happy-giraffe.com - News And Events

Lock up your kitchens - the Giraffes have been cooking up a storm!

After a rigorous morning of planning for the good ship Giraffe 2009, we donned our aprons for a team-building cooking challenge.

One grated fingernail later and we were the proud creators of a 3 course meal fit for a king!

Head chefs Kim, Ian and Alison got the chance to be bossy for a change and the rest of us learned that we really should be quiet once in a while!

We also learned that our personalities are not our fault - it's all down to what bodyshape we are!

Watch this space Gordon...

Hip hip hurray to us on our sixth birthday!

We celebrated our record breaking year in true giraffe style by enjoying some bespoke little birthday cakes washed down with a drop of bubbly!

Here's to the next six years...

Congratulations to David, Ian and assorted Giraffe associates who all completed yesterday's gruelling course in Birmingham's first-ever half-marathon.

Our boys came in at a fabulous 1:32:52 and 2:02:29 respectively, earning them both a much deserved medal and celebratory cup of tea and choc celebrations back at the office....

No prizes for guessing who ate all the best ones...?

Having delivered a successful rebrand to recruitment consultants Balfor, we're pleased to be working on their TV advert.

Starring the child models from Balfor's new-look literature, the ad translates the company's 'be whatever you want to be' message into moving imagery.

Balfor Recruitment includes divisions which specialise in Commercial, IT, Education, Social Care and Sales and Marketing.

The company wanted a new identity which would bring all of these departments together and reflect the company's brand values. The imagery needed to be innovative, fresh and versatile enough to be applied to a wide variety of media including stationery, brochure, web, internal signage, advertising templates etc.

Balfor required a solution which would appeal to both employers and potential recruits and chose Happy Giraffe to inject some fun into its marketing collateral.

"Happy Giraffe has developed a strong brand that clearly distinguishes us from our competitors," says Balfor's Darren Peck. "The move into TV advertising will be another giant leap towards an exciting future".

Having already produced two DVDs for Edutrust - the not-for-profit organisation which promotes excellence in schools - we were delighted when they sent us a third brief: to film, edit and deliver a DVD for Parkwood School, Sheffield.

The 6 minute film was produced as part of the consultation process to decide whether Parkwood should become one of the new Academies in the city. It will be shown at consultation events in the local community to promote the benefits of Parkwood School becoming an Academy, with particular focus on the Language and Sports specialisms which the school currently enjoys.

Having already seen evidence from previous projects, Edutrust not only liked our style, but knew we would complete the project on time and within budget. We did, of course...and the Head loves the DVD so much, he's sending it out to 1000 parents to convince them to vote for the school's proposed Academy status in a forthcoming ballot!

With 23 managed business centres (and more in various stage of planning) across the South and Midlands, Basepoint needed fresh brand imagery to convey the right messages to their target audiences.

Happy Giraffe developed a simple new graphic suite which translates equally well across stationery, brochures, signage and advertising.

Having successfully applied the new branding to Basepoint's printed literature it was time to add the iconic new 'B' logo to the company's website. Check out the nifty animation at www.basepoint.co.uk

Congratulations to our designer Ian and his long-suffering wife, Claire, on the safe arrival of their second son Joshua Reuben Hayes.

As little brother to 'the Samster' we are sure they will all be very happy - and tired!

We wish the growing Hayes household all the best...

Learning and Skills Council West Midlands has chosen happy Giraffe to manage a programme of employer events aimed at promoting Train to Gain.

The contract win follows a competitive tender process that saw Happy Giraffe bring its usual flair and innovative ideas to providing a complete event management solution to the LSC's requirements.

A series of three events will be held during April featuring 'real-life' business people who all know the value of investing in their staff. These include Adrian Moorhouse - former Olympic Gold Medallist Swimmer and now MD of the extremely successful Lane 4 Management; James Timpson - director of national key cutting and shoe repairers, Timpsons; and Karen Darby - serial entrepreneur who established consumer utility switching service, SimplySwitch, which she consequently sold in August 2006 to DMGT (Daily Mail & General Trust) for £22m.

