Fully exposed

Fashion-led communications agency exposure’s new web site is an all-singing, all dancing affair that reflects the vibrancy of the company’s people. Populated by quirky robots and toys, and featuring cartoon-like sound effects and animation, it’s a tour de force in young-at-heart online design. totalcontent provided the necessary balance with accessible, yet business-like summaries of the agency’s vision, credentials and short descriptions of its different departments. Random, lateral quotes from staff, culled from their business cards (a previous totalcontent commission), pop up when you least expect them.

Well met in Brussels

Earlier in the year, totalcontent hopped onboard Eurostar to Brussels. This was to get the lowdown on Square, a massive, state-of-the-art international conference centre, which will be opening in 2009. Even in its unfinished state, there’s no mistaking that Square will become a major-league meetings place – the location, space and architectural ambition are quite something. We were charged with announcing and explaining the ambitious scheme in a brochure and series of ads designed by our friends at Why Not Associates. And we’ve since helped Square with naming its many auditoria and facilities rooms.

Pure gold

Wow.

I’ve just been honoured with the most prestigious award you can get in the creative industries. An extraordinarily rare D&AD Gold. This once-in-a-lifetime accolade was awarded in the Advertising Posters category.

It was for my part in the National Gallery’s ‘Grand Tour’, an astonishingly inventive campaign masterminded by The Partners. This took framed, life-sized reproductions of Old Masters and hung them on walls across central London in the summer of 2007. I wrote copy for over 40 plaques to give context to each of the paintings. These needed to explain often complex allegorical scenes in just 100 words. And a no-nonsense style that would connect with the ‘man in the street’. Literally.

Hearty congratulations to everyone involved. Now where shall I park that precious black pencil?

We’ve got it licked

The Royal Mail Year Pack is a whistle-stop tour through all the sets of British picture stamps published in the course of the year. You get a full set of all the stamps, plus a pull-out guide on the subject matter that inspired them. totalcontent was asked to provide the commentary for the True North-designed pack, which meant delving into all sorts of arcane areas, from marine life and astronomy, to army uniforms and endangered species. Taking in Grand Prix and the Beatles along the way. It looks like we did a reasonable job – we’ve just been commissioned to write another Year Pack for 2008. Bring it on.

Happily ever after

Storytelling, quite literally. This was a direct mail piece for accountancy firm BDO Stoy Hayward to alert clients to the range of useful publications it produces and to ask them which ones they’d like to receive in future. It was a chance to update BDO’s mailing lists and save on unnecessary paper and postage. totalcontent played fast and loose with the Jack and the Beanstalk story to create an enchanting business case for reading your way to the top. And it worked like a fairy tale too, with what the client described as 'a fantastic response' of 3000 replies to the mailshot.

The perfect ingredients

Birmingham-based Switch Design recently asked totalcontent to rustle up some tasty press ad copy for Caple's new top-of-the-range Gastron range cookers. Featuring celebrity chef Aldo Zilli, the main thrust of the ad was how Gastron helps you create professional dishes at home. The ad appeared in Elle Decoration and House Beautiful, as well as specialist trade publications.

Behind the scenes at the Beeb

A short-but-sweet brochure touting the BBC Post-Production Media Solutions team. They’re a group of creative post-production artists and expert technicians who can bring some magic dust to TV programmes, or advise clients how to set up and make the most of their own facilities. totalcontent’s words persuasively put over the breadth of service and depth of talent for hire, while the design by Blast brought some understated style to the project.