Mood board heaven

No sooner than we talked about the need to create an online mood board app than along cam Pinterest. A doddle to use and very addictive and of course super useful.

Sign in with twitter, create pin boards, pin images from web pages (unfortunately not from Google Reader) upload images and follow other users.

Still got 4 invites left so add your name to the comments if you want one.

Random, Social Media, Web stuff

John Wilkes Riflemaker

A lifetime ago we used to stand outside the Sun and 13 Cantons on Beak Street and lust after this shop. Always loved the colour and the signwriting.

Now a gallery it’s got it’s own website www.riflemaker.org and is available for hire.

Branding, Retail, Windows

Setting up shop – online

If you’re thinking about setting up an ecommerce or mail order shop, or even adding ecommerce functionality to your website you need to be aware of UK distance selling and e-commerce regulations.

Here’s a link from Out-law.com to help in writing those all important terms & conditions. Also much more useful ecommerce set up information on the site.

Ecommerce, Retail, Web stuff

Rapha Cycle Club

A good piece about the Rapha Cycle Club café from Noisy Decent Graphics.

Also worth looking at his flickr group of the café. The Rapha website’s not too shabby either and a nice video on Monocle.

These days there’s no reason not to have a shop, a pop up shop, a twitter, a facebook page, a van, go to festivals, write a book, a photo essay, a magazine, have a loyalty card, a website, a microsite, a tumblr, a flavors.me, print a t-shirt the list goes on. Brands that market themselves as authentic and have an idea win. Those that buy off the shelf and stick their logo on, fail.

Update: just came across another piece about Rapha here on everydaylife.style loads more to explore on there too.

Advertising, Branding, Ecommerce, Marketing, Retail, Retail design, Twitter, Web stuff

Brands on Twitter

Doesn’t seem much real life interaction between customers and brands via Twitter over here (UK). Over there (US) of course it’s done better.

More on The Escape Pod’s blog.

Originally spotted on Brandflakes for Breakfast

Advertising, Marketing, Random, Social Media, Twitter

The Mid-Century Modernist

We really like this redesign of The Mid-Century Modernist, especially how the gallery is done, pulling in and displaying ebay auctions. All done in WordPress.

Originally spotted (I think) from Erik Spiekermann’s twitter.

Random, Retail design, Web stuff

The Future of Retail by PSFK

You can flick through the Future of Retail or get a download here.

Well worth a look.

Retail, Trends

New New York Subway Map

From the New York Times a look at a new version of the NY Subway map. Interesting to look at the older versions although I have to agree with  Erik Spiekermann, “Maps that use diagonal type are designed by amateurs”.

The full thing on the NY Times.

As always there’s an alternative, the Kick Map

Random, Signs, Twitter, Wayfinding

Made up

Just spotted made.com, a new furniture website and to make it even better for a new visitor there’s a pop up money off voucher. Nice idea.

Originally spotted (and more info) on the very fine Design Milk.

Ecommerce, Retail, Web stuff

New Greggs Prototype Store

Just put up a post about the new Greggs Prototype store. It’s a move on for Greggs, fundamentally still the value proposition but in a more contemporary store.

One of the key features is the lighting scheme which uses 100% LED lighting and is the first store in Europe to do so. This halves the energy consumption for the lighting.

More info and pictures on our main website.

Leisure, Retail