Intelligent Naivety

“Partnerships, especially between organisations that have different commercial objectives, but have a similar customer profile and ethos, are so important in today’s marketplace. Both partner’s brands must be strong and must carry weight in their own way, but there is no need for brand equality, just brand quality. Both parties must open their minds and say ‘Ah – that is possible!’ Culture needs commerce and Commerce needs culture. It is simple really.” Mike Walton, Head of Training, London Transport Museum

Posted in Product Development

Wells Bombardier has just confirmed its second year as the official beer of English Heritage and the supporting website has a raft of activities for the time-rich to test quite how English they are. Is it just me, or does anyone else find the pictures of England (user generated content) … Read more

Posted in Digital Marketing, Product Development

A manually-operated wooden railway crossing which marked the gateway to the genteel Essex seaside resort of Frinton-on-Sea has been ripped out under cover of darkness by railway authorities.

In a move branded “cowardly” by campaigners who wanted to keep them, the 19th-century railway gates were demolished at about 2am … Read more

Posted in Commercial Innovations

We are losing some of the IN editorial team next week - they’re going on a selfless mission to Milano for the annual Salone Internazionale del Mobile furniture fair. Although we love posh tables, what we really love the growing list of cultural events that comprise the fair fringe - … Read more

Posted in Product Development

In a strange but somehow very satisfying example of how the digital era sometimes brings things full circle, one of the world’s oldest novels has just become one of the newest.

“The Tale of Genji,” an 11th-century Japanese romp that is sometimes called the first true novel, is among about … Read more

Posted in Digital Marketing

The Royal Festival Hall has never seen anything quite like it: thousands swarming through its doors to listen to a rehearsal — and one by an amateur orchestra at that. Yet as its fanatical supporters would testify, the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra (SBYO) is not just another group of part-timers … Read more

Posted in Commercial Innovations, Digital Marketing

Check out the online store inventory for the new art concept Partners & Spade Store.

Posted in Retail Trends

ArtAngel is producing ‘Life Class: Today’s Nude’ in an effort to re-popularise figurative art and introduce the viewing nation to life drawing classes in the comfort of ther own home. The five-part series, to be shown on Channel 4 this July, will be shown before 6pm and includes … Read more

Posted in Commercial Innovations

Reading material in Crawley’s brand new library building is not restricted to the pages of the books on its shelves, thanks to a series of typographic tree sculptures created by artist Gordon Young and a team of collaborators that includes design studio Why Not Associates…

The striking, cracked trees, 14 in … Read more

Posted in Commercial Innovations

With all the doom and gloom hovering over publishing, it’s easy to miss the bright spots on the horizon. One of the more promising trends of recent years has been book trailers. If you’re rereading that sentence and scratching your head, you’re not alone; but while the earliest of these … Read more

Posted in Commercial Innovations, Digital Marketing

Before we visit the Walt Disney Museum, we’re doing a short trip to Poland to stay in the concept-hotel-come-installation-come-participatory-digital-art-experince, BlowUp5050. The hotel comes equipped with the usual rooms, beds and mini-bars (a hotel without those might be one concept too far), however it’s built around a focal installation by … Read more

Posted in Commercial Innovations

Birmingham City Council presented design concepts for the new £193 million Birmingham City Library by internationally acclaimed Dutch architects Mecanoo Architecten. Really liked the bold and enlightened stance they’ve taken: “Despite the global economic slowdown… The new Library of Birmingham will be an iconic landmark, and a testament to the … Read more

Posted in Commercial Innovations