Looking Back on the Natural Disasters of 2011 and a Message of Hope For 2012

If you're moaning about the weather or the economy this Christmas, don't! We had it easy in the UK during 2011. This year will go down in history as one expensive and lengthy meteorological and environmental disaster. It added to the 13 hottest years on record, all of which have occurred within the last 15 years. Mother Nature at her rampaging worst effected every continent on the Earth...

January

Europe experienced some of the coldest weather on record. 

Some 6,000 flights in the UK alone were cancelled. 

Temperatures in Russia were the coldest for over a century. 

The northern US experienced prolonged arctic blizzards.

In Australia, torrential rains caused flooding on a scale the country had not experienced before generating 10" of rain in 24 hours. 

Brisbane River burst its banks creating 15ft-high floodwaters leaving 20,000 homes overwhelmed and an area three-times the size of Britain was declared a disaster zone. 

February

New Zealand was devastated by an earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale. 

The disaster, that destroyed the heart of Christchurch, wrecked more than 1,000 buildings with a rebuild cost estimated at over $30billion

March

Japan experienced an earthquake measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale - one of the five biggest quakes ever recorded. 

The movement of tectonic plates suddenly shifted seawater to the surface, creating a huge wall of water.

An estimated 10 billion tonnes of water hit the Japanese coast and travelled six miles inland. 

In the town of Minamisanriku, 10,000 people were killed and 95% of all housing was swept away.

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor was critically damaged causing reactors to overheat. 

In total, the disaster in Japan cost $310billion, claimed 20,000 lives and destroyed 100,000 homes.

April

USA experienced the worst series of storms in its history. 

The number and intensity was unprecedented with 200 tornados ripping through 16 US states in 48 hours leaving 38 people dead.

Two weeks later, the disaster was repeated when a super-outbreak created 336 separate tornados in less than two days. 

In total, 753 tornados hit the US, the highest number ever recorded which caused $20 Billion dollars worth of damage.

May

A huge tornado hit Joplin, Missouri, USA, with winds traveling at more than 200mph, the tornado was more than one mile wide. 

Six square miles of Joplin were flattened and it was declared the single deadliest tornado since 1947.

June

Chile's Puyehue volcano underwent a violent eruption spewing vast clouds of electrically charged dust particles into the air creating colossal electrical storms and dazzling displays of lightning.

July

We all went on holiday.

August

Around 65 million people on America's east coast were thought to be at risk with seven states declared official emergency zones and mandatory evacuation notices issued as Hurricane Irene left a trail of destruction and wide spread panic.

Mercifully, Hurricane Irene never fulfilled scientists worst predictions, however, the rain storms that accompanied it created significant flooding, leaving three million homes without power and a $6billion repair bill.

October

Unprecedented rains plagued many countries around the world. 

Thailand experienced its worst floods for 50 years with four million acres of farmland drenched and floods swept into Bangkok, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate nationwide.

Turkey experienced the horribly destructive earthquake measuring 7.2 which destroyed 2,000 buildings and killed 6,000 people in the city of Van.

November

Severe drought plagued much of Africa especially in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia throughout the year.

Some 13 million people required emergency aid.

This was followed by widespread flooding which destroyed homes and villages.

December

Flash floods and landslides caused by illegal logging tore through the Philippines. 

Approximately 350,000 people in 13 provinces were affected with most of their infrastructure, crops, livestock, houses, schools, roads and bridges destroyed.

Conclusion

This year has been defined by natural disasters on an unprecedented scale. With 50million social and environmental refugees forced to move this year alone, mankind's footprint becomes less defined, the population has fewer places to hide from nature than ever before.

With the effects of climate change and meteorological events widely predicted to create more unpredictable social and economic patterns, it is fair to say that man has not escaped his battle with the elements, himself, his leaders, his neighbours or the environment.

Increasingly, scientists and economists stress that there is almost nothing that can be done to prevent an increase in natural weather disasters if climate change is not addressed. And with this years global infrastructure rebuild cost estimate of over a trillion dollars, can the global economy afford to rebuild year after year of extreme events.

