PR Media Blog goes live... part 1 of 3!

We're working on a series of projects for Staniforth, part of the TBWA group of companies. Staniforth are one of the leading PR companies in the UK and their PR Media Blog site runs a commentary on the PR and Media industry as it happens. It's a really popular site and the task for us was to bring it up to date whilst maintaining it's excellent positioning in Google and other SEO factors.

The next two launches we'll be doing are Staniforth's own web presence and their blog which will be covering different subject matter than the PR Media Blog of course.

The partnership between Preston's digital agency Interactive Dimension and Staniforth PR has been announced on How-Do and other online media blogs and signals a new set of opportunities for both companies.

Keep an eye out for the follow releases :-)

Time for something new!

We've just launched a new website in partnership with the great team at The Hub in Manchester supporting their 'This is Your Time' campaign.

As ever with the work we do with The Hub, we're extremely proud to be making a difference to people's lives rather than just commercial sites trying to sell something. We like those too, and are great at them, but the type of site which encourages people to better themselves or offers them the support they sorely need is rewarding on many other levels.

if you need a new website, get in touch with Preston based digital agency ID and talk to us about your requirements, we'd love to help.

Very nice site for Very Nice Things!

ID have just launched a new eCommerce site for Very Nice Things, an online retailer for all those lovely finishing touches on your home.

We've kept it really clean and simple, making it all about the products.

Very Nice Things is the brainchild of Emma Blackman and something she's been thinking about launching for some time.

We'd worked with Emma before and she knew working with ID the Preston based digital agency, she'd get excellent value for money and an eCommerce platform she can control herself easily and quickly to post new products as and when she gets them in stock.

The system has PayPal integration, top sellers, guest checkout, related products and all the features you'd expect from an online store.

We wish Very Nice Things great success and look forward to developing the site in the future with more new features as they are required.

Rewarding work? We like that!

We've just launched a new site http://www.the-last-time.co.uk in partnership with the lovely guys at The Hub in Manchester.

It's a blog based site with all the help you might need if you are trying to give up smoking in the Greenwich area. Along with the site we're running a highly targeted Facebook campaign also to drive visitors to the site.

There's something to be said for work which actually helps real people in real ways. We're very proud to do this type of work. Check it out, and if you're trying to give up the evil weed and you're based down south, hope it helps you!

A unique site for a unique event… Preston Guild 2012 website is live

As the countdown to Preston Guild 2012 starts to gather pace, the new website has been launched, created by Preston's digital agency Interactive Dimension.

The new website is closely integrated with social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter and will make it easier for users to have their say about events and announcements in the run up to the Guild.

The website will include information on volunteering to work on the Guild, opportunities to get involved and historical images from past guilds. People will have their photos featured on the site using Flickr, and there is a meet the team section so users can see who is working on coordinating the Guild and get in touch with them for more information. Street party packs will also be available which will help people to plan their own events for the Guild or even to celebrate the Royal wedding. It is also planned that the site will be used to sell Guild merchandise in the future.

Councillor Ken Hudson, Leader of Preston City Council and Chair of the Guild Committee, said: “The website is our international shop window for Preston Guild 2012.

“This is the first ever Preston Guild in the internet and digital world and we have to make the most of new technology. As well as finding a whole host of information about the Guild, people will be able to use the website to follow the Guild scrolls around the world, apply to be a Guild Burgess, register for one of the Guild processions and even buy 2012 Guild branded merchandise.

“I’m delighted that in the great enterprising and entrepreneurial spirit of Preston Guild, Interactive Dimension a dynamic Preston company has designed and created the website which will serve Preston well in 2012 and beyond.”



Jonny Wilde from ID commented - "This site was a major win for us, selected from a competitive pitch process we went in with ideas we'd not seen done before and an enthusiasm which obviously won the day! We're seamlessly integrating the site with the Facebook page so comments and attendees for each event are pulled into the site you can actually RSVP the event on the Guild site which will then let all your Facebook friends know, and of course this means the events themselves are fully synchronised. For us this was a perfect project to leverage Facebook for what it does best… People use it to talk about events and parties, get opinions about things and let people know what they are up to. The Guild will be all over Facebook in 2012, and we aim to make the official site the hub for that activity, it's a step change in how event sites should work in our opinion. There's also other cool bits like sms reminders, add to calendars, eNewsletters, video blogs, and all that good stuff. All the other social networks are catered for of course, but to some people moving forward Facebook is their 'social internet' so we really focussed on that".



