vcommunications / news updates

vcommunications - Manchester Urban Screens 2007

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 15:20:00 +0100

vcommunications have been commissioned by the BBC Manchester and Cornerhouse to design, produce and deliver the official website, online branding and communications platform for the International Urban Screens Manchester Festival.

Urban Screens Manchester 07 is both an international conference and an enthralling four-day programme of art and events in Manchester city centre.

Project features include:

- vcommunications custom cms and blogging tools
- RSS feeds and syndication
- HTML / CSS / Design and Management
- Design and typography
- Database design and deployment

vcommunications - Launch new ENWORKS website

Sun, 08 Jul 2007 21:20:00 +0100

vcommunications have been commissioned by Manchester's Creative Concern to design, develop and launch the new online branding for ENWORKS.

ENWORKS is a unique business support programme co-ordinating environmental and health and safety advice, training and support to businesses throughout the Northwest of England.

Project features include:

- HTML / CSS / Design and Management
- Design and typography
- Database design and deployment
- vcommunications custom cms

vcommunications - Recycling Action Yorkshire (RAY) Online Development

Sun, 08 Jul 2007 22:14:42 +0100

vcommunications complete the latest development cycle for Recycling Action Yorkshire (RAY).

Recycling Action Yorkshire is a not-for-profit, regional programme funded by Yorkshire Forward and the European Regional Development Fund. RAY works in partnership with national and regional stakeholders to stimulate the market for recycled materials throughout the recycling chain from collection and reprocessing, to manufacture and sustainable procurement.

The past year saw vcommunications partnering with Manchester's Creative Concern to deliver a wide range of online applications, Intranet and reporting tools and websites for the Leeds based organisation. This latest launch marks this development anniversary with a wide range of the following digital portfolio items...

Recycling Action Yorkshire - Website

Project features include:

- vcommunications custom cms
- CSS / HTML Design
- Powerful online image library management
- News and events distribution
- Online subscriber management
- Google mapping database integration
- Custom Development Solutions

Recycling Action Yorkshire - Monitoring Toolkit Extranet

Project features include:

- Extranet integration
- CSS / HTML Design
- API integration with third party product database
- Custom PDF creation tools
- Online subscriber management
- Business Process and Integration
- Custom Development Solutions

Recycling Action Yorkshire - Recycled Product Guide

Project features include:

- vcommunications custom cms
- CSS / HTML Design
- API integration with third party product database
- Google mapping database integration
- Business Process and Integration

Recycling Action Yorkshire - Buy Recycled

Project features include:

- vcommunications custom cms
- CSS / HTML Design
- API integration with third party product database
- Google mapping database integration
- Custom Development Solutions
- Business Process and Integration

Recycling Action Yorkshire - Private Intranet and EU Project Reporting Tool

Project features include:

- Reporting interface tool
- SQL Development and Deployment
- Custom Contact Data Management
- CSS / HTML Design
- Custom Development and Ajax Solutions
- Business Process and Integration

Recycling Action Yorkshire - Pub Recycling

Project features include:

- vcommunications custom cms
- CSS / HTML Design
- Postcode search and geo-coding
- Google mapping database integration
- Business Process and Integration

vcommunications have been working as partners with Creative Concern for a number of years now. Projects include Manchester is my Planet, Central Salford and the recently launched new website for Enworks.

vcommunications - Projects with Trevor Johnson

Sun, 08 Jul 2007 19:23:06 +0100

Trevor Johnson's recent decision to join Creative Lynx has caused quite quite a stir in the design community. Trevor and his team at Via Design and Communications have been working with vcommunications as it's premier internet development partner for the past seven years now.

The past few months have seen the launch of two major internet projects developed and designed with vcommunications. The long anticipated relaunch of Greater Manchester Police's City Centre Safe Projects web campaign, and the information portal for one of the UK's most talked about research studios Morris Hargreaves McIntyre - www.lateralthinkers.com in Manchester. Both projects benefit from our studio's strong CSS design, database development and project management skills. A full vcommunications designed information portal is currently put together by staff at MHM and set to launch and replace the current system later this year.