However, there is a small ray of light that I'd like to leave you with! 

According to the Mayans, 2012 marks a re-birth of our world, and the end of an important era founded in separation, greed, lack of social responsibility and a disconnection from our planet. The "NEW WORLD" that we move towards is about oneness and the concept of "WE ARE ALL ONE" across the world...

BREAKING NEWS: Planet Earth Plc Due Diligence

Following on from my last blog, we took a quick look at Planet Earth Plc’s performance over the last two millennia (or so) and found the results were a little disappointing in Q4.

Now if I were an (Alien) Investor, looking to invest in Planet Earth Plc, I’d need to do my 'due diligence' as is customary in any business transaction. I would need to investigate and evaluate the business and relevant aspects of the past, present and predictable future of the opportunity.

Initially an Investor carrying out due diligence would need to create a checklist of required information and thorough research would then be conducted using external sources. Appropriate investigation and verification into the most important issues often must be balanced by a sensible level of trust from the various departments involved.

The major players in this example have been broken down as follows:
The Customer (You)
The Suppliers (Corporates)
Management (Governments)
Experts (Scientists)
Finances (Bankers and Investors)

There are many reasons for conducting due diligence, including confirming that the business (or Planet!) is what it appears to be. It's important to identify any potential deal breaker or problems on the horizon and gain all the relevant information that will be useful for valuing the assets and deciding on the viability of the project. On the face of it Planet Earth Plc seems to be a uniquely beautifully blue piece of intergalactic real estate with an abundance of natural resources and resourceful inhabitants - but appearances can, as we know, be deceptive.

The results can be seen here at http://planetearthplc.com/

On first inspection, initially everything looked fine with Customer relations and the Human population was increasing at a very impressive rate and clearly human activity looked calm and progressive. Global GDP was up which suggested that productivity was thriving, however, that wasn’t really telling the whole story.

There were worrying signals which seemed to show an increase in refugees, unemployment, aggressive behaviour and a lack of co-operation. Full scale fighting between sovereign states and between internal factions was taking place in various power struggles across the planet. The trend seems to be for the population to be turning away from well established moral guidance and to be questioning previously trusted and respected leadership values.

Moving onto the Suppliers, again productivity was excellent with higher than expected outputs. Profits were rocketing and, with seemingly endless demand, the picture couldn’t have looked better. However again there was an underlying indication of resource shortages that opportunistic entities were prepared to exploit for their own gain. Prices of valuable commodities were rising beyond the pocket of the ordinary consumer with Global conglomerates and even Governments controlling output to consolidate their powerbase.

Evaluating the Management report, closer inspection revealed serious flaws in succession planning in terms of environmental mitigation and financial direction. There seems to be a far greater emphasis on reacting to crises, both natural and manmade, rather than on innovation and proactive development to prevent, or at least ameliorate, potential disasters which can be reasonably predicted. This lack of foresight is a worrying lapse in forward planning and would be a cost effective means of addressing issues of which the relevant governments are now aware.

We then reviewed the Expert evaluation which highlighted a worrying trend towards future growth at the expense of the planet's natural resources and the means of potential recovery following the wholesale plundering of the essential assets and materials critical to life. It was found that there were grave concerns as to the supply of those most basic of requirements for human life - air quality, food and water - without which the Human population simply could not survive into the future.

Finally but optimistically we digested the Financial Statement. With Suppliers struggling to cope with demand and unprecedented profits, why were the Global Markets as they were? The development of thriving new markets in Brazil, Russia, India and China were masking heavy downturns in more traditional areas of the New and Old Worlds. Swamped by the devastation caused by the global financial crash of 2007/8, the US and Europe were drowning in the manmade crisis caused by greedy bankers effectively gambling away their clients' money by predicting that markets would fall and taking the profits from their bets. Even when given government rescue support to protect their customers, those same bankers consolidated their assets to rebuild their own balance sheets rather than extend the government largesse to their clients.

