We’ve been continually updating and improving the Gentech International Web site since its launch in summer 2009. Here are some of the more significant developments we have made.

Product Finder

A common need for engineering companies is to help customers find a solution based around their needs. The Gentech International Product Finder enables customers to quickly and easily filter all Gentech products based around their application requirements.

Dynamic Datasheets

Another requirement engineering businesses have is the need to provide customers with datasheets they can print out or store electronically. While these are easy to produce they can be hard to keep updated when product specifications change. The pdf and print datasheets on the Gentech International Web site are dynamically generated on the fly from the main product database, if a staff member updates product specifications then the datasheets are updated instantly too.

Dynamic Support For Multiple Languages

The Gentech International Web site is now available in 52 different languages serving the needs of over 98% of all global Web users. All content on the Web site is automatically translated on the fly so there is no expensive translation services required and no delay translating new content. In addition to this all language versions are also indexed with Google for vastly improved search engine performance.

Social Networking

Customers can now choose from a variety of channels to stay updated with Gentech news. There is still the RSS option but now customers can also subscribe via email, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Online Sensor Shopping

The help satisfy the demand for low quantities of standard products the Gentech International Web site now gives customers to order online. Products can be added to a cart and paid for securely by credit card. All orders are stored and managed through an easy to use Web interface that Gentech staff can access, plus customers can log-in and review their own past orders.

At the start of the year we took on management of the Gentech email newsletter. We redesigned the template the fall in-line with their new Web site and started to distribute the newsletter via our own delivery system. The newsletter is now distributed to a healthy 1000+ mailing list and benefits from an above industry average open rate. Moving onto our system has dramatically improved delivery rates and provided a large amount of statistical data not available before, such as click through rates on page links and geographical performance. Customers get better subscription management, the option to forward the email to friends and share the newsletter via social networking sites.

The Joeyanne Libraryanne Web site has proven to be massively popular over the past few years and Joanne had drawn up a list of required changes. We implemented the following:

• Header menu which is automatically updated when new pages are added
• Facebook like buttons with analytical tracking in Facebook
• New headshot taken and added to template
• Threaded comments system with avatars making comments easy to follow
• Template widened in-line with improved browsing capabilities of the audience

These multi-lingual adverts were designed to go into the show guides for a Chinese conference and exhibition. The adverts promote the Gentech SCR range while also introducing customers to other areas of their product ranges.

This promotional flyer is designed to be usable in both print and on the Web. The client wanted a strong brand a clear message describing their service.

These promotional cards are designed to be handed out to potential customers reminding them of the services SMS number. Designed to be printed as MOO MiniCards they are cost effective and appealing.

ClubHunt is a database of night club information accessible via mobile phone. The client wanted a strong B2C brand style which would appeal to the 18-35 market. We created a logo and a variety of other brand style elements to be used in various different communications material.

A simple one page design quickly communicates the features and benefits of this clients online application.

This client wanted a brand that felt sophisticated but also approachable to small businesses.

Project 77 (Environmental) Ltd contacted Cookies & Java to help develop a new Web site presence with the aim to market the business online, plus offer an online portfolio of services to help the efficiency of their sales process. The solution we supplied is a small content managed site featuring a bespoke template based around the existing brand style.

We recently photographed Gentech Internationals latest range of AdBlue/DEFF sensors and designed a new brochure to promote them. As the terms for solution used in SCR systems differs between North America and Europe we designed two geographic variants. The brochures were printed on a heavy paper stock with a silk varnish.

For this years Gentech International Christmas card we went with a simple clean design which showed the companies core product ranges as snowflakes. The cards were printed on heavy card with a spot varnish on the lettering.

To compliment the printed card we also produced a html email version

Granada Cranes & Handling contacted Cookies & Java to help develop their Web site to be more effective in terms of marketing and perform better on search engines. We started by recoding the existing site for 100% html/css validation and better search engine optimisation (SEO). Once complete and submitted to Google we implemented a new template which transformed the look of the site. On top of this we also improved navigation, changed elements to be more compatible with various browsers, improved the market message where required and added content promoting their new NEXUS product.

We recently supported Gentech International at the DEFF09 event in Las Vegas. For this we designed a new flexible exhibition system consisting of a  3×3 pop-up stand, two lightweight pull up banners and a branded carrying case which doubles up as a display plinth. We also designed and supplied branded cotton tote bags, branded high quality pens, A5 leaflets introduction flyer’s, promotional branded notepads and a new DEFF sensors brochure. All items were sourced on the clients behalf with samples and competitive quotes provided for consideration, for this particular occasion we supported the client on site at the exhibition.

