Pixel8 Art Director Angelina McPherson talks about designing the Warner Estate’s Christmas campaign:

“We started with a photo shoot which included the winners from the children’s ‘Face Off’ competition from each shopping centre. I then began sketching ideas on how the children will pose for each individual photo based on the creative/marketing messages and requirements.

I then Art Directed the photo shoot, setting up the photo shoot scenes, working with the photographer and coordinating the running of the shoot to make sure we covered all shots.

Next I designed the concepts based around an illustrated Christmas tree icon which had three separate colour schemes, Ruby, Turquoise and Purple. Each colour reflects a different part to the campaign. For example, the ‘Win/Competition promotions will always feature on the turquoise design, Santa/Gift promotions to feature on the purple design etc.

The campaign also required a ‘Kids’ fun element to it. So we created a character called ‘Elfis’. The kids will be handed a Trail form where they have to find Elfis hiding in various shops. Once the children have found all 6 hiding Elfis’ they win a sticker and some sweets. We will also be coordinating and organising the Santa’s Grotto event, skating baubles and Elfis.

There will also be a competition running at each shopping centre for shoppers to enter to win Christmas hampers, Nintendo’s, PS3’s etc. We have also designed all the Outdoor Media. This consisted of rear bus advertising, inside bus panel advertising, train station posters and press advertisements.”

To see more graphic designs by Pixel8 see our grahic design portfolio. For more information please visit graphic design, corporate branding or call Pixel8 in Manchester on 0161 228 6489 – 0845 230 1336 or contact us by e-mail

Paul Leybourne is head of sales for Greater Manchester-based Vodat International, a supplier of managed networks and IPT solutions to the UK retail market.

Vodat’s clients include Jaeger, Beaverbrooks, Fat Face, White Stuff, Karen Millen, Lush, Reiss, Dune, 99p Stores and B&M Bargains. Vodat has not lost a client in more than seven years.

Paul started working with Pixel8 in Manchester 17 months ago…

“I think truth, honesty and really engaging an agency to understand the goals and core objectives of your business are the most important things in a great client-agency working relationship.

“The more an agency understands, the more they can give. I think too many sales and marketing people keep agencies at an arm’s length out of fear. They don’t want to lose control of any aspect of the business. And I think insecurity can play a part too – if your agency is coming up with all the ideas, then what is your role?

“We see both Pixel8 and our PR agency as business partners, and that’s not just rhetoric. We have bought into Pixel8 and they have bought into our business vision.

“I think poor client-agency working involves the client being too directive and the agency just running around to their orders. But we brought Pixel8 on board for their design and marketing expertise, so we’re not going to just leave them with the donkey work. Pixel8 adds value to our company and they do a lot of the creative thinking that we just don’t have time for. They allow both me and our MD Mike Bielinski to concentrate on running the business and generating sales.”

Jamie Watson, joint managing director of Pixel8 said, “Vodat are excellent communicators and invite us to a monthly meeting which is always very productive. They are honest with us about any issues their company is facing and encourage us to really get involved with ideas and solutions.

We originally started working with Vodat’s MD Mike Bielinski then as their company expanded Paul took over the sales department. We are really pleased to have developed an excellent working relationship with both Mike and Paul.”

For more information please visit Vodat International.

The Pixel8 Design and Marketing Agency in Manchester, UK is proud to present “Powered by Smarter Pixels”, a short animated video showcase of our services.

See Powered by Smarter Pixels now on our home page at www.pixel8ltd.com

If you like our animation, please visit YouTube and click on the “Like” button to vote for us at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Kl4Dwz9lmY or tell us what you think by contacting us.

The animation was originally hand designed on storyboards by Pixel8’s creative team to showcase our top level service categories, called WOMGE…

	Web Design
	Online Marketing
	Multimedia
	Graphic Design
	Exhibition Services

Powered by Smarter Pixels also shows the high levels of creativity that Pixel8 consistently delivers.

As a small agency our clients get immediate access to our senior creative, technical and management staff. Our in-house design, development and production teams regularly deliver fast turnarounds because we’re not a 9 to 5 agency. We don’t clock off till your work is done.

Pixel8 is working smarter so your company can get all your design, branding and advertising requirements from one agency. We manage the complete process from concept to completion.

Whether you’re a small business that needs a new logo design or an international hotel chain that’s looking for creative corporate branding, call Pixel8 in Manchester because we’re Powered by Smarter Pixels!

Pixel8’s WOMGE services:

Web Design: Website design and development of SME and PLC websites, eCommerce and CMS websites, database development, blog designs, online brand guides and mobile websites

Online Marketing: Search engine optimisation, SEO copywriting, online press release distribution, social media marketing, email marketing, mobile website marketing and Smartphone applications

Multimedia: Animation, video, virtual tours, 3D page turning magazines, Adobe Director and Flash presentations and recyclable corporate PowerPoint presentations

Graphic Design: Logo design, corporate Branding, brand guide design and development, graphic designs for calendars, sales collateral, leaflets, brochures, business stationary, packaging design and product mock ups, t-shirt design and printing

Exhibition Services: Exhibition stand design, build and removal, light boxes, pop up and pull up banner, in-house large format printing for exhibition stands, vehicles and building exteriors.

