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Inspiration / DesignStudio — Manifesto

Rych at Design Studio (featured earlier this year) sent us their latest video as part of their manifesto. The short promotional video highlights sections of this manifesto and a gives us glimpse into the inner workings of the studio.

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Author: Glenn
Posted: 2nd November 2009
Comment feed: RSS 2.0
Filed as: Agencies Design Motion

Liked that? Try these:

What do you think?

David
2nd Nov 2009
1:22 pm

The single most vomit-inducing thing I’ve ever seen.

Malcolm
2nd Nov 2009
2:30 pm

I wanted to create a promo video for http://www.82mm.com but would hope that it wouldnt be vomit inducing! lol

Rich
2nd Nov 2009
3:39 pm

David, have you ever seen 2 girls 1 cup?

John
2nd Nov 2009
4:02 pm

WOW! Look how cool we are with our fixed gear bikes, check shirts, macs, trendy specs and comfortable chairs. We\’ve even got like a book shelf full of books about design and stuff!
Just felt a bit cringe worthy in my opinion

daz
2nd Nov 2009
4:35 pm

whats the track

Lynsey
2nd Nov 2009
6:37 pm

Rich, where is the Smiths soundtrack?

roger
2nd Nov 2009
6:45 pm

i\’m sure there is good thinking behind the manifesto
and good business sense in making the video
hell, I ride a fixed gear, use a mac and occasionally wear checked shirts, I even have glasses…
but OMG that was hard to watch.
blurg.

Luke
2nd Nov 2009
6:54 pm

Hi Daz, the track is Air & Lack Thereof by James Blake

Craig
2nd Nov 2009
7:08 pm

these guys have too much time on their hands!

character1
2nd Nov 2009
7:24 pm

All looked a bit dry and serious to me – vomit inducing might be a bit harsh though!

Derek
2nd Nov 2009
7:28 pm

I want my 2:08 back. Seriously, no perspective client will sit through this entire video. Congratulations, you have captured what every other office looks like when they’re working. Whoop-de-freaking-do. Move along people nothing to see here.

Daniel
2nd Nov 2009
7:36 pm

I wanted to like it but it is very, very pretentious. If I were a client I’d be totally put off, but if that’s the look/attitude they want to convey, good on them.

I thought Pod1’s “office video” was very good, just because it looks just a bit grim: burnt toast, fingerprints all over the screens, fags being stamped out, papers all over the place… I’d definitely trust them to make a good website!

http://www.pod1.com/who-we-are

If they just get rid of those damn fixies from the beginning it’d be 30% better – fixies are not impressive or clever: everyone has one (including me).

Greig
2nd Nov 2009
7:55 pm

I think people are being a bit harsh. Its a lovely website and nice looking work from what I can see so far. I agree that the video is pretty ’stereotypically designer’ but to a potential client this probably looks like just the ‘cool and different’ place they would want to be seen to work with. Also credit for trying something a bit different by using video, I like the video flick through of Centrefold04 and also the on-press stuff works well. If anything my only criticism is that its almost too good, a bit too clean and well shot. Apart from that, good luck to them.

Conor
2nd Nov 2009
8:02 pm

No need for so much hating, can’t see any real problem with it. Its not that bad.

roger
2nd Nov 2009
8:33 pm

I like their work and site too. and the use of video.
but this one was a touch vomitistical – y’gotta admit.

Rydo
2nd Nov 2009
9:08 pm

I’m with you Greig, a few stereotypical references in there perhaps — but all in all I think it’s alright. I can definitely see clients responding positively to it, because there’s not a lot of graphic design studios with self promo films out there at the moment. So, love it or hate it, it’s a differentiating factor and it will be a point of general interest. It’s certainly got people on here talking! Oh… and I quite like the way it’s shot too: nice framing & close ups.

Edward
2nd Nov 2009
9:24 pm

Yawn……….

Ryan
2nd Nov 2009
11:11 pm

Is this what they listen to in the studio I wonder. A bit off putting.

Ian
3rd Nov 2009
12:20 am

This video sums up everything that is bad about the design industry. So pretentious it makes me feel dirty and slightly ashamed of what I do for a living.

Glenn
3rd Nov 2009
9:07 am

20 opinions in a day? It almost seems as if most of our readers only like to slag work off, maybe there’s some milage in Gil’s ‘Design Car Crash’ idea.

I can understand that some of you feel a little grubby after all the slightly typical designer references. I posted this one because the Studio Tour thing is something we were going to do one ourselves next month (perhaps at Spin?).

What would you do differently to not make it “vomit-inducing”?

Have you seen any other videos that take you around a design agency/art gallery/artists studio that are any better?

Mother London used to have a site that would take you all around their office… but the site seems to be down.

James
3rd Nov 2009
9:46 am

Its alright, I cant see why some people are so up in arms about it. Theyre in the business of making things look ‘cool’ and ‘exciting’ so to treat their promotional film in the same way only makes sense.

