Found Type Friday #12: Supplement

It's been "a bit of a week" in the studio and while I wouldn't normally talk about the day job on Ace Jet I feel moved to just this once.

You see this week, on top our always busy schedule, we've been involved in a competitive pitch. Nothing unusual there you might say, but for us it is. We very rarely have to pitch. Did it all the time in England but since moving over here it's been rare. This isn't a perculiarity of NI; I know many of our contempories do it. But for some reason, we don't; almost all our work comes through referals.

Now I have a theory: One of the first things I noticed after I'd made the move was how the "degrees of seperation" rule is so different here. It's not six. It's about two. I kid you not. For example, everyone, everyone, knows someone who knew George Best. Really! Consequently, a good reputation is vital. We have a good rep. Because: a) we do good stuff, b) we don't rip people off, c) people seem to like us, and (our secret ingredient), d) we have Kenney. Our sometimes comedy monkey, sometimes brand guru but always our hugely likeable hairless head man who can get on with anyone, from cottage industry baker to hard-nosed business tycoon.

But this week has been thrilling. The whole studio got involved and contributed significantly. We really wanted the job and had one great idea. It was logical but unconventional, bold and yet could be subtle, which, I know makes little sense, but trust me on this.

Best of all, we pitched it with passion and we won because of it.

So today it was off to The Pharoah for a celebratory kebab and chips, courtesy of the big man himself (that's Kenney, not God).

Oh, and today we also had all our Macs replaced with shiney new ones and a big black server which I will, from now on, refer to as The Beast.

I tell you all this because it was such a buzz, competitive pitches are ace! I love them. But it also explains why this week it's been "FTF Lite". Special thanks to Antonia down-under and Simon for your pics. They'll be up next week.

Comments

[davidthedesigner]

Many congratulations Richard. Just one thing: what makes you think that God is a man?

[Richard]

Just wanted to make sure no one thought I was inaccurately attributing our kebabs. And if I'd written, "...courtesy of the all powerful omnipresent creator-being...", it just would have sounded silly or something off Star Trek.

[Paul]

I too am an English graphic designer working in Belfast and know exactly what you mean about:

"degrees of seperation" rule is so different here. It's not six. It's about two. I kid you not. "

Everytime I meet someone new and we're talking about someone else I've met or someone I work with, they know them or their brother. Also, everybody in Belfast is a mate of someone in Snow Patrol. They must have been very popular lads way before they were famous. Strangely though, no one claims to know Van Morrison, despite the fact that I'm told he lives in Holywood?!

Regarding the pitch work - we do a lot of it. It's a strange situation to design in. You're not exactly designing a finished piece of work, it's more a case of "this is what we could to for this brief, but we could change it for you once we win the work ??!!"

And well done on the pitch. I wonder what it was?

[Richard]

Hi Paul,

Funnily enough, the girl that cuts my hair was at the wedding of Snow Patrol's drummer recently and one of our print reps went to school with Van the Man. And we see him in Bennets on Belmont at Christmas. He's the only person that can book a table and he's a miserable bastard.

Couldn't possibly say what the job was but in turn can't help but wonder where you work.

Incidentally (and forgive me if you followed the link or already know it) if you pitch regularly, Jon Steel's Perfect Pitch is a must buy.

[Paul]

Richard,

It's a new phenomena, the two degrees of Snow Patrol! And thanks for the tip on Van. I'm taking my copy of Astral Weeks down to Bennets. I wonder if he'll sign it?

I do pitch regularly so I've checked out your link for "The Perfect Pitch" which looks fantastic. My pitch is far from perfect and I know that will come in handy.

[Richard]

Hey Paul, let's just say, we probably pass each other in Sainsbury's.

[Paul]

Ha ha! I see, so it's probably from a choice of 3. I'm discounting 2 of them... so... Hmmm. Anyway, keep up the good work Richard.