance at The Lights.
Due to the massive success of the first Pride of Andover Awards, there is hope of the event becoming a regular feature in the Andover calendar.

B&V Creative appoint new PR Executive

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Wed, 30 May 2007 10:19:00 +0000

B&V Creative’s growing reputation for providing a superb all round marketing communication service has driven the agency to expand its PR team. The company is delighted to announce Alissia Knight as the agency’s newest PR Executive.

Alissia, previously the Marketing & PR Assistant at the Jubilee Sailing Trust, is looking forward to bringing a young and fresh approach to the agency’s current PR activities. A graduate of the BA Public Relations and Communication course at Southampton Solent University, she is well qualified for the role and brings with her a great passion for PR.

The new position was created to meet the increasing demands of the agency’s new and existing clients.
Alissia said, “I am really looking forward to working with Colin and the team to increase the agency’s PR portfolio”.

Colin Breckenridge comments, “We take pride in our creative and innovative abilities which grow from strength to strength as we build on our expertise. Alissia is a valuable addition to our dynamic in-house capability.”

Winners of our Business South 2007 competition

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 15:15:00 +0000

Smoothie maker & book to;-
Mark Holman from Southampton City Council

& Ian Smith from Hampshire Museums Trust.