Creative Director,
Blue Marlin, Bath, UK
Chris is Creative Director at Blue Marlin, Bath.
He takes a very strategic approach to creativity. Passionate about craft and a highly talented conceptual thinker, he couples intense attention to detail with the long view and big picture understanding of brands and branding.
His favourite projects span global spirits brands and small-scale artisan products, from Smirnoff and Johnnie Walker to Hiho and Pukka Pies.
Blue Marlin is all about Landing Big Ideas. The consultancy harnesses the energy of ideas for clients by building a deep understanding of their brands, their competitive context and how they connect with target audiences. A liberal dose of commercial nous and creative spark are then applied to bring these brands to life.
Recent clients include Unilever, Cadbury, GSK, Shell and Sainsbury’s.
Did you know that Coca-Cola or a Coke-owned drink is the market leading soft drink in every country in the world except one? I didn’t until last week, when I saw The Secrets of the Superbrands on BBC3. Scotland is the only market not to have succumbed to the American elixir.
According to research by Mobio Systems, QR usage has grown by 4549 per cent in the last year. And the biggest user group is not as you might expect. Some 71 per cent of QR code scanners are 25-54 and the largest segment is in the 35-44 year old age group.
Packaging reduction won’t make you famous. But everyone in the design community has a duty to try to lessen the environmental impact of our activities.
International markets give designers a wonderful workout; getting them to bend and stretch in all sorts of ways that just wouldn’t occur on home ground.
No doubt, Apple's apps seem to become a new medium for brands with an official launch of the long-awaited iAd platform for mobile and "tablet" advertising. The "smart" future gets closer—you may receive comprehensive information in one intergated brand...
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Starbucks Canada is asking Canadians to join them to "Pledge to do some Green" this summer as part of the company’s support for Evergreen’s stewardship and restoration program, which brings people together with nature to restore, protect and steward public green spaces across...
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“For an average consumer the value of branding is down to making the right choice”

Sara Jones, Creative Director at brand development and packaging design agency Anthem Worldwide, shares her round up of the top five print innovations, which have the potential to create real standout, as long as they’re used to enhance –- rather than ‘be’ -- the brand idea.
If you had to choose the ultimate business super power, what would it be? Big budgets, global reach, an innovation pipeline full to bursting, a PR machine capable of generating positive press 24/7? Without hesitation, I answered “agility.”
Cheryl Swanson, Head of Toniq, once again explores the consumer trends for different age groups in the USA.
Before we had Apple Macs, Photoshop and a myriad of other programmes, design centered on tradition and craftsmanship, on the physical and the tactile. Yet now, we see the worlds of digital design and physical craftsmanship joining to create new expressions and celebrations of the power of making.
There’s a natural relationship between the style of our daily surroundings and how we feel. A great space can make us feel better, more hopeful and even more productive. And we often use our own space to express a vision of ourselves.


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