Busy at Birchover

A corporate re-brand, brochure design, copywriting, website development, promotional posters, photography...and even a spot of toilet humour.

It's been a busy couple of weeks for The Message, and for Birchover Hotel Apartments. With a little help from us, they've just launched their new brand identity and shiny new website - www.birchover.com.

We also think they're on to a good thing, as they're the only hotel apartments in Derby...and with over 70 one and two-bedroom apartments in Darley Abbey and Allestree, they offer a pretty cool alternative to the usual boring hotel room.

If you want to see the new ads we've done for Birchover, take a look in the, ahem, 'washrooms' next time you're at Pride Park.

Behind the scenes with Gossard

Here's a behind the scenes look at our latest shoot for Gossard.

Filmed, edited and produced by The Message (using Apple's very nifty Final Cut Express), this snippet features Brazilian-born model Fernada Ferrari and 2009 UK Covergirl of the Year Elle Liberachi showcasing Gossard's 2010 Spring / Summer range.

If you're interested in producing a video to promote your business, you can find full contact details for The Message on our main website.

What are your favourite brands?

We'll hold our hands up straight away and say that we got this idea from our friends at Howies, although thought it would be fascinating to see which companies, products and brands are most admired amongst the people we know (and those we don't).

It's a conversation that also sparked some interesting lunchtime debate in the office yesterday. We came up with ten between us, although all for very different reasons; from the actual desirability of a company's product through to their service, status, ethos and ways they communicate to their customers.

It also got us talking this morning about brands that we used to like, but that have somehow now lost their appeal, but that's for another day.

Well, our top ten boiled down to Apple, Waitrose, Paul Smith, Pizza Express, Sony, Aga, The Co-op, BBC, Starbucks and The Guardian.

Over to you.

One we made earlier

If proof be needed that most of us at The Message were raised on a diet of fish fingers, beans and episodes of Blue Peter, then look no further than our home-made holiday planner.

Thing is, we left it a little late in to 2009 to order a 'proper' planner, so thought it'd be much more fun - and more economically sound - to make our own. It's amazing what you can do with a desk calender, some sticky back plastic, a bit of foam board and a few colourful, star-shaped stickers. 

The debate as to how we signify half days continues. All ideas are welcome.

Rabbiting on...

Ian B's lunch was today provided Jack Rabbit's, a new and extremely tasty little place on Irongate in Derby. Just opposite the cathedral in fact. 

If you've not yet had the pleasure and happen to be or around the city centre, we highly recommend it...although don't blame us when you're struggling for cash and putting on the pounds. We're already addicted (see below for slow-roasted-gammon-cob heaven). 

Jack Rabbit's makes traditional home-cooked meals to take away. Perfect if you like nice, thick slices of beef, chicken or gammon in a roll...or if you fancy lamb tagine for lunch and have a microwave at work.

We'd like to point you in the direction of their website, but they haven't got one yet. We've already had a chat with Amelia - passionate foodie and friendly owner of Jack Rabbit's - to suggest a 'we'll build you a website if you do us lots of free food' sort of arrangement.

We'll let you know if we hear anything...

Terra Nova, making light of things

We've worked closely with Terra Nova for the last nine years to get their marketing of all things adventurous and outdoorsy pretty much spot on. It's also resulted in a few bad jokes from time-to-time about The Message doing 'in tents' Marketing.

We took a trip to their annual tent show this week to see how things were going.

A nice day it was too. We liked this beautifully designed, patriotic number that appeared to be a little more 'Glastonbury' than the others. 

We also couldn't resist the barbequed hot dogs and marinated turkey on offer!

Terra Nova recently beat their own Guinness World Record for the lightest tent in the world, weighing just 860g at its minimum weight.