‘Engaging content that sells product’ that is how we describe the work we produce at CIC. Be it packaging, literature, POS or rich media the best way to sell your wares is always by engaging with the consumer.

Where possible the perfect solution is to offer interaction. 360 photography, room planners and games all work perfectly as rich media on a website but when it comes to product catalogues, this level of interaction is much more difficult to achieve. Until now that is.  Armed with nothing more than an iPad, your sales rep has all the tools required to reap the benefits of iBooks. Not only do they remove the need to carry heavy, printed material, they can host all of the interactive features you would associate with a website. Embed your product videos, image galleries, maps, hyperlinks, update regularly without the need for huge print costs, distribute with ease through your own website or email, the benefits of iBooks goes on.

As you might have guessed we now offer ibooks. Available in either portrait or landscape orientations (perfect for presentations) you can rest assured that your current literature can easily be adapted to suit this new format.

Interested and on an iPad? Download our own iBook here. Showcasing some of our projects, both old and new, this mini portfolio offers just a glimpse of the many features an iBook has to offer.

Already convinced, give us a call to discuss what we can do for you.

This is week 11: 18th June – 22nd June 2012.

Monday

We’ve got the builders in! A brand new CGI studio in the making. Watch this space!

Tuesday

We watched a certain football match in style, a private room with a fridge full of beer. Great night.

Wednesday

We checked out the Staffordshire University Degree Show, some stunning work on show… This Lego remake of Inception being a real highlight.

Thursday

Taking a brief from one of our more prestigious clients, it’s always great to see how these trophies are still made by hand, the traditional way.

Friday

10 years with CIC to the day, Creative director Dave celebrated by trying on a massive pair of trousers.

This is week 10: 28th May – 1st June 2012.

Monday

Lovely doodles on Kerry’s desk!

Tuesday

The weeks first ‘big’ delivery: Brief, design, print and delivery in 3 days. No Problem!

Wednesday

Second big delivery of the week. This time it’s Bob, held up by Bob.

Thursday

The torch passes just yards from CIC… read more here!

Friday

PC Pete should have been auditing a range of screws, we say he was playing surveillance though!

No one wants an early start, we already get up too early as it is. That is unless the Olympic torch is passing your office.…

Thursday, roads through Stoke were closed from 05.00 – 08.00am, including all routes into CIC. What would we do? Get up ridiculously early hoping to view the famous flame or spend an extra hour in bed, venturing to work once the commotion has passed? For those of us that made the effort it was a long but memorable day. After all it wont be everyday ‘Blind Dave’ makes his way up Waterloo Road with his Cornetto of fire.

The Daves met up at 6.45am at the top of Festival Park whilst Darryl and Matt enjoyed a complimentary Coke and bacon butty from the Church. Although gutted not see the “legend” that is Imran Sherwani, or even Tony Pulis for that Matter, the torch bearer’s in view did a splendid job.

Twenty minutes waiting, 30 seconds cheering and a Morrisons breakfast later we made it into work for an early start.

Here are some of our snaps from the event.

This is week 09: 21st – 25th May 2012.

Monday

A toast to a busy, record breaking year… A lovely ‘thank-you’ on everyone’s desk!

Tuesday

Approved this week… A huge new range of workwear – exciting!

Wednesday

“Out with the old, in with the new” …Certainly easier said than done!!

Thursday

A typographic treat… read more here!

Friday

You can’t go to the seaside without bringing back some rock!

The comedy carpet that is. The promenade at Blackpool received a make over last year and you have to say she’s all the better for it. Driving in for the first time in years it was barely recognisable. Bloomfield road has finally been completed, the climbing walls are a great addition but its the sea front and the Comedy carpet that makes all the difference. That said, turn 180 degrees and you’re back in familiar territory. More of a Susan Boyle than the Carol Vorderman of makeovers.

To be fair it was only the comedy carpet we were there to see. Reading about it in Creative Review (and hearing all about the install from Dave Elinor last October) a number of the design team had to see the work for themselves. On a glorious May evening both Daves, Bobby and Michael made the trip up the M6 to inspect this typographic treat.

Visiting this fabulous feast of fonts had been on our to do list for some time. Now more than ever, seeking out inspiration for our own internal typography project. A brief visit, (it was a school night after all) we headed straight to the recently laid carpet beneath the legendary tower. Whilst appreciating the piece as a fine example of design it has to be said much of our time there was spent wondering just who said what?

For those who don’t know what comedy carpet is, it is a design collaboration between Gordon Young and Why Not Associates, commissioned by Blackpool council as part of their sea front regeneration. Referencing the work of more than 1,000 comedians and comedy writers, the carpet gives visual form to jokes, songs and catchphrases dating from the early days of variety to the present.

Often recognising the jokes, we were just unable to put a name to who said what. Some were obvious. There is a huge strip dedicated to Morcambe and Wise, another to Peter Kay but it was those from the classics that kept us guessing. Luckily there is a key on the website to reveal all.

“I told you it was Tommy Cooper.”

Some quick snaps, some dodgy chips and a quick walk through the amusements we picked up the obligatory rock and headed home. Suitably inspired, it is now time to create our own homage, less of a comedy carpet and more of a CIC wallpaper. A little less concrete, much more foamex we hope to install our new graphics later this summer. Inevitably, you can find out more about our progress here, on our blog.

If we take nothing else from this we now have a reason to visit Blackpool. Try it, you might like it.

This is week 08: 14th – 18th May 2012.

Monday

Just about all of us have had to fight some kind of cold off this week… Thankfully we’re all fit and well again!

Tuesday

Congratulations to Mark Doras, Director of CIC China, on the arrival of a new baby boy! Seen here with his older brother Ruairi.

Wednesday

A new toy for the studio! Capable of all sorts, we can’t wait to put it to good use!

Thursday

Last print samples before production… Looking slick with a spot UV varnish and embossing to the products!

Friday

Happy Birthday to PJH! Celebrating 40 years of making a difference!

This is week 07: 8th – 11th May 2012.

Tuesday

A place for everything and everything in it’s place. Just how Nicola likes to keep her Desk!

Wednesday

In-store POS review? Who you gonna call?

Thursday

Cheer up Daz! It’s only a production meeting!

Friday

Pete beats Dave 10-9 for an all Pete final on the Football table.

The trip to the Chinese studio this April was the most productive in a long time. our current studio was starting to get a little small for our needs and with the increasing workload we needed to find somewhere bigger. As you can see from the plans above and image below we’ve found a great location in a new build office block.

It will give us 3 times our current space and the freedom to create a layout and workflow to suit our ever increasing CGI output.

This is week 06: 30th April – 4th May 2012.

Monday

Easy Tiger! MD Rob made a roaring return to the office this Monday after a trip to China – clutching two White Tigers under his arms. He tells us they were top of the gift wish-list for his two daughters, although it it’s hard to imagine they will be as excited about them as he appears to be!

Tuesday

Steve calls Steve. Just one of the many outposts of CIC is all the way out west in Cardiff, where CGI Modeller Steve is based (check out the Welsh flag waving majestically behind him just to prove it!).

Wednesday

Stepping away from the Mac, Bobby dusts off the trusty old layout pad, sharpens his pencil and begins sketching out a storyboard for an exciting new video project… stay tuned for more!

Thursday

Loadsa Money! Very lucky secretary Adele is off to the States for a whole two weeks on Saturday, here she is clutching a big stash of spending money.

Friday

May The Fourth Be With You! The most important day of the year for any Star Wars fan is honoured by Dave W, he’s even sporting a Star Wars T-shirt.