Exhibition stand

Promotional bags

Various promotional literature

Promotional flyer’s

Promotional notepads and branded pens

We are very pleased to announce the recent launch of the new  Gentech International Web site. This launch is phase 1 of a large redevelopment project, bringing many new features and enhancements for the companies online visitors and web maintenance team,  such as:

• Full content management with bespoke content types
• Multilingual support with translation overview features and automatic browser language detection
• Clean URL paths for better search engine optimisation
• RSS feed syndication for integration into online marketing channels
• Ecommerce shopping basket and credit card verification
• Automatic indexing and search engine notification
• Dynamic error pages which automatically search for missing content

It all started with a little competition

Customer feedback would play a large part in developing the new Gentech Web site, we wanted to know what customers wanted from the site, what they liked and disliked about the previous site and what they would like to see in the future. We developed a email questionnaire with the incentive those taking part could win an iPod touch. Needless to say this approach resulted in a lot of quality feedback from users which helped identify the objectives for the project.

We also pooled existing statistical data to make some interesting finds, for example over 30% of visitors to the Gentech site are using Internet Explorer 6.  Many other agencies have dropped support for this browser and many more do not even check for compatibility – this is because average use of IE6 is understood to be around 15%. However our specialisation at Cookies & Java is the engineering and manufacturing markets and we appreciate use of this browser in these industries is much higher.

Taking content management to the next level

Typical content management systems tend to allow administrators to make simple changes to basic pages, such as change text and add images. The limitation with these systems becomes apparent when you want to work with structured data such as product details, job listings, supplier directories etc the data needs to be kept organised, allow filtering and be indexed for searching. For Gentech we created a range of bespoke content types which are easily created and updated but also strictly controlled in how they appear to the customer.

Ongoing development

Now phase one of development is complete we have started work on developing further features on the site including a product finder tool and extranet facility.

TShirtLegends already had an ecommerce Web site using an off the shelf template. They felt they needed a distinct brand so Cookies & Java were tasked with the job of creating a new brand style and rolling this out onto the existing Web site framework.

To visit the site click here

These brochures were produced to give a quick product range overview, in addition to artwork we also produced all the photography shown including onsite shots and product close ups. Some new branding elements were introduced including a new landscape layout. The final print run consisted of English, American and German variants on a heavy weight silk laminated stock sent through a litho press.

Joey’s library technology blog has been getting very popular since we last mentioned it back in mid 2008. As a result she’s been networking at a lot of industry related conferences. There was a need for Joey to be able to pass on her social networking details so we created these business cards. The design is clean and reflects the branding of her blog site, they are a heavy stock card with a silk laminate which gives them a quality feel.

To visit her blog click here

The I Love My Tshirt Web site may look simple on the surface however underneath a clean easy to use single page interface is a bespoke custom tshirt designer and shopping cart system. I designed this Web site to embrance many of the elements that Web 2.0 style development has brought to modern Web sites. The site is bold and easy to use, more of an online application than a full site, making the customers process of designing their Tshirt fast and easy.

For the site I created a logo and basic brand style which had the right feel to fit in with the current popular sites, for this logo development I did a lot of study into the original I Love NY Tshirt design which allowed me to find the exact font used in the original.

The site itself consists of an intro page and custom tshirt page, the custom tshirt page processes text entered by the user capitalising, postioning and sizing it in the correct font and overlaying that onto a gender specific tshirt image to given an accurate visualisation of the finished article. The site then interfaces with the PayPal shopping cart system to allow purchasing of multiple items and a secure trusted credit card verification service.

To visit the site click here

Basic branding package for Cheshire Ideal, the client wanted a classy but contemporary brand plus letterhead and business card layouts.

Basic branding package for ESoftware Solutions, the client wanted a modern feeling rebrand plus letterhead and business card layouts.

Here is a Christmas card image we recently produced, the image features a Christmas tree made up of level sensors. This image was rendered in 3D based on manufacturing data supplied by the client.

Printed card

Here are some 3D renderings we recently produced for PR, catalogue and exhibition materials. The renderings show a range of AdBlue combined quality and level sensors that are about to go into production. The 3D data was supplied directly by the client which we added materials to and set up the shots.

We recently travelled up to Scotland to do some onsite photography. The client needed a variety of things doing including staff headshots, PR shots, product shots and product line shots. We also suggested taking a group shot while I was there. All was completed within the day.

All the equipment we use is transportable allowing us to setup a full studio environment with flash strobes and light boxes onsite.

Here are a few samples from the day.

We recently invested in some new studio equipment to take my product photography to the next level. Here are some samples from a recent shoot we did.