The site will continue to be developed, including a mobile site and there's big plans to integrate Facebook Places and Deals for the Guild events…

Visit the site on www.prestonguild2012.com and check out what's coming up for Preston Guild 2012.

Google TV... the future?

Well, it's almost upon us... well actually it's been around a while, with Apple TV, Boxee, and even Microsoft Media Center etc. we've been able to get web content on that glowing eye magnet in the living room for quite some time.

But the rumors are that Google TV is going to make it mainstream.

Part of me thinks that they won't, because they seem to terminally fail at mainstream because of their lack of finesse in everything they do, Android included. It may be more feature laden and 'open' (ooooooh!), but it doesn't feel as nice as the iPhone, I'm sorry, but it's true. It's the stuff of geeks.

Search is search, they got that right, and shaped how we search moving forward. But that's not consumer-land... TV is.

So, slickness aside what will it actually mean?

I think one of two things:

1) It will open up a number of new things to do in your front room, quickly search for stuff, add apps to enhance your viewing, browse the web and more and it will be a TV revolution even greater than the BBC iPlayer OR...

2) It will throw normal viewing habits into disarray as you go from (albeit increasingly unstructured and poorly produced) professionally created content with some real gems there for you when you need them, to total un-organised chaos. Gone are the days when people were home at 7.00pm to watch Corrie, that comfort or life order has already ebbed away, and this could finish it off for good.

Will we all become 'randomers' because of it?

Will quality broadcasting be killed by rubbish web based content, just like journalism has been harmed by amateur blogs?

I don't know. But I'd rather have the TV programmes I have now and a Boxee Box or an Apple TV or my PS3 for the other stuff I think. The examples seem to suggest Google have actually employed a designer for the UI for once on Google TV! But I have a feeling that slickness is just smoke and mirrors, Google aren't slick. And they aren't Apple. But boy do they want to be!

Apple should make an iToilet for a laugh, Google would be on it in an instance (no pun intended)!

Preston Guild 2012 win for ID!

We've just heard we've been awarded the contract for the next phase of the Preston Guild 2012 website. Our proposals included some amazing social media integration, mobile sites and a excellent utilisation of the Guild 2012 brand developed by The Chase to make the most of the flexible and beautifully executed work they've done.

It was a competitive pitch which was thrown a googly by our Creative Director John having to speed home to his expecting wife who'd gone into labor! So it turned out to be a one man pitch, but it was great fun and we demonstrated our thorough understanding of the brief and bought new ideas and strategy to the table, as well as some beautiful calculated creative.

It's a tight schedule but we're committed to delivering the project and will all get behind it 100%.

More details will follow, and a proper release instead of this elated joyous 'just found out' type one!

Brazil mini site for Bodycote

As Bodycote (an ID client for some 15 years now) expands into new territories we support them with mini sites to announce the capabilities from Bodycote.com and to publicise the capability in the host country.

We've just released a small site for their Brazil business expansion, it's live on http://brazil.bodycote.com.

The global leaders in renewable energy solutions practise what they preach

ENER-G (www.energ.co.uk) based in Manchester, designs, develops and finances energy efficient and renewable solutions on a business-to-business basis globally. They deliver a comprehensive end-to-end service – from energy procurement and efficiency expertise through to renewable and low carbon technologies and services.

ID, the Preston based digital agency, have been working with ENER-G for over 5 years now and with their rebrand on the horizon and new requirements for the site it was time to re-scope and re-develop. Or so we all thought.

ENER-G had already invested in the initial website and CMS so the approach was planned to recycle the CMS and just develop new templates to represent and support the new brand. So in terms of renewable solutions this project delivered that promise always made when clients are looking at website development which is rarely delivered against. The site you buy will be able to be redesigned without having to buy a new website or starting from scratch.

