We Love...

New Blog...

2008-07-17T03:09:00.000-07:00

We've moved!

The address for our blog is now http://www.welove72.com/blog/

You're being redirected now...if not...click here...and enjoy lighter side of we love...

Aggghhhh... Its Blasted My Eyes

2008-07-11T07:29:00.000-07:00

We love has delivered on time and on budget its first project for Dominion - The Dominion Plaza apartment development in Ealing, London. It may only be a banner ad, but it has moved Dominion's online ad presence on leaps and bounds.

So pleased are Dominion with our response and initiative in organisation and negotiation of media buying, reactive speed and, of course, the creative that they have now requested that we are part of their ongoing advertising strategy. Helping them define and plan future campaigns which add value whilst reducing their outward costs.

The banner in question was a push down creation (hosted / served from Eyeblaster) which conceptually played on the 'personal space' of an individual in a city of millions... whilst staying away from the stereotypical 'here's a pic of an interior and some bad flash' productions that are so predominant in this sector. On rollover the banner opens up a form which allows direct application of interest to the sales team as well as extra info on the development itself...

Some of the screen grabs...

More Fresh New Talent...

2008-07-07T09:32:00.000-07:00

Its Monday again... and what better way to start the week than to welcome a new starter :)

Having worked previously on some of our projects as a freelancer, Gavin now joins us full time... His understanding of his craft is breathtaking. His code an art... he is a geek... but one with appreciation of design. He has even been known to dabble in the dark arts of design himself...

So all hail Gavin... Hello and welcome.

Dominion Housing Group Chooses WeLove72

2008-06-30T10:09:00.000-07:00

Why do people hate Mondays... they are great!

The good news: We Love is at the start of a beautiful relationship. Dominion, a housing association based in London has appointed We Love to its creative roster. And today we start our first project for them... a campaign for the sales of their private homes in London and the Home Counties.
Undertaking a strategic review of their last campaign we will advise, design and position them to excel in what is increasingly becoming a harder, if not plain tough, marketplace...

OK... enough blogging... on with the concepting and design :)

CareWatch Appoints We Love as Strategic Agency

2008-06-28T04:23:00.000-07:00

CareWatch (Bromley) the premier home care agency has appointed We Love as their Strategic Partner to reposition them as the number 1 care agency in the country.

Initially working in the Bromley and surrounding areas as a controlled test, We Love will (as only part of the project) review all of the past CareWatch comms work, align all brand material, design across all media (online / offline), create a year long strategy, manage all media buying to build on the already strong reputation of our new client.

Congrats to all involved in bringing in a wonderful opportunity and to the vision of our client.

Better Connected

2008-06-28T02:11:00.000-07:00

There are two parts to this posting. Both fit the title of this post perfectly...

The first being our geographical location: Our case for basing our Creative Agency in Maidstone was proven majestically... (well, at least in terms of getting over to Europe)... when I traveled over to Antwerp via Eurostar...It took just 3 hours door to door. Introduce the fact that I can get to Gatwick in 40 minutes (for clients that little bit further away) and am on the doorstep of the M25 (servicing the rest of the UK in all directions). I would say that our location is ideal.

Of course transport links do not make a great location on there own... it helps that Maidstone is the County Town of Kent. Lots of business, lots of diversity, lots of restaurants, lots of bars :) And now with a GREAT design agency...

And the second part: why was I in Antwerp...

To see an old friend at a new agency... I met up with Marc Rouffaer, an old colleague from my days at MediaCatalyst, and Sam de Volder, the Creative Director of These Days, to present our credentials and discuss what WeLove72 has to offer.

As it turned out... it was a great trip, both We Love and These Days share a similar approach and ethos in what they are and what they can offer the world in creative brilliance... Of course, These Days has been winning awards and creating great work for eight years... We Love as a fledging agency has a long way to go regarding awards and staff numbers, but it is good to know that the foundation qualities needed to be a great and true agency are already in place.

