As we are fast approaching eleven years old, it seems about time we gathered up all the entries received, reached into the Whitespace coffers and handed over the big cheque to The Sick Kids. However, before we do that, you have one last chance to enter online at www.whitespacers.com/weare10. For each submission (and those taken so far), we will now be giving £2 to The Sick Kids, hurry up, join in!
This year we took the Christmas party to the home of golf, sand yachting and Vegas style hotels. St Andrews was lucky enough to see the Whitespace team descend for a weekend of eating, drinking and dancing as well as an assortment of quad biking, spa treatments and some game with white balls and sticks. A big thank you to Carol and Danni for organising the weekend, I think it was smiles all round (apart from on the bus back)
*no beds were broken in the making of this year's Christmas party.
Edinburgh Design Consultancy, Whitespace, did Scotland proud at this year’s Fresh Digital Awards, presented on Thursday 28 Nov at the Hilton Hotel, Manchester. Scooping the award for ‘Freshest Digital Design’ company in addition to ‘Freshest Public Service’ website, for their work on the Scottish Government’s Alcohol campaign website, rounded off a great night for the company.
Facing stiff opposition from the rest of the UK’s digital elite, Whitespace, along with Mediacom, were the only Scottish companies to receive nominations this year.
After picking up the two gongs on behalf of Whitespace, Design Director, Carol Coulter, said: “this is a wonderful achievement for us, and for creativity north of the border. Demonstrating that Scotland can compete at the highest level in this industry, and come out on top.”
As part of the Scottish Government’s National Programme for Mental Health and Wellbeing a social networking BEBO page has been developed to promote positive mental health to young people.
After discussion with a young person’s mental health group, Whitespace were appointed by the National Programme to develop an animated character that young people can relate to and, in May 2006, funky 15-year-old Positive Pete was born.
To introduce Pete and his dog Patch, Whitespace developed a series of short films focused on promoting positive mental health using different everyday scenarios. The “Sleeping in” film looks at how listening to music can make you feel good. “The Date” film looks at the romantic dilemmas that can arise during teenage years and allows Pete’s friends on Bebo to vote for “The Date” that Pete should take Annie his new girlfriend on! Part II of The Date is coming very soon…
Digital Director at Whitespace Russell Stout said: “It was great to work with an organised group of young people like this and give them the tools to help get a positive mental wellbeing message out to their peers.”
Whitespace Gain Leaps and Bounds
Following client recommendation, Whitespace has been appointed without tender to handle all branding, marketing and online activity for leading UK training company Leaps and Bounds. Leaps and Bounds currently develop accelerated learning programs, targeting opportunities within large blue chip clients such as O2 and Scottish and Southern Energy to improve customer service and induction techniques. They are an ambitious and progressive company and they have a really strong business offer, which is not currently reflected in their marketing material.
Creative Director Iain Valentine said: “The Leaps and Bounds team are true examples of people living their brand, the enthusiasm and energy they emit is astounding”
Caroline Esterson Chair at Leaps and Bounds said “we were thrilled to be introduced to Whitespace. Through their stimulating questioning, they instinctively found our essence and have represented this visually and through language in our website and beyond. After years of searching they were the first company to do this and we look forward to continuing our dynamic work together.”
The website can be viewed at www.leaps-bounds.co.uk.
Harley Haddow Unveils New Identity
Harley Haddow the Consulting Engineers firm with offices throughout the UK has just launched a new identity and marketing materials designed by Whitespace. Whitespace were awarded the project following a written tender process against two other Scottish agencies, and were originally placed on the tender list following the 2006 success in the Drum Scottish Design Awards, which one of the key Harley Haddow partners attended. The project has included all branding, signage, marketing materials and website and was launched publicly on Friday 14th September.
Iain Valentine, Creative Director at whitespace said “The skill and effort which engineers contribute to projects is often overshadowed by what the architect's exterior looks like – the Harley Haddow brand identity, based on the two H’s reflects both the solid core and the crafted exterior”
Chris Mclaren, Partner at Harley Haddow said “working with Whitespace provided the right combination of professionalism and creative flair. They undertook a thorough review of what we do, who we are and who we work with and used this information to assist us with defining the way forward and providing a brand that will allow our business goals to be achieved.