There's been new features added to enhance the online presence for ENER-G like a jQuery hero area on the home page:


...and a deep linking SEO type footer which acts as a method of navigation when at the base of the page and highlights where the user is in the site. And obligatory social media sharing options handled by an AddThis widget:


A lovely jQuery based map of Europe helps promote their growing international portfolio via the CMS without getting caught in the messy Flash map scenario getting in the way of SEO and updatability:


And because this was ID's CMS in the first place coupled with our excellent development skills it didn't mean the system hindered the evolution of the site, which can happen with some CMS products. ENER-G could have exactly what they wanted.

ID created the online design after Happy Creative (www.happy-creative.co.uk) in Blackpool did an excellent job with the rebrand, having worked many times with 3rd party branding agencies and extending the clients brand online for the likes of United Utilities and BAE Systems this was an ideal project for Interactive Dimension.

"This is a demonstration of how important long term relationships are these days. 2nd and 3rd generation websites for clients is great for all involved, no need to get another agency up to speed and maximum cost effectiveness for the client and repeat revenue for the agency, it's a win-win situation for all.

"To top it all off, we're very happy with the site and feel it works well in our portfolio, they have a great team over there at ENER-G", said Jonny Wilde at ID.

You can have a look at the site on www.energ.co.uk.

New website from ID turns the spotlight on Preston

A new website promoting Preston as a modern, creative, innovative European city has gone live.

www.prestonvision.co.uk features links with popular social media such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Flickr, allowing Preston people to get involved in discussions about the planned transformation of their city over the next decade.

As well as expressing their views on current projects and initiatives featured on the site, the public can contribute videos and photographs which celebrate the area’s beauty, heritage and personality to help raise the city’s profile as part of the bid to attract investment.

The fresh, sleek, clean website was designed by Preston creative agency ID and commissioned by Preston Vision Ltd, the regeneration company which is driving forward proposals to transform the city.

Preston Vision’s head of marketing and communications Emma Blackman said: “The website is a key part of our strategy to market Preston in a comprehensive and far-reaching way, bringing together the city’s best attributes and proudly showing them off.

“Preston is a vibrant, compact city with fantastic transport links and a lot of personality, this website will give Preston a new platform to stand alongside it’s European counterparts, showcase development opportunities and highlight Preston’s strengths in sectors such as advanced manufacturing , knowledge and design.

“The website is fully integrated in terms of social media so that Preston people feel part of it and, most importantly, can contribute towards telling the world what a great place it is to live, work or visit - it’s a celebration of Preston. Feedback from local people about our proposals now and as the projects are rolled out is also crucial.

“These are potentially very exciting times for Preston and its people as the city positions itself as a 21st century centre of knowledge and innovation.

“We were delighted to find the creativity and technological expertise needed for our website right here in Preston with the ID creative agency.”

Strategic Account Director at ID Jonny Wilde said: “It’s been a privilege to work on such an important site for the City of Preston. The new brand was easy to work with, and the client was great!

“Integrating so much social media into the site means the community can contribute and that’s something we’re interested in observing, to see how the social media and website channels blend - it should be very interesting.

“We’re very pleased with the final product and have enjoyed the follow-on opportunities with Preston Vision such as exhibition systems and email marketing, it’s a great relationship, and one I’m confident will only grow over time as we work closely moving forward.”

The site was developed using ID’s content management system (CMS) with several enhancements such as:

- Social media integration, including Twitter (both account and search related feeds), Facebook, Flickr (particularly the header on the ‘Preston is Evolving’ page which is made up of images drawn from Preston photographers), YouTube, Delicious and LinkedIn

- Pages tailored in terms of colour and style according to the user journey

- RSS feeds from tourism and property sites are to be integrated making the site a hub of information for the whole of Preston

- Site map footer which acts as the breadcrumb trail highlighting where the user is on the site, and delivering great linking into the content of the site

- Newsletter subscription which feeds directly into the email marketing platform

The site is built with search engine optimisation (SEO) in mind and features SEO tools in the CMS and rich keywords all over the site giving natural search success, especially relevant to the recently launched Google Instant.

You can visit the site on www.prestonvision.co.uk.