How to Make Better Advertising and Advertising Better

How To Make Better Advertising and Advertising Better –  is the new book from our friends, creative agency Sell! Sell!.

Written by Vic Polkinghorne and Andy Palmer after two decades in the business and ten years running their agency 'The Manifesto for a New Creative Revolution’ outlines their no-nonsense approach to the industry:

Bullshit-free

Advertising and marketing people need to lose the jargon. A culture of business bullshit has slowly polluted the commercial world. Engagement, low-hanging fruit, synergy, media-neutral, content-led, always-on, ideation, adcepts, holistic approach, storytelling, user-generated content, leverage, realtime 24/7, cultural currency, the list goes on (and on). This language is symptomatic of a move towards the unnecessary complication of the world of advertising and marketing.

These terms allow people to hide behind them, and mask flimsy thinking. They confuse and conceal, where the aim of the advertising process should always be to simplify and clarify. And they make the rest of the business world even more sceptical about advertising and marketing. Let’s drive the bullshit and the bullshitters out of the process, use plain speaking, and always simplify.

Their beautifully produced book is available exclusively at the Design Museum, get your copy here.

Four Play at Unlimited, Brighton

As part of Brighton's Fringe Festival and off the back of it's Box Park success, our friends at Unlimited have given over their shop and gallery to their Four Play exhibition - a collaboration between the Unlimited design studio and 40 of their artists, illustrators and designers.

"All 40 participants have been given a FOUR letter word to illustrate in their own distinctive visual style using a fixed palette of FOUR spot colours. Unlimited design studio are then incorporating their word into each artwork, creating a unique typographic response for each and an exciting collaborative final piece."

So, 40 playful and typographic prints by 40 artists in editions of 100 - what are you waiting for, get on over there before 31 May and check them out.

Pick Me Up 2015

Pick Me Up 2015 is currently in full swing at Somerset House, London showcasing a huge selection of illustration, design and print for the sixth year running and proving to be a successful platform for both emerging and established artists to promote their work.

London’s biggest graphic arts is not only a chance to engage with artists and designers about their work. Throughout the 12 days there’s a comprehensive programme of talks, debates, interactive workshops, demonstrations, the chance to create your own piece of print (with help) and the opportunity to purchase some wonderfully affordable art.

As we’re about half way through the festival I thought I’d share with you the very talented motley crew I’m showing alongside with BEST this year.

First up, our Brighton buddies hello DODO - ‘husband and wife team of playful printmakers’ brightening up the world with their colourful animal and pun-tastic screenprints.

Tattoo artist and printmaker, Alex Binnie. Normally found in his Brighton tattoo shop, Alex creates beautifully intricate wood and lino cuts inspired by his tattoo work and his past as a  medical illustrator.

Another pal of ours, illustrator and 80s toy collector Carlos Garde-Martin whose wonderfully detailed illustrations were seen all over Brighton last year as part of the Brighton Fringe Festival branding.

The lovely designer and illustrator Matt Jeffs (aka Nimbws - think ‘Nimbus’ but in Wesh) popping his exhibiting cherry at Pick Me Up with his quirky ‘cartoon Picasso’ style prints.

Dupenny, the brainchild of Brighton gal, Emily Dupenny brings a little cheekiness and vintage glamour to the party with her wonderful burlesque patterns and designs.

London based graffiti artists and designer Josh Stika (aka Stika) inspiring us with his great lettering and filling out our space with a giant (and I do mean giant) 3D ‘S’ - it lights up and everything!

Vinyl guru and king of perspex Curly Mark is back for a second year with more skulls, pop art style loveliness and laser-cut wooden jewellery.

Sam Egarr, designer, photographer and lover of all things typographic has joined us this year with her old shop signage inspired range of letter and number prints.

And last but not least, the lovely lady who had the vision and herded us all together Niki Best, former owner of BEST - the best shop in the world selling graffiti art, screenprints and limited edition art back when no-one even knew the name Banksy. Niki is selling off some of her very own collection at the show so grab the chance to own a classic Kozik smoking bunny, an Obey ‘André the Giant’ or an authentic Faile screenprint.

Pick Me Up runs until Monday 4 May. It’s open everyday 10am - 6pm and until 10pm tonight and tomorrow so come by and say hello.

Quentin Blake Rareties at Castor + Pollux

Signed, limited edition Quentin Blake prints and sold-out rareties at Castor + Pollux, Brighton.

Our favourite seafront gallery is showing a wonderful selection of Quentin Blake limited edtion and previously sold-out rarely available prints all signed by the man himself. Recognised and loved by all ages from the pages of Roald Dahl' s equally wonderful books, these illustrations bring back happy childhood memories and I can't wait to see them.

The exhibiton runs until 4 January 2015 at Castor + Pollux, seafront gallery and bookstore, 165 King's Road Arches, Lower Promenade, Brighton BN1 1NB

All images copyright Quentin Blake.

Christmas Cards are back in stock

I know, I'm sorry for using the 'C' word in October!

But our lovely, hand letter-pressed Christmas cards are now back and gracing the virtual shelves of Art-O-Mart.