Staffordshire-based property developer, Friel Homes, has chosen Happy Giraffe to oversee its marketing, advertising and communications for all current and future developments.

Founded in 1990, Friel Homes has established a reputation for high quality homes within Staffordshire, Shropshire and the West Midlands. Looking for a fresh approach, it chose Happy Giraffe for its injection of new ideas and ability to provide full marketing support.

The team at Happy Giraffe will be headed up by newly appointed senior account manager, Janie Rees Smith.

Friel Homes' developments vary from one bedroom apartments through barn conversions to luxury multi-bedroom/bathroom homes. It also has a specialist arm offering homes for those wanting quality and style in the over 55 market. Whatever the size, specification or location, a Friel Home is designed to cater for those who know better.
 

We're delighted to announce the appointment of Janie Rees Smith as senior account manager.

Joining us from WAA, Janie brings over ten years' marketing and communications experience gathered both client and agency-side from a range of well known names.

Janie will be heading up some of our major accounts and working with the team to bring her creativity and knowledge to the Happy mix. 

Happy Giraffe has been selected by The British Edutrust Foundation and Tribal Group to lead the communications programme for two Academies in Birmingham.

Winning the six-figure contract following a competitive pitch, Happy Giraffe is delighted to be working with Edutrust, a registered charity that will sponsor the two proposed Academies at The Heartlands High School and Shenley Court School.

Happy Giraffe's innovative approach to gaining the views of all stakeholders - including students, staff, parents and the local community - gave it the edge over other agencies.

An intensive programme of events, consultation documents and PR will be rolled out over the next four months in support of the consultation process. 

We've been busy helping Black Country teenagers paint a brighter future, coming up with branding for their own youth forum.

More than 40 young people from Walsall, Sandwell, Wolverhampton and Dudley, used 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire' style voting at an event run by Connexions and Happy Giraffe to agree the new name - Blank Kanvas.

Supported by the four Youth Services, Black Country Connexions and the Black Country Consortium, Blank Kanvas will be young people's opportunity to have their say on proposals, plans, projects and their priorities for the future across the Black Country.

Black Country Connexions Youth Forum member Duaa Farid, aged 15, from Walsall, said they had established four brand names to choose from and Blank Kanvas was the outright winner.

Ian Cruise-Taylor, Black Country Connexions chief executive, added: "Steering Group members have worked with Hagley-based design agency Happy Giraffe on branding for their network.

"We hope their enthusiasm and involvement in decision making through Blank Kanvas will help many young people paint a brighter future for themselves and the Black Country."

Gearing up for a return to action in the property market post-Christmas and New Year, Happy Giraffe has been working with Whitefire Group to get a complete marketing campaign in place for its latest development - The Horizon in Sheldon.

With 140 studio, one and two-bedroom apartments being launched onto the market at the beginning of March 2008, we've been busy working on branding, promotional materials and a HUGE hoarding. With a fantastic location on the main A45 Coventry Road we've got an excellent canvas on which to showcase the development and our creativity.

Check out www.the-horizon.co.uk for more info.

Lydia made a Happy and beautiful bride this weekend when she tied the knot with Andy and officially became Mrs Barber.

Congratulations to the happy couple who celebrated in style and took a well-deserved break in the Caribbean. We hope they get plenty of sun, sea and... oo er missus!

As Happy Giraffe turned five, we decided it shouldn't just be the team that got to celebrate.

We invited along a host of clients to join us at Bank in Birmingham at our latest Happy Friday event to mark the anniversary. A good time was had by all enjoying the good food and good wine.

It was a great excuse to celebrate a milestone birthday, our best year yet and new client wins all in one go!  

The Happy team took a night off to take in some culture at La Traviata performed at Birmingham's NIA.

The production transferred from the world-famous Arena di Verona - a 17,000 seat Roman amphitheatre - and promised to provide everything that the Happy team needs for a good night out - music, passion, money and sex!

