NEWS
What have you been upto?
We've been kept on our toes lately - just the way we like it ! - producing all sorts of different work and projects for our clients. Here's a quick picture of just a few of the things we've been up to - if you like what you see (and there's loads more besides) and perhaps have an idea to discuss maybe it's time to give us a call ?
Bug Stoppers – September 2011
Coast has been helping our client Bioquell in the war against bug criminals and a major campaign is being launched in the UK and USA, targeting healthcare professionals with a serious message but in a fun way.
Coast was commissioned to create fun characterisations of some of the most common and hazardous bugs that are a risk to health and in healthcare environments and these have been used as the basis for the ‘Bug stoppers’ campaign (www.bugstoppers.co.uk) .
The bugs are characterisations of ‘bad bacteria, fearsome fungi and villainous viruses ‘ all known to cause healthcare associated infections and the campaign is designed to help healthcare professionals understand more about infection control and how to fight epidemics.
As well as creating the bugs, we worked with the team at Bioquell to develop an infection control kit – a special mailer box, packed with useful items to educate and fight infections such as an anti microbial mouse mat, telephone pads, a ‘bug trumps’ card game with all the villains and a bio-free pen. All backed by special websites, Facebook activity and co-ordinated sales team activity for the launch.
And at the campaign’s official launch at a major healthcare show, Bioquell’s bugs stole the show by appearing ‘in person’ as larger than life ‘models’ – this time more friendly than feared !
Pictures tell the story – September 2011
It’s not always easy for organisations to find the right picture to tell a story to help sell or explain the product. It could be why Coast’s image creation and retouching service seems to be in constant demand.
We regularly retouch images to enhance effects such as adding shine and light or remove objects such as litter from in front of a building and we can also create special 3d images using the latest technology. These computer generated images just look so realistic and lots of manufacturers use our service for roomsets designed to complement their products and costing much less than full studio or roomset photography.
Lately, we have created a number of images for leading name clients in the defence sector in time for a major international show. We have access to the latest images showing the military in action and for Britannia 2000, these were combined and placed on a specially created rugged landscape together with product images to create a realistic yet figurative impression to demonstrate the products use in action.
Coast in Europe- August 2011
The team at Coast Agency has been working with Southampton-based Tetra UK for a number of years, providing a ‘full’ agency service for the home market. Now, following a competitive pitch in Paris, Coast has been appointed to a major European design project that has arisen from a customer segmentation study.
In order to realise synergies from all of Tetra’s pan-European activities, a new literature design concept has been created that will translate across the whole of Europe. The project is being controlled centrally from Tetra’s headquarters in Germany.
Tetra, established for over 60 years, is a global leader in fish foods and care products for both indoor aquariums and garden ponds and its products can be seen in retailers across the world.
The game’s up!- July 2011
Coast Agency has devised and created for Tetra UK, as an integral part of a consumer promotion, an online ‘pairs’ card game that is now available on the Tetra website, www.tetra-fish.co.uk.
To celebrate Tetra’s 60th anniversary and specifically targeting junior goldfish-fans, entrants can win one of five retro-style chopper bikes. Entry is free and the objective is to attract youngsters into the fishkeeping hobby at a beginner level.
The promotion is supported by an in-store leaflet and POS.
J & K Aquatic- June 2011
Nothing Fishy
When J&K Aquatics Ltd wanted assistance in rebranding its own label products, it hooked onto Coast Agency. Based in Taunton, J&K Aquatics is one of the largest aquatics wholesalers in the UK, supplying pet shop retailers and specialist aquaria outlets across the country.
For the extensive own label product range under the Betta brand, Coast’s challenge was to update the logo and create a new, dynamic brand styling to run across the whole range in a multitude of shapes and sizes, plus new designs for a premier range.
The first phase of design and artwork for 20 packs has now been completed and will be in the shops later in the year.
Getting our feet wet- April 2011
Coast Agency has been appointed by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) to design and produce detailed visitor maps for each of its nine visitor centres. The WWT is a leading UK conservation organisation dedicated to saving wetlands for wildlife and people across the world. For Coast, the project entails visiting each of the UK’s nine sites, mapping and recording the many unique features of each location and interpreting the data into a user-friendly illustrative site guide to enhance the visitor experience. And, like the WWT’s beautiful flamingoes, we’re tickled pink to be involved!
