Category Archives: Photography

Street type

By tim | Published: 22/04/2013

a lovely exercise that helps to sharpen your eye, and your thinking, about the designed world around you.

Also posted in Advertising, Design, Graffiti, London, Tone of voice, Typography, Writing | Leave a comment

All aboard

By Patrick | Published: 05/10/2012

Depending on where you find yourself in New York City, outdoor chess is almost certainly available within 15 to 20 minutes.

Also posted in Design, History, New York City, Travel, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Responses

Noisy perfection

By tom | Published: 26/09/2012

I am sitting in the Bodleian Library with Dr Christopher Fletcher, a Fellow of Exeter College, member of the English Faculty and Keeper of Special Collections. On the table between us is a yellowing manuscript of translucent pages inscribed with a neat copperplate script in brown ink. It is the autograph draft manuscript of The [...]

Also posted in Art, Authors, Books, Brand, Business, Campaigning, Copy analysis, Education, Families, Free speech, History, Politics, Reading, Storytelling, Writing | 3 Responses

The noise of waters

By tim | Published: 25/07/2012

The Thames Water van was on a street nearby. ‘We love water’ suggests these providers of London-based aquatic solutions are making a noble effort to sound friendly and engaging.

Also posted in Brand, Business, Copy analysis, Jargon, London, Plain English, Tone of voice, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Responses

You’re only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!

By tom | Published: 09/07/2012

Just back from touring Italy with The Ham and Cheese Company – part of the breakaway faction from Borough Market now trading in Spa Terminus – Bermondsey. We travelled from Bologna to Parma to Siena to Roma meeting people whose lives revolve around making marvellous food. The idiosyncratic hams and cheeses we sampled along the [...]

Also posted in Advertising, Art, Campaigning, Design, Education, Families, Food, Health, History, Poetry, Politics, Science, Storytelling, Writing | 14 Responses

Hoxton Bienniale

By tom | Published: 13/02/2012

Just recovering from the launch party of the 5th Hoxton Biennale. The months of preparation are as exhausting as they are exhilarating, but it’s worth all the effort when I see the streets, cafes, bars, galleries and public buildings filling with heart-stopping works of staggering genius.

Also posted in Art, Jargon, London, Tone of voice, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 1 Response

Consider yourself at home

By tim | Published: 16/12/2011

This is one of my favourite customer service signs, complete with seasonal make-over. You’ll find it in Gaddis & Co, in Luxor, Egypt.

Also posted in Brand, Business, History, Tone of voice, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Response

Random Spectacular

By tim | Published: 14/12/2011

Spitalfields Life is an important counter-argument to the ridiculous but common notion that people don’t like to read online.

Also posted in Attention span, Authors, Design, London, Magazines, Reading, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Responses

WORDSTOCK – One Amazing Day

By tom | Published: 14/10/2011

WORDSTOCK began as a twinkle in our collective eyes at a 26 Board meeting: Could it be possible to attract 70 people who are mad about writing and communications to a wordstorming Saturday somewhere in central London? And if so, who so, where so, when so? Approaching likely punters was the easy bit because 26 [...]

Also posted in 26, Art, Authors, Books, Brand, Business, Campaigning, Copy analysis, Design, Food, Free speech, Graffiti, History, Jargon, Letters, London, Magazines, Poetry, Reading, Storytelling, Tone of voice, Workshops, Writing | 5 Responses

A brief sunshine

By tim | Published: 30/08/2011

So, the installation you can see in the image above is by Joseph Kosuth, and you’ll find it in Southwark. The words are from the closing chapter of Charles Dickens’ The Pickwick Papers.

Also posted in Art, Design, History, London, Storytelling, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Response