We are proud to be featured in the Cospaces "Fast Five" zine this month alongside our colleague Peter Llewellyn-Smith from 4points.

The interview with our Director Tobias Black includes some classic Toby-slang and the cover page also features the photo-genius Andrew Thurtell killing it on a recent studio shoot.

"5 MINS WITH PLUVO BRANDING AGENCY"

As a Creative Director, Tobias has worked with some of the biggest brands from around the globe. We sat down to talk creativity, branding and learn how a recent collaboration with Peter from 4 Points completely changed the structure of PLUVO...READ ARTICLE

Head over to the Cospaces website for the full interview:
http://www.cospaces.com.au/co-working/5-mins-with-pluvo/

Today was the presentation for the anticipated re-brand of Connect Develop. For the past two months we have been working with the client to create an identity for their expansion to the United States.

With over 250 years of combined experience, there’s no doubt as to why this company is trusted by thousands of individuals from different business sectors. Over the past 39 years the company has been through many name changes and it is a credit to them that they have retained their client base throughout this process. Today, the company has been rebranded under its historic name, Burchills.

Story Behind the Name and Innovation

Formerly known as VDM Group, Burchills was once on the verge of divesting their consulting business when Steve Coote took over the reins as managing director of the Gold Coast branch. He has since embarked on a plan of diversification to revitalise and modernise the company’s market presence.

Burchills currently has 25 staff based in the Southport office, and is operating in the disciplines of civil, structural, water, environmental and traffic engineering. Whilst working with various clients from the government sector, the company also caters to private and institutional clients predominantly in the property and infrastructure sector. 

It is evident that the long years of operation are stronger than the concern of multiple name changing. In a 2013 survey clients expressed that Burchills is a very solid and respected company with proactive solutions and alternatives. Clients also commended the company’s work in the areas of construction, engineering and documentation, where Burchills is widely recognised as a leader in these fields.

Alongside the announcement of VDM Gold Coast changing to Burchills, are the visions the company has for itself and for its clients. One of which is to target becoming a larger multi-disciplinary consulting business, increasing staff numbers by 30 - 50 in order to cater for clients’ specific needs.

While currently working on various projects such as Broadwater Parklands, Gold Coast Light Rail, Gainsborough Greens, Varsity Heights and Palm Beach Heights, Burchills continues to generate brand new ideas to further improve its wide array of services with the emphasis on engineering.

The Directors at Pluvo agency were recently interviewed for the Gold Coast Collective magazine's Students Of Design book. The concept for the book was launched at the end of year student break up at Designworks College in Tallebudgera.

The interview by Martyna Kulczyk and Nolan Giles from Collective magazine focused on our branding processes and the changing nature of our industry. The article can be found on page 86, nestled amongst a few pictures of our artwork. 

We also had a visit from Nolan and his team late last year to do some filming at our office for the short documentary about the making of this limited edition book (0:1:38).

The Students Of Design book features interviews and examples of work from a mixture of local and international creative agencies and individuals. It also showcases the artwork of the recent graduates from Designworks College which brings the whole concept to light. It's a great concept and makes a very nice book for our coffee table!

Students of Design1 was crafted entirely in Queensland, mixing sophisticated printing technologies with traditional hand book-binding methods. Printed on a state-of-the-art HP Indigo digital press, the hardcover edition was then hand section sewn and bound by students and staff of Designworks College.

We are proud to have been included and involved in this project and can’t wait to see what they do for issue 2. 

The book is available for purchase here at Collective Online.

Pluvo, known previously as Brandhaus, is a 15-year-old Gold Coast-based creative agency servicing a wide array of high profile clients. The agency made the move from a private office to Co Spaces in August, and has been reaping the benefits ever since. 

Pluvo Creative Director Tobias Black discusses the agency, their new office and the changing nature of design.

Original post by Collective Magazine, Wednesday 30 Oct 2013: http://collectivemagazine.com.au/pluvo/ 

How do you decide who works on each brief? Is the process a collaboration or do you work independently?
Each project is a blank canvas. The artwork we produce needs to meet certain criteria, depending on the client’s needs. But most importantly the final output should reflect the brand personality and communicate the offering in a way that is in line with the overall brand strategy.

So each project should be a collaboration between a selected group of individuals who have a style that works well for that brand. This often involves combining talent from our internal team as well as our ever expanding external network of professionals.