Going for green – March 2011
‘Eco’ is a key theme in the construction industry and Coast has been helping Dimplex, market leader in electric and renewable heating, to make the most out if its presence at Ecobuild, one of the UK’s leading ‘green’ building exhibitions. With a preview release circulated in advance to the trade press, product press releases written and submitted to the show website, copywriting for an eight-page newsletter, and over a dozen appointments made with key trade press editors for stand visits to view the new product ranges and meet key people, Dimplex is sure to get more press mileage from the show.
The big picture! – Febuary 2011
Coast is going 3D with its appointment by Creative Home Cinema, one of the south’s leading designers and suppliers of home cinema and home entertainment systems, to work on a range of marketing initiatives. Starting with an invitation to Creative’s regional exclusive on the latest in home cinema at an open week where 3D gaming, TV and projected home cinema will be on show, other activities will include a door drop focusing on enjoying 2011’s big events, like the royal wedding and the rugby world cup, on a new home entertainment system, and an update to Creative’s website.
Getting social- Febuary 2011
Social media is not just for the chattering classes. It’s developing into a powerful business tool where organisations can share their news, talk with their stakeholders and importantly, learn how consumers engage with their products, brand and values. Trimetals’ high quality metal storage sheds are used for a wide variety of hobbies; motorbike owners, gardeners, cyclists, horse owners, anglers, watersports enthusiasts, mobile home owners... all kinds of people are interested in these storage solutions. And now Coast is helping Trimetals talk –
The Star Treatment – December 2010
Working with our client Tetra (UK), a promotion is currently running with the objective of making the hobby of fishkeeping attractive to children. Created by Coast, the ‘My Star Goldfish’ promotion enables customers to collect stars on a collector card from participating retailers when purchasing Tetra products. When three stars have been collected, customers can send off for a free fun pack of goldfish-themed goodies for children, including specially-designed colouring cards and a crayon drawing kit. The promotional collateral at point of purchase includes a dedicated leaflet, poster and counter display. And the promotion features prominently on the Tetra web site, www.tetra-fish.co.uk Thanks to Tetra’s position as a multi-national world-leading brand, the promotion has also been picked up by Tetra GmbH in Germany, which has the biggest market in Europe for the hobby of fishkeeping.
Customer Care Counts - November 2010
Recognising the importance of customer aftercare and with a rapid growth in range and new product additions, heating brand leader Dimplex (part of the GDC Group) commissioned Coast Agency to review and re-design its user instruction guides into easily downloadable self help guides, supported with animated videos that could be featured on its web site, www.Dimplexheating.co.uk and YouTube.Part of an ongoing project, to date five operating instructions have been produced in the new format, including four self-help animated videos.
The heat is on- October 2010
World-leading heating brand Dimplex has been working with the team at Coast for a number of years across a variety of projects. In autumn 2010 Dimplex once again commissioned Coast to produce its flagship brochure ‘the heatbook’, a 112-page, perfect bound brochure featuring the manufacturer’s full heating range. In addition to design and artwork, full project management was provided, including sourcing competitive web printing and on-press sign off.
On the case in the kitchen – October 2010
Case studies are a great flexible marketing tool, telling a compelling real story, focusing on real people. Coast has created the first of a library of case studies for Harwoods of Winterbourne, specialist in the design and installation of beautiful kitchens. Three stories showing customers in their stunning finished kitchens were researched, interviewed, written, photographed and printed, providing a great resource of words and images for all kinds of marketing purposes. And it’s the details that highlight Harwoods’ exceptional customer service – one kitchen was
colour matched to the soft duck egg blue of a paper bag that had caught the client’s eye. A powerful marketing tool? We rest our case!
Everyone’s going to the Zoo – September 2010
Leading attraction Dublin Zoo is heading for its best ever season and we’re all delighted to have been involved once again in the marketing and promotional material which we hope has contributed to success in generating visitor numbers. Using the highly distinctive design and ‘love our wild life’ theme we developed for the Zoo two years ago, this year’s campaign included social media, a consumer leaflet which was distributed all around Ireland, as well as in key spots in the UK, an events leaflet and a fully integrated set of literature.
