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Posted on Dec 21 2011 by Stuart Rose

This entry is not about Solutions or the excellent films and website we provide. It's about the season. Everyone knows that Prince Albert was responsible for introducing the Christmas tree to England and it was Coca-cola who first dressed Santa Claus in Red. To provide a different view on Christmas, our resident trivia-jinn has gathered together more strange and little-known Christmas facts:

• In 1643, the Puritan Parliament abolished Christmas while in America in 1659 those caught celebrating Christmas in New England were fined 5 shillings.
• Christmas wasn't an event in the early 18th Century; The Times did not mention it at all between 1790 and 1835.  The publication of Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol, however, changed all that.
• Each year Catford Stadium holds a Turkey race. None of the participants will be eaten and the winner will live in style with all the corn it can gobble.
• Turkeys are not, of course, from Turkey but were given their name by English diners after being mistaken for another bird, which they called turkey. The earlier bird wasn't from Turkey either but was brought from Africa by Turkish sailors. The hungry English didn't seem to care, either way.
• Brussels sprouts are native to Belgium¸ though. They are a cabbage that naturally grew in a small and unusual way in one part on the country. Theses mutants taste great and have spread across the world.
• Carrots are naturally white. Or black or purple or indeed any colour other than orange. The Dutch dyed them their national colour and the carrot has stayed that way.
• WC Fields once said his family would start drinking early at Christmas so they could see multiple Santa's. He also died on Christmas day, 1946.  On Christmas Day 1957 Shane McGowan, lead singer of The Pogues was born.  Spooky.
• Others, apart from the obvious, born on Christmas include: Sir Isaac Newton, Humphrey Bogart, Kenny Everett, and Yazmin Fiallos, Miss Universe-Honduras 1996.
• Other departures include: Dean Martin, Joan Miro and Nicolae Ceausescu, the Romanian dictator who was executed on Christmas Day, 1989. They did his wife, too.
• Tinsel was first used to decorate French soldiers and was called lame. The Germans stole the secret of making the shiny material and used it to garland their trees instead.
• Crackers were copied from the stingy French tradition of giving a sweet wrapped in paper as a present. The English added the motto, then toys, hats and the crackers 'bang'.
• Legend says that holly berries were originally white but were turned red by when Christ bleed wearing the Crown of Thorns at his crucifixion.  (So shouldn't it be used at Easter?)
• The early church banned ivy but it was later adopted when it was thought it could ward off witches.

Whatever you are doing over the festive season, we would like to wish you a “Very merry Christmas and a fantastic New Year" from all of us at Solutions

Posted on Jul 27 2011 by Web Team
Posted in Content management,Search Engine Optimisation (SEO),Usability,Website design

Web writing is more than just a list of bullet points about a topic put online.  I have created content for a number of leading organisations and have found that targeted content can reduce bounce rate, increase basket size, conversions and customer retention.

With this in mind, I have put together my top tips for website content creation that I hope will allow you to maximise performance and increase your revenue or overall awareness.

Posted on Jun 30 2011 by Sandrine Desmares-Vaury
Posted in Inspiration,People

 

One of my hobbies is photography, I am a fellow member of Malden Camera Club since 2005.  Malden Camera Club has the great opportunity to open its Annual Exhibition today for 3 days only.  This exposes the highest quality of prints, slides and digital images taken by members of the Club and gives us a chance to attract more members.  Click on Continue Reading for all details. 

Posted on Jun 28 2011 by Robert Finlay
Posted in Inspiration,People

 

I worked with Coke promoting recycling at the Isle of Wight Festival.  The weekend of 11-12 June, I was part of a team of volunteers from vinspired.  30 volunteer-run recycling points were placed across the festival site and we ran a Swap for Swag Shop where revelers could trade plastic bottles and drinks cans for limited edition festival essentials (t-shirts and clothes) made out of recycled PET. 

Posted on Jun 09 2011 by James Barber
Posted in Elstree Studios,Film,New projects

This week one of our favourite clients, UKAS, is hosting a reception at the House of Lords to mark World Accreditation Day (WAD).  They are showing a film we made for them to promote WAD 2011 globally.  We have great relationship going back to the early 90s and as usual it was brilliant working with them. 

