BuroCreative have been working with Wedgwood on the development of the brand, bringing these iconic products into a contemporary context – the first fruits of our labour being an iPad app showcasing beautiful pieces and bespoke services.

Wedgwood is such an inspiring figure in English history and we’re proud to be involved in bringing one of the UK’s iconic brands back to the fore. More to come…

There is a clear difference between a few days work shadowing (for which payment is not expected as the benefits are clearly in one direction) and a placement where an applicant with a degree actively contributes to a studio (whether this work is used or not is a moot point, as design can be an inherently wasteful discipline). BuroCreative will always pay interns above the minimum wage. The majority of applicants we interviewed however, had been through unpaid internships, some with serious consequences on morale and attitude, others on placements of up to 6 months without pay – a long time to be work-shadowing and making tea.

Design blogs are often full of protestations at the industry not being taken seriously – from attacks on “amateur” designers undercutting professionals, to calls to end free pitching. It would be a gross hypocrisy if these were the same companies taking on interns without paying them. If businesses don’t have a moral obligation to consider how tough it is for young graduates, then they should at least have the professionalism to be run as a business – not exploiting a false economy of free labour. Our industry shouldn’t wait to be told off by HMRC, and instead act like the professional enterprise it claims to be.

*note: van may not be mobile

Here’s the fruit of my labours (in this case a pumpkin). I think you’ll agree, seven hours well spent!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

It’s a frustrating situation for everyone. Whilst senior staff spent the entire weekend and more looking through every single CV, it would take weeks to respond to each individually – despite many valid requests for feedback. It struck us, however, as we waded through the good, the bad and the occasionally unsettling, that it was important for those looking to start or further a career in design to understand the reality of the job market at present and for us to offer some words of constructive criticism and encouragement. What follows is not copy and pasted from some jobs site, but borne out of reactions to these recent applications. It’s important to ask, therefore, when reading, is this me?

For feedback, read on…

Our final comment would be one of hope and encouragement. The skill set we were looking for was specific to our current needs. On this search, we saw some great talent, which, while not appropriate for this role, we were sure would find the right opportunity to shine. And we were happy to hear from candidates who had managed to secure jobs or placements elsewhere. Young, enthusiastic, creative minds will always be needed. 

You could be a recent graduate with a strong portfolio or someone with experience, looking for the next challenge.

You will need to…

• Have passion and flair for design craft (branding, typography, layout) and a way with words wouldn’t be wasted.
• Feel comfortable working in a small team, taking direction but also responsibility for your work.
• Be enthusiastic, open-minded and curious.
• Have a preference for a quiet working environment and be interested in the world outside of design.

If this sounds like you, send a CV and pdf portfolio to jobs@burocreative.co.uk by 14th Oct 2011.

No agencies please.

The annual Speciality & Fine Food Fair came to the London Olympia on Tuesday. But while this fantastic emporium of tasty morsels sounds like play, it is very serious business indeed.

This year, there was much to be optimistic about. In particular, the proliferation of exciting start-ups and small producers underlined the trend towards “real” food and consumer interest in artisan brands – a world away from slick industrialised processes and mass production.

Happily, being authentically “artisan” does not have to be at odds with modern design and polished branding. We found that the busiest stalls contained products with most stand-out in a sea of homemade labels. Here are a few examples. 

Part heavy armoured vehicle, part ice cream van, this (not so) mobile burrito van opened its shutters on its residency at Canary Wharf this August. The reaction? The queue says it all.

Buro takes full responsibility for its design including menus, uniforms and fetching paint job. We even found time to go down and perform an all important taste test. Delicious!

Friends of up & coming wine maker Henry Laithwaite (Son of Tony), took their annual trip to help with the harvest to the next level with the production of their own vintage. BuroCreative were only too happy (payment in wine!) to create packaging that mirrored the spirit of their adventure: “Fine French wine by five British bluffers”.

This from the happy team: “Can’t thank you enough for these. So brilliant. So impressed”.

Luxury and POS frequently share an uncomfortable (oxymoronic?) relationship. We tackled this with high-spec materials and print finishes to create a subtle, elegant serving ritual that emphasised Hennessy’s relationship with these fine chocolates.

On a bitter winter’s day, Buro sought the sanctuary of the members enclosure (after checking out our branding for the event) where rumours circulated of epic cocktails, laced with gold leaf. All true…

Thankfully the day was a huge success, so Phil was able to relax for a cheeky round of petanque.

From Mark: “Guys, Thanks for everything yesterday…the barrels and shirts looked amazing and got everyone very excited. Thanks for making the effort to come down as well…greatly appreciated. Let me know when you have the buro team in place!”