What is your design philosophy? Is there a principle that overrides others when designing or branding?
It’s all about connection. Customers need to understand and relate to brands and their offerings. Developing a brand strategy and creating a unique personality is a huge part of this, so we spend extra time on in-house clique to ensure we making that connection.

What is your background? Can you tell me about your team?
Our clients are local and abroad, but we live on the Gold Coast because of the lifestyle. We surf, we drink coffee, we love music and art. Each one of us is passionate about the creative culture, so we are also quite active in promoting creative endeavours around our local community.

What sets Pluvo apart from other creative agencies?
We are creative but also approachable and honest. Our clients see us as their brand partners – not just a creative agency.
We help solve communication problems by offering creative and innovative solutions.
We openly share our knowledge with our clients and we also embrace change.

You recently moved into Co Spaces, how has your new office helped to inspire creativity in your work?
The Co Spaces environment is actually tailor made for the creative working process.
Ben Howe has built a very unique and stylish workspace, which encourages people from different industries to not only co-exist, but also to collaborate. In fact, the Co Spaces crew are like one huge family and everyone here really enjoys coming to work!

As a result of our new environment, we have changed our Pluvo working model to be much more flexible. We have recently collaborated with local industry professionals like Andrew Suggit, Claudio Kirac, Kiel Tillman and photographer Andrew Thurtell on creative projects as far away as China.

Working collaboratively from distant locations is the way of the future and Co Spaces is the first step in the right direction for the team at Pluvo. We feel refreshed by this process and are very excited to think of who we might collaborate with next.

What do you find most challenging about reimagining or reinventing already established brands? How do you overcome the challenges?
All good brands reinvent themselves continuously. It is important to keep your brand fresh, engaging and relevant in the eyes of your audience. The only challenge comes when a client is resistant to change. So the client needs to be excited about the opportunity that change can bring.

You say that you thrive on creating a memorable experience for your audience – How do you implement a fresh angle so that each client has their unique point of view showcased in a memorable way? 
We embrace each brand’s personality. Before beginning a project, we take time to really get to know each client and their offerings. It’s only when we connect with their brand internally, that we can inject creativity in a way that accentuates or reinvents their brand personality.

Your company is almost 16-years-old now, how have you adapted to industry changes over the years? How has the changing nature of the internet shaped the way you design for web?
Over the years we have morphed, merged, moulded and embraced technologies as they come and go. We have been there creating HTML websites which were optimised for a dial up connection. We embraced the interactive experiences of heavily action-scripted flash websites and one mantra has remained constant in our minds, all along the way.

Change or Die!

The internet is about content and as technology advances and new ways of experiencing come into the fray, brands need to ensure the quality of their content. Advancements in technology have actually shaped the way people experience online content, because not only do we need to be engaged, but the content needs to be viewed on a multitude of devices. Content is now king, so a simpler website which delivers content on a multitude of devices is far better than an immersive experience that only works on your computer.

What’s your advice for students looking to go into the creative industries?
In this industry, we are all students. Find your passion and learn from your mentors.
Share your newly gained wealth of knowledge and NEVER, EVER stop learning!

Worldwide vacation exchange provider Dial An Exchange and Pluvo, today launch a new brand and new look for their global enterprise – DAE.

The organisation, which operates from offices in 11 locations around the world, has today officially relaunched as DAE, a change that consolidates the business under one global brand.

“Our growth over the past 17 years has been phenomenal,” said Francis Taylor, CEO and co-founder of DAE. “From a single office in Australia, to global offices across Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas, DAE has matured into a significant international player in the vacation ownership and exchange industry.

“We now service a base of more than one million members, with exchange products available in over a thousand vacation destinations around the world, and we want timeshare members and businesses to associate our legendary customer service, simplified exchange systems and free worldwide membership with one brand – DAE.”

Voted as the industry's Best Customer Service Provider in the prestigious Perspective Magazine Awards for the past three years, DAE excels where it counts the most – in caring for its members.

“The structure of DAE has not changed,” said Mr Taylor. “We will continue to run a close-knit business that is like a family, offering the same legendary service to our members. In fact, consolidating our brand to DAE gives us an opportunity to show our customers what a connected force we are, and the increased benefits that will flow on to them as a result.