Love how people who are slagging them off have remained anonymous by leaving out their own URL

kristian
3rd Nov 2009
10:27 am

i think clients will eat this stuff up. it’s not aimed at designers. good marketing if u ask me.

Edward
3rd Nov 2009
10:51 am

Lets be honest here, while i don’t think its “vomit-inducing” its certainly not inspired.

A video of someone taking a book off a shelf then replacing it again just doesn’t do anything for me, but its not aimed at me. Everyone in it looks uninterested and detached, much like being at the Dentist.

On the other hand, check out the Centrefold Issue 4 — On Press video they made, that’s much more interesting.

Rick
3rd Nov 2009
10:57 am

I want to see one of the designers watching ‘2 girls 1 cup’ on their macs!

kristian
3rd Nov 2009
12:28 pm

Luke… did you have to get permission to use the track?
how did you do that?

David Janes
3rd Nov 2009
1:20 pm

Was it an exerpt from Question of Sport? The one where you guess the sportsman?

Designer
3rd Nov 2009
1:24 pm

A very irrelevant piece of material, and the website lacks a lot of content. Anyone can slot in a brand speak message every 8 seconds, but it’s the work that does the talking, and unfortunately in this case, in my opinion, is certainly doesn’t.

Rydo
3rd Nov 2009
1:33 pm

2 Girls 1 Cup — brilliant! Or a copy of Nuts or Viz on one of the desks would be good.

Ryan
3rd Nov 2009
3:39 pm

Haha, it is a bit like those Question of Sport sections!

Cog Design did one a while ago that was posted up on the Creative Review blog, that was a lot more fun, and I think gave a better feel for the studio culture.

Rodrigo
3rd Nov 2009
6:36 pm

I think it\’s just a boring video. Not the best move if you\’re trying to sell \"communication\", \"connection\", etc.

Matt Judge
4th Nov 2009
12:08 am

30 comments? All over a communication/marketing piece?

The only mistake DesignStudio have made is trying to promote their B2B marketing strategy on a website exclusively aimed at designers (with knives sharpened at that). If it gets one job in through the door, in this current climate, then it’s done its job. I’m not convinced we’re not best positioned to accurately measure it’s effectiveness as a piece of design, that’s for those on the other side of the table.

One thing is for sure Rych will probably think twice before putting their work out there. But at least they’re trying something a bit different and have the balls to put their name to it (which is more than can be said for some of the ‘critics’ above).

Rydo
4th Nov 2009
12:14 am

Well said Matt Judge!

Gil
4th Nov 2009
12:59 am

Definitely not one to everyones taste but as Adrain Shaugnessy talked about at last weeks Long Lunch being a client is very different than a designer and only when he was a client having his “How to be a graphic designer without losing your sole” did he realise that appealing to clients rather than our peers is a whole different exercise. This videos more about speaking to those gate keepers who are likely to keep Design Studio in the black. As Matt’s said, perhaps not the best thing, distributing it to the wrong audience.

@Glenn, I’m ashamed you’re only now realising how great my “car crash” idea is. Shame, shame on you!

And to all suggesting 2 girls 1 cup, how about ratemypoo? Still that wouldn’t be a nice phone conversation. “Hey *insert high profile designer* we’ve got this idea… have you heard of the site 2girls1cup… well…”

David
4th Nov 2009
11:14 am

I like the cinematography.

Neely
6th Nov 2009
2:32 am

Sorry folks, think i’m picking up this thread a bit late (note to self, get better at using the internet – p.s. probably shouldn’t still call it the internet these days).

Rydo, you’ve already seen this mate, but do you all think this ranks better as a piece of agency video than the post:
http://www.hillmancurtis.com/index.php?/film/watch/pentagram_07/

(apologies for it being 2 years old).

Sam
6th Nov 2009
10:48 am

I’ve watched that before and I’ll watch it again. Thanks for reminding me Neely.

Rydo
6th Nov 2009
12:05 pm

That’s a cracking video Neely. My favourite quote, ‘There are no slogans on our letterhead.’ Brilliant! As good as it is, I can’t help but wonder if it’s made with the same intent as the DesignStudio video? Maybe I’m wrong, but it feels a bit more like it’s aimed at designers rather than clients?

Jamie
21st Dec 2009
3:12 pm

I got told about this thread by someone and I’ve gotta have a pop as I feel quite strongly about it. I think the guys bitching about this video have too much time on their hands. It’s like swearing at someone from inside a car when they can’t see you or confront you about it.

Secondly, great edit, great shots and yeh it’s for clients not designers. So what if they’ve got fixies and glasses, so do probably most of the people who posted and admittedly so do I. It’s christmas, lighten up, stop bitching on forums and do some work

Jamie
21st Dec 2009
3:25 pm

On another note, I didn’t address the point that someone made about the ‘coldness’ of the studio.

I think another way of looking at this is that the pace of the edit shows a studio when everybody is actually working, while the dynamism is maintained within the edit successfully. It’s much more honest than having loads of forced querkyness showing how ‘fun’ and ‘creative’ the studio atmosphere is.