We look forward to working with and supporting These Days in the future.

Check out These Days >>

Chamber of Commerce - Ashford

2008-06-25T01:52:00.000-07:00

Being a newbie to the world of the chamber, I was a little apprehensive as to what to expect when I attended the yearly get together... but I was very happily surprised at how friendly people were and how inquisitive other business were about We Love... It seems that there is genuine support that I had rarely seen in my experience of the corporate world. Yes, there is support and advice and people are friendly in big business... but this felt a lot more personal and involving... meaningful and less selfish even.

I look forward to returning next year, and of course, keeping in touch with all the good people I met on this occasion.

In the mean time there are lots of breakfast meetings to attend, editorials to write and campaigns to run...

Fresh New Talent Lands At Planet Love

2008-06-23T01:35:00.000-07:00

Good Monday to you all.

Sorry for the radio silence for the last couple of weeks. A lapse I know... but with good reason... all will be revealed soon.

The good news this fine and funky day is that our new hire has started here are welove72.com. Luwaga, AKA Louis. A most fresh and talented designer has decided that a little love is what the world needs and We Love is The Creative Agency best positioned to prescribe that loving...

So, a big hello to Louis. Heres to the good times ahead.

Top of the Pops

2008-06-02T08:03:00.000-07:00

Dettaglio - The first ever launched site from welove72 has gone straight into the design charts at number 20.

Not bad... but lets hold out on a nice little number 1 and a platinum disk to go with it.

Now it may sound like the design charts is only for designers. But its not. It is in fact a global ranking based on traffic generated and links to the site... in other words how cool it is. So to get into this baby is actually quite a treat seeing that Dettaglio is such a specialised site, with targeted audience... So thumbs up to a great client... and thumbs up to WE LOVE for making a great site.

Here's to the next one :)

Check out www.dettaglio.co.uk >>

Check out www.designcharts.com >>

And if you want to big up the welove72 site then click on this link and give the big OK...

http://iblog.chubzz.com >>

Whilst we're on this self appreciation vibe, the lovely people at Strange Fruits have given us a top spot as well. Take a visit and spread the love :)

Full Time Designer / Flash Developer Needed

2008-05-30T03:21:00.000-07:00

Ok, the hunt is still on - we're looking for the créme de la créme of the Flash/Design world:

A pixel perfect master who just loves the digital domain. You have amazing design sensitivities and can put them into practice through extensive software knowledge. Flash is a must… this is the web we are talking here… sweet animation and tight actionscript.

Someone who is mature enough to understand a brief, can take direction as well as contribute and show initiative.

Open to learn and grow. Become someone within this industry of ours. Big personality without an ego… but with an all in attitude.

If you live near Kent or are looking to relocate to these beautiful rolling valleys, send your CV and Folio site to:

work@welove72.com

Brand Affinity - The development of...

2008-05-30T03:00:00.000-07:00

It's good to be able to see humour in what you do each and every day. It's even better to see humour in the parade of so called 'creatives' that bandy around terminology just because it's flavour of the month...

Some great ones have been 'Vanilla' and 'Pedestrian'... which I never tire of hearing... However, you would not believe the amount of people this week that have quoted to me the importance of 'Brand Affinity'. I smile outwardly when I push them on the subject and ask them to explain... While inside I laugh my pants off. Some of the answers I get would make Wally Olins cry himself to sleep... I was so inspired I grabbed this Tom Fishburne illustration I remembered from a while back...

Enjoy!

35 today! Thanks for the Birthday Cards!

2008-05-30T01:02:00.000-07:00

Well. This one deserves special praise... Only tip top Bday cards are made by tip top designers... I can hardly see where the joins are... Made in Holland with a little bit of Italian and English in there... I think a Bit of Spanish as well... but that was probably later.

James... where did u get those glasses?

Cheers. WHERE'S MY BEER!!!

We Love Digital Presence

2008-05-27T11:46:00.000-07:00

YAY!!! Our website is now up and running :) A small delay... due to being extremely busy... But it's there and looking pretty sweet (we feel).

