We have just had the packaging back from Mushroom and Co the ethical children’s toy retailer and have to say we are very pleased with the results. Foundry34 have been working on a complete rebrand for the company over the last few months and developed a wide range of branded material and digital work, including brand identity, packaging, presentation materials, advertising and ecommerce store. They have just returned from several trade shows and we think the 100% natural rubber, hand painted toys are going to go down very well. We will be getting more images of the work onto our folio pages over the coming weeks.

Although those involved in advertising or marketing in any way be it digital, print or TV are usually tarred with the same brush of being greedy, sordid and manipulative it is by and large unfair. Although being sordid does sound interesting, Foundry34 along with many other creative agencies see themselves as communicators, finding out what drives people and makes them tick. This does cover what drives people to buy but extends much further into the behaviour and expectations of how they understand and relate. At any one time there are a multitude of factors affecting and defining individuals and societies, how they act and interact with the world, typically being environment, the economy, technology and politics:-

Environment
The environment will be a greater and greater issue over the next decade, once the impacts really start to hit home it is likely to become less of a political or fashionable issue and more one of pragmatics- how do we cope with the situation, how do we move things forward. The West (and increasingly the East) isn’t suddenly going to stop driving cars and go back to more simple existence, and even the fabled Jeremy Clarkson ‘so fuck’ ethic isn’t really an option.

image from: green.autoblog.com

Prediction: We predict and hope that businesses (including ourselves), consumers, politicians and society as a whole will actually start to make realistic changes and get themselves into gear. Just give us a pair of trainers that doesn’t involve suffering and sweatshops and a way to travel that doesn’t mean melting the icecaps without looking like a knitted sweater wearing hippie and we’ll all be happy. Really is it so hard?

Economy
The whole world is still reeling from the financial crisis; greed and fear are not new concepts just the scale and of the deception that, apart from the very real devastation felt by many, makes the average person feel like they have been taken for a mug. Scenario:- you give us your money after all you cannot be paid, get benefits or buy anything significant without a bank account. Then we will promptly pay ourselves huge bonuses and gamble your money like we are on a boy’s night out at the casino. Most politicians and supposed advisors will just ignore it then, when the shit hits the fan, you can bail us out. After your bail out we will go back to normal, pay ourselves huge bonuses again, pay huge court expenses so we can charge you unfair fees then leave you with the cleanup bill in public service cuts, closures of libraries and public facilities. (Is it just us but does the solution of borrowing shed loads, then printing money (as long as you call it something technical like quantative easing) sound not like the thoughts of a supposed economic genius but like a five year old playing Monopoly? Sorry they are much more sophisticated than that.)

image from: telegraph.co.uk

Prediction: Bah humbug.

Technology
Technology can change the way we think and store and process information. Whereas in the past people would take great pride in remembering facts and dates and base an education system on these skills, we now have Google and the internet at our fingertips and we place more emphasis in relating pieces of information, scanning and cross-referencing. In a radio report Radio 4 showed how the actual physiology can change in line with the dominant learning method. Just like a muscle being trained the brain develops in a certain pattern.

image from: howies.co.uk

Prediction: Past technologies have been historically geared to travelling and exploration whereas in its current form it seems to be more about information and self-exploration. We predict that apart from environmentally focussed technologies people may move beyond the screen and keyboard- and look for new ways to be involved in real experiences- just how many times can you tweet before you get bored of the ramblings of a self-obsessed couch potato? We love the Howies T-shirt range log off (send free samples to Foundry34 Ltd.) turn off the TV and do something more interesting instead.

Politics
In the UK we have voter apathy and in the rest of the world we have politically motivated murders. How do we find ourselves in the situation where many more people are interested in X-factor than in elections? The problem was already rife but the expenses scandal can hardly have helped (see previous paragraph- being taken for a mug). What survive on our wage? What we really need to use taxpayer’s money for is lining our pockets, for duck ponds and porn videos (at least the porn was funny; the rest was just a poke in the eye for anyone that is an honest hardworking person). I think many politicians, bankers and footballers have been having secret meetings – yes unless we pay six-figure bonuses we are never going to get the top guys, the ones really at the top of their game- what and where is this planet they are living on?

image from: telegraph.co.uk

Prediction: Any politician that shows themselves to be honest, not to be cheating on their wife/husband and treat people as people not just a bunch of muppet voters is definitely the next prime minister.

None of us can escape the downturn in the economy and the effects have rippled through all areas of society. One of the most likely victims of this downturn is the environment and environmental products. A huge growth industry just a few years back, organic food market sales have plummeted, government schemes such as the car scrappage scheme may have been green-washed but no-one is fooled by the environmental claims of taking polluting cars off the road (drivers getting an average 5mpg more than their previous car are not likely to balance the cradle to grave CO2 of building a new car). The bottom line is that it seems in a crisis in the economy the environment doesn’t matter.

The root of the problem seems to be that making products and services more efficient, less polluting, better for health and the environment seems portrayed as a lifestyle choice rather than a system, engineering or technical problem that needs to be corrected- an inefficiency just like any other.  It seems that when it comes to the environment, the mantra is do whatever now- worry about it later- one very similar to the one that has created the current mess we are in.

There are however a few bright lights in all the doom and gloom. Research has shown that around half of new graduates claim they would rather take a job with a company with a better ethical position than a better-paid non-ethical role, with nearly 80% of graduates stating they would not work for any company with a poor ethical record. Although those fresh out of education may suffer a little of an ivory tower syndrome, new graduates and young people are the future of our businesses, it seems as well as brining fresh ideas to the table they will also bring fresh demands about how company’s conduct themselves and  the services and products they offer. Considering the behaviour that has brought this economic crisis about, changes from the bottom up can be no bad thing