From the investor's point of view, the jury has to be out on the way forward for Planet Earth Plc. On the one hand the resources of Earth and both the initiative and talents of its inhabitants give cause for optimism. However the blatant exploitation of the planet is simply unsustainable at present levels and the coming years will lead to a 'tipping point' beyond which the situation could become irretrievable without consolidated intervention on a global scale.

Innovation will be a major factor with technological advances and smarter use of existing resources. The urgent need for greater awareness and a respect for the planet from all quarters, if harnessed properly, could be a tremendous force for good but failure to appreciate this very urgent need will further destabilise the situation. The contrast between the 'have' and 'have not' nations, already a potential area of conflict, if left unchecked will inevitably lead to a prolonged struggle in which the main loser is Planet Earth Plc. The difference, in my opinion, between complacency, scaremongering and well founded concern is the overwhelming evidence in support of urgent action for global alliance, co-operation and direction.

PAULEY teams up with sustainability guru Phil Williams of Plan-It Eco

Exciting times in the office today as PAULEY joined forces with Phil Williams (plan-iteco.com) for an on-going research project into sustainability and visual communications.

Sustainability is a big growth area so it’s an exciting time for us. Especially to have someone of Phil’s experience on board.

Phil is an expert on sustainability and one of the UK’s leading speakers on how sustainability issues affect businesses.

He set up the company Plan-It Eco in 1997. Since then he has delivered thousands of workshops and organised hundreds of corporate and educational trips to the Amazon rainforest.

Together, we’ll be investigating the synergies between design and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

We’ll research practical ways that firms can realise the value of CSR across their operations using design and visual communications.

We’re particularly keen to highlight how design-led innovation might lead to cost-savings, sustainability and revenue enhancement.

Phil has been recruited by local authorities and leading companies, including BP, WWF, Rotary International and the Welsh Assembly Government for Wales. We’re delighted to have the chance to use his expertise.

We’re sure it will mean lots of new initiatives and ideas to bring to our clients.

PAULEY has always been committed to promoting the benefits of design and innovation. It will be extremely interesting to investigate new ways of using that knowledge to help clients looking to improve their sustainability performance.

Well designed training and communications systems can not only save companies money but improve customer satisfaction and CSR performance too.

DWP Publishing - Media Bulletin Interview on: Creating Video Press Releases

What are the main advantages of a video press release in comparison to the traditional written version?

Increasingly, PRs want to connect with people beyond their traditional audience. Many have moved beyond simply connecting with people in the media. They want to interact directly with consumers and businesses, particularly through social networks. A traditional press release approach can’t provide the level of visibility, detailed information or entertainment that consumers demand. That’s why more and more PRs are turning to online video to get their message heard. 

How should PR companies get started when planning a video press release? 

The first questions you need to ask yourself are your desired budget, deadline and quality. Once you know those you’re in a position to make some sensible decisions about how to proceed. Planning the camera positions, post-production and sound recording are areas it’s easy to forget about in the rush to start recording.

What equipment [without mentioning brand names] is essential for the filming/recording/editing process? 

Even the cheapest modern video camera can give high quality results if you pay some attention to lighting, camera position and sound volume. It’s worth taking some time to think about those aspects before getting started. There’s plenty of free editing software available on the web which, for simple no-frills videos, can give excellent results. I’d only advise investing in more expensive software or camera equipment if you’re going to make video press releases a regular part of your PR offer.

Is it important to have narration or a presenter featured in the video, or can graphics and music be equally as effective?

There’s only one acid test; does the video get the intended message across? If in doubt, ask for feedback from people who are likely to tell you the brutal truth before finalising it. However, less is more in some instances – more well known brands can get away with less!

Are there any definite no-no’s when putting a video together? What should PRs avoid?

