The Position

We are looking for a disciplined creative who can think strategically, and translate strategy into innovative creative visual communication pieces. Working for a variety of clients, across a variety of industries, you will need the ability to quickly understand communication objectives and target audience insights, and apply your strong conceptual and problem solving skills to arrive at creative and effective outcomes. The placement is initially a casual appointment with potential for full time for the right candidate.

The flexibility of being able to work across different media (print, interactive, video) and different design styles is a must. An understanding of, and an ability to write copy would also be advantageous.

If you enjoy flexing your creative muscle on a daily basis in a dynamic, fast paced small agency environment, we’d love to hear from you.

Ready for the challenge?

Convince us that you have what it takes. Please send an application letter outlining your experience and qualities in relation to the requirements stated above, your resume, references and examples of your work. Please address all correspondence to Michael Mottarelly, Managing Director (michael@enso.com.au).

As we continue to move from the information age to the conceptual age, I am a firm believer that creativity, and the creative industries, are becoming a more significant and even critical component of the emerging developed world economy.

It’s an argument championed by Daniel Pink a few years ago in his book A Whole New Mind: Why Right-brainers Will Rule the Future. With the future in its hands, the creative industries are certainly an exciting place to be, and the Creative3 forum is the place to learn, share and network with the industries best.

Creative3 is an exciting industry forum focusing on the point where creativity, investment and enterprise meet.

Hosted by QUT Creative Enterprise Australia, and taking place in Brisbane from 14-16 April 2010, this first of a kind event boasts an impressive range of keynote speakers providing their insight and support to creative businesses.

This is shaping up to be a must attend event for anyone connected to the creative industries, as well as those who realise the importance of investment into a significant part of the emerging Australian economy. From entrepreneurs to venture capitalists, this forum has much to offer, including Australia’s first investment pitching session with prices valued at more that $100,000 up for grabs.

Learn more about Creative3 at the creative 3 website: http://creative3.com.au

The Position

We are looking for a bright spark who lives, breathes and eats web technologies, is versatile and adaptable, and loves to roll up their sleeves and make things happen.

This is a leadership role, working alongside the company directors, as well as designers and developers, to provide innovative solutions for clients, and assist in driving the business forward inline with strategic objectives.

A suitable candidate will have significant experience with:

• HTML, CSS, XML, Javascript
• PHP, MySQL
• CMS including Wordpress, Drupal and similar
• Actionscript and Flash authoring
• Interactive navigation and usability
• Working knowledge of SEO and online marketing strategies

The above technical skills need to be complemented with the following qualities:

• Demonstrated leadership potential
• Project management skills
• Business minded
• Commitment to continual professional development and improvement
• Understanding of fundamental design and marketing principles
• Client interfacing and presentation skills
• Creative problem solving
• Can do attitude

What we offer

In return for your dedicated, results-driven contribution, we offer you a supportive creative work environment in which to hone your problem solving skills and progress your career. Our variety of clients and work will provide you with exposure to a number of different industries, and ensurers that there is always something new and exciting to learn and do. Remuneration is negotiable inline with experience and capabilities.

Ready for the challenge?

Convince us that you have what it takes. Please send an application letter outlining your experience and qualities in relation to the requirements stated above, your resume, references and examples of your work. Please address all correspondence to Michael Mottarelly, Managing Director (michael@enso.com.au).

As part of their commitment to sustainable business, CUNA Mutual Group Australia established a sustainability program consisting of 4 specific workgroups focusing on workplace, marketplace, environment and community. A visual identity was required to support the program its associated communications.

STRATEGY/EXECUTION

Enso developed a core logo for the program that represented the idea of sustainability and the human contribution of the workgroups towards it. This logo informed the visual direction of a series of 4 illustrations, each of which embodies the spirit of its associated workgroup. Workgroup t-shirts featuring the logos were manufactured from organic cotton and printed using an environmentally friendly digital printing process using vegetable based inks.

Since last week’s announcement, the web has been abuzz with discussions and reactions to what is quite possibly Google’s boldest project in years: Google Wave.

It appears a Wave is a live communications object that 2 or more people can participate and interact with at any time. It’s a bit like a blend of an email, IM, wiki and social networking tool all rolled into one.

The big news however, is the proposed open source nature of the protocol that powers the wave. This effectively allows any service provider to build wave servers and wave clients, much as they can with email servers and clients. The success and ubiquitous nature of email is largely due to its open standard protocol, and Google’s move to position Wave as an open standard, both client and server side, dramatically increases the likelihood of mass adoption.

It is for this reason that there has been much commentary heralding the beginning of the end of email’s reign as the king application of the internet. While we heard similar arguments with RSS, Facebook and twitter, it does seem plausible that Google’s new, open protocol for direct and group messaging could chip away at email’s dominance over the next decade or so.

My first reaction to seeing the demo was “Wow, businesses are going to love this, how much more efficient is this going to make multi-participant email conversations”. 

My second reaction was “Perhaps this is a little too complicated. Email is simple and straight forward, yet how many corporate dramas are created by the accidental or misuse of the ‘reply all’ button. How will the workplace cope with such a dangerously flexible and complicated communication tool?”

My third reaction was “This platform is going to enable marketers to engage with customers in some seriously cool ways. With the ability to build extensions and gadgets, and the communication being a live object, this is going to radically change the electronic direct marketing game.”

My gut feeling at the moment, is that marketers need to watch the wave very carefully this year, as adoption is likely to be rapid, opening up a new line of communication with the consumer. In the short term, it is likely to be yet another channel we need to manage. In the medium term, with developers building gateways between wave and platforms like email, twitter and facebook, Google Wave could become a central aggregator to our currently fragmented online communications. In the long term, it could even knock email off its block. However with many people sporting a multi-decade email habit, I don’t see this happening anytime soon.