Large poster sites were booked at high pedestrian traffic areas throughout Dublin and we designed posters with animal cut outs such as a fanned peacock tail, butterfly wings and horns encouraging people to ‘go wild’ and have their picture taken. It was linked to a photo competition on Dublin Zoo’s Facebook site - that worked some extra animal magic.
A goldfish wish – August 2010
Encouraging children to wish for a fish and to create a special holiday promotion to boost retailer sales of Tetra products, Coast came up with a lively promotion for ‘My First Goldfish’. A bold design theme brought all the elements together and retailers nationwide displayed flags, shelf stickers and specially designed dual-purpose counter dispensers containing an easy care goldfish guide and a special on line photographic competition as well as banner ads on children's websites.
It’s been one of Tetra’s most successful campaigns to date and the theme has been adopted by Tetra businesses in Europe. And now the theme is being extended for a new promotion that’s about to hit the shops as ‘My Star Goldfish’.
Full Film Production – July 2010
Buildings throughout the UK from Yorkshire’s grand Castle Howard to an RNLI lifeboat station and a village hall in the Cotswolds all formed part of a 10 minute film Coast was commissioned to produce for Dimplex. Called ‘Living and Working’, the film shows the diverse range of real buildings which use Dimplex renewables products to provide low carbon heating. We arranged permissions , filming and our team conducted interviews designed to get the best ‘soundbites’ before writing the script and editing against tight deadlines to meet the demand for it to be shown at a series of educational seminars for the building industry.
Big new look for Broglia – June 2010
We took it as a compliment that Broglia Press, one of the south coast’s leading printers, came to us for a new image design – as they know and work with lots of different agencies in our region. The new management team wanted a new look and we created a new logo, an updated content-managed website and an oversized brochure that’s designed to show off the best of Broglia’s printing techniques.
Pack it in for JCB – May 2010
Dimplex and JCB, a world leader in construction equipment, joined forces to produce a robust fan heater suitable for use in garages and workshops. Coast Agency was given the task of designing the full colour packaging using the recognisable yellow and black colours heater and it’s now in shops throughout the UK.
BlackBerry – International Messenger - May 2010
Internationally renowned for its smartphones that provide instant communication on the go, BlackBerry asked us to come up with a design solution for a quick guide to launch its new instant BBM Messenger app to the Middle East markets. The concept allows people to share instant chat and the guide produced by us keeps the distinctive BlackBerry branding with the introduction of additional consumer-friendly elements showing stylised figures of people living life to the full. These are being colour-matched for the different network service providers – using them in the orange of MobiNil, for example. And this launch is being rolled out – with further developments to come !
Proving the point – case studies – April 2010
Case studies are one of the most flexible communications ‘tools’ around – use them in web sites, for the sales team, as press releases, in newsletters, brochures and at exhibitions.....there’s a special power in proving that there are real projects with real endorsements and we specialise in writing these (year-round) with marketing in mind. Completed this month for our client Dimplex is the combination of heritage and high tech at Castle Howard, one of the UK’s finest historic houses and now a leading visitor attraction. Forward thinking owner Simon Howard has installed Dimplex heat pumps which have slashed the annual £40,000 fuel bill by nearly 60% - he was happy to say this and of course, we were even happier with a great story for our client.
On show where east meets west – February 10
Exhibitions are an expensive business and our team adds a wide range of experience to ensure clients get the maximum value from the investment. Services include literature, pr support, editor briefings and promotions as well as designs for graphics and exhibition systems. For global engineering group Meggitt, there are exhibitions worldwide and the latest project - ‘east meets west’ - was for high quality graphics and portable systems delivered on time and on budget for exhibitions in Russia and the USA.
Branding Bioquell - November 09
World leaders in hydrogen peroxide bio-decontamination technology services and equipment for industries including healthcare, food and lifesciences, Bioquell launched a major new healthcare product into the UK, USA and European markets and we were brought in to give the whole launch project a ‘clean and fresh’ new look. Working to tight deadlines, we arranged product and people photography, produced graphics and UK, US and then European brochures – adapting designs for different formats required in each country. Supporting this was exhibition material and packaging for a training cd. And now, as part of its investment in facilities and future growth, Bioquell has a new logo and we’re now working with the marketing teams to roll out the new branding to its divisions and different markets worldwide.