Don’t zoom in or out during shots. Ever. It looks terrible. The trouble is, people don’t seem to be able to resist the temptation. Don’t move the camera during shots either. Again, unless you’ve got enough money for a proper camera crane, it will look awful. Static shots are the way forward. Finally, don’t expect that the in-built microphone on your camera will pick up decent quality sound from more than a metre or two away, especially if there’s even a hint of background noise. Unless you’ve got a proper external mic, stay close.

Could you give an example of a particularly good/effective video press release you’ve seen? And a bad one? 

There are some terrible videos out there. Usually they could have been saved by doing less, rather than more. If in doubt, keep it simple. The worst video releases I’ve seen are ones that try to get as many graphics, as much music and as many clichés into the script as possible. The only salvation is if your video is so shockingly cheesy and crass that it becomes an ironic masterpiece. But this is obviously a risky strategy!

What are the best ways to make press release videos interesting/appealing to journalists, ensuring favourable coverage in the media for PR clients? 

First up there’s the IT issue. It’s one for your techies to sort out but is vital and easily overlooked. If you’re video is in an obscure format or requires 80 terabytes of memory to process you’re on to a loser from the start. Make sure it’s on all the usual social networks so that anyone with a computer can see it. When it comes to journalists, the usual questions apply: is it suitable, relevant, informative or amusing? If not, the journos will have your gaffes in all their full-colour glory rather than simply in print.

Working with PRs:

If you could make one change to the way PRs approach working with you, what would it be?

I would urge them to stick to the agreed script or narrative and not be tempted to change their minds halfway through production. It’s more cost-effective to stick with the original plan even if something even more exciting happens alone the creative process – as is often the case.

Name the three most important attributes that make a PR a pleasure to work with:

1. Being open to innovative ideas and creativity 
2. Realistic timescales, budgets and expectations.
3. A genuine excitement for how a project will evolve

In your opinion, what are the main challenges facing the PR industry today?

I believe the main challenge is visibility. It can’t be taken for granted any more. The challenge is coping with the explosion in publicity outlets and the background noise that threatens to drown out your message. Maintaining visibility means staying on top of the rising tide of media chatter. PR companies need to keep innovation and creativity at the forefront of their minds.

About you and your work: 

How did you originally get into this line of business/sector? 

Coming up with fresh ideas has always been my passion, ever since I was a child and first got hold of a pen and paper. I studied design which helped me learn how to visualise those ideas into viable concepts with practical applications. I love innovating and thankfully it comes very naturally to me and my outstanding team.

What have been the biggest changes in your field since you started the business?

When it comes to conceptual design and visual communications, the ability to generate innovative ideas is no different. What’s changed is the ability to implement them. Nowadays, more and more ideas fall within the realm of the possible. People able to understand, implement and communicate the vision of others are the people with the most to offer.

What’s the most memorable campaign you’ve been involved with? 

Our partnership with Aquos Yachts -  on a recent video charting the first 12 months of its 45m super-yacht Big Fish. The video charted its course around the world from New Zealand through to Tahiti, the Galapagos Islands, Antarctica and beyond. A full Circumnavigation of the earth on its maiden voyage – Incredible.  It was used as part of the yacht’s global PR and for its  first birthday celebrations with the original production engineers. There was so much energy and enthusiasm it was a joy to work on and we feel incredibly honoured to be involved with their ongoing campaign.

Do you find social media an effective tool in your work? Would you recommend it to PR clients planning a campaign? 

Of course it depends on the specifics of the job but to me, it’s something that needs to be ruled out only after deliberate consideration. There need to be good reasons not to take advantage of it. A great PR campaign can draw huge attention through social media. Get it right and it will spread like wildfire!

Is there a particular client you’d love to create a video with? 

I’d love to work with UNESCO World Heritage Centre. It’s the one organisation for me that champions the wonderful diversity of culture’s past and present on this earth. I’ve always been facinated in this and that’s why I set up www.CultureOdyssey.com to explore the design aspects and inspiration of culture throughout the world – it really focuses our visual communications delivery.

Describe a typical day at work; what are your daily responsibilities?