Posted on Jun 08 2011 by Robert Finlay
Posted in Elstree Studios,Film

Film and animation are more closely linked today than ever before.  It is important that candidates have a basic understanding of both.  Today there is scarcely a film that doesn’t have some form of animation in it.  Often the audience won’t even notice and this is where it works its magic.  TV commercials are also increasingly using some form of animation for products, effects and environments. 

We gathered some information to help you increase your chances of getting in by finding out about the range of jobs, qualifications and skills required in the business.

Posted on Jun 07 2011 by Sandrine Desmares-Vaury
Posted in e-commerce,Search Engine Optimisation (SEO),Social media,Social networking,Viral

Download here this FREE Gartner's Report - A digital marketing approach to delivering a mutually beneficial customer experience has become campaign management's priority for the next 10 years.

By 2015, digital strategies, such as social marketing, will influence at least 80% of consumers' discretionary spending.

Posted on May 05 2011 by James Barber
Posted in e-commerce,New projects,Usability,User experience

Another busy month!  We’ve been working on two new global e-tail sites for table-top and gift retailer icon Chinacraft to showcase their stunning selection of tableware. Chinacraft has two online channels - the upmarket Chinacraft website (www.chinacraft.co.uk) and the more promotional Tableware UK (www.tableware.uk.com).

Posted on Apr 28 2011 by Sandrine Desmares-Vaury
Posted in Animation,Elstree Studios,Film,Inspiration,New projects

Our latest film and 3D animation showreel featuring work for Devices for Dignity (D4D), Dawn Penn, KPMG, Puma, Thales UK, Tresco and UKAS.  We hope you enjoy it! 

Posted on Apr 06 2011 by Robert Finlay
Posted in Animation,Elstree Studios,Film

 

With the creation of a film or animation, it is often important to start with a storyboard.  A good storyboard helps to plan the narrative of a film or animation, scene by scene.  It becomes a blue print for the production.

A storyboard looks like a traditional comic strip and can vary in quality from rough 'thumbnails' to high detailed frames. 

After the storyboard is produced and approved by the client, the filming or modelling of the animation can begin.

Posted on Mar 29 2011 by James Barber
Posted in Content management,e-commerce,Elstree Studios,Film,Inspiration,New projects,Punch CMS,Search Engine Optimisation (SEO),Social media,User experience,Website design

It’s been brilliant working on the Tresco website (www.tresco.co.uk) this month.

Tresco is a stunning island of uncompromising beauty 29 miles off the coast of Cornwall.  It is exclusive – very exclusive.  The rumour is that Prince William and Kate will be spending part of their honeymoon on the Island.  The old joke is that Mauritius is for the people who can’t afford a holiday on Tresco.

Tresco needed a website that reflected how unique it is.  Clearly the aesthetics are important but also the site provides a focus on both the visitors and the Islanders who form this amazing community.

Posted on Mar 22 2011 by Web Team
Posted in Usability,User experience

Website users are becoming more and more of an impatient bunch these days.  If they can not engage with your site quickly, they will leave within a matter of seconds. Usability is often overlooked but it is crucial to the overall success and survival of your website.  It is about building trust and confidence through functionality and efficiency, and you need to start building this relationship from the moment the user enters your site.  At the first sign of any doubt they will navigate elsewhere to a site with faster loading times, a simpler user interface, and clearer content. 

“Usability” is a very broad term.  We can break it down in order to gain a firm understanding.

Posted on Mar 01 2011 by Robert Finlay
Posted in Elstree Studios,Film,Search Engine Optimisation (SEO),Viral

The success of an online video is usually measured from the number of views it receives from your target audience. 

With 24 hours of video uploaded to YouTube every minute!  If you want your video to be SEEN, it has to grab people’s attention immediately.  Like it or not, we video producers need to accept that viewers have total control and will click somewhere else in a nano-second if they don’t like what they see. 

So here are 5 tips to remember when producing your online video…

Posted on Feb 24 2011 by Sandrine Desmares-Vaury
Posted in Applications,Content management,e-commerce,Elstree Studios,Film,Search Engine Optimisation (SEO),Social media,Viral,Website design

 

According to AOP (Association of Online Publishers), branded content can play an important role in future-proofing media businesses, as long as it’s well sign-posted and transparent. This was the view from publishers, agencies and clients alike at AOP’s Forum on the increasing editorial/commercial cross-over in UK media.