A good night was had by all - although being seated towards the back of the auditorium made taking in the detail a little challenging. Plus we couldn't help but think that the lead tenor looked just like David Mitchell from BBC TV's Mitchell & Webb Show. Just goes to prove that you can lead a giraffe to culture but...

We've been helping client Basepoint celebrate the launch of its twentieth business centre in the UK and its first in the Midlands.

Basepoint Bromsgrove tenants mixed with local dignitaries, Basepoint management and key partners at a champagne reception to mark the official opening of the centre. BBC Midlands TV presenter Michael Collie gave some extra fizz to proceedings.

Boasting 80 self-contained units, ideal for starter and growth businesses, Basepoint Bromsgrove has already let over half of the available space. Happy Giraffe's PR campaign targeting local, regional and business-related  press is providing an added boost to enquiry number for the remaining units. 

For more info: www.basepoint.co.uk

Happy Giraffe has teamed up with Birmingham's Custard factory to promote its latest venture - a brand new Sunday street market.

Taking place on Sundays  from 11am the Sunday FLEA (For Linking Enterprise with Art) is being described as unique to Birmingham. Happy Giraffe has been busy plugging it with local papers, magazines and online listings to ensure everyone knows how to spend the perfect Sunday afternoon.

"Birmingham has a long tradition of markets," says the Custard Factory's Dave Peebles. "The FLEA brings the tradition right up to date. It's a mixture of the bizarre and the beautiful with the chance to pick up a bargain or simply enjoy the free entertainment."

The weekly market features hand-picked artists, designers, manufacturers and craftspeople who will sell direct to the public. Street entertainers, children's activities, films and food will be part of the weekly attraction too.

The Custard Factory, in Heath Mill Lane, Digbeth, is at the heart of the regeneration of Eastside as Birmingham's 'Creative Quarter'.

For more information, visitors and potential stall holders should contact the FLEA's organiser, David, on 07775 798481.

The Summer of Love came to Birmingham on Friday 31 August. Jewellery Quarter-based St Paul's Gallery hosted an exclusive exhibition of pionnering psychedelic photographer Karl Ferris' work, whose photos graced the covers of albums for Jimi Hendrix, Donovan and The Hollies to name a few.

Happy Giraffe gave the whole event a big push with promotion and PR support, including a competition supported by our client Birminghamusic.com for young photographers from Birmingham taking photos of bands and musicians.

The VIP launch show saw famous names and faces including performances by Donovan and the star of the show himself, Karl Ferris. You might say there was a lot love in the gallery that night! 

On until 6 October 2007.  See: www.stpaulsgallery.com

Happy Giraffe has revved up to help out a Midlands-based charity. Baby Lifeline has found itself at a loose end having lost an advertising sponsor only a month before one of the biggest fund raising events in the charity's 25-year history.

It is the nominated charity for Cannonball 8000 - Europe's premier non-professional rally event taking place between September 14th and 16th. Around 155 cars will race through seven countries in three days raising in excess of £1million for various charities.

Entering the spirit of the race, Baby Lifeline has managed to secure a car generously supplied by Lexus Birmingham and a driving team that includes West Midlands Police driver trainers, sergeants Craig Coles and Ned Kelly, along with BBC Midlands television presenter, Ashley Blake. It hoped to raise another £25,000 from sponsors on the livery of the car.

Now disaster has struck and the sponsor has had to pull out. So Happy Giraffe has stepped in to try give the appeal an extra boost. Anyone wishing to find out more should visit: www.babylifeline.org.uk 

As part of our PR support to Birminghamusic.com, Happy Giraffe has gone psychedelic man!

St Paul's Gallery, in the heart of Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter, is playing host to an exhibition by renowned psychedelic rock photographer Karl Ferris. Birminghamusic.com is sponsoring a competition that will allow fresh young  photographers to exhibit their work showcasing local musical talent alongside the master.

Karl's photographs captured the spirit of The Summer of Love in 1967 when they appeared on album covers for the likes of The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Beatles and Donovan. His influential work can be seen at St Paul's Gallery from 1 September to 6th October 2007.