I’ve always been an early bird so I’m in the office by 6 or 7am at the latest. That means I can get through emails before things start to get busy. It’s also a chance to gather my thoughts about new concept and product designs. Once the office gets busy I’m usually tied up with phone calls and working with other design staff so that quiet time is important. Meetings follow creativity follow inspiration follow client feedback, fine tuning and client feedback! I finish around 6 and can’t wait to get home to my beautiful wife and our newborn daughter India.

What interests you most about your job?

We get to work with so many different sectors and communications professionals from both large and smaller organisations on a wide range of visual communications requirements. We drive innovation through our creativity and promote business sustainability by identifying cost savings in time and money through the implementation of innovative and interactive techniques. It’s the pleasure my team get from exceeding client expectations time and again that is the real joy in owning and running your own business. In my opinion, that’s priceless!

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

At times, managing your own business can be a lonely and thankless journey for you and the staff on whom so much of the business’s success depends. In the early days I was referred to the Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge which was a great source of inspiration – quietly brilliant, a poetic PR masterpiece of its day. 

Digital content specialist helps PR professionals make the most of video press releases

PR professionals are increasingly aiming to reach beyond their traditional audience in the media, interacting directly with consumers and businesses through social networks. The traditional press release can’t always provide the detailed information - or entertainment - that consumers demand and many PRs are turning to video press releases to help. Designer and entrepreneur Phil Pauley, founder of digital content specialist Pauley Media, has produced a 10-point checklist to help PR professionals understand the options video offers their campaigns.

Many options are available to PR professionals producing a video press release. Budget, deadline, and the desired quality of the final film will inform your choices along the way. Areas that should be considered when making those choices include:

1) Camera equipment - there is a huge range of options here including standard definition video cameras or high definition DSLRs

2) What type of video would you like to produce? Short and simple with a single shot, or using a range of shots and a narrative? What is the ideal duration for your film?

3) Sound recording - Quality sound is essential. Are you going to use the camera's on-board microphone, or record sound separately?

4) What background would you like to use? A live background with depth and activity or a clean backdrop with a company logo? Perhaps a “green screen” and its flexibility is more suitable?

5) How are you going to light your shoot? Is there sufficient natural light at your chosen location or do you need to hire a lighting rig?

6) Should you storyboard? If using a range of material or shots, this can help to plan your shoot and save you time. It will allow you in identify when and where you could incorporate additional visualisation to help delivery your story in a more dynamic way.

7) Narration - Who will present the press release and what qualities would you like them to have? Will you read it yourself or ask another member of staff, your client or another professional?

8) Will you make use of a voice-over or soundtrack? Both are brilliant tools for adding texture, delivering information, and adding fluidity.

9) Will you use graphics? Animation can illustrate points, additional video clips add value, whilst company logos and contact details can be used for marketing and highlighting your call to action.

10) Finally, post-production - this can include keying, colour grading, titles, and after effects - a great deal of thought should go into how to take advantage of all that it can offer.

Considering all of the above areas and options, and making decisions regarding each one, will, in the end, make the production of your video press release run as smoothly as possible. You’ll be better placed to decide what you can do in-house and where you should outsource services, products and people to help you make a success of your video press release and reach your new audiences most effectively.

About Pauley Media

Pauley Media is a versatile and creative independent family company specialising in Concept Design, 3D Interpretation, Cultural Communication, e-Learning and Corporate Presentations through 3D Modelling and Immersive Audience Engagement. Find out about previous successful video and design projects for its range of international clients at www.pauley.co.uk/Media/

Contact the company on info@pauley-media.com or +44 (0)1908 522532

The Importance of Branding

A company's identity is inextricably entwined with it's corporate branding. Corporate colours are important to the way a company shows itself to the world, and also to how it perceives itself. A logo defines what your company is and what it stands for. This is why it’s so important not only to get it right, but to stick with it.

