We are incredibly lucky to have recently worked with the well-known company, Fenwick & Sons. Fenwick were in need of some new packaging for their Traditional Range, which needed to be able to comfortably hold four bottles, each bottle needing a viewing window to display the company branding. The packaging needed to be easy to carry and hold the bottles in place once opened, keeping a good level of presentation, making it a perfect gift for friends or family.
Showing off the name and brand within this packaging was particularly important as the company has a prominent influence in the industry, having been established since 1885. The company has a rich history, having begun when Mr Thomas Fenwick began making soft drinks at a small plant on Roker Avenue, in Sunderland. Mr Thomas was supplying to local shops and pubs during this time, using a similar sales model to Coca-Cola and Pepsi Cola in the USA.
Most drinks sold at the time were well-known family favourites, such as lemonades, Ginger Ale & Soda Water. The North East in particular also had a penchant for Sarsaparilla and Dandelion & Burdock, which Fenwick saw as an opportunity, making their own products which became incredibly popular.
Back in the 1880s, there were no automatic filling machines, but as time and technology progressed, by 1900 the ‘Codd’ bottle was introduced, which used a marble in the bottleneck, leading the bottle pressure to force a seal. As the business was doing well, Fenwick moved to an old bakery premises within the grounds of the family home, an old Victorian ‘Villa’ in 1910. This later became the inspiration for the company trading name Villa Drinks.
Fast forward to the 1960s, and the now-branded Villa Drinks began marketing their brands in the North East, often using TV advertising to increase awareness. The following two decades saw the company expand rapidly, requiring many factory extensions. Affectionately known as ‘Villa Pop’, the Fenwick’s family drinks were becoming a household name.
In 1982, Villa drinks was now that large it was relocated to a new purpose-built 3.5-acre site in Southwick, Sunderland and started production in 1984. Later in 1990, the company marked another milestone, sinking its first borehole on the site so that spring water could be sourced locally.
During the 1990s and into the 2000s, the Fenwick brand name continued into new formats including large PET and glass. The glass format became one of the early drivers of craft soda in the UK. Since 2013, The Fenwick’s and Villa drinks brands have been owned & distributed by Drink Natural Ltd. The ranges are still made to aclassic Fenwick’s recipe with no artificial preservatives, colours or sweeteners. Each drink has a beautiful balance of flavours, rich with history and authenticity. In 2020, the James Fenwick’s Mixers range was launched and is the latest addition to the drinks range.…
With the UK in a second lockdown, non-essential retailers and services have been closed again with the government advice remaining work from home is possible. So, what about those of us who can’t? If it’s not feasible for you to do your job from home, it’s understandable that you might still be concerned about how to stay safe in the workplace.
Cleaning and hygiene
If you’re an employer, it’s important to take reasonable steps to protect your employees. You can do this by ensuring there are adequate handwashing facilities with running water, soap and paper towels or hand dryers as well as hand sanitiser available. For employees, make sure you’re aware of the provisions and follow handwashing guidance and do your bit to help out when it comes to keeping your workspace clean and cleaning objects and equipment after you have finished using them.
Anti-bacterial touch guards
Displaying safety information, using protective screens and directional arrows are all great ways to navigate a COVID secure workplace but have you thought about anti-bacterial touch guards? Self-adhesive touch guards can be used on door handles or door push plates to minimise the risk in areas where multiple people need to touch the same objects. The anti-bacterial barrier helps to protect against infection and is also available in sheet form.
Look after your wellbeing
It’s normal to feel more stressed or overwhelmed in these times, even if your usual job responsibilities haven’t changed. Remember that everyone else is likely experiencing similar feelings to you so try to take time to check in with colleagues or staff to see how they’re doing as well as allowing time for yourself.
The coronavirus pandemic has changed life for all of us as we enter this second lockdown and that means facing new challenges and adapting to new situations to look after yourself and others. At AB Print, we want to do everything we can to help keep you and your workforce safe. To find more information about our COVID-19 printed products, get in touch with us today.…
Most people that are in a client-facing role of some capacity will have their own business card, as will anyone who is self-employed or running their own business. Business cards are an important tool in your marketing toolkit, as they often provide the first printed introduction to your business.
When networking and meeting prospects or clients, business cards are one of the essentials, so it’s likely you will be giving a good few away per week. It is for these reasons that getting your business card right is so important. Advances in both technology and marketing have been huge over the past few years, meaning that there are now endless possibilities for your business cards to help them stand out from the rest.
One of the most recent trends for business cards is to add an image of yourself to the card. This approach appears to be like marmite for most people, either loving or absolutely hating the idea. So, the question is, should you put your headshot on your business card?
There are a few factors that should be considered when deciding whether or not to add your photo to your business card. We thought we’d outline a few of them to help you make the decision before you go ahead and add it straight in there.
Consider the sector
Whether or not you should add your photo to a business card can often be determined by the business sector you fall into. If you are self-employed or the face of the company, it would make more sense to have your face on the card. Equally, if you are a photographer, actor or public speaker, it would be appropriate to add your headshot to your business card. It’s true that people do business with those they like, know and trust, so personalisation can sometimes be an effective way of selling yourself.
How often are you wanting to renew your business card order?
This is something that should definitely be factored into your decision-making process. If you are self-employed and just starting out, it is likely that you will only have a small marketing budget, and therefore will be looking to make your money go as far as it can. If you add a photo, the card will become dated more quickly, and therefore need replacing sooner than it would have done otherwise, providing your details don’t change. If your headshot is on your business card and you decide to have a drastic haircut, change in glasses or choose to lose the beard, make sure your photo still looks like you!
Who’s going to be printing your business cards?
If you choose to spend money on getting yourself professional headshots, you want to be sure that they come out looking just as professional on your business card. Make sure that the image is of high quality, both in terms of the image uploaded and the quality of the printing supplier used.
If you do decide that a business card with an image of yourself is the way to go, we’d recommend you follow these six golden rules to ensure that your personalised card stands out from the rest of the pack.
Use a professional photographer
When it comes to headshots, it’s best not to skimp on the costs. Many photographers do great deals on headshots for self-employed people, so it’s worth researching a high-quality photographer with tonnes of experience.
Dress authentically
Make sure that whatever you wear in your picture reflects how people would come across you in real life. If you never turn up to meetings in a full suit, don’t wear one in your photograph or you won’t seem genuine.
Face towards the information
Where possible, make sure that your headshot is positioned so that your head is facing toward the text. This will help draw the eye of the reader to where you want them.
1/3 in size
If you’re committing to having a photo of yourself on your business card, make sure it’s properly visible. The image is an added feature of the card, so make sure it’s a clear image that takes up at least a third of the space.
Match this photo with your Linkedin profile photo
Regardless of whether your marketing is printed or digital, it should always be consistent. If you’ve spent the money to have a professional headshot and you’re using it on your business card, show continuity and have the same image as your profile picture on LinkedIn. That way, when people come to add you, there’ll be no doubt as to whether or not they have the right person.
Contact details
With all this extra information to take in, make sure you don’t forget to include your most crucial details. Make sure that the text is clear and that your contact details also stand out on the card.
If you need help with your business cards or other print requirements, get in touch with the AB Print team today.…