The website can be viewed at: www.harleyhaddow.com
Following a competitive tender involving six Scottish based design agencies, Whitespace has won the account to handle all on and offline marketing material for Scotland’s biggest and most popular arts centre, Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA). DCA opened in 1999 and has gained a world-class reputation for its programme of contemporary visual art and education as well as its printmaking studio, cinemas and Café/Bar.
Jan McTaggart, Head of Communications at DCA said “As a centre for contemporary visual culture it’s essential that we work with designers who can work collaboratively with us and offer us elegant solutions. So we’re delighted to be working with Whitespace.”
Whitespace Creative Director Iain Valentine said: “we are really happy to be working with DCA, the potential to engage creatively with a much wider audience both on and offline is huge”
Whitespace have already redeveloped the DCA logo and print and are about to start work on replacing the DCA website at www.dca.org.uk
New wins and appointments at Whitespace
Adding to the continued growth of the company, with new wins in recent weeks such as Zoom Airlines, Jenners Property, St Andrews University and Dundee Contemporary Arts, Whitespace are further strengthening their team with three new appointments.
Matt Weaver, previously with Republic and prior to that, Pure Design, joins as Senior Designer bringing 15 years of industry experience to an already established design team.
Andy Hamilton joins from 999 Design Group as Account Manager to bolster the Account Management team and last, but not least, Kelly Martin joins as Digital Artworker from Family.
Don Galloway, Managing Director, said “We have been looking for the right people to join our design and account management teams for nearly a year now - which has proved more difficult than we thought. These appointments come at an ideal time and we are pleased to have these talented individuals join us”.
This brings the total number of staff to 25, for the Edinburgh based independent creative agency founded in 1997.
Wear It Out – Whitespace Goes Vintage
Building on a long-term relationship with Russell Europe, Whitespace is set to launch a campaign focused on a new Vintage clothing range within the Jerzees Colours brand. Jerzees Colours is already established in the market as a funky, fashionable range and the Vintage garments will only further this. Targeting decorators and distributors and their customers, primarily across Northern and Southern Europe, the campaign will run in five languages and cover, branding, advertising, print, packaging, sample garments, promotional items and a flash website.
Kirsty Anderson, marketing manager at Jerzees Colours said “Vintage fabric is new to our industry, which created a two-pronged challenge. It was important for us to create a campaign which built a buzz in our industry, but equally we wanted to educate our customers; to help them understand what Vintage is all about, and what decoration techniques best suit the garments.”
“Initial market feedback to the campaign has been very positive – we’re very pleased with the finished products.”
Whitespace Creative Director Iain Valentine said: “This is an important range for Jerzees Colours and the creative across all media, is both market leading and a lot of fun!”
The website can be viewed at www.jerzeescolours.com/vintage.
Whitespace is set to propel itself into the design/fashion retail environment with the naming, branding and design of all marketing materials for a new retail company in Edinburgh, Moleta Munro. Launched in early May, Moleta Munro offer an exclusive range of designer homeware, furniture and soft furnishings. The new company is the brain child of husband and wife team Justin Baddon and Juliet Moleta, who have swapped life in the big smoke for a dual existence between Skye and Edinburgh.
Iain Valentine, Creative Director said, “Juliet and Justin have great taste and a really graphic style – I am sure the design community will be amongst some of their first customers”.
The website can be viewed at www.moletamunro.com
Whitespace have recently completed the website for Belhaven Pubs.
The site features complete listings of pubs available to lease and manage, and a subscribe system which allows people to automatically receive very specific information based on their search criteria via email.
The website can be viewed at: www.belhavenpubs.co.uk
Whitespace has just completed all campaign material for the launch of Indiana Gregg’s new album Woman at Work. Working closely with Indy herself and distinguished music producer Ian Morrow (Wet,Wet,Wet and Seal). Whitespace were asked to design the album and single artwork, flash website, bespoke myspace page and advertising, including tube posters and online rich media banners. The website features a timeline in flash which documents the artist’s life and inspiration stateside.
Whitespace Creative Director, Iain Valentine said: “this project combines our creative and technical skills perfectly, adding to our music industry credentials”
The website can be viewed at www.indianagregg.com.