Susan Harriet is a very talented artist from the Midlands who sells fantastic acrylic paintings and prints of animal’s nature and people via her business Web of Colour. Susan approached me when she needed to take her business online and reach out to a much wider audience of potential buyers. Already having designed and built her own Web site she needed someone to integrate a shopping cart system into her design.

ECommerce used to be a costly and complex process often requiring the seller to involve their bank and a third party merchant to handle the transfer of money. The shopping cart system itself also used to be expensive and complex. However now the shopping cart business has become very competitive and there are many low cost, even free, options out there. When it comes to payment processing there are options out there for any size business, in this case Susan decided it was best to use PayPal which is widely accepted as a safe form of payment.

The Web of Colour Web site now holds all products in a database along with stock levels, section details, order details, or status and customer records. All payments are directed to PayPal and a response generated when the transaction is successful or fails. Also customers are notified via email as each part of the buying process completes.

The result is an eCommerce site which effectively runs itself allowing Susan to concentrate on her creative talents while her customers place orders.

WearAboutz is an innovative new entry to the GPS market who specialise in systems that help people keep track of important things in their life such as their car, pets and loved ones. I am very excited to be involved with the branding for this rapidly developing company and thought I’d give an update on that essential first call of branding, the company logo.

As I have mentioned before in other logo articles, I believe strongly that any established company should let their logo evolve and never alienate existing customers. In this case that was less of an issue however the existing logo was off to such a good start there was a lot to work with.

My initial concern when analysing an existing logo is how well it degrades in certain scenarios. Typically logos have to stand a lot design abuse, they need to be clearly read when printed small and one colour in the phone directory but still expand to vast sizes and multiple colours when used in exhibitions, signs and vehicle graphics. My main concern with this particular logo was the positioning of the two words ‘wear’ & ‘aboutz’, while the logo worked in full colour by using two different colours to define the words when converted to one colour there’s the danger customers would read it as a single complex word ‘wearaboutz’. My second concern was the use of gradient shading in the pin which can become a big problem when trying to recreate it as a sign or vinyl cut out.

What I did like though was the pin and the radio waves as this symbolises the products well, you attach them to something and they broadcast their position back to you, however the radio waves used could have been mistaken for a target.
Stage one was a creative dump of four extreme variations ranging from very corporate to friendly and then with some excellent feedback from the team we whittled down ideas and generated new ones. I do like it when a client can give genuinely creative input into a design and feel empowered to get the results they want by working with a designer.

Here is the resulting logo in full colour and shown in two mono variations. I think it’s great when a young company establishes a strong brand identity as early as possible and hope to show more from WearAboutz as their brand develops further.

A couple of years ago I bought a domain name for my girlfriend Joanne, my nickname for her is Joeyanne so I bought her www.joeyanne.co.uk which she was pleased with. She built a little web site about her which contained her CV on as she was looking for a job at the time. After a while she got into blogging and in June 2007 we installed a copy of WordPress onto her site she could blog away to her hearts content about her profession of librarianship, to make it unique she downloaded a theme on which we put a picture of some books and that was that.

After regularly adding good articles to her site its popularity grew and it became listed in the CILIP (Chartered Institute of Librarianship Professionals) newsletter. We recently analysed the statistics and found she was getting a regular 1500 visits a week. Of course getting lots of hits on your web site suddenly makes you self conscious, and you then want to look good, and when your boyfriend designs web sites for a living you can see where this is going.

Joey put together a very good brief consisting of sites, graphics and layouts she liked, she specified the font and the colours she wanted and handed it to me. The only issue we was she didn’t have any graphics to work from. The challenge for me was to scour the net for good free resources we could use.

Her brief requested a simple, easy to read, two column layout so my core focus was making the actual blog entries easy to read, after all these are the stars of the show. I worked around a centre aligned 900px wide layout.

She also likes icons so I went through my library and picked out the ones I felt worked best, I then modified these to fit in with her new theme.

While I was searching I stumbled upon a lovely bit of penguin clip art, Joey loves penguins so this made the perfect header image.

Another key element was the promotion of her RSS feed which broadcasts her latest posts to subscribers.  Joey has configured her blog to send out new items via email so I made up a little icon for this showing the RSS icon inside an envelope.

All that was left to do was to make a WordPress template from it which was a bit of a learning curve for me but once I knew all the code WordPress needed it didn’t take long to get her site up and running.

Joey is really pleased with the design and it has given her a new found confidence to promote the site even more and the feedback she’s had has been great. I think the ultimate compliment for me was when she explained she needed to move a couple of things around in the layout and was impressed with how clean the code was. I also made her a favicon and an ipod logo.