29 Apr 2010, Posted by Ross Floate in Thoughts, above the fold, 0 Comments

Why traditional PR doesn’t work with (most) bloggers.

If you’re involved in marketing, promotions, or public relations you’ll be well aware by now that your traditional campaigns have little or no effect on bloggers –– even when they get a lot of traction with traditional journalists. (more…)

06 Apr 2010, Posted by Ross Floate in Blog, Print, Project Stories, below the fold, 0 Comments

Vintage Stories

2010 is the 150th anniversary of the establishment of Chateau Tahbilk, one of Australia’s most respected wineries. Over a six-month period we worked closely with the team at Tahbilk, the author Fay Woodhouse, and print management group Invicium to put together a striking publication chronicling Tahbilk from the 1860 through to today. (more…)

27 Feb 2010, Posted by Ross Floate in Thoughts, 0 Comments

A note on language

One of the things I learned back in journalism school was that you get paid as much for a short word as a long one. I wish a lot of companies could pick up the same lesson. (more…)

27 Feb 2010, Posted by Ross Floate in Thoughts, 0 Comments

Starting at the middle

If you work in design, you’re constantly asked to do project-based work.

“Can you please create a brochure/website/package/logo for our company?”

The problem with many of these projects is that the outcome has been conceived before the problem has been outlined. (more…)

27 Feb 2010, Posted by Ross Floate in Blog, Partners, above the fold, 0 Comments

Partner Profile : James Braund

James Braund and Floate go way back. Back before Floate was even founded, in fact. James and Ross Floate first met while working on the same publication for Fairfax back in the mid 1990’s. They struck up a friendship based on a mutual appreciation of each other’s work, and have been firm friends ever since. (more…)

24 Feb 2010, Posted by Ross Floate in Blog, Thoughts, above the fold, 0 Comments

Non-designers on design

We’re interested in what non-designers have in mind when they hear the work ‘design’. Here, we ask engineer Paul what he thinks graphic design is.

24 Feb 2010, Posted by Ross Floate in Blog, Featured, Thoughts, 0 Comments

Graphic design’s credibility problem

One of the problems with the client/designer relationship is that most designers don’t take the time to get interested in what their clients do. They spend so much time thinking as designers that they worry too much about looks, and not enough about results and substance.