09 Jul 2010, Posted by Ross Floate in Blog, Featured, Thoughts, 1 Comments

Randomly-sized pegs, square holes.

11 Jun 2010, Posted by Ross Floate in Blog, Featured, Thoughts, 0 Comments

On Print

(This article originally appeared in The Big Issue Australia #366)

As long as I can remember, I’ve worked in a world where the conventional wisdom has been that print is dying. If you listen to a lot of pundits (mostly online pundits, naturally) you’ll hear that print is already dead; it just doesn’t know it yet. (more…)

18 May 2010, Posted by Ross Floate in above the fold, 0 Comments

And Now It’s In Print

I’d like to introduce you to a new project I’m working on called ‘And Now It’s In Print’.

When I recently attended South By Southwest Interactive in Austin, Texas, I noticed the free newspaper ‘Things Our Friends Sent Us For Printing’, (more…)

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…)

26 Mar 2010, Posted by Ross Floate in Thoughts, 0 Comments

Location-based app use during SXSWi

The smart folks at SimpleGeo kept track of which applications were being used when and where during SXSWi, and from that data built this powerful visualisation of the extent to which location-based social media mattered at SXSWi.

It’s impressive, no doubt. But that was during SXSWi, the biggest gathering of geeks in the world. Are people still checking in? Yes they are. Take a look at this real-time visualisation of checkins in Austin Texas, and see for yourself.

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 Thoughts, 0 Comments

On your brand’s priorities

During a rebranding, or any communications re-assessment, it is very tempting to think only of the things that an organisation does well. That’s what we normally do – sell our good points. It’s what we’re used to, and it makes sense viscerally. (more…)

24 Feb 2010, Posted by Ross Floate in Blog, Brand Identity, Project Stories, above the fold, 0 Comments

A Metre Matters

We’ve recently been doing a lot of work for the Amy Gillett Foundation – a group dedicated to ensuring that both cyclists and drivers work to reduce injuries on our roads.

In developing an identity for their new A Metre Matters campaign, we quickly and effectively convey the idea of leaving extra space between cyclists and drivers. (more…)