Its a simple online project management tool that our clients tell us they find invaluable. Collaboration is the name of the game these days and we regularly work with external consultants, copywriters, freelancers, specialist developers, photographers and clients that work from offices across the globe. Basecamp brings all of these people and resources together for a seamless experience. On this page we cover the basics in case you’re new to Basecamp or just want a brief introduction to the main features and tools.

1. Invitation to join Basecamp

If this is your first project in Basecamp you will receive an invitation email from us that looks something like the image above. It contains a link to register your username and password. Once you have completed this simple step you have full acccess to the project(s) relevant to you.

2. Basecamp overview

Once you’ve logged in you arrive at the dashboard which gives you a quick overview of the project you’re working on and shows all of the tools at your disposal. For complex projects you may well find you need the whole range of tools Basecamp offers, but for most projects we find the commonly used tools tend to be the ‘Messages’ board, the ‘To-Do’ area, the ‘Calendar’ and the ‘Files’ area. Below is a brief explanation of each of these areas.

3. Messages

On the message board you can add a range of content for general discussion. So for example a photographer could post three suggested images for use on say, the homepage of a website or the cover of a brochure. When posting the images he/she can select the people to send the message to, a discussion between these people can take place and an a solution arrived at with any relevant notes. The benefit of working this way as opposed to by email is that all communications, decisions, information and files are kept with the relevant project and not clogging up your inbox, scattered across servers and various mobile devices. This makes it easy to put your hands on what you need, when you need it.

4. To-Do lists

As the name would suggest this is a list of ‘To-Do’ actions that project participants can add to and assign to various project team members. It tracks these items as they become completed and has the facility to query any items with the author or open up the discussion to other team members. This proves invaluable on larger projects as it is a clear and straight-forward method to apply, track and check off revisions and changes.

5. Calendar

This is a very straight-forward online calendar. It allows you to insert events or milestones and assign them to the relevant team member. It warns you via your email or mobile device as events or milestones approach, making sure you don’t miss anything.

5. Files

This is where all project-related files are uploaded and tracked. You can alert anyone on the team that a new file has been added and its easy to stay on top of the most recent or relevant files. Older files can be archived and there’s a good ‘paper trail’ of what files have been added and what’s still missing.

As well as these features Basecamp has free apps for mobile devices which makes it easy to keep track of projects whilst on the move.

So that’s the basics of Basecamp. Hopefully it will help you get started but get in touch if you want a more detailed tour. Remember you can always access the Basecamp log-in screen from the footer link on our website.

So far we’ve conducted a messaging and brand workshop with the founding directors to help clarify and develop messaging platforms and brand assets such as a logo, signage and basic communication tools like business cards as well as the strapline ‘smart thinking. straight talking’.

Stage two of the process is to help develop SAFS’s online strategy and marketing materials to help push the business forward.

Marc Mylum, one of SAFS’s founder directors, had this to say about the process so far:

“Supreme have helped make sense of our varied ideas and thoughts and have helped turn them into tangible business strategies. All of this has been done with the minimum of fuss and in a language we can all understand, which is very refreshing.”

The Linotype machine (pronounced line-o-type because it produced one line of type at a time) had as big an impact on the distribution of information in its time as the internet has had in ours. It revolutionised the way type was set from a labour intensive, manual process to a more automated one that took a fraction of the time and enabled the faster production of printed literature. In its day it was a big deal.

The film is due for release in February and this excerpt from the official website explains why the producers made the film:

“The highly-skilled operators of the Linotype are in a battle against time. If their skills are not passed along to a new generation of operators, the machine will die completely. There is a small group of former operators that want to save the Linotype from the scrap yard, but some see this as a fruitless endeavor.

What place does the Linotype have in the age of new technology? Should the machine be shoved into a museum and left to rust? Why should anyone care about typography or the technology of communication? The film seeks to answer these questions.”

Can’t wait to see how they answer these questions! Here’s the official movie trailer:

We’re pleased to report the move went smoothly and we were up and running by January 2nd. Here are a few pictures of the new office but if you want the full guided tour pop in for a cuppa and a chat. If you want the new address, a map or the new phone numbers please visit our contact page. Hope to see you soon!