Project features include:

- HTML / CSS / Design and Management
- Design and typography
- Database design and deployment
- Managed vcommunications hosting
- Digital Asset and Data Management

vcommunications - Partnership of Excellence

Sun, 08 Jul 2007 19:48:05 +0100

North of England Excellence relaunch with new online branding and commission vcommunications for the 9th time with the ongoing maintenance and management of their web communications.

Since 1995 North of England Excellence has been the name behind the prestigious North of England Business Excellence Awards, formerly the North West Business Excellence Awards. Run on an annual cycle these Awards seek to recognise excellent organisations through rigorous assessment against the requirements of the EFQM Excellence Model by a team of experienced Award Assessors.

TESTIMONIAL:
"It is always a pleasure dealing with vcommunications. We have been working with them for eight years now and our work is still carried out in a timely and professional manner. vcommunications are still very enthusiastic about our website and are constantly recommending improvements and cost-effective ways to manage the site. I would highly recommend them from concept through to design and maintanance."
Suzanne House, Marketing Director, North of England Excellence

Project features include:

- HTML / CSS / Design and Management
- News and Events System Updates
- Digital Asset and Data Management

vcommunications - Commissioned by Identity Events

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 08:50:00 +0100

London-based Identity Events commissioned vcommunications to handle the events registration and payment system for the forthcoming 21st Century Network Summit. The registration system includes Google Checkout systems and HTML newsletter applications. This project marks the first of hopefully many future collaborations.

The 21st Century Global Summit 2007 is an exclusive business leadership and innovation summit for CxO level attendees from around the world in the Telecommunications, IT, Media , Entertainment and Financial Services sectors. Sponsors include Cisco Systems, Accenture and Sun Microsystems.

Project features include:

- HTML / CSS / Visual Studio Design
- Google Checkout Integration
- HTML Newsletter Application
- .NET 2.0 Development and MS SQL Database design and deployment

vcommunications - New Judge Gill Website

Mon, 04 Dec 2006 11:00:00 +0000

vcommunications produce and deliver new Flash website for Manchester's Judge Gill. The high profile graphic and interior design outfit needed to show off their great work with this new, simple and beautiful little website.

Project features include:

- Typography and Flash layout conversions
- Image management
- Managed vcommunications hosting
- Flash Video integration

vcommunications - BBC The Blue Planet Live!

Mon, 04 Dec 2006 10:00:00 +0000

vcommunications were commissioned to devise, design and create a beautiful micro site for the BBC's The Blue Planet Live shows. The Blue Planet Live is a specially edited 2 hour show featuring 76 piece orchestra and choir conducted by award winning composer George Fenton. Swathes of stunning sequences from David Attenborough's series synchronised impeccably with George Fenton's emotional and outstanding musical score on one of the UK's biggest screens.

Project features include:

- Database design and programming
- Typography CSS and HTML design
- vcommunications custom cms
- Flash Video integration
- 3rd party e-commerce integration

vcommunications - The Drum (Adline Magazine)

Sun, 03 Dec 2006 09:00:00 +0000

The Drum Magazine - November Edition 2006

Hidden Delights

A lot of agencies forget to boast about what they are doing, choosing to quietly get on with business behind closed doors. Here, The Drum goes in search of those unsung heroes. This month we look at the North West and pinpoint those agencies to watch out for.

vcommunications was launched at the end of 1998 by designer Frank Staiger, at a time when the dotcom bubble had burst and other tech companies were talking about their exit strategies.

With his background in design and typography, Staiger developed a business that offered consultancy services for a wide range of clients, often acting as a straight-talking link between his programming squads and design directors, who often have different objectives.

