Archive for the ‘CSR’ Category

Bedford Design Clinic

Friday, April 15th, 2005

After much planning Jeffrey Tribe from Bedford College succeeded in organising, for today, the first of what will hope to be a regular occurence for the local design and business community in Bedford.

‘Design Clinic’ is a forum for everyone involved with marketing, communication and design. It is a unique event aimed at promoting the exchange of knowledge, experiences and views for the benefit of the local design community, industry, commerce and edcuation.

Starting with a buffet, the event was held at the new Bedford iLab business complex on Prior Business Park, plays host to five guest speakers; Ian Silverstein (founder of Creative Action design); Peter Wagstaff (Founder of Wagstaff’s Design); Tony Chambers (Founding Partner of One Strategic Communications); Keith Freshwater (Creative Director of Oak Communications); and a one John Simmons FRSA (Former Verbal Identity Director from Interbrand).

Currently Director of The Writer and freelance brand consultant, John Simmons specialises in advising major UK organisations on how to communicate their brands effectively and creatively with words. John introduced and entertained the audience wonderfully with his philosophies, experience and learning (he also signed my copy of his book ‘The Trouble with Words’ which has been sitting on my desk for the last 10 years!).

Overall a thoroughly enjoyable event for which there will hopefully be a successor. Well done Jeff!

A big thank you?

Friday, February 11th, 2005

This is a personal thank you from Steve for everyone that donated to Macintyre Care after his girlfriends untimely and unfortunate passing away. In total just under £4000 was raised which is an amazing amount, but an amount that will provide untold enjoyment for those for which Ruth cared for at Macintyre.

The money will be spent on many areas, but with a focus on the music and dance aspects within which Ruth had particular interest. Items such as a Camcorder, Keyboard, Digital Camera, TV, Video, DVD player and the redecoration of the day room, re-carpeting of the craft room, the redecorating of outside facilities/replacement of benches and the painting of playground games onto the courtyard are but a few of the benefits for the users of the service provided at Macintyre Care.

A big hand and thanks to all, from Steve and the families.

Ruth Naomi Binks

Saturday, December 4th, 2004

Steve would like to extend his thanks to everyone for their patience, consideration and thoughtful messages over the past couple of weeks.

All of you will have noticed the young lady, giving you the short of Bonfire Design, both here at the front of our website, and on our Site Test Mailer sent out in October.

As some of you knew, this was Ruth, Steve’s partner of 4 and a half years. Unfortunately Ruth left us peacefully on 28th November having been diagnosed two weeks earlier with lung cancer. Ruth was full of energy, life, smiles and found her own happiness from helping others.

Donations in Ruth’s memory will be made to her place of work, Macintyre Care, where she found great happiness working with adults with special needs. Steve and Ruth’s family thought it only right that any donations should be used to help them carry on their wonderful work. Any donations are to be made payable to either Stephen Judge or David Binks, her father, and will be sent to Macintyre Care through Bonfire Design.

Steve would also like offer special thanks to Prism Digital Print and Digital Displays for their help with the printing for Ruth\’s service documentation and their kind donations.

Bonfire in collaboration with college

Monday, September 27th, 2004

Following our sponsorship of Bedford College’s end of year show 2004 we have now got involved on another level, continuing our support.

We have written a visual communications brief for the year 2 students of the Graphic Design ND course with a communications project. The project derived from our own working environment.

The most cliched thing for agencies to do is put their own work up around the studio and offices. What we’ve been doing for the last couple of years is setting personal projects within the company and creating artworks that represent things we do or say in the day to day running of the business and it is this from where the brief stems.

The brief consists of the students researching and developing concepts around 3 phrases or quotes from the marketing communications market place, one of which must come from our own collateral. The students will then present their ideas to the rest of the group and they will decide collectively which route they carry forward – this would represent the ‘clients choice’. The chosen phrase will then be developed into a visual piece of communication using any mediums 3D or 2D but must not exceed 2 in size.

We hope to develop this partnership with future projects and work placements.

Work placements start

Monday, September 20th, 2004

Craig Maclachlan joins us this week from Portsmouth University for a four week work placement. Craig is an extremely keen and detailed worker whom we chose from a number of applicants.

We are hoping to run more work placements over the coming year as we develop the studio, giving students the same opportunities for experience that we were fortunate enough to have been given in the past.

Hmmm name sounds familiar and we also had an application from and Elizabeth Taylor recently as well!!

Sponsoring the local college

Monday, June 14th, 2004

Bonfire, along with a few other local design agencies, sponsored the end of year show for the Foundation Course in Art and Design at Bedford College.

One of our company goals has always been to get involved with the local college and help out in the personal development and training of future designers.

Although at this stage we are unable to offer placements, this contribution is a start in achieving this long-term objective on top of the other charitable donations we already make as a company.

D&AD Wally Olins Talk

Thursday, April 22nd, 2004

With a keen interest in Branding and Corporate Identity we decided to go and see ‘the godfather of Corporate Identity’, Wally Olins, deliver his speech on how the role of Corporate Identity has expanded to become part of a much larger phenomenom ‘Branding’.

It was very interesting to hear his views and share some of the experiences from his star-studded career. Even more interesting was his distaste for our seemingly unending desire to overcomplicate the branding process with nonsensicle jargon in an attempt to justify what we do as an industry. Something we have always felt very strongly about. After all why make something sound more complicated than it need be? It’s all about clear, concise communication isn’t it? Well that’s our philosophy anyway.

Clear branding propositions we do, confusing unintelligible waffle we don’t.

We also picked up signed copies of his latest book ‘On Brand’ for £25 – a complete steal.