Let us know your thoughts. We always welcome feedback :)

If you're a happy prospective client who's been waiting for this moment, then step right up... Play to your hearts content, see what we can do and then get in touch...

Check it out here >>

We Love... Heatmaps

2008-05-23T02:26:00.000-07:00

OK, so we all know Google Analytics is a very powerful tool, but for all you 'visual' based people out there checkout Crazy Egg (and yes we know it's a couple of years old, but strangely SO many people still haven't tried it). By inserting a piece of pre-generated code (as per Google Analytics) you're able to monitor activity on up to 4 site pages for free (additional pages available from between $9-$99 per month).

Clicks and visitor info are displayed in a number of visual ways, overlaid on top of your designated pages - with options ranging from 'Confetti' - pinpointed colour markers varying in colour, dependent on what kind of external data you're filtering (browser size, top 15 referrers etc), through to Heatmap - which is not only straight out of Predator but gives instant, empirical, measurable results and most importantly, brings a whole new level of justification to all those cool content drivers and media spaces ;-)

We're going to be starting a resource section full of design and digital geekery, so check back soon for a full review of features and functions, plus analytical tips.

Inside Guerilla

2008-05-22T23:43:00.000-07:00

"GUERRILLA INNOVATION is a blog that brings together a wide range of cases in which traditional ideas and situations are challenged through unconventional creativity." Says it all really... go check it out...

http://www.guerrilla-innovation.com/

The Art of Colour Theory

2008-05-21T02:11:00.000-07:00

When I was at design school... we had to train and learn certain skills which allowed us to understand what we were training for... A life of Graphic Design... A vocation that we loved and cared about.

Now it seems that certain skill sets are being eroded. I won't list them all... but I happened across this the over day... (yes I know there are loads more colour apps out there)... But this one is a commercialisation of colour.

A quick and lazy way of creating colour palettes without thought... The application of which could be abused if the young talent are not so questioning of the pixels that are placed before their eyes.

Is this a good thing. I know it speeds up process and offers us a usable and exact tool. I just hope that formal education on specialised skills are not lost in a world of instant answers.

Designer Resource

2008-05-19T02:02:00.000-07:00

Very Very cool site for designs:

http://www.gestalten.com/

I love the book section where you can preview... and I mean properly preview... before you buy.

The Office

2008-05-15T01:37:00.000-07:00

Yep Yep and Double Yep. The Office is set. A great place for creative hoohub.

It's not as cool as the one we wanted under the volcano... but it is still a mega centre of excellence and is soon to be joined by a Jacuzzi in a month or so's time. So more piccies to come...

Is it a really large iMac and a very small head:

Is it a really small iMac or just a very large head:

The company cat (bubbles):

Arm Strain

2008-05-13T13:11:00.000-07:00

And if you didn't get tickets for Radio 1's ONE BIG WEEKEND... This is Radio 1's answer. Bloody cool. Video mapping via a webcam... If you can handle doing this for 10 hours and they run a live video cast then it would be like actually going...

ONE BIG PARTY IN THE PARK

2008-05-13T08:22:00.000-07:00

Yep... the weather was hot, the music was not quite so... On the shopping list was Goldfrapp, Pendulum and Justice... Top notch sets from all. But the rest being pretty average or crap.

This my have something to do with me not liking bands. I guess I am just too old... and expect banging tunes all day and night... with lots of semi naked sexy people running around... Oh well...

It was just better when I was younger... KIDS NOW ARE JUST SO BORING!!... College rock... pushed down their throat and they just gobble gobble gobble... Is our society that mainstream now?? Nothing born from the ashes of repression, depression or just plain old f**k it... I am going to have fun and do it my way attitude.

Anyway. An old man signing off. CAN'T WAIT FOR THE 90's TO COME BACK INTO FASHION.