The costs involved in rebranding can be huge and large companies set aside vast sums and months of advertising and PR work to get their message across. Aviva's rebrand project is estimated to have cost £80m and BA paid out £60m for theirs so it's important to make the right decision at the outset. A wrong move can mean that a forced change in branding means being forgotten.

To clarify and identify Pauley.co.uk, and to give more continuity to the services we provide, we’ve incorporated our branding over all of our different websites with our main logo in the centre and introduced our world map at the top right side of our websites. This will always link back to www.cultureodyssey.com, our new division dedicated to Art, Travel, Culture and Lifestyle. We have selected red, white and grey as our corporate colour palette but we’re not limited to using these colours in a fixed or formal way. Culture Odyssey www.cultureodyssey.com is very important to us, and to highlight this we have chosen to emphasise and distinguish it by using grey as a subtle base tone. There is consistency in the style and flow of the top band with the colours differentiating the separate company divisions while bringing together a cohesive look and feel to the corporate image.

Tags: corporate branding, corporate colours, logos, advertising.

Diversify, but always inform your customers - latest innovations from Pauley.co.uk

As companies expand and diversify they can grow beyond their original plans, developing new and exciting products and services in addition to their core products. This organic growth can mean that the new developments rapidly become an integral part of what the company does. Before you know it, this success means that you’re offering more services than you used to and your website no longer gives a full picture of all that's on offer.

Many people acknowledge that their website is their shop-front to the world. If it's not letting their customers know about the innovations then it's not working it's hardest for them. It's a disservice to the shareholders and employees by not advertising all that the company can offer. Customers can rarely guess where growth areas are and it's unlikely that they will bother to ask, which means that the company will miss out on valuable business. A good accurate website needs to have enough information to spark the customer's imagination and encourage them to make contact.

Pauley.co.uk has been established for precisely this reason, as a central hub from which our various divisions will operate inter- dependently. Our company has evolved into a number of highly specialised areas and the time has come to split the organisation into a divisional structure to fully explore and develop the unique features of each, and highlight the benefits they bring to our client base.

So the next time you click on www.pauley.co.uk you will see links to all of our other divisions:

www.pauley-interactive.co.uk for design and innovation

www.philpauley.com for concept design

www.cultureodyssey.com our dedicated Art, Travel, Culture and Life Style site

www.cultureodyssey.blogspot.com.

By focusing on the main site, we at Pauley.co.uk believe that our online shop-front now accurately represents the extensive range of services and innovations we offer to our clients.

Concepts to tackle traffic

There are so many things going on at Pauley Interactive that we want to share, so we came up with this blog to post what we’re doing from time to time, to keep everyone in the know.

All of our concepts are based around sustainability, and developing technology while always keeping the environment at the forefront of our ideas. With that in mind we have thought about traffic. It’s a nightmare to sit in, it does nothing for the environment and it clutters up cities. So for that reason we have developed what we have called the ‘Wi-Fly’. It was recently covered by technology magazine Wired, and being big fans of Wired, we were very proud to be in it.

The ‘Wi-Fly’ is a semi-autonomous public transport pod which is controlled in the same way as a Segway, but with an outer casing to make it much safer. The real USP of this concept is how convenient it will be for the public to use. No more congestion charges, worries about finding a petrol station in central London, or getting crushed waiting for a tube: the Wi-Fly is simply paid for by an oyster card, credit card or cash based on how far you travel.

One of the driving forces behind the Wi-Fly is the impact it can have on traffic in congested cities. It is 1/6th the size of a car, so that will naturally reduce the amount of traffic on the roads. Not only will it reduce congestion, it will do wonders for carbon emissions as well, because it runs on a rechargeable battery.

The innovative thinking of this product is testament to the direction that we’re moving in; we spend our time thinking out of the box to come up with ideas that not only revolutionise public life, but are focused on improving the environment through sustainable designs and technology.

The role of Virtual Environments in Marketing

Virtual environments are digitally created worlds that have a huge variety of uses. They are particularly used in the games industry, for example in virtual reality games where users interact with other players online. These 3D worlds do also firmly have their place in the world of marketing and PR.