Now the agency has a 50/50 mix of direct and consultancy clients in its portfolio. The company also provides custom build content management systems, CSS and HTML services. Direct clients include BBC Worldwide, The Big Life Group, Greater Manchester Music Action Zone, George House Trust, xtrax, World Class Service and many more. Meanwhile clients employing vcommunications for consultancy services include Walsh Simmons, Trevor Johnson and Via Design and Creative Concern.

vcommunications - Campfour online shop

Fri, 10 Nov 2006 09:53:05 +0000

Campfour are a Cheshire based shop specialising in walking, climbing and mountaineering equipment. vcommunications were commissioned to create a top of the range e- commerce facility designed to expand Campfour’s customer base and to establish them as serious players amongst the competition. Our studio developed a custom solution integrating and synchronising the shop’s EPOS (Electronic Point of Sale) systems with the web application.

The design was created in conjunction with Modern Designers – reflecting the fresh and striking identity of Campfour and its outdoor community.

Project features include:

- Database design and programming
- Secure HTTPS hosting on vcommunications managed servers
- Powerful content management system design
- EPOS integration and business logic
- Typography CSS and HTML design

vcommunications - Launch new MBLA website

Tue, 11 Jul 2006 22:00:00 +0100

VIA Design and Communications were commissioned to deliver the new identity and communications strategy for Manchester's award winning architects and urbanists MBLA.

Leading UK architecture and urban design practice MBLA announced a new name and brand identity to reflect the growth of the company, changes in structure and plans to further extend its portfolio. The Practice is established as a major design studio with a portfolio of award-winning schemes and projects that includes Sir William Siemens House, Homes for Change in Hulme and the Royal Northern College of Music.

Trevor Johnson and his team at VIA instructed our studio to collaborate on the task to visually reflect MBLA's architecture and bring it to live. Our powerful content management system allows MBLA to manage and control all aspects of their news distribution and portfolio updates... whilst the custom designed Flash skin provides the dynamics.

Project features include:

- Database design and programming
- Powerful content management system design
- Customized Flash 8 and XML coding
- Design, typography and scripted animations

vcommunications - The perfect home for TRIBECA

Tue, 11 Jul 2006 21:30:00 +0100

urbanite.co.uk commissioned vcommunications to design and deliver the new online home for TRIBECA - Manchester's first truly online super group.

vcommunications designed and launched the new website for Manchester's first and original online band - TRIBECA. The group's founder members where amongs the first to distribute digital music content in the late 90s and pioneered Manchester's download scene with urbanite.co.uk

Project features include:

- Powerful Flash 8 and XML coding
- Design and typography
- iTunes integration
- News and RSS feed distribution

vcommunications - Media Audits for Accenture

Thu, 27 Apr 2006 15:00:00 +0100

Accenture commissioned us to deliver the redesign for Media Audits.

Media Audits is the world's largest international media consultancy group and has recently been aquired by Accenture Marketing Sciences. Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. Committed to delivering innovation, Accenture collaborates with its clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments.

Project features include:

- Design and typography
- Powerful database and site search
- SEO content and sit structure
- News and RSS feed distribution
- Flash homepage animations

vcommunications - World Class Website

Thu, 27 Apr 2006 11:00:00 +0100

vcommunications have designed, build and delivered the World Class Service website. World Class Service is an employer driven initiative dedicated to helping service companies in the lifestyle industries sector to deliver outstanding service. The company offer a simple, clearly written standards based on international best practice with independent audits, protocols and implementation support. The identity was designed and created by Trevor Johnson at VIA Design and Communications.

TESTIMONIAL:
"We needed a careful and thorough approach to World Class Service's website, as new company addressing service issues our web site was key to us.We needed to be accurate, brief and clear for our customers. Careful andattentive support in the design and build phase makes Frank's team at vcomoutstanding, they made us feel we were in safe hands and they have delivereda first class site. We have no problem in recommending them to otherswanting a world class web site"
Howard Raynor, Managing Director

vcommunications - The Big Life group Extranet

Wed, 26 Apr 2006 20:00:00 +0100

vcommunications plan, design and deploy Extranet for Manchester based Big Life group.