Our first hire : )

2008-05-13T03:47:00.000-07:00

Site Launch, Recruitment and Cool Pads

2008-05-02T10:56:00.000-07:00

Well today has been a busy day. Looking at new offices. Interviewing for a Flash Developer and last but, by no means least, the launch of Phase 1 of BerbankHomes.com to coincide with the opening of the Little Stanion residential development in Corby, Northamptonshire tomorrow (3rd May).

Our work is not done though... we still have the Little Stanion microsite to launch next week. And then it is onto Phase 2... developing the dotCOM into the full (and deserving) marketing tool it should be... More content, more features, adding that little something special that makes it stand apart from it competitors... you will like :) ...

as well as all the other residential microsites...

Have a little looky look at:

http://www.berbankhomes.com >>

Have a break, have a Dilbert

2008-05-01T07:34:00.000-07:00

We have been working our little asses off so time for coffee and a little light humour from our good old friend... Dilbert...

Full Time Designer / Flash Developer Needed

2008-04-21T07:20:00.000-07:00

A ridiculously talented designer, a pixel perfect master who just loves the digital domain. You have amazing design sensitivities and can put them into practice through extensive software knowledge. Flash is a must… this is the web we are talking here… sweet animation and tight actionscript.

Someone who is mature enough to understand a brief, can take direction as well as contribute and show initiative.

Open to learn and grow. Become someone within this industry of ours. Big personality without an ego… but with an all in attitude.

CV's and Folio site to:

work@welove72.com

We Love... Automotive Dreams

2008-04-15T11:03:00.000-07:00

Dettaglio, our first client, is a player in the exclusive 'car experience' field. We helped them rebrand, redesign and redevelop themselves so they talk directly to their audience of high earners and corporate clients, while leaving enough mysticism to create a future 1 to 1 communication...

The initial feedback... 'Spot on'. Over the moon'. 'Already has generated enough business to justify the spend'. Thats great news for our client and us... a long term relationship already with on a strong foundation. Phase 2 and 3 roll on in... preferably on a set of Pirelli's!

Being quiet and just getting on with a job... sometimes thats what is needed. It was for this project... from first meeting the client to launching the site was a 4 week turn around. Not bad considering the amount of work involved here. 280+ images to source, retouch and correct and a whole lot of interactivity. With thanks to Supersteil and SEM for the development skills and tech support respectively.

Have a play and see if the it increases your need to rush out a buy a Ferrari (on a 30 year credit plan) just so you can live this sort of lifestyle...

http://www.dettaglio.co.uk >>

We Love... becomes Berbank's digital agency

2008-04-12T13:36:00.000-07:00

We Love... wins the Berbank account.

Berbank, a new property developer in the UK, has chosen We Love... as their digital creative agency.

We Love... will be working on immediate requirements for the launch of Berbank's dotCOM and first development microsite by the end of April as well as creating short, mid and long term strategy for their online marketing presence.

Phase 2 will be further enhancement of the dotCOM followed by up to nine microsites for property developments around the country.

We Love... is alive and kicking

2008-04-10T10:32:00.000-07:00

Yep. We love... is here!

A new agency, with new ideas. We are not London based, We are not full of ego.

What we are... well that is changing on a daily basis, but we have a vision and one that we are going to drive towards and make a reality. We knew that being creative directors for other companies was wearing thin... and that we know we can do better. Be more productive. Offer a better service at better rates. Improve expectations for ourselves and for our clients... and to really enjoy this industry of ours and make it enjoyable for others.

So with a new attitude, with big ideas. We move forward... we plan rapid expansion, but in a manged way. We want a great working environment for our staff. We want excellent clients that we can help build a long term vision. We want a company flat in Amsterdam. We care about quality and adding a little magic to everything we do... We want to be going home feeling proud of what the day has brought.

And yes. It is achievable. And yes we will do it. Come join the party... there is a lot of love to share...

We love are in talks with quite a few interesting prospects and will be servicing UK (regional and national), European and US based clients (yeah we will get a website launched at some point so you can see more).