A 3D world can be used as promotional material because they can give the ability to walk through a computer generated version of up and coming projects. They are a fantastic marketing tool as they can get consumers excited by showing them the potential of a new building before it has even begun production.

These are ideal for the property market because they can give the consumer the option of seeing numerous buildings in incredible detail, without having to leave their computer. It encourages forward thinking about how rooms can be furnished and laid out, and because everything can be made to specific measurements, there are no rough estimates with these computer generated worlds.

Another use for 3D in marketing is 3D maps. They can be a quick and easy guide for a shopping centre or theme park to help the consumer plan out their entire day. With the advancements in digital advertising, these maps can then become hubs for marketing products and services by placing relevant adverts in specific parts of the maps. 3D maps can enhance the shopping or theme park experience by helping the user find what they need, but also by offering advice on where to go, what to eat and what to buy.

3D Animation – The Toy Story Revolution

It is easy to look back fondly on Toy Story as a funny and heart warming children’s film. It reached a generation of children and adults alike, sparking an incredibly successful trilogy and world-wide franchise that is recognisable by its lovable and unique characters.

What isn’t always remembered when everyone looks back on Toy Story is how revolutionary it was for the world of 3D films. It was the first feature length film made completely in CGI, pioneered by John Lasseter, and has contributed so much to how we all understand the role that 3D can have in films. CGI doesn’t just make explosions in action films or force you to wear 3D glasses in the cinema, it can be the basis for telling a story and creating a whole world. It was through making a full feature 3D animated film that Pixar proved this.

It is incredible to see how far 3D animation has come since Toy story was first released in 1995. With only 1 3D feature being released in 1995 by Pixar, to over 10 3D feature length films being released this year by a variety of production studios they have clearly had a big rise in popularity. The numerous studios that create these films every year opens up a world of new ideas and talents.

The quality of the environments, characters and the animation has developed so far in these 16 years. All it takes is to compare Toy Story 1 and Toy Story 3 and you will see the massive difference even within the same studio. The question is, where will it all go to? As technology improves year on year the possibilities for 3D are endless and with Pixar’s latest film moving away from the Toy Story franchise to their first medieval film, ‘Brave’, it is clear that there are no restrictions on what comes next for 3D.

CSR and how it is used today

What is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)? CSR is when a company takes on the role of regulating how they interact with the law, international norms and ethical standards. A socially responsible business cares about the impact that they have on local and international society both directly and indirectly.

Puma is an example of a company that has taken CSR to great lengths with its carbon emissions ‘profit and loss account’. The idea is that Puma want to calculate the damage that they are doing to the environment by its carbon usage, as well as the impact that their emissions and water usage will have.

These set of accounts were made with the help of accountancy consultants PriceWaterhouseCooper (PwC) and research analysts Trucost to understand the impact that they are having, and to work out the best way of making the company more sustainable. These accounts will be released at the end of their financial year, and will be analysed by the shareholders and investors in the same way as their set of financial accounts.

Puma have got the right idea by going through their processes and finding the flaws, as it is only by highlighting the specific problems in the necessary areas of a business that realistic targets can be set to make improvements. They are also accountable to their stakeholders by releasing these accounts which is an extra incentive for them.

Sustainable and green technology can also start from the ground-up, right from the design through to the finished product. The Urban Tree Planter is one project that helps architects incorporate practical sustainability solutions into their designs. Although in most cities there won’t be enough space for even a small garden, these trees can be placed in convenient places to make the most of the space that they have.

How global networks can bring together responsible companies and conscientious consumers

Culture Odyssey have created a global network for active and virtual travellers to interact with each other and build a global culture. When you sign up to the site you the user are what make this community grow, and you do this by posting inspiring images and ideas, or places that you’ve been that you want to tell everyone about.

The online community is built up by users writing about anything of national or global cultural interest; from hidden gems in Canada, to hurling in Ireland, to the Pakistani street artist JR’s InsideOut project. Not only can the individual traveller contribute their secrets and experiences to the website, but local businesses can promote their services as well. The interactivity between these businesses and the individual traveller helps stimulate the national and local economies by getting users involved. 

