Graphic Design Showcase

THE OBJECTIVE

Connexions wanted to put together a marketing campaign to generate awareness and stimulate interest in a new government initiative to increase learning options for 16-17 year olds.

CDS was given the objective to create a new brand for the Learning Agreement which could be used across all marketing and advertising materials for the duration of the project. The brand had to appeal to both young people and employers in the West Yorkshire region.

HOW THE OBJECTIVE WAS ACHIEVED

The first step was a brainstorming session. The ideas from the session were used by CDS designers to develop different concepts.
Several agencies had submitted design ideas to Connexions. Young people in the target age group were invited to join focus groups to check the concepts. Research was also undertaken with prospective employers and chambers of commerce.
Connexions chose CDS’ concept which had the most impact and appeal for the target audiences. The brand was developed around the winning concept of a fictitious movie called The Achievers.
The title, The Achievers, the body copy and the imagery all evoke positive feelings and associations – adventure, fun, romance and security. The lead characters portray role models. The campaign message is that new skills and qualifications available through the Learning Agreement will enable youngsters to achieve their goals.

Key elements of the brand:

• Youth culture
• Universal appeal
• Aspiration
• Male and female appeal
• Glamour
• Positive
• Attention grabbing and encouraging a closer look
• Intrigue

The benefits of the scheme and the call to action were cleverly styled as film credits within the body copy. The text also used the idea of movie awards for best scheme and best direction to promote the scheme to young people and employers.

Following the launch of the new brand CDS produced a variety of marketing materials including:

• Posters
• Information leaflets
• Free prize draw leaflets
• Stationery
• Professional pack with tailored inserts
• Exhibition banners
• Connexions website

An employer focused direct mail campaign was also undertaken using the concept of a movie ‘award’ for Best Direction with the award going to the employer.

THE OBJECTIVE

Central Science Laborotory (CSL) wanted their annual report to communicate the organisation’s aims and responsibilities in a concise and engaging style.

The report plays an important marketing role in promoting CSL to stakeholders, government officials and scientists.

THE PITCH

CDS created two design options for the pitch. The first closely followed the existing style. The second was more innovative while remaining within corporate branding guidelines.

Both concepts were designed to show CSL as a thoroughly professional organisation focused on delivering clear, accurate information.

Careful attention was paid to:

• navigation
• typography
• colour palette
• report structure
• use of white space
• imaginative use of photography

CSL chose CDS’ innovative design concept after a rigorous competitive tendering process.

HOW THE OBJECTIVE WAS ACHIEVED

The annual report covered the organisation’s important scientific work undertaken to protect the environment and food chain.
The front cover showed six identical oranges with a tiny pest on one of them. The inside back cover shows a microscopic detail of the pest on the orange. To capture the extent of the CSL’s work we used high quality images ranging from a view of the earth from space to a microscopic detail. This innovative theme featuring a large view and then a micro view was used throughout the report.

Important information was highlighted in a tinted box. Generous use of white space allowed the copy and images to breathe and together with colour coded navigation enhanced the clarity of the report.

A two-column grid in the annual accounts section provided flexibility and a consistent structure that accommodated short line lengths and column widths.
CDS offered CSL an end-to-end solution from design to print. Costs were kept to a minimum, without compromising quality. A 100% recycled paper stock was used.

RESULT

The result was a well-received, clear, annual report which reflects CSL’s professionalism. The annual report will help the organisation increase awareness in key audience groups and provide a useful marketing asset.
Paul Meakin, CSL Marketing Manager said ‘This was the first time we had worked with CDS and the project went smoothly overall. Good communication helped with the creative process, giving us an attractive and functional report.’

THE OBJECTIVE

The Environment Agency is responsible for protecting biodiversity, especially key individual species of plants and animals.
A document was first published in 2000, which explained areas of concern. Six years later the Biodiversity Report, Creating a better place for wildlife was required to report on progress.

HOW THE OBJECTIVE WAS ACHIEVED

A suite of three publications was created consisting of:

• the main report, with in-depth information and details of key species and how the Environment Agency intends to protect them – aimed at conservation professionals. A CD-ROM of the 2000 report was also attached to the back cover.
• a summary document, providing an overview of achievements and the work that still needs to be done. It also had tips for the public to show how they can help and argued the case for continued Government investment.
• a CD-ROM pack containing the report from 2000 plus the current report was produced to reduce the overall number of printed documents – a cost effective and environmentally friendly approach.

To ensure the information in the suite is attractive and accessible we combined a clear layout and excellent navigation with beautiful photography and engaging, informative copy.

RESULT

The end result is a suite of documents which will be of great interest to a diverse audience for many years to come.
‘Creating a better place for wildlife’ won a CiB Award of Excellence and secured the coveted ‘Best in Class’ award for Public Sector Annual Reports and Reviews at the CiB awards ceremony in May 2007.

THE OBJECTIVE

Leeds City Council wants Leeds residents to recycle more so that the city can meet European targets to increase recycling and decrease waste which ends up in landfill sites.

CDS was asked to develop a strong flexible brand and a campaign to educate Leeds residents about what they should and should not put in their green bins.

The specific objectives were:

• To design a flexible branded communication which can be used in diverse media
• To inform residents about what they may put in their green bins in a clear straightforward way
• To change the behaviour of residents so that the city’s recycling rates are increased

The initial campaign targeted areas in the city with the worst levels of recycling – approximately 65,000 properties

HOW THE OBJECTIVE WAS ACHIEVED

CDS analysed the requirement and developed a strategy to meet all of Leeds City Council’s objectives. The first step was a brainstorming session. Drawing on the ideas that came out of that session the design studio developed a series of versatile, stylised illustrations to support the campaign message, “Recycle Us”.

