Author: Charlotte Coombes

My last week of sixth form was swapped for a week of work experience at AD Communications. Having had a part time job already, I remember stubbornly asking ‘What more experience do I need?’, but my mum, a friend of Shireen’s, kindly asked if it was ok for me to spend a week at a PR agency. I went into the office having known zilch about PR and I can now leave knowing I’ve learnt a great deal more.

Author: Shireen Shurmer

‘Eat Well for Less’ has returned to UK TV screens, a programme which encourages British households to consider their spend on grocery shopping, break deeply rooted purchasing habits, cut food waste and reduce reliance on processed food over fresh produce cooked from scratch.

Author: Daniel Porter

“Being a good writer is 3% effort – 97% not getting distracted by the internet” – Anonymous

The quote above first came to my attention a few years ago when I was working in the book publishing industry. It was pasted into the email signature of an author whose book I was creating a marketing plan for and, though I’ve never managed to find out who said it first, I’ve always felt it had a real ring of truth about it.

Author: Michael Grass

“There’s an app for that”. It’s funny to think how one of the most popular phrases in contemporary lexicon would’ve meant zilch ten years ago. Yet, just a decade later, it’s astonishing just how much mobile applications have substantially empowered us in this digital age. Whether they’re used for matchmaking, hitching a ride, or flinging disgruntled avians at wobbly structures, it really does seem like there’s an app for everything these days. More importantly, many mobile apps effortlessly achieve something brands have been trying to do for years on end: they keep us connected.

Author: Cerys Traylor

Functional packaging is becoming an increasingly popular method for brand owners to differentiate and market their product effectively, while increasing customer interaction and their overall brand experience.

Author: Shireen Shurmer

drupa 2016 proved itself to be a global microcosm of print. Exhibitors from 54 countries showed their capabilities in Düsseldorf, treating it as a global stage for their innovations. And the global nature of the event made it a magnet for visitors from all over the world; 76% of visitors are reported to have come from outside Germany.

Author: Daniel Porter

As a relative new-comer to the print industry – but with a background in book publishing – drupa 2016 (my first) brought back memories of visits to Frankfurt Book Fair over the years: hundreds of thousands of lanyard-wearing visitors madly dashing from hall to hall; eye-catching stand designs, and everything held together with impeccable German efficiency.

Author: Louise Lazell

On occasion, I will still buy a disposable camera, despite the convenience of digital photography and ease of viewing. And when I’m going to the photo shop to collect the prints from it, I’m still every bit as excited as I was many years ago. You see one of the problems (and ironies) with digital photography is the lack of spontaneity especially from the ‘selfie’ generation – one where multiple images are often taken one after the other, until the subject looks just right, ‘just so’ in this most immediate moment of perceived spontaneity. Then there is the issue I have with those who insist on looking at a digital photo straight after it’s been taken to ensure it can be deleted if it’s not flattering.

Author: Paul Spiers

The day has finally arrived once again as it does every four years. I landed late last night and, after a lengthy stroll back and forth along the side of the Rhine to find the boat hotel that is my home for the next ten days, I checked in, pulled down my cabin bed, put on my sailor pyjamas (joke!) and slept for a few hours. Then rising early, I headed off to that big kahuna of international print shows: #drupa 2016.

Author: Ellie Bunce

We have received a wide range of briefs over the years – one-liner emails, quick telephone discussions with our own back-of-a-fag-packet notes, face-to-face meetings and detailed 20-page written documents. It’s not how the brief is delivered that I’m interested in… but rather the information included in the brief. When it comes to a campaign brief, the age-old saying of ‘the more you put in, the more you get out’, is definitely relevant.

Author: Michael Grass

Aaah, the can and the bottle. A classic pairing spotted in many an ice bucket on a hot afternoon and a winning combo fit to challenge even the most iconic double acts (Laurel & Hardy, Richard & Judy, Batman & Robin… the list goes on). Having worked for some time with clients and media in the packaging sector, it was during a recent trip to the local newsagent’s that got me thinking about these two very different yet so similar containers.

Author: Michael Grass

I remember having a conversation with Dad sometime in 2010 about Facebook. My father, a seasoned Communications Manager, dismissed the social site as “a fad that will struggle to find a place in business”, before signing off with what can only be described with the benefit of hindsight as an ironic statement: “trust me, it won’t last”.