The Pentacor Blog

The exhibition

The team are also back in the office today after last week's exciting adventures at CRE, Sandown – where we met some really inspiring people and companies. The theme of our stand was communcation and we met many individuals and organisations who were looking at ways of improving their web and printed presence and encourage others to read and understand their key message. 

We ran a competition to win a small website for one lucky church or organisation while we were there, and would like to thank everyone who entered. We are pleased to announce the winner as the Rev Marian Walford of Basildon. We will be posting news on the development and launch of her new website as it develops over the coming weeks.

Thank you to all of you who dropped by to say hello during the exhibition – we really enjoyed meeting you all and wish you every success with all your new communication ventures. We would like to say a special thank you to the wonderful Fleesons from Lindesfarne Scriptorium, who gave us hints and tips on setting up day and shared their shortbread with us in the afternoons!

A new direction …

There is an air of nervous excitement here in the studio, as next week sees us exhibition bound! During the last few years we have been increasingly involved with creating ground-breaking concepts for print and web for a number of spiritual and religious organisations, from small newsletters for local churches to national magazines. What all these individuals have in common is the need to challenge misconceptions and communicate effectively making full use of contemporary design and modern technologies.

If this sounds like something you would be interested in, we have devised a brochure and some helpsheets to start you on your communications journey. They address both print and web-based marketing materials – and include newsletters, websites, blogs and information on how to make the most of networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook – to create a complete circle of complementary material. If you would like one of our free brochures on reaching out and getting your message across, the please email Tracy, our design director, on tracy@pentacor.co.uk

We will be on Stand S41 at the huge Christian Resources Exhibition at Sandown Park, Esher all next week. Do pop by and say hello if you are passing. You won't be able to miss us, our stand is the bright orange one! (What can I say, we're designers you know!)

Cow parade, Madrid

We are lucky to have many international clients here at Pentacor, so imagine our delight in stumbling across this during a recent client briefing in Madrid. Scattered all round the city centre was the Cow Parade – the largest and most successful public art project in the world. Cow events have been staged in over 50 countries to date with over 100 million people having encountered one of the bovine works of art. The basic cow forms are supplied in white fibreglass and are then painted by artists – from local unknowns to architects and designers. Displayed at various focal points around the featured city, after a few months they are all sold off and the money donated to charity.

ivaya Typo!, featured here, was our favourite. For more information about Cow Parade follow this link: Cow Parade.

Branding & website design

We are in the middle of the design and branding for a new high level bespoke corporate training company – conceptualising something really strong and different for their market. Images of this will be coming soon. This is one of many branding projects we undertake for small to medium businesses – especially those just starting out. We offer a FREE helpsheet for those looking at how to maximise the appeal of their websites, and make it really work – ultimately bringing you results. It includes information on why you should concentrate on benefits rather than features, and how to focus your reader on the difference you can make to them and their business.

We also offer a complete bespoke package where we can design your websites and stationery, and if you like, design a blog template that you can take control of – creating a complete circle of marketing communications with your clients and suppliers. If either of these would be helpful please drop us an email to this address and we can immediately start to make a difference to your business. 

Wonderful new children's book!

We have been working on this brilliant project for an author in Merseyside, Liverpool. It is the adaptation of a true story about two ferryboats that were commandeered in the First World War. Each image is a felt and fabric collage, all hand-stitched and conceived by the author, Maria Saunderson, who has spent four years bringing this project to life. We designed and artworked the project, as well as providing print and project management. We have loved working with Maria and are exceptionally proud of the finished books.As for Maria, here's what she had to say when she first opened the boxes:

"What can I say, the books arrived first thing and I have to say I was in tears before I opened the box. They are beautiful. I don't know if you remember the first time we spoke, you said that Pentacor would be my fairy godmother – you were right. If I said you have no idea how I feel it would be an insult, because I do believe you know exactly how I feel, right from the beginning you instinctively understood what I was trying to achieve – your patience and guidance have been invaluable in helping me achieve my dream. I have a quality book I can be proud of. Thank you all."

Wow!! It's enough to make us blush.

If you would like to get your hands on one of these lovely books, Maria is happy for you to contact her direct at riadesigns@hotmail.co.uk

Spring birthdays - part 3

Seeing as it has been … oohhh … days since a cream slice last appeared in the studio, it was with some relief that we celebrated Kelly's birthday yesterday. There were cakes a plenty, and a pretty dazzling array of pressies too. This was Kelly's very first Pentacor birthday, always an auspicious occasion! Best cake: baby lemon drizzle cakes, best present: a set of nigella mixing bowls in designer black.

Font-licious

Here in the studio we are on a constant quest for wonderful fonts, and always keep on eye on the new releases in case there is something that catches our interest. Having sneaked a peek at some of the new FontFont releases we are currently smitten with the flashing gypsy deliciousness of Carmen. We thought you too would like to gaze at those slinky curves and the defiant swoosh that links some of the letters. Mmmmmm. Fontlicious.

Spring birthdays - part 2

Another avalanche of cakes hit the desks yesterday as we celebrated Peter's birthday. No pictures of the man himself as he's a little camera shy, however we managed to sneak in a shot just as the cake vultures descended.

In case you were wondering… best cake: chocolate & brandy cream fudge cake, best present: a Neil Young DVD!

Exhibition news

It is, as ever, an exciting week here at Pentacor as we tackle the design and layout of our stand for the Christian Resources Exhibition in May. We will be offering visitors to the exhibition a package of services including branding, literature & publication design, as well as design ideas for their web presence. The theme of the show is "changing" so we have decided to create a really eye-opening stand that challenges the viewer. Watch this space for some sneaky previews .....

Spring birthdays - part 1

March & April sees a huge increase in cake consumption here in the studios as we go through a glut of birthdays. Pictured here are Stu's end of March feast (best present: a bag of money, best cake: carrot cake) and Jo's April Fool's mini party (best present: two large glass domes, best cake: almond bakewell). More birthdays to come next week.