Fun & Thrills in FAB Guest, Brighton

Our fairground inspired lino prints are now adorning the walls of two delightful rooms in FAB Guest, Brighton's coolest, most contemporary bed and breakfast.

Every room in the recently renovated Georgian townhouse is decorated with artwork and bespoke furniture created by local artists, designers and makers, so we're in good company. 

Images copyright FAB Guest.

Derek Yaniger at Castor + Pollux

Roll up guys 'n' gals, swingin' cat Derek Yaniger has another fantastic exhibition at Castor + Pollux, Brighton.

Yep, our favourite seafront gallery has screenprints from the king of tiki style, illustrator Derek Yaniger for you to eyeball until 11th July.

His prints ooze retro 50s loveliness and burst with energy, so swing by cool cats and take a gandar!

Greetings Cards & Prints now in Studio 73

A selection of our greetings cards and prints will soon be available from Brixton's Studio 73. In fact, they are winging their way over there as we speak.

Studio 73 is a gallery and framing studio in Brixton Village run by Adrian Flower. They have a great selection of print for sale and we're happy to be in the company of our Brighton buddies, Hello Dodo and fellow Pick Me Up 2014 designers, Sort letterpress studio and Catherine McGinniss!

Lots more new stockist news to come, so watch this space!

AT Openhouse

We've been pedaling our wares again this month at the wonderful AT Open House as part of the Artists Open Houses alongside a fantastic line-up of artists, designers and makers.

As you can see there's work from a few AT regulars; Mark Pavey (Dead Methods), illustrator Alice Pattulo, screen-printing duo hellododo, Pinch of Petting Zoo Prints & Collectables, glitter-loving James Sawyer, realist painter Rhys Trusseler and illustrator/rude word purveyor Nathan James Page. Along with some great work from some new additions to the AT family; perspex jewellery extraordinaires Designosaur, kitsch toy lover Toy Pincher, whimsical painter Becky Blair, contemparary jewellery designer An Alleweireldt (Oxx Jewellery), illustrator Ceri Amphlett, abstrat painter Sophie Abbott and Teresa Stewart Goodman with her quirky animal character cut-outs.

This weekend is the last weekend to see all this work in one place and of course treat yourselves to the delicious cake, so get yourselves down to AT Open House before the doors close for another year.

AT Open House is open 11-6pm, Saturday & Sunday at 42 Hendon Street, Brighton BN2 0EG.

... and relax

Merry Christmas guys and gals!

Let the festivities begin - eat, drink and be merry all the way to 2014.

Gilbert Garcin

Gilbert Garcin is one of my favourite photographers. At the age of 65, when most people are thinking of retirement, Garcin gave up his lamp manufacturing business in Marseille and became a photographer.

Garcin's images are self portraits featuring himself, usually in a grey overcoat to represent the everyman and sometimes his wife. They're beautifully graphic, surreal and a little crazy - I love them!

You can find out more about Gilbert Garcin and view his full portfolio of work here.

Images copyright Gilbert Garcin.

The Brighton Cats

Sticking with the cat theme today. I saw a link to 'nineteenth century cat photography' whilst reading about the For the LOL of cats exhibition yesterday and it took me to this fantastic collection of cat carte-de-visite.

Harry Pointer was a 19th century photographer who worked from a studio in Bloomsbury Place, Brighton. In the early 1870's he produced a series of approximately 200 carte-de-visite called 'The Brighton Cats' that featured his own cats in various poses from eating & sleeping to riding bikes and roller skating!

I can't believe I haven't read about Harry Pointer and his wonderful cat photography before or seen any of his cards. I collect vintage cat photographs, carte-de-visite and I'm based in Brighton - it's like my dream collection.

I'm yet to find a Harry Pointer cat carte-de-visite, but the search is on! You can see my carte-de-visite collection here.

It's not clear who owns the copyright to these images, but they're taken from Sussex PhotoHistory.

Our hand-letterpressed Christmas cards!

Our freshly printed Christmas cards are now available on Etsy.

Lovingly letterpressed by our own fair hands on our vintage press, they're the first of a few designs we'll have available for the festive season - watch this space!

F & F: Flowers and Fleurons

Flowers & Fleurons is the Brighton based letterpress workshop of graphic designer, John Christopher.

John has a passion for typography and letterpress. His home is shared with two letterpress machines; 1906 Harrild platen and a vintage 1965 Vandercook, as well as trays of vintage wood and metal type all used to create limited edition prints.

He's known in the industry for producing large scale prints, the most popular of which are his shipping forecasts, the first of which, 'Sailing By' was selected for the New North Press, Reverting to Type exhibition in London, 2010 (Mini versions are available here).

I met John at the AT Open House during the Brighton Festival and he kindly gave me one of his magnificent business cards - surely this is the longest business card on record!




Keep up-to-date with the happenings at Flowers & Fleurons here.

We are 3!

Today we're celebrating 3 years of our Delicious blog.

It's been a busy, fun-packed few years, we've made lots of new friends and been exposed to fantastic opportunities. So we'd just like to say a huge thanks for all your support and for continuing to stop by.

Here's to the next inspiration filled year!