First work for D&AD

It's a pleasure to announce my first little job for D&AD. I'm currently working with Hat-trick on promoting D&AD Xchange - the two-day event for lecturers and tutors in design and advertising.

Naturally I'm very chuffed to be working with such a prestigious name. I've even found it in myself to forgive all those overlooked awards entries.

Look out for the new Xchange stuff appearing soon...

Making a noise for Bowers & Wilkins

One of this month's nicest surprises was a referral from designer Thomas Manss to his client Bowers & Wilkins, makers of probably the finest loudspeakers in the world. Their astonishing Nautilus speaker (shown here), the result of five years' research and development, is certainly the most amazing-looking speaker I've ever seen.

The company, which has been going since the mid-60s, is one of those wonderfully artisan businesses. One that really is founded on a 'passion' - surely the most over-used word in branding today.

This particular passion is genuine, however. It's a passion for music. And in getting to know the client, I discovered that the business was founded on the fruits of that passion.

John Bowers, a former wartime Signalman, turned to making loudspeakers for customers of his electrical store. And one elderly customer, a Miss Knight, was so impressed with his handiwork, and his knowledge of classical music, that she left him £10,000 to start a business.

Isn't that a terrific story? One hears about 'brand stories' a lot these days, and some people seem to think it's even a good idea to make them up. I can't quite get my head around that - I'm not sure I could get excited about a company based on a fiction. But a company rooted in its own craft and love - now you're talking.

Anyway, the first job has gone very well - I've written the copy for an interactive pod at the forthcoming Geneva motor show. Bowers & Wilkins is making its first foray into in-car audio, alongside another great British brand: Jaguar. I seem to have come on board at an exciting time, so I'll hopefully have more news of Bowers & Wilkins work soon.

First major project for Fabris Lane

It's official: this website works. When Andy Lipscombe of Fabris Lane - the UK's leading sunglasses manufacturer - was looking for a writer, he found my site. And now here I am, starting a major online business-to-business project for the company.

I've already completed a potted company history, a smaller job that allowed us to get to know each other, and for me to get under the skin of the brand and develop a suitable tone of voice. With that done, we're now rolling the tone of voice out into this new website.

Until it's made public, I can't really go into detail, but it has meant a fascinating trip to the company's testing lab, which is a sort of torture chamber for sunglasses. They bend them, twist them, freeze them, heat them up, fire ball bearings at them - even coat them in a synthetic sweat solution. All to make sure they won't get damaged by anything you do to them as the owner. (Well, within reason.) It was, if you'll excuse the pun, quite an eye-opener.

Watch out for more news - and a link to the finished site - in a few weeks.