In essence we created a “Recycle Us” brand using simple clear illustrations turning the types of things that should be recycled, like cans and plastic bottles, into cartoon characters. The design had a ‘retro’ look and feel, which we thought would appeal to the audience. A significant proportion of the audience are transient and many do not have English as their first language. The simple clear message “Recycle Us” was used to eliminate confusion and ensure a high level of understanding.

Following the completion of the recycle campaign we were requested to work with the council on the launch of their garden waste campaign and the piloting of brown bins in areas of the city. This involved developing posters together with a bin hanger which was distributed with each brown bin to communicate important information on what can and can’t be placed in brown recycle bins, along with dates for collection.

The communications channels we used for these campaigns included:

• A3 and A4, full colour, weather proof information graphic sticker for the tops of 65,000 bins
• Stickers
• Brown bin information hangers
• A3 posters to promote the recycling of garden waste
• 96 sheet bill boards
• Stickers on BT phone boxes
• Bus shelter posters
• The Leeds City Council website

The choice of communication channels, use of clear language and illustrations took into account hard to reach and vulnerable groups of people. This was particularly important considering the diversity and multi-cultural nature of the audience.

We produced a consistent and well designed campaign that communicated key messages, effectively using a variety of media.

THE OBJECTIVE

The objective was to promote real nappies as a viable alternative to disposables. The campaign had to raise awareness and address misconceptions about real nappies. It was also used to promote Leeds City Council’s incentive scheme. Contact details were provided for people seeking further information.

HOW THE OBJECTIVE WAS ACHIEVED

We worked closely with the supplier of real nappies to understand the product and the associated benefits. A photo shoot was commissioned to photograph the product concentrating on the high tech details which dispel many negative preconceptions about real nappies.

A poster was developed for doctor’s surgeries, anti natal classes, hospitals and use in a direct mail campaign.
The poster was divided into two parts. The top section provided an emotive question posed by the baby ‘Where do they go when I’ve finished with them Mummy?’ This question was supported by an image of the baby looking at piles of disposable nappies and reinforced by an attention grabbing statement, ‘What a waste!’ The remaining part of the poster was used to provide key facts and highlight the benefits of using real nappies together with details of the incentive scheme and a call to action for further information.

Our print management team played a key part in recommending suitable paper. A 100% recycled stock was chosen, which met the Council’s requirements and didn’t affect the quality and overall impact of the poster.

Kate Stanley, Education and Awareness Assistant at Leeds City Council said "CDS came up with lots of design ideas for the real nappy poster so we could chose and adapt the ideas to create the final design. I was very impressed by the thought and effort put into design process, lots of background research went into creating the perfect design. The final poster has now been sent to health organisations to display and is generating a lot of interest in the scheme."

THE OBJECTIVE

The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) required an ‘easy read’ version of their publication The Impact Report. They needed to make the contents of the report accessible to a wide audience, including people with learning disabilities.

The DRC wanted to work with a company that could provide an end-to-end solution covering everything from editorial to design and print. They also wanted to explore a fresh approach to creating easy read documents and they were therefore interested in the new CDS Easy Read service.

HOW THE OBJECTIVE WAS ACHIEVED

The DRC provided the base text of The Impact Report. Our editors then worked with the DRC to identify key messages and information that the DRC wanted to communicate to the audience.

Titles, headings and subheadings were developed to divide the information into a logical and easy to navigate sequence. Our editors identified the places in the text where illustrations should be used. CDS Easy Read illustrators then created bespoke images to compliment the text and aid overall understanding.

After the pages were edited and laid out we tested a sample of the report on the audience. This took the form of a questionnaire and focus groups attended by carers and people with learning disabilities. The response was tremendously positive. More than 90% of the participants found the CDS Easy Read document better than other ‘easy read’ documents they had seen. We took onboard the minor amendments suggested during the focus groups.

The final product is a 36 page A4 publication in the CDS Easy Read style. The DRC welcomed our approach and was impressed by the team’s attention to detail, quality, the consistency of the images and the overall clarity of the document. Great care was also taken in printing the document. We consistently applied the principles of accessibility; for example ensuring high enough contrast between the text and the background.

Katie Grant, Publications Manager for the Disability Rights Commisison said, “This is the first time the Disability Rights Commission have worked with CDS. We have been impressed by their professional approach and accessible treatment of our newly designed Easy Read Impact Report.”

THE OBJECTIVE

The London Development Agency (LDA) required an ‘easy read’ version of their publication Disability Equality Scheme 2006-2009 report. The requirement arose from working with Disability Rights Commission (DRC) to produce a Disability Equality Scheme (DES) publication, ahead of legislation to introduce a public sector duty to promote equality for disabled people.

LDA wanted to communicate their first DES using a document that would be easily understood and accessible to all user groups.

HOW THE OBJECTIVE WAS ACHIEVED

• LDA supplied an Easy read version of the full text to CDS
• CDS created an accessible design and layout
• CDS’ illustrators created more than 50 bespoke Easy Read illustrations to support the text
• The product is an 80 page A4 publication
• CDS worked within tight timescales – design, layout and illustrations were all produced within one week
• CDS print managed the publication to ensure excellent print quality, deadlines were met and best value was achieved
• LDA staff and stakeholders were delighted with the publication and in particular with the illustrations, which are clear, inclusive and representative of different groups of people
• The LDA’s first DES document will be easily understood and accessible to all user groups

Frances McAndrew, Head of Equalities at LDA said, "I was delighted with the speed and professionalism shown by CDS in the production of our Easy Read Disability Equality Scheme. Not only did they bring their design expertise to bear on the finished document they also showed an in-depth knowledge of the subject matter and understood the importance of involving disabled people throughout the process."