REVOLVER REVOLVER - We're a young, creative, award-winning, graphic & web design studio

British Design 1948–2012: Innovation in the Modern Age at the V&A

Posted on 25.04.12 by Alan

A couple of Sundays back, I headed over to the V&A in London to have a look at their latest exhibition; British Design: 1948–2012. The exhibition showcases some of the most exciting and cutting edge creative work from across the design spectrum throughout the past 60 years.

The exhibition takes a rather general look at all creative disciplines, from a room filled with how computer game design has developed since the 1970s (that includes Derby’s very own Lara Croft), video footage from the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, to Damien Hirst’s Pharmacy Restaurant from Notting Hill (which for saying how short-lived the venture was, it got allocated a great deal of floor space!)

For those more drawn to the graphic design element, Design Research Unit and their impact of transport design in the early 1960s and Peter Saville/Factory Records iconic music sleeve design in the late early 1980s are notable inclusions.

Whether you’re professionally engaged in the design community or not, I’d recommend this exhibition to anybody. There is plenty to inspire, excite and question – though It does get particularly busy at weekends. Get yourself along… you’ve got until the 12th August!

Brochure Design for Derby’s Global Technology Cluster

Posted on 16.03.12 by Chris

The Global Technology Cluster will become a world class showcase for the UK in the support of open innovation practices and their commercialisation within the automotive, rail and aerospace sectors.  The GTC board comprises of Derby City Council, the University of Derby, research intense Universities, the site developers and client companies.  The brochure will be used to help promote the site, generate more interest and bring more innovation into Derby.

Revolver Revolver in The Drum Magazine

Posted on 10.02.12 by Chris

National marketing magazine The Drum has featured our project for Nestle UK.  The project completed in 2011 featured a set of materials including brochure, invites and mini site to attract developers to bid for the site.

We were really happy with this project and it’s great to have it featured in such a well recognised industry magazine.

Louise Plant Logo Design

Posted on 04.01.12 by Chris

The Revolver Revolver studio have been working closely with sculptor Louise Plant an Elected Associate of the Royal British Society of Sculptors and recipient of the prestigious Brian Mercer Award, to develop a visual identity that will help her publicise her unique sculpture all over the world.

Creating a logo for an individual presents unique challenges as the work becomes incredibly personal, while also needing to represent the completed, current and future works that wil be produced.  We spent a day with Louise and her team talking about her work and taking a trip to her rural studio to get a real grip of how we would present this in a graphical format.

The result is a strikingly simple shape constructed in very definitive angles and treated in classical black and white, which won’t detract from her sculpture but adds value and creates a starting point for us to develop her marketing materials.

You can see more of Louise Plants work at www.louiseplant.com

DG Scott Logo Design

Posted on 21.12.11 by Alan

DG Scott are a steel fabrication and engineering company based in Alfreton, Derbyshire. Working in collaboration with fellow Friar Gate Studios tenants Essential Marketing Solutions, we are giving DG Scott a new identity, design strategy and approach to their marketing materials. DG Scott’s new identity is a perfect fit for their industry, and a design we’re proud to have produced. As you can see from the before shot, their old logo was tired, and just not up to the job. We’ve simplified the design, and given it a feel that more than fits their needs and target market.

Boxframe – Bang on Brand

Posted on 19.12.11 by Alan

Boxframe Motion Design are an internationally-renowned team of video and animation designers. We have been working with the Derby-based team on a new identity, stationery set & website (due early 2012). We’re pretty chuffed with the result, and literally cannot wait for the full website launch!

Revolver Revolver do Movember

Posted on 18.11.11 by Chris

If you have noticed an increase in the amount of people growing a moustache lately, don’t worry, its not the latest trend, the month of November has been dedicated to moustache growing by the charity Movember.

It’s a great cause and we have taken part in the efforts this year along with several tenants at the place we call home Friar Gate Studios.  You can view our weekly progress at cactusimages.com/movember where fellow tenants Cactus Images have been snapping everyones progress.