If you want your advertising and marketing to work smarter in 2010 and beyond, call Pixel8 in Manchester on 0161 228 6489 – 0845 230 1336 or contact us by email today.

The Pixel8 graphic design agency in Manchester has designed and printed large format vinyl graphics and graphic designs on canvas for Manchester Sport and Leisure Trust.

The Trust, which manages 19 sports facilities in Manchester, went through a massive gym refurbishment at two of its locations, Sportcity and Belle Vue leisure centre.

As the incumbent design agency for Manchester Sport and Leisure Trust, Pixel8 we were on hand to enhance the Trust’s brand awareness at both venues; and also to help with installing the large format graphics.

Pixel8 were asked to use the “swoosh” element from the brands logo design to create a full colour, large format printed vinyl graphic design, to be placed  on one wall, and a single colour vinyl graphic design on the facing wall at the Belle Vue venue. The full colour printed vinyl graphic design measured over 26ft wide, whilst the single colour graphic design measured over 40ft wide. Both of these graphics stand 11ft high.

Large format printed vinyl graphic designs were also installed at Sportcity. The first in the main gym area measured 30ft long and over 6ft high above a large mirror. The second was applied to the upstairs gym area, it measured over 17ft wide by 13ft high.

As a finishing touch, Pixel8’s design team created full colour artwork for a series of ‘inspirational’ graphic designs on canvas featuring images of people working out in the gym.

All of the full colour designs were printed in-house using Pixel8’s large format colour printers.

Pixel8 will be providing additional large format graphic designs for the Trusts’ remaining 17 gyms in Manchester as each one is refurbished.

For more information please call the Pixel8 design agency in Manchester on 0161 228 6489, 0845 230 1336, contact us by e-mail or visit our graphic design portfolio.

The Pixel8 graphic design and exhibition design teams have completed the design of a 16ft x 3ft football pitch advertising sign for our latest client BDi.

The design had to be effective and eye-catching at the same time. We used a striking image of an owl, which suggests security without actually using an obvious security device, e.g a padlock, a theme BDi specifically wanted us to focus on. Then we simply listed the services that BDi offers.

The two football stadium advertising signs were printed full colour onto a 5mm aluminum composite panel and installed at Chester City Football Club.

The housing association Eastlands Homes asked the exhibition stand design team at Pixel8 for a quick turnaround to design and print two pull-up exhibition stand banners. The banner stands were needed for upcoming marketing events to be held at 3 of their offices located around the Manchester area. For our professional in-house exhibition design team this was right up their street!

Using our large format printer, we produced 3 of each design, each measuring a standard 800mm x 2000mm, and covered in a scratch resistant crystal laminate for added protection. The whole process – from design to print – was completed within a few days!

Shortly after this our graphic design team also produced an A4 advert for a national housing magazine.

Pixel8 recently received sign off for the Starters Orders logo design, a new canteen area to be situated within the National Squash Centre in Manchester. It is currently an ‘njoy’ café, but the Manchester Sport and Leisure Trust wanted new branding for the café in order to fit in with it’s sporty surroundings.

Our logo designers initially provided the Trust with several different options for the logo design, as well as colour options and supporting strap lines. This was then narrowed down to two choices until the final logo was selected. From here we have produced a number of visuals to develop the brand, including how we envisage the café to look, Point of Sale (POS) graphics, menu boards, uniforms, right down to the little touches such as napkins and mugs.

Building work is currently taking place but we’ll keep you up to date with all developments.

Pixel8 were approached by Manchester Sport and Leisure Trust along with Manchester City Council to produce a ‘Fit for the Future campaign’, targeting 16-22 year olds and offering membership of £5 per month for everyone in Manchester.

We love working with Manchester ‘not for profit’ organisations and look forward to making our mark in future and hope that our graphic design concepts and artwork for the outdoor banners are appreciated because we put our heart and ’sole’ in to this one!

This week sees the installation of 4 new, large wall banners at the Manchester National Squash Centre for our client the Manchester Sport and Leisure Trust (MSLT).

Continuing our graphic design work with MSLT, we’ve designed, printed and installed the banners which promote athletics, squash and racket, health and fitness and Sportcity Centre Information for the National Squash Centre at the Manchester Regional Arena.

Each panel uses clear perspex holders to display leaflets and brochures. You will find these fresh and informative banners on display at Sportcity.

The Pixel8 graphic design agency in Manchester were chosen to design a new free swimming campaign for Manchester City Council and the Manchester Sport and Leisure Trust.

Titled “Grab Your Goggles” Pixel8 provided graphic design for leaflets and exhibition exterior pull up banners which were printed in-house using Pixel8’s large format printers.

Promoting the fact that Manchester swimming pools are now free of charge for people aged 16 and under and the over 60’s in all eleven swimming pools across the city.

The campaign was well received and Pixel8 are looking forward to supporting the Manchester Sport and Leisure Trust, and Manchester City Council in the future.