Each year we are set the challenge of developing new and engaging Christmas card ideas that not only spread some seasonal cheer, but also help communicate our clients core values and areas of expertise.

This year was no different and WSP set us the task of developing an eCard communication that would reflect their experience in and commitment to, sustainability.

The solution is the ‘10 tips for a more sustainable holiday season.’

 
We designed and built an HTML email that the WSP employees could forward from their email accounts, along with a personalised message, to their own external contacts. The email clicks through to the 10 tips, hosted on the WSP website, explaining how to be more sustainable at Christmas. Supreme provided all design, illustration and HTML requirements for the project.

Click here to see the 10 top tips and let us know if you have any good tips of your own.

After a long search we’re thrilled to say we’ve found a new home for Supreme Creative.

As of January 1st 2012 we’ll be based in Reading town centre in Dukesbridge House on Duke Street. We’re moving to bigger and better offices to accomodate our growing team of full-time staff and freelancers. The new location has better access to rail links and should make it a lot easier for our clients to visit us. More importantly there is a much wider selection of sandwich shops!

Our new details are listed below so please update your address books as of January 1st. And if you’re passing drop in for a cuppa.

Supreme Creative Ltd.
Dukesbridge House
23 Duke Street
Reading
Berkshire
RG1 4SA

Call: 0118 900 6797

Here’s a map to the new offices and once we’ve moved in we’ll share some pics of the new studio etc.

View Larger Map

So far released are six Olympics posters and six Paralympics posters that will be showcased across the country to celebrate ‘artistic excellence’ in the UK. Reactions so far range from praising the posters’ artistic bravery to harsh criticism of the abstract nature of the designs.

With contributions from big names such as Bridget Riley, Tracey Emin, Anthea Hamilton and Howard Hodgkin to name but a few, the results should be spectacular. But are they?

The main question is; Do they answer the brief? If their purpose is to promote the Olympic games and raise awareness of its impending arrival, are they fit for purpose? Possibly not. They aren’t engaging, informational pieces of graphic design. They are personal expressions from leading artists. But if they are intended to showcase British creativity then they probably do a good job. Lets hope the rest of the world gets it!

The other question is; Will they appeal to all age groups and walks of life or just those ‘in the know’? Are the posters inclusive and encompassing as is the Olympics games ethos, or are they just elitist and pretentious?

And why weren’t leading British commercial graphic designers asked to contribute? Surely they are the right people for the job? They seem conspicuous by their absence… but maybe we’re a bit biased!

When compared to some of the great Olympic campaigns such as Otl Aicher’s work for the 1972 Munich Olympic Games (mentioned elsewhere in this blog) it seems a strange route to take, possibly brave and inspired but also possibly misguided.

The debate looks set to rumble on (as did the one surrounding the 2012 Olympic branding which strangely has now become widely accepted and even loved).

Here’s the full set of posters. What do you think?

It’s a brilliant read and one that should resonate with anyone who lives, works, shops and breathes on planet earth!

Why did the Obama campaign rely so heavily on Gotham? Why did the Nazis ban Gothic script? Why did IKEA abandon the brilliantly crafted Futura for a free screen font called Verdana? And I never knew that about Eric Gill! Compelling stuff.

This review describes the book perfectly:

‘Garfield says he’s unable to walk past a sign until he has identified the typeface. Now, neither can we.’

Fontastic! Give it a go!

Now available are the latest Supreme Creative desktops! They’re free to download so click this link below to get yourself a Supreme wallpaper!

In a departure from our normal type of work, we’ve recently completed the design and build of a website for a rock band.

Nicolette Street and The Revs have recently released their new album ‘Predictable’ and wanted to launch a new website at the same time to help get the album out to fans old and new.

The website is a single page site with scrolling anchor points which makes it really user friendly and gives it some stand out from traditional linear websites. We’ve integrated video, sound, a Twitter feed, social media links, a CMS (so the band can manage the site themselves) and an ecommerce area where fans can buy the bands’ merchandise.

The website has received rave reviews on Twitter and Facebook already and we wish the band the best of luck with the new album! Click here to check out the new website.