The Big Life group is an umbrella organisation that comprises a diverse range of individual businesses and charities, which operate from various offices across the North of England. Companies within the group include The Big Issue in the North, Aisha Childcaring, Open Door and Big Life Employment. Each of the different organisations within the group had their own web presence, and as a result information was difficult to manage across the sites, with little brand consistency between them. When The Big Life group was formed in 2005, vcommunications were contracted to create a unified site to bring all of these disparate web presences into one. The Extranet was integral part of this online strategy.

Features include:

- News and events management and distribution
- Creation of centralized contact management tools
- Project management tools and blogs
- Integration and branding of staff message boards
- Powerful company documents and policy distribution

vcommunications also successfully designed and build the Big Life group corporate websites.

TESTIMONIAL:
vcommunications made the challenge of creating our new Website and Extranet exciting, enjoyable and easy. They have created two fantastic sites which emphasise the brand, vision and values of The Big Life group.
Emma Faragher, Communications Manager The Big Life group

vcommunications - Qikker Solutions (Human Resources software and consultancy)

Fri, 21 Apr 2006 15:00:00 +0100

vcommunications appointed by Walsh Simmons to develop and host Qikker Solutions website.

Dave Kirkwood, Creative Director of Walsh Simmons commissioned our studio to built and deliver the Qikker Solutions website.

Qikker is an independent provider of internet-based HR solutions and services – delivering secure and integrated software as a service (SaaS) eHR solutions - and we’re pleased to announce our involvement in the ongoing development and hosting of their online strategy.

vcommunications - Deliver Financial Modelling website

frank@vcommunications.co.uk — Sat, 04 Feb 2006 19:03:36 +0000

vcommunications appointed by F1F9 / SVA Software.

F1F9 / SVA Software, an international specialist solution provider for financial modelling, has recruited vcommunications to implement a bespoke online identity.

Whilst focusing initially on formal financial modelling training, F1F9 is today best described as a financial modelling services firm offering a full range of services and solutions within the field of highly structured, professional financial modelling. vcommunications have successfully deployed a brand new online look and feel for their online appearance – including styling and development of various future online client applications. Our customized RapidWeaver templates helped to create a rock solid interface whilst being fully W3C CSS and XHTML Transitional compliant.

vcommunications - Jimmy Chocolate

frank@vcommunications.co.uk — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 12:32:22 +0000

vcommunications update Jimmy Chocolate.

It's been a while since we last worked for Steve Whitehouse and Andy Irving - www.iwp.co.uk - so it was a pleasure to give their very own Jimmy Chocolate Cards website a much needed overhaul...

The project gave us the chance to revisit our original code to make it fully W3C CSS and XHTML Transitional compliant. And it loads that little bit faster than before... which always helps when boasting with large and gorgeous preview images...

vcommunications - urbanite.co.uk on iTunes

frank@urbanite.co.uk — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 15:51:08 +0000

URBANITE.CO.UK catalogue on iTunes shop before Christmas.

Manchester's first online music website - urbanite.co.uk - is set to release it's overhauled catalogue on iTunes before Christmas. Urbanite's key philosophy has always been the underlying power of brand identity and user awareness. Running since 1998 urbanite.co.uk pioneered a look and feel that still remains unmatched by any other website in Manchester 'trying to do the same thing'.

Despite phenomenal visitor statistics from all over the world - sales have never met expectations - and the move to the download leader with 85% market share was inevitable.

- Check out Phil's Christmas message to all users here
- Stay tuned with urbanite.co.uk and find out when the catalogue is released

vcommunications - Jonathan Oakes Photography website

frank@vcommunications.co.uk — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 15:30:00 +0000

We were commissioned to help Manchester based photographer Jonathan Oakes to design and build his new Flash 8 website. (Jonathan is our studio neighbour - so that always helps...)

Our bespoke content management system controls most aspects of the Flash interface, making it a breeze to add different formats to the templates. So Johnny can relax and carry on with fabulous photography!

vcommunications designed and built the database and coordinated all aspects of the project – to meet the following requirements:

- Portfolio control via our cms
- Positioning rules for maximum flexibility
- Create file server access management for Johnny's clients
- Minimum and maximum screen flexibility
- Make the whole thing load as fast as possible...