One thing’s for sure, at Enso we’ll be keeping a very close eye on Google Wave and its implications for changing the game of email marketing as we know it.

Every year, Enso donates creative marketing, design and production services to select charitable causes.

We are very happy to have recently worked with the fantastic Y4K committee, providing creative design services for the promotion of the 2009 Redkite Y4K Colour Ball.

The Colour Ball, an annual evening of exciting entertainment and networking with young Sydney professionals, is shaping up to be a memorable event in 2009 with the theme of “Ultra Violet”.

It all happens on Saturday 4th July at Sydney’s Darling Harbour, so gather your friends and enjoy one of Sydney’s best nights out for a great cause.

Redkite supports children, young people and their families through cancer.

For more information, and to secure your tickets, visit the website at http://www.redkite.org.au/colourball

Hope to see you there.

“Email is the tightest link ever forged between buyer and seller. Email is the heart beat of the internet.”

These words were delivered by Stan Rapp, 82 year old veteran of direct marketing and chairman of marketing agency Engauge, at the Email Evolution Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona earlier this year.

Stan Rapp is often credited as the pioneer of one-to-one direct marketing, and the above statement is one that should be carefully considered by anyone involved in brand marketing.

Unfortunately many organisations are not giving email marketing the limelight it deserves, and these are the same organisations that are unknowingly leaving money on the table. Some organisations have the perception that email is ‘cheap’ and subsequently fail to invest in the strategic planning and resources required to deliver their customers value and generate return. It is true that email marketing is very cost efficient, and well executed strategies are delivering returns far above those delivered by any other channel.

Email is rapidly evolving from an auxiliary marketing channel into the central brand-relationship, and direct-sales channel around which other marketing activities are being organised. Savvy marketing departments are realising this, and with the current economic situation, are reaping the cost effective benefits of investing in the channel.

Simms Jenkins recently published a brief but interesting interview with Stan Rapp at iMedia Connection titled “Why email marketing deserves more respect”. A must read for all marketers yet to realise the true value of email marketing.

This is one of my all time favourite presentations on the fundamentals of branding, and a great piece of design as well.

At Enso we direct clients to this presentation all the time, especially when they come to us with an obvious gap that needs to be bridged between their business strategy and their brand design.

Download the presentation by Marty Neumeier here.

Marty Neumeier’s book The Brand Gap, is fantastically succinct, and an absolute must have in every brand or marketing manager’s library.  It’s one of the most worn books in Enso’s brand, marketing and strategy library and is an inspiring read every time I pick it up. A great reminder of what brings innovative brands to life.

If you don’t already own this book, and you work with a brand in any way, you need to own it!

Check out and buy the book from Amazon here! The best money you’ll ever spend on your brand (besides coming to Enso of course!).

Check out Enso’s new look website

Yep, 09 is a year of change, you can smell it in the air, and Enso is no exception. Previously known as Enso Studios and Enso Consultancy, things are consolidating and simplifying as we roll out our new look, full service, integrated creative communications agency simply known as Enso. Enso is quite simply here to do what it takes to make your campaigns successful.

Also be sure to check back later to see our case studies section as we continue to update it with insights into some of our recent work.

Enso is making things happen for you in 09

OK, so I’m sure you’re aware of the economic downturn, but are you excited? You should be. A whole new world of opportunity is opening up, and Enso is here to help you make the most of it. Sure, your industry might be headed for lower overall sales and trimmed profits, but that doesn’t mean you can’t gain market share, mind share and strengthen customer relationships. In fact, it is the ideal opportunity to focus on these pursuits while your competitors may be in retreat.

And rest assured that Enso is here to make things happen for you. We’re committed to delivering even better value and new creative processes to ensure that you can achieve more with less. In 09 we’re delivering the big agency outcomes, without the big agency overheads – I told you you should be excited.   

Enso to launch Cannonball V3 at ad:tech Sydney

Boy have we been busy, and boy do we have something to show for it! Email marketing is going to be big news in 09 (just check out this month’s other articles) and Enso delivers the biggest news of all. The all new version of Cannonball is set to amaze at ad:tech Sydney on March 10.

Cannonball is the Enso engineered, world class email marketing platform, and the new version contains innovations that will knock your socks off. For a sneak peek, check out:

www.cannonballcommunications.com.au

Enso is excited to be revealing the awe-inspiring new version of Cannonball, our world class email marketing platform, at ad:tech exhibition stand 53.

What’s more, Enso is excited to be revealing the awe-inspiring new version of Cannonball, our world class email marketing platform, at ad:tech exhibition stand 53.

It all happens at the Sydney Convention Centre on 10-11 March 2009.
 

Here’s 5 great reasons to join us at ad:tech

1. Be one of the first to see Enso’s amazing new version of Cannonball at exhibition stand 53. Come and see why you’ll never approach email campaign management in the same way again.
2. Free keynote sessions! Come an hear strategies from leading brands such as BBC.com and Kodak. Nothing to pay.
3. Free exhibition pass! Come and learn about the latest technologies and service providers from the ad:tech exhibition floor. So much knowledge to gain, wont cost you a cent.
4. Free networking party! Come and rub shoulders with some of the best in the business. Make some new contacts, and of course catch up with Enso for a drink without spending a dime.
5. Attend the conference sessions for the latest insights in the online marketing industry. Register before March 6 and save $100 on the full conference pass. 

So there you have it, ad:tech Sydney is a not to be missed event bursting with opportunities and ideas that can help you deliver effective online campaigns in 09. For more information, and to register your attendance online, visit www.ad-tech.com/sydney

Hope to see you at ad:tech Sydney.