Where this has been successful is because it is all made by the website user for each other’s benefit. It is free of political bias and gives readers an opportunity to consider places they haven’t thought of before, and with the help of small businesses they can see parts of the community that they wouldn’t see on a normal holiday. 

The community is underpinned by a common goal: to strive for sustainability that will benefit the environment. The network provides a place for likeminded individuals and companies to show how they are helping the environment in their own way, to inspire other people to do the same. Innovative ideas are shared which highlights the businesses that are doing everything they can to benefit the environment, and encourages individuals to seek out these responsible companies while they are travelling. 

UK - A Track Record for Success

It is undisputable that the UK is recognised as a leader in for global innovation and the design industry. It is the versatility of talent that helps the UK produce an astounding variety of products and services, from interactive interfaces to corporate identities.

The nation’s famous designers include Jonathon Ive, the Senior Vice President of Industrial Design at Apple inc and the person renowned for designing the iPod. Another notable name is Thomas Heatherwick, who directed the construction of the UK Pavilion, known as the Seed Cathedral,  for the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai. Phil Pauley is also contributing to this international platform of designers with the Saudi Biome, a project that promotes ‘bringing the rainforest to the desert’ that critics have said could potentially be the largest BioDome in the World

To promote the design industry in the UK there is the annual London Design Festival. The festival is a cultural and commercial event that takes place in September that hosts ‘international exhibitions to trade events, installations to talks and seminars, from product launches to receptions, private views and parties’ (http://www.londondesignfestival.com/page/about). Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, claims that the festival is ‘the most vivid possible proof that London is the hub of the creative industries in the world’ (http://www.londondesignfestival.com/page/what-people-say-about-us).

With a rich tradition of excellence, and the ongoing innovations and designs that are present in the London Design Festival,  the UK is certainly a leading force for the design industry and global innovation.

Do You Have A Great Product, Idea or Brand ?

So you have a great product, service, idea or company and you want to tell the world what you can do!

What’s your next step?

Roll your sleeves up and get stuck into Power point....Possibly?

Try your hand at a bit of Photoshop to make up some really cool graphics....Maybe?

Get some great copy written and post it to the web or hand it to your marketing company and hope they deliver your message the way you want.....likely?

We don’t know what options you’ll go for, maybe none of them maybe all of them but we know what we’ll do for you. 

The Consultation

First we’ll really learn about what you want to say and more importantly why you want to say it.

The Storyboard

If you’re the creative type, you may have already done a story board or something similar we can follow. If not, we’ll put our heads together and take away the clutter, to bring out our imagination and then create a story board to get all your thinking down on paper... refine it, make sure it's relevant, delivering your message and showing your product or service in its best light.

The Creative Process

From the drawing board to the virtual world....here’s where the really cool stuff happens. In the virtual world anything is, well, virtually possible. Everything from the story board will come to life. We’ll add depth and scale to your project bringing it out of the 2D world and make it more engaging to your audience. We can add rotations, fixed camera points, colours, textures, lighting, shading, moving words (motion graphics) and the odd after effect.

The Review

But we won't over do it, you'll get just the right balance of content to make sure your message isn't diluted. And to make sure you're happy, we'll keep you updated with your production all along the way.

The Final Cut

Once you’re happy with our final draft we’ll finish it off in any format you want. We’ll even integrate your production into your web pages emails or PDFs.    

If you want something that’s going to engage your clients and prospects for longer or add the Wow factor to your message and give it more punch then remember you could always go with Pauley Interactive option.

And the really good thing about Pauley Interactive is we don’t cost heaven and earth. You won’t need a blockbuster budget to get a high impact high quality production.

So the next time you have a Eureka moment or you need the last minute presentation or if you just want to revamp your existing content then think the Pauley Interactive option.  

See more at www.pauley-interactive.co.uk/services.asp