As a French national working in England, I know a fair bit about how easily translation can go wrong. Not so long ago, I mentioned I had gooseberries on my arms (aka goose bumps) and the way I used to pronounce ‘focus’ would have made you laugh in hysterics (rectified since then). It’s probably why I just love to see brochures and company magazines translated into several languages, transcending borders and cultures.

It’s something we see regularly in our studio, since many of our clients operate with at least a European audience if not a global one. The key is always to bear in mind that translation applies to words and meaning. In fact, knowing if a document will need translation even affects the creative thought process. It has a bearing on everything from creating visuals and searching images that will engage a European or global audience, to allowing for extra space for ‘copy swell’ between the languages. It means our editorial team bears translation issues in mind when creating headlines and straplines, making sure the meaning behind them can be translated into multiple languages. No point having a very strong English strapline if it needs four lines in German to make sense. It might appear restrictive but trust me, taking it into consideration right from the start will avoid future disappointments.

I often get asked the question: what makes us unique? At the end of the day, there are many agencies out there from all different shapes and sizes who offer creative and editorial services. So why Tileywoodman?
The reality is….. that great things come in small packages. Taking a good look around, very few agencies our size offer the scope of services we offer. They’ll often specialise in an area, such as digital, publishing, DMs, etc, selecting a specific field and sticking to it. That’s where the Tileywoodman spirit kicks in: we’re different! And proudly so.
We refuse to get pigeon-holed and offer an incredible range of communications services, from publishing to digital media, and everything in between. Not in a Jack-of-all-trade way – our clients would never allow us to be average – but in a very professional, knowledgeable way.
The breadth of our creative work is quite astonishing, and the bluechip clients it attracts are a testimonial to the quality we deliver. Yes, it is possible to find a small agency who can deliver big results, and makes the whole communication process easy, friendly and flexible. And that small agency is us.

Watching how digital media are evolving is fascinating. I receive a lot of online newsletters/ magazines, but one that recently caught my eyes was the new NSPCC online newsletter. With good animations without looking crowded, a clean look & feel and smart usage of the digital media, it was a very good experience from beginning to end which compelled me to read, watch and listen to the entire issue. An online newsletter shouldn’t be a downloadable PDF of a printed version. It deserves to live in its own right, designed and delivered to provide a good experience to its readers. It’s a powerful tool to communicate with employees globally, interact with consumers and businesses, and reinforce your brand image. Used on its own or in conjunction with other digital and printed elements, take a look at your own communication tools and ask yourself if they’re really delivering the best they can. If not, it might be time to review all your strategic items and talk to us about ways to optimise their results.