Competition details: www.birminghamusic.com

Exhibition details: www.stpaulsgallery.com

Basepoint plc - the purpose-built managed business centre company - has selected Happy Giraffe as its marketing partner for the launch of its latest centres in Bromsgrove, Ipswich and Exeter.

With 20 centres across the South and the Midlands, Basepoint is the fastest growing managed business centre operator in the UK. Happy Giraffe will be providing creative ideas and campaign delivery to attract new tenants to its offices and workshops at the new centres.

Visit: www.basepoint.co.uk for more information on a centre near you. 

Our MD broke free of the office to spend the day with 150 Year 10 students from Wolverhampton at the Visible Women Conference.

It was a real case of girl power at the event held on 6 July at The Molineux in Wolverhampton, as career women from all walks of life worked with female students to give them an insight into different vocations.

Heidi was asked to be keynote speaker and explained the background to Happy Giraffe, some of our more off-the-wall marketing techniques (adopting giraffes, sending out stress giraffes in inflatable packages, etc) and a whistle-stop explanation of a career in marketing.

Danielle from the Happy team acted as a judge in a Dragon's Den-style competition in the afternoon and we even managed to get our work experience student, Samantha from Willingsworth High School, in on the act. A great day was had by all!  Congratulations to Wolverhampton EBP on the event.

Happy Giraffe has once again been awarded approved supplier status to Business Link across the West Midlands.

With a total restructure of the Business Link organisation in the region, the supplier register has been updated to ensure the quality and record of all companies approved to work with both start-up, growth and established businesses.

Happy Giraffe works with a wide variety of clients, helping them build their brands and customer bases. Get in touch with us to find out more.

Congratulations to our very own speedy giraffe, Lydia, who successfully completed the 5k Race for Life in Worcester on Sunday.

She overcame the heat and the crowds to run the route and raise at least £250 for Cancer Research in the process. If you want to boost her total for a very worthy cause please visit: www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/lydiamalpass

Happy Giraffe has won a prestigious international online award recognising outstanding work in the communications field run by Portfolio.com.

Entries to the competition were judged by industry professionals who look for talent that exceeds a high standard of excellence and work that serves as a benchmark for the industry. 

Two brand identities created by Happy Giraffe for clients were selected against entrants from around the world.

An exciting new brand translated into a range of stationery and literature for national construction consultancy McCreadies was presented a bronze award in the Graphic Design category

In the same category we received a merit award for an identity developed for IT recruitment specialists, Keyman.

To find out more visit www.portfolios.com where winners will be posted from the first week of June.

If you would like to find out how we can create award winning designs for you just get in touch!

Happy Giraffe has performed some impressive transformations for clients' images in the past but turning them into superheroes is a first, even for us!

Birmingham-based IT specialist, Solutions 4 IT, turned to Happy Giraffe when it wanted something new to raise its profile and generate new business. The result saw the whole team dressed as superheroes for an intensive campaign taking in direct mailing, telemarketing and PR.

So successful was the campaign, that not only has business been won but also awards. Directors Mat Horan and Andy Fletcher were named Young Entrepreneurs of the Year by Black Country Chamber after Happy Giraffe's promotional campaign.

Staffordshire-based home builder, Fresh Space, has chosen Happy Giraffe to be its marketing partner.

With distinctive developments across the region, Fresh Space is one of the country's most exciting young development companies. It specialises in creating homes that people aspire to, focusing both on the design and styling as well as build quality.

Following a competitive tender process, Happy Giraffe was selected to work with Fresh Space to enhance its brand and promote individual developments through graphic design, PR, advertising and direct marketing.

This is an exciting new account for us and we look forward to helping Fresh Space continue to build its profile and reputation!

See www.fresh-space.com for more information on the developments underway.

Jobsworth Recruitment and Selection Limited has chosen Happy Giraffe to spearhead its marketing and brand development.

The fast growing recruitment specialist has eight offices across the Midlands including its headquarters in Halesowen and its latest branch in Tewkesbury. The Happy Giraffe team will be working with Jobsworth's senior management team to refresh the company's brand, produce an exciting new range of literature and help reflect the company's success to date in its promotion.

