Turn Key Blog. Things we've done and the things we love.

Love is well and truly in the air this Valentine’s Day at Turn Key HQ with the 2013 Valentine’s campaign we’ve been putting together for our client Eden .

Briefed to design and create a range of Valentine’s collateral for the High Wycombe shopping centre, the team got stuck straight into coming up with some great creative ideas. To showcase Eden’s premium retail and entertainment offering, we swapped cliché cards and cheesy slogans for pretty pastels and everybody’s favourite retro sweet, the love heart.

We’re really pleased with the final artwork – the designers have certainly spread the love and our PR and marketing teams have thought of some really catchy slogans. The creative is being used in everything from page banners to posters, emailers to F – all promoting Eden’s Valentine’s Day offering of gifts, fashion, entertainment.

Happy Valentine’s Day from TK!

Here at Turn Key our marketing campaigns incorporate design collateral of all shapes and forms. From digital creative such as website designs, e-newsletters and direct mailers to printed collateral like leaflets, brochures, point of sale, posters, menus and much more, you name it, we create it!

With our aim to ensure all our clients receive high quality designs printed to perfection, we work with a team of dedicated suppliers to turn our creative designs into professionally produced materials.

This week TK Executives, Olivia Thew and Olivia Nicholson headed to one of our Leeds-based printers, Pressision Printing . As new members of our marketing and digital teams, both Olivias took a tour of the studio to enhance their knowledge of the printing process. Here’s a sneak peak of their trip to Pressision and an insight into the journey our designs go through, from concept to completion:

As we are both new members to the Turn Key team, we felt it would be beneficial for us to brush up on the terminology and different technological processes involved in print and production.

After a few minor detours courtesy of Google Maps, we arrived at Pressision to be greeted by Ian Cavanagh, the company’s Sales Executive. Ian introduced us to the team and talked us through everything from digital accounts to the mechanics behind each printer. What originally seemed like a different language at the beginning of the day started to make sense by the end of our trip!

We were taught the basics of how to quote accurately, the four colour print process (CYMK), die cutting, how the plates of the litho press work, and shown examples of Turn Key work being produced. Ian talked us through many samples of different stock showing the different weights, examples of what each can be used for and products at different stages of print.

The afternoon was a great success and gave us a sneak peak of some of our work in progress. We’d like to say a massive thank you to Ian for taking the time to show us around and explaining the different elements of print!

Our Junior Designer Carl went back to his roots when he visited Leeds College of Art’s ‘End of Year Show’…

Having been part of the show last year showcasing my own work, I knew how exciting and well-thought of this annual event is. Attracting a number of visitors, including professional designers, studios and potential employers seeking new talent, the event really lived up to my expectations.

The exhibition took place in the Blenheim Walk Building and each student had a dedicated space to display their portfolios from the past two years, all accompanied by some beautifully printed business cards.

With a passion for all things creative, I’m always keen to find new inspiration and love discovering the next generation of designers. In particular, the Graphic Design course provided some really inspiring fresh designs from brand identity to illustration. The work presented was of such a high-quality that some of it could’ve easily been mistaken as a professional’s.

Rosalind Stoughton really stood out. I loved the typeface she created called ‘Fonecian’ and the rest of her work showed a strong approach to print and finishes.

Richard Robinson was another striking creative. His 3D type work and illustrations particularly impressed me, especially the awesome ‘Marvel’ designs which were not only attention-grabbing but demonstrated strong technical skills.

Naomi Farrar ’s branding work across a range of print was also exceptionally well delivered and photographed.

I managed to get some lovely photographs of the students’ work including one student who gives Turn Key a run for its money with a new menu and takeaway box design for our client, Chaophraya!

Carl and Paul two of our creative designers took a step into the world of design last week, visiting the Metric Exhibition at Dock Street Market in Leeds.

The month long exhibition showcased 27 different British street and graffiti artists, illustrators, designers and printmakers.  After the patriotic Jubilee weekend, the Metric continued the celebrations by exhibiting the best pieces from the British design world from Banksy cohort and Bristol legend Inkie, to Leeds’ own Drew Millward – this truly represents the pioneers in UK creativity – some great inspiration for our budding design legends to-be.

Check out the boy’s favourite pieces and some cool shots they got from the exhibition!

Designer Paul Hainsworth loves… McBess

Often design is thought to be the work of computers and so it’s really refreshing to see someone holding on to more traditional felt pen illustration. McBess has an amazing talent of bringing out shadows and light using only one colour.

His distinctive black and white style is influenced by old cartoons such as Betty Boop and Merrie Melodies and his drawings often feature himself surrounded by surreal elements including food and musical instruments. His work has a truly nostalgic feel but with a fresh and modern twist.

See more of his work at  http://mcbess.com/

To welcome Spring in style, Eden Shopping Centre, High Wycombe, decided to produce a guide to Spring fashion. Aimed at the 30 plus female market, this guide was to be given out at a Colour Wheel Fashion Event. With content, styling and design pulled together by Turn Key we had a great time being creative.

The finished guide is an A3 sized newspaper style magazine, and we love it!

Don’t believe the rumours: with over 8.7 million people in the UK not yet online*, print is definitely not dead.

At Turn Key, digital forms a very important part of most integrated marketing plans, but we haven’t forgotten about print.  In many cases, reaching your target audience would be impossible without print media. However, you must be aware that consumers and customers alike are becoming more discerning and are demanding print services with strong environmental credentials.

So, what are the best ways to create printed material without damaging your CSR principles and further boosting your green credentials?

We’re working closely with our print suppliers to develop solutions that are as environmentally friendly as possible, and maintaining high quality stocks without compromising on print finish. Many of our clients have a great interest in upholding their environmental credentials, especially through their print service, as this often comes under immediate scrutiny. The addition of an FSC or recycled logo can be a fantastic way of alleviating concerns among both employees and stakeholders (an FSC stamp ensures that the required standard of care has taken place throughout the whole supply chain by forest owners, timber processors and manufacturers).

Top tips for ensuring that your print is sustainable.

1)    Make sure that all paper is FSC certified at the very least – and tell people about it! The addition of an FSC or recycled logo on your brochure will show you care

2)    Check to see if your printer is using vegetable based inks (rather than oil based) as standard, and if not then request that they use them for your application.

3)    Ask your printer and see if they have methods in place for the safe disposal and recycling of all materials used in print production, including inks and chemicals. If not, ask why not.

4)    Try and work with your printer to ensure that environmentally friendly alternative specifications are incorporated from the start – they should always be happy to help. For example, enhanced gloss varnish is an environmentally friendly alternative to gloss UV varnish, whilst also being better quality and much more cost effective!

Of course, it’s all about small, smart changes to what you’re already doing that creates added value. Set yourself apart as a leader and show customers your green credentials, whilst also influencing their behaviour for the better.

*www.raceonline2012.org

Further information: www.team-impression.com/environment www. fsc -uk.org

Feel the quality and feast your eyes – the lookbook has landed. We’ve created something a little bit special to showcase our skills. This heavy duty book has a foil block design and is triplexed to 5mm thick with our signature red inner strip running through the center.

The books are specific to each TK department, so whether it’s our PR, web design or retouching you want to know more about, we have a weighty and wonderful lookbook for you.

The N.Peal Spring / Summer 2011 brochure on press at Team Impression. Luxury cashmere, leading design, looking great.