&Something More…

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Adapt and Change

The marketing landscape has changed a lot, leading to a change in consumer behaviour. And all of this has meant that designers have had to adapt and change to not only keep up with trends but to take into account advancing technology.

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Feature: Creatives reveal how they found their best clients

It's all very well offering advice in theory, but how do freelancers and studios actually find their dream clients in practice? We asked the Creative Boom community, and we share their best stories here.

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How important is graphic design in marketing?

We see evidence of the effectiveness of good graphic design all around us – yet it’s something many take for granted.

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Feature: Lost your passion? Here's how to fall back in love with your creative work

We all suffer burnout, but you don't have to suffer alone. Ahead of this year's Valentine's Day, leading creatives share their top tips on reigniting your passion for creativity.

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Feature: Why clients often undervalue graphic design (and how to persuade them otherwise)

Many clients don't fully appreciate what graphic designers can offer them. Leading practitioners explain why and offer advice on the way forward.

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Into 2023…

…the year of change

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Feature: A fresh look at merchandise: the sector that got a bad name

As real-world events return, does branded merchandise still have a role to play for creative agencies?

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Using goal-setting to get the right work

It feels kind of fitting to set new goals at the start of a new year, doesn’t it?

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Jan 10, 2023
Maybe

Pitching; yes, no, maybe sometimes…

When should designers pitch for projects, should we be seeking the opportunities out, and when should we say no?

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Nov 12, 2022

Getting things moving

Using animation as part of your brand marketing.
There has been a distinct rise in the use of animation in branding recently, making it more important than ever to think of branding and animation as two vital pieces of the same puzzle.

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Sept 5, 2022
We're working to build a go-to

Collaboration and Community

If you’ve been reading my content for some time, you might have read my previous posts about my thoughts on the benefits of having a design community and my efforts to put together a local design hub. These subjects have come to mind again recently for several reasons.

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July 22, 2022
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Feature: Be at the top of your game: 13 lessons on creative progress from artists and designers

Happy birthday to us! It's Creative Boom's 13th anniversary this weekend, and to celebrate, we're sharing 13 brilliant tips from our community on creative progress.

How little or how much?

For most of us right now, the subject of money is at the forefront of our minds. The cost of living, particularly things like food and fuel, has increased dramatically and continues to do so, and I’m sure, like me, this has brought up the subject of how much we earn as designers and whether or not we’re setting it right!

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July 7, 2022

Make your marketing stand out on Social

Whatever the type or size of your business, you can’t ignore the huge importance social media holds as part of your overall marketing campaign.

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June 2, 2022
Winner…

The Studio Name Game

Here's that niggle I mentioned back in April. It might not have escaped your attention that there have been some changes over here. You see, quite some time ago, I decided to move away from my old business name (Severn Agency) and am now working under my new studio name &Something.

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June 6, 2022
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Not London? Not here…

Here’s a question – have you ever come across situations where you’ve lost out on a project simply because of your location? Here’s another – does location matter?

Something happened to me recently that I questioned how important location is when searching for work

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May 5, 2022
Pick a name, any name

What’s in a name?

I have a confession. I'd never really, truly, been happy with my original company name. I’m not saying it was a terrible name, it just didn't fit very well.

I lived with it, but there was always that little niggle in the back of my mind.

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April 30, 2022
This way

Where do you seek inspiration?

No matter what kind of designer you are, there is an abundance of inspiration that can really help to get the creative juices flowing. But you have to allow it to inspire and not overwhelm.

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April 5, 2022
Glazed over

Are you talking to your clients?

Being a designer, having a regular stream of paying clients is a big deal. Without them, we’re nothing more than hobbyists.  But here’s the thing; we have to know how to talk to them to have people hire us. It’s essential that we speak their language and not bamboozle them with our jargon.

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February 17, 2022
The Outside Directory

Step outside the obvious.

It might be good to head for the hills sometimes…Alice Fraser and Craig Oldham's Outside Directory champions the creative industry across the whole UK.

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January 31, 2022
#doesanybodyreadthisshit

Is social media worth it for graphic designers?

Social media marketing is a notoriously difficult beast to master, not least for graphic designers. Gone are the days when everyone was on Facebook with no other platforms to entertain, let alone tricky algorithms to worry about.
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December 13, 2021
Think…

Rebranding – when should you do it?

There have been a couple of quite significant rebrands in the news recently – you’ve probably seen the arguments going on around the BBC one, and then there’s the one in which the Facebook brand has been encapsulated under the new ‘Meta’ umbrella.
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November 24, 2021
Your Oppo, your progress

Discussing openness in the industry with an Annual 2021 Silver winner | #AnnualSpotlight

The Annual 2021 winners have been revealed over the summer, with some of the most exciting companies in the history of Creativepool. Who are these amazing professionals and why do they represent the best of the best in the realm of creativity?
Written by Antonino Lupo
Published 25/10/2021
Into '22

Designers: What are your hopes for 2022?

I have recently been reflecting on the changes I’ve seen happening in the design industry over the past months, and how lockdown has brought about shifts in the way we work, and the habits we’ve formed.
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October 19, 2021
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A little industry comparison can be healthy – but don’t get carried away.

Comparison can be healthy, but it can so easily become an all-consuming, paralysing thing that stops us from being our best.

"Should I have done what X did, and would I be as successful as she is?"

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September 9, 2021
Creativepool 2021 Silver Award

Creativepool Annual 2021 Silver Award

Our concept for the Emergency Services Self-Help wellbeing app ‘OPPO’ has been awarded silver in this years Creativepool Annual 2021 competition.
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September 9, 2021
Creativepool 2021 Bronze Award

Creativepool Annual 2021 Bronze Award

Our book documenting a day in the life of the Market Hall in Shrewsbury has been awarded bronze in this years Creativepool Annual 2021 competition.

©2017–2023 Tony Clarkson/&Something Studio
&Something Studio is a design and digital studio based in but is in absolutely no way limited to Shrewsbury. Shrewsbury has trains and roads which lead in and out.