We're excited to welcome the latest new member of staff to the Happy team. Kim Sibley will be bringing yet more creativity to the design studio as graphic designer.

With degrees in illustration and graphic and media design as well as four years' agency experience, Kim will be working on a full range of branding and design projects for clients alongside our account management team.

Originally hailing from Brighton (having attended the same school as our MD - no nepotism there then!), she previously worked for leading design and packaging agencies in Cheltenham.  

We're very excited by our funky new website. We hope you are too!

Hopefully, you'll find lots of new and interesting stuff to keep you entertained for a while. We always like to hear from you, so get in touch to give us any feedback by clicking here.

If you've not discovered it already, have some fun changing the colours using the colour bar at the top left of the page. Go on! Good isn't it?

There's nothing like starting the year on a positive note. And that's exactly what we've done by welcoming Lydia Malpass on board as office administrator.

We're all looking forward to being far more organised under her guiding hand. Lydia is extremely qualified in being organised and efficient - both in her previous roles as office administrator and her home life of managing seven-year olds twins, a husband, step children, two dogs and two ferrets.

As if all that wasn't enough, Lydia also has a degree in design and 3D design so brings a large dose of creativity to all she does.  

Just to prove that life should be all about fun, Happy Giraffe has won a contract with Wow! Stuff to work on the branding for a new range of games and puzzles.

Wow! Stuff is a one-stop gadgets and gifts solution provider with an impressive range of products retailed under own label or license - including the Science Museum and Giftology collections.

We've been drafted in to work up creative concepts and branding for an exciting new range being showcased at an international trade fayre in Hong Kong with a planned launch in 2007. So we'll be busy playing games and being creative in the coming weeks!

Happy Giraffe has been awarded a prestigious contract with Connexions Black Country leading the marketing drive for a new national pilot initiative, Learning Agreements.

The contract will see Happy Giraffe developing the campaign themes, undertaking bespoke photography, creating direct mailing pieces, building a dedicated website and producing both online and offline advertising. It won the competitive pitch based on its concept of LA Life - focusing on young people's aspirations in life being met in part through Learning Agreements.

Aimed at offering 16 and 17 year olds working or living in the Black Country free training, the contract has some challenging targets that the Happy Team is looking forward to getting to grips with.

More info: www.la-life.co.uk 

Another glorious day of sunshine, food and good company was enjoyed by all at the Happy Giraffe Annual Pinic. Held at West Midlands Safari Park, over 80 of our clients, partners and suppliers and their families got to meet Marmalade, our giraffe.

Highlight of the afternoon - following the face painting, BBQ, cake,a kamikaze goose (you had to be there!) and safari park tours - was meeting Lenny, the 12-week old lion club. Everyone, including grown men usually unmoved by such moments, were seen queuing up to meet our little guest - he totally stole the show.

Looking forward to the next one already!

Happy Giraffe is an award winning agency (again) - it's official! We came away with more than we bargained for, having enjoyed a team night out at the Black Country Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet and Awards.

We were runners up in the Best Use of Technology category for our innovative Marketing Brief tool and Heidi was winner of the Young Professional of the Year. Some nifty dance moves ensued in the bar afterwards but we all managed to finish the night without too much disgrace and with our awards in tow! 

A nervous looking Sir Digby Jones was photographed presenting our MD with her award.

We're pleased to announce that the Happy Team has grown once more. Ian Hayes has joined us as graphic designer. With 12-years' agency and print experience behind him (working with some impressive names such as DTZ, Bass Taverns and Lucas) we're sure that Ian will be adding a certain creative zest to the Happy office!

Happy Giraffe has been picked by a brand new online service, boGGle, to develop its brand, marketing strategy and campaigns for launch in January 2007.

A fantastic new concept aimed at people with big ideas for products, services or business ventures, it aims to help measure the potential for those ideas to be a success and make money. Any ideas that look like real winners will be given a helping hand all the way to market - with boGGle providing the time, money and know-how to get it there.