Imagination with Images – October 09
Pictures always help to tell the story but sometimes it just can’t be done in a traditional way.....that’s where our latest 3d imaging techniques come into their own. As part of producing new literature and exhibition materials with the new brand identity adopted by Cobham, an international leader in aerospace and defence, it was essential to have a number of images to demonstrate use of their products and services in real life environments. We brought together combination of product images, landscapes and graphics that clearly showed different product use scenarios such as a security system for a country house with sensors can’t be seen by the naked eye – or a camera.
Harwoods Harvest Festival - September 09
Kitchen designers Harwoods of Winterbourne wanted a distinctive new identity to reflect its personality as kitchen designer with a difference – bringing extra special service and attention to detail – from designs through to completion of all types of dream kitchens. Our agency team designed a new logo which was then incorporated into stationery, showroom signage, website, advertising, as well as a ‘Harvest Festival’ promotional mailer and competition based around a special customer event.
On the Edge with Durrell – August 09
2009 is a big year for Jersey-based Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, with a series of initiatives to mark its 50th anniversary, including a dinner with Sir David Attenborough, site investments and improvements and a Ball hosted by Patron The Princess Royal. Events and fundraising activities as well as updates on the important worldwide conservation projects such as the emergency rescue of Montserrat mountain chicken frogs which made international news headlines have all been brought together in ‘On The Edge’, a 24 page colour newsletter.
All Fired up for Dimplex – July 09
When award winning market leader Dimplex launched a new season range of fires at a major trade show, we were called in to add extra sparkle. A fires collection brochure was produced to tight deadlines as some of the new products arrived just in time to meet the print deadlines, while the pr team prepared the press pack - all for what turned out to be Dimplex’s best ever show.
Love at the Zoo – July 09
Tigers, red pandas, orang-utan, even gorillas and rhinos – we just love them! And we’re not the only ones thanks to the adoption packs we’ve just completed for top attraction Dublin Zoo. Animal adoptions make great gifts and our eye catching pack including carefully researched animal fact sheets, certificates, folders and badges have been delivered in time to meet the key summer season and the countdown to Christmas.
Financial Position June 09
We’ve been making sure that communications add up for established chartered accountants Frost & Company with the development of a new corporate identity and a comprehensive suite of literature. Co-inciding with the Dorset firm’s relocation to larger premises, we designed a new folder, plus literature inserts and wrote all the brochure copy .
Invest in Gold June 09
The world’s leading producer of aquarium and pond products, Tetra has the ‘Midas touch’ for successful marketing and brand promotion and calls on the retail and consumer experience of the agency team to help make it happen. The latest project invited retailer stockists to ‘invest in gold’, as part of the rebranding of all goldfish care products, supported by shelf cards, stickers for tanks, posters and online consumer advertising – encouraging consumers to buy across the range.
Handy in distress may 09
Wallop Defence Systems turned to our ‘flare’ for design for the launch of ‘Mini Signal’, a new hand-held personal distress flare for the marine and outdoor adventure markets. We designed the eye-catching logo, compact packaging and instruction leaflet for the new product which is used by sailors, mountaineers and all types of outdoor enthusiasts to send a signal for help and it’s now being distributed via retailers nationwide.
Ringing The Bells may 09
The restoration of church bells and a rare clock in a village church is one of the top ten projects researched and prepared as case study stories as part of the production of the latest WREN annual report. As a major provider of grants for community projects under the terms of the Landfill Communities Fund, WREN (Waste Recycling Environmental) is committed to recycling and its 16 page brochure, designed and produced by our agency has been printed on 100% recycled paper.
Love our wildlife april 09
The agency team has gone animal mad, with the latest in a series of projects and brand campaigns for top attraction, Dublin Zoo. The team created the consumer-friendly theme ‘Love our Wildlife’ which is being rolled out onto leaflets, literature, the website and is now working on the highly popular animal adoption packs.