“Our rebranding is all about improving the customer experience. Simplicity and transparency are at the heart of everything we do, and we’ve transformed our web platform to a more user-friendly interface that meets the expectations of the digital consumer.

“New ways to engage, fresh information and more interaction – that’s the direction we are heading in.”

Not only an overhaul of the look and feel of the company, Mr Taylor acknowledged the new brand provided an opportunity to re-energise the company’s commitment to its core values.

“We are re-stating our reputation for great customer care and service – and in turn our customer service efforts will go up another level as we grow our product offerings and exchange inventory with a greater variety of destinations.

“If you compare DAE now to five years ago, our capabilities as a company have reached an entirely new level. We want people that may have looked at us 5 or 10 years ago and thought we were too small, to take another look and see us now, leading the industry in growth, innovation and customer service.” 

In similar thinking to the Top Branding Agencies of the world, Pluvo understands the importance of elevating the customer experience for overall brand loyalty and future company growth.

The exciting new brand development for the Nifsan owned, Emerald Lakes Golf Club will be launching at the end of October. 

In consideration of the clubs extensive offering, Pluvo worked with the management team to radically shift consumers perception from a traditional golf club model, to a local destination.

The colourful position "Night or Day. Come & Play" has been developed which not only represents the friendly atmosphere, where everyone is welcome, but reflects the holistic suite of offerings from golf to leisure.

Revisit www.pluvo.com.au to see the rollout in late October.

Just recently, Pluvo released a teaser on their latest branding project for a new retail concept entering into the Chinese market. Traditionally servicing clients throughout Australia, this venture is a quantum leap that will definitely create a large impact with ongoing benefits.

The project is basically a fusion of juice bar and ice creamery. Kiosks are not new anymore; but in China, a juice-bar-and-ice-creamery-in-one is something pretty contemporary. The entire branding is being created in Australia to deliver a western feel, which will allow the brand to stand out in an overcrowded landscape. The expectation of products is premium and almost everything is sourced from the western world; from the ice cream to the fresh fruits - all these will be imported.

Apparently, China is known to have a long list of beliefs and most entrepreneurs incorporate it in their business. This is where lucky charms, coins and figurines of all kind enter the picture. With this in mind Pluvo will still find means and ways to incorporate their branding and design with the Chinese culture. 

Pluvo admitted they faced bigger complexities than dealing with traditions. Tobias Black the creative director claimed that with the Chinese government needing to approve the brand name and the visuals means that there is a lot more for consideration. Just like any other country, China has its own share of prudence; but Pluvo has the knowledge and experience on how to deal with such issues.

The very first design for China is almost done and Chinese individuals and even tourists are up for a cool treat. More than the positive impact of this idea to the public is the impact that this project will have on Pluvo, the opportunity to work in other countries and create another milestone for their continuously succeeding company.

The atmosphere was buzzing and creative juices overflowing on Saturday when some of the best creative minds on the Gold Coast converged with design students for a morning of ‘Creative Chatter’.

This inaugural event, hosted by the Design Institute of Australia, provided students with the unique opportunity to directly connect with leaders from two design disciplines. Each session ran for 1 hour with participants encouraged to ask questions, seek individual advice and discover what it takes to excel as a creative professional.

Industry representatives included Conrad Johnsson & DaSomm Choi of Yellow Goat Design, David Cuschieri of The Next Big Think, Mark Goudie of Pluvo, Kathryn Edmonds of Indigo Joker, Claudio Kirac of The Art-Work Agency, Emily Chamberlain of Marvellous and Laura Strange of Strange Stranger.

The event culminated in a flurry of activity with a workshop whereby each design discipline was set the challenge to develop a name and variety of design concepts for a boutique store located in Surfers Paradise.

Pluvo recently discovered a new way to work. A collaborative space that encourages businesses to work together in an open plan layout.

Sound too good to be true? Well the Pluvo team thought so, but after investigating this further our minds were opened to this unique way of co-functioning.

Deciding to give this a go, Pluvo for the past five weeks has enjoyed working from 45 Nerang Street, Southport. This building (by Co-Spaces) is a fascinating piece of history that dates back to the early 1920's and has seen its fair share of poor renovations. Seven years ago the building was restored to its original full glory and is now a landmark of the Gold Coast. The attention to detail is exceptional which in turn reflects the quality that Pluvo strive for.