To date we have raised £962 in 18 days which is a sterling effort, however if you want to sponsor us you can find our pages at mobro.co/chrisrevolver and movember.com/m/1280834

Some words from the Movember page about the cause; The funds raised in the UK support the number one and two male specific cancers – prostate and testicular cancer. The funds raised are directed to programmes run directly by Movember and our men’s health partners, The Prostate Cancer Charity and the Institute of Cancer Research. Together, these channels work together to ensure that Movember funds are supporting a broad range of innovative, world-class programmes.

We’ve been recommended again!

Posted on 31.10.11 by Chris

We’re pleased to announce that we have been recommended by the Recommended Agency Registar (RAR- http://www.recommendedagencies.com/) once again.  We are now recommended until October 2012.  As a creative agency it’s vital that our clients see the benefit of our input and this is just one of the ways that we show it.

Our report shows that we have also been recommended for more categories than last year and these now include Branding Design, Print Design, Web Design, Presentation Design, Advertising, and Direct Mail. You can view our profile on the RAR site at www.recommendedagencies.com/revolverrevolver/.

Hiring a creative agency

Posted on 26.10.11 by Chris

Appointing a creative agency or design team to work with you on developing your brand can be difficult, with so many options it can be a daunting prospect.  I’ve been working in the design industry for nearly ten years and have seen a huge variety of approaches that marketing teams take, some more successful than others. There is also much written on the traditional ‘pitch process’ where agencies are asked to show all their ideas and hope they get picked. Here is my opinion on how I think it should be done.

1. Write a brief. If you don’t have one already get a brief together that details everything you expect your creative partner to work on.  Outline the aims of your company and what your marketing strategy is over the coming months or years, how much market share you have and expect to take in that time and any particular challenges your organisation or industry faces.  All this information will help each agency decide if it’s the kind of work they want to take on or are comfortable with, and give you a clear picture of what type of agency will work for you.

2.  Do your research. As with any major decision, always do your research.  There are thousands of agencies nationally who offer a range of services, most of the smaller ones however have a particular talent they lead with, be it design, web design, packaging etc.

Ask around, see who people in your sector are using, who is getting the best results and who is doing something different.  Ask your own contacts who they use and who they would recommend and what they do for their organisation.

Use google to find talent both locally and nationally, most agencies are more than happy to show their portfolios online and will have an array of projects for you to look through.  See what kind of work they have produced in the past and if it fits with your plans.

Use http://www.recommendedagencies.com/. They have anonymous reports on hundreds of agencies nationwide with examples of the sectors they have worked in and a scoring system that lets you compare specific agency skill sets as rated by their clients.

3.  Narrow your list. Once you have a list of people you want to talk to, get a list of questions together to try and establish which partners will work best for you.  Try to consider agency size and ability to complete the amount of work you need doing, where they are based, how often will you need to visit and discuss with your team.  Aim for a list of three agencies to approach and get credentials from, usually a document which talks through the company, it’s set up, values and a case study or two.  This will give you a really good idea of how each agency would respond to your brief.

4.  Keep it equal. Ask your chosen agencies to read through your brief and arrange a meeting to discuss their thoughts and how they would approach the project and what advice they can add.  Be prepared to have an open mind regarding their thoughts and suggested plan of action.  Make sure you give all the agencies the same information and stick to the same response methods, be it written or verbal ideas to keep the process equal.  Try and avoid asking agencies to do all the work and present it to you.  Your creative partner should be chosen on track record, ability and your judgement.

5.  The final test. Once you’ve met your shortlist and have a good idea of personalities and the standard of their work, pick one and run with it.  If you need one more test give them a project or part of a project, agree a fee and let them get on with it.  This means you only have to make a small commitment up front until you have seen some finished work.

We are three

Posted on 26.09.11 by Chris

It’s three years almost to the day when Revolver Revolver was born (1.10.08).  We continue to grow since we started in 2008, it’s hard to believe it has been three years, it feels like just yesterday we got our letter from companies house.  The advice, help and support of many of you has been invaluable, there are too many to name but you know who you are!  Of course none of this is possible without our clients, so thank you to everyone who has trusted us with working on their brands.

There are tons of facts and figures on the web showing how long a small business survives, the average seems to be about half of all small businesses crumble within 3 years.  How accurate that is, is open for debate, either way it feels like a significant milestone at Revolver Revolver.  We look forward to the next three years.