Bright Light

ePaper: more than just page turning

2010-07-15T09:00:00.002+01:00

ePaper, (interactive Pdf), is all about delivering reports, books, magazines and promotion material over the web - but in a more interactive way than your usual pdf.

Of course, it's a green way of delivering printed materials, but it's surprising just how many documents are out there that use virtually no functionality past the simple "page turning" effect.

So what else can you do? Think of it as a webpage. Video, animation, user interaction - they're all possible. And video doesn't need to be your usual 4:3 or 16:9 frame. Think creatively.

We've summarised 5 things you should know and use in your online pdf documentation:

1. It's about the reader.

Forget about putting up your pdf just for the sake of it. The reader would probably prefer a standard pdf if that's all you want to achieve. Think about adding value to your document. Simple animation can help the reader focus and get through a text heavy document faster. If you add video, you've already completely changed the reader experience from the standard pdf. What else can you deliver to make it worthwhile?

2. Hosting

Video and animation can prove problematic in terms of performance. There's nothing worse than video you can't watch because it stutters along uncontrollably. Now try the same thing from the other side of the world. It's a commonly unknown fact that your location does make a difference to online performance. Host your files in the UK and you'll find a global audience doesn't get the performance you expect. Use a service for your ePaper that provides enterprise class hosting on a global network.

3. How much work?

Getting your lovely page turning effect and standard features like email capture, links and so on, are all a piece of cake in reality. Not a whole lot more than someone with the technical skills uploading your pdf into software that automates the rest. Where the work comes is in animating elements and all the small details that turn your standard pdf into an inspirational online resource. Getting video into your pdf is also fairly simple, but a little extra effort can make a big difference to how it will look and work in your document.

4. What features?

Our experience shows that interactive pdfs and ePaper work best when the material is designed with this use in mind. Using video to create a more personal communication. Animation to help express a complicated theory. Or just creating effects to help users focus on the areas that are most important. They are all very worthwhile from a users perspective. Just remember to keep font sizes up and plenty of clear space for comfortable screen reading.

5. Are there any good examples?

For a really wide range have a look at some of the directories out there like Yudu.

Want to know more? Contact us.

Agile design

2010-06-01T15:21:00.003+01:00

"Agile" is a term that's long been used in technology circles to describe processes that are open, flexible and able to react quickly to change.

But surely those principles can be translated to other areas of business, and specifically marketing communications? We definitely think they can, and have integrated "agile" into our own working practises to great effect.

Wouldn't it be great for the client if their changes resulted in zero delays, zero costs and a better end deliverable? Equally for an agency, not having to travel a road only to go back and rework later to save time, money and a demotivated workforce. It's a win-win concept.

So what exactly do we mean?

Here at Bright Light we've found that by convincing clients to work with us in an agile way, we can cut the time taken to deliver projects by as much as half. The ideas are simple, but both agency and client need to be on board, and most importantly there is a huge hurdle to overcome if agile processes are to work.

Human nature

This is where, traditionally, it all goes wrong. No-one EVER wants to share strategies, tactics or design work until they are 100% happy with it. And it's this natural instinct from which all the evils of rework appear. The problem, which will be apparent to anyone working in a large organisation, is that work, designs, strategy and communications all need to be "approved". And it's not just by one person. Often, there can be as many as ten or even twenty people involved in reviewing communications before they are actually declared to be "approved".

Remember also that the most important person, the one who will give the final go-ahead, never gets to see the work until it needs "final approval". These are rough times. Inevitably, final approval is required just before the event. Just before the product launch. Or just before that important customer conference. In all cases, panic often ensues as the person charged with giving that final approval demands changes.

So how do we get around this?

Simply, by sharing work in progress. This means there is no mad panic for unexpected changes. Issues are addressed early and ironed out in plenty of time. Rework is not required because changes are implemented along the way.

Technology is a great enabler but is not entirely necessary. Simply copying all people involved on relevant emails in the early stages can capture comments, and more importantly means that everyone has plenty of opportunity to make their thoughts heard before the deadlines are looming.

Going back to the biggest obstacle, that of human nature, there is a clear requirement for a change in cultures to make it work effectively. People need to understand that everything is "work in progress" to avoid the shock of seeing unfinished work. And others need to be comfortable in showing that unfinished work to others frequently.

We carry out a daily review, sometimes more frequent than that depending on the project, and it's had huge success for those willing to embrace it, cutting costs and timescales.

The challenge, is getting over that fear...

Find out more by contacting us.

Bright Light launches official Eloqua marketing support services

2009-11-13T09:01:00.004Z

Eloqua is one of the most advanced marketing solutions available. Bright Light works with a number of clients on getting more from their email marketing and demang generation activities, and is pleased to be able to offer Eloqua focused services where we can build and deploy your campaigns directly on your corporate Eloqua solution.