Posted on Feb 08 2011 by James Barber
Posted in Elstree Studios,Film,Inspiration,New projects,Social media,Viral

We have been working on some viral films for one of our top clients.

KPMG UK’s Risk and Compliance team approached us to make four short films to raise awareness of the team amongst KPMG’s 140,000 staff.  We put their rising stars on a rollercoaster and we filmed them whilst they delivered an elevator pitch.  Funky subtitles were added using GUI text.  The films were distributed on the Intranet and played in the reception of their buildings.  The results were stunning.  The profile of the Risk and Compliance team has been raised throughout KPMG.  They are now seen as a progressive, exciting and dynamic department.

Posted on Feb 03 2011 by Stuart Rose
Posted in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO),Social media,Social networking

Google Alerts

Google has a very useful free alerts service which can help your business in its quest for more publicity. Basically, Google Alerts are email updates of the latest relevant Google results (web, news, etc.) based on your choice of query or topic. The most obvious use of Google Alerts is to monitor your brand or businesses activity, you can set up an alert so that Google will report on any mentions of your brand across the internet straight to your inbox. In addition to tracking your own brand, you could use it in order to keep current on a competitor or your industry. Set up your own Google Alerts for free.

Google Reader

This web-based, free reading tool helps you find and keep track of interesting content on the web. You can subscribe to your favourite websites, perhaps competitors or industry relevant pages. New content comes to your Google Reader when it's posted, so you don't need to visit individual sites. Plus, Reader keeps track of which items you've read, so you only see unread items when you come back.

Google Blog Search

Google Blog Search enables you to find out what people are saying and blogging about on any subject of your choice. Just type the words that you want to search for in the text box and click 'Search'.

Posted on Feb 02 2011 by Sandrine Desmares-Vaury
Posted in Applications,Content management,e-commerce,Elstree Studios,Film,Punch CMS,Search Engine Optimisation (SEO),Social media,Social networking,Viral,Website design

Did you know that over 13 million people in the UK own a smartphone capable of downloading applications (or 'Apps')? ⁽¹⁾ 

Posted on Jan 25 2011 by Stuart Rose
Posted in Elstree Studios,Film

The "Talking Head" is one of the most widely used shots in video production.  Anytime you interview someone or have someone speaking directly into the camera that is considered a talking head. 

This week I will show you how easy it can be to shoot your very own impressive and professional looking talking head style interview.  Here are my top 5 tips…

Posted on Jan 12 2011 by Sandrine Desmares-Vaury
Posted in New projects,Punch CMS,Website design

The Charity Commission for England and Wales website - a powerful web application, designed, developed and managed by Solutions has been shortlisted for an 2010 e-Government National Award.

Posted on Dec 21 2010 by James Barber
Posted in Applications,Film,New projects,Search Engine Optimisation (SEO),Viral,Website design

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year from all at Solutions.

http://www.solutions.co.uk/christmas-2010

Posted on Dec 13 2010 by James Barber
Posted in Applications,Social media,Viral

When you look up viral marketing in Wikipedia you get this…

“Viral marketing and viral advertising, (buzzwords), refer to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness or to achieve other marketing objectives (such as product sales) through self-replicating viral processes […].   It can be word-of-mouth delivered or enhanced by the network effects of the Internet.”

But for me it is all about online films, interactive applications, social media, iPhone apps, even text messages and blogging. 

Posted on Nov 24 2010 by Sandrine Desmares-Vaury
Posted in Content management,Knowledge management,Search Engine Optimisation (SEO),Social media

Next week is the week of the largest event dedicated to the information industry: Online Information 2010, 30 Nov - 2 Dec 2010 at Grand Hall, Olympia, London.

Posted on Nov 23 2010 by Sandrine Desmares-Vaury
Posted in e-commerce,Film,Search Engine Optimisation (SEO),Website design

The last quarter of the year is always such a busy time for marketers and digital experts writing marketing plans. As usual the months will be flying by and it will be difficult to believe it's already January!

We've put together a marketing template for you to write the most successful website design brief so that it's easier and quicker for you to brief agencies.

Click here to download your free website design brief template.