We not only take away the headache of campaign management, we can offer advanced strategic thinking, improved creative and email tactics, and advice on best practice to help you maximise your use of your Eloqua system.

Eloqua provides you with an encompassing, integrated system, and we are pleased to offer services to help businesses maximise its potential.

- Email and online strategy
- Hypersites
- Personalised Emails
- Email Marketing
- Reporting
- Campaign Execution

iPhone App development service

2009-06-30T12:54:00.014+01:00

We're delighted to announce our digital group has now launched our iPhone services with in house strategy, design and development resources.

It's an exciting area where we already have three Apps in development and are in discussions with some big industry names. Naturally, everything is top secret at the moment but watch this space for some exciting developments!

If you're looking to launch aspects of your service to the ever-expanding iPhone or Smartphone market, contact us, and we promise to delight you with the possibilities and potential.

Bright Light are registered and authorised iPhone developers on the Apple development program with access to resources, information and development tools only available to authorised developers.

YouInvent site goes live

2009-06-28T19:19:00.015+01:00

YouInvent, offering sports tours to clubs, schools and university teams throughout the UK, has launched its new site designed and developed by Bright Light.

The site integrates social media, blogging and site content, which means that new content is automatically posted to facebook and twitter.

One exciting element of the project was the development and promotion of a facebook page which had over 100 fans on launch day. This now distributes news and articles from the YouInvent site to fans automatically.

Mike Edwards, Director at YouInvent comments: "Bright Light provided an excellent service both in terms of web design and ideas for developing our web presence. Integrating a facebook page rather than just setting up a group means we can keep in touch with all our tour attendees and organisers inside their own facebook news feed. The page has been a huge success and it's fairly easy to get tour attendees to sign up for general news and more specific news on their tour - plus it's a great way to share photos, videos and comments."

We're looking forward to helping YouInvent take their sports tour success and online presence even further in the near future.

Bing Bing

2009-06-13T08:21:00.005+01:00

So Microsoft have launched their new search engine, Bing, and it has some features that sound really good, (we love recommendations whether flight prices will go up or down, for example).

And now they've started marketing the search engine by email. But what's the email like? Surely Microsoft will produce something that uses all the best practice out there for a global campaign around their new investment?

We're unsure, not having access to the results. But let's assume Microsoft did carry out a decent amount of testing on an email going to so many recipients. What's their email look like? All the so called best practice put together or something different?

The first thing you notice of course is the sender and subject, "Bing Search Team" and "A new search engine is coming - Bing". Very little Microsoft branding. Is the email only aimed at those who have heard about Bing already?

Looking into the email, one of the first features we noticed, as would any recipient, is that the entire upper section is created with images, because you can't see anything until you turn images on. This is definitely not best practice according to any email expert out there, especially when your headline text is part of that image.

The second feature of the email, which we really like, is the length. It's just long enough to generate some interest, then it stops and gets you to click through. No more.

But the bit we love the most is the use of the search box - it's almost impossible to stop yourself from clicking on it to try to search for something. It's obviously not a data entry field which would generate problems for most email users, but merely an image linking through to the site.

Overall - aside from the preview pane issue we think it's a well constructed communication, and maybe Microsoft tested that issue and chose to go for the images - which would just go to prove that every email marketing campaign needs to be judged just by its own merits.

New Bristol office goes LIVE!

2009-06-04T11:43:00.011+01:00

It's been six months in the making but finally, after a whole load of agents, solicitors an removals men, our new Bristol office is open.

There are still some rough edges, like the yet to be installed meeting room with 50" plasma (for meetings not watching the football), but we would like to welcome clients and prospects alike into our new creative hub in Bristol.

Look forward to seeing you soon!

2009 opens with a big win

2009-02-15T09:35:00.002Z

We're exceptionally pleased to announce that 2009 opens with a great new win in the form of a 2 year framework contract with the Environment Agency.

After a comprehensive selection process Bright Light have been selected as one of the marketing and design agencies the Agency will use across the UK over the next two years. Not only is it a great testament to our quality of work, it's great to be involved with work that is a real benefit to society.

We're delighted!

2008-12-13T08:46:00.012Z

Bright Light have been working with American Express for months rolling out an innovative internal communications campaign, and this month we were awarded the Runner's up prize for best internal camapign at the B2B Marketing awards.

Craig and the team here who worked here on the project would like to thank everyone at AMEX for allowing us to take such an innovative concept to fruition, and for a great night out at the awards!

If you would like to speak to us about the campaign contact craig@thebrightlight.co.uk.