Many have asked why Google+ have then decided to launch a separate video platform as an extension of the original video chat features within its existing product.

As we all well know, a lot of successful digital campaigns encompass the use of video communication. Since 2005 sites such as Youtube and Vimeo have allowed internet users to share their videos with the world.

Internet video fanatics are also comparing Hangouts On Air to Blog TV, the internets previously most familiar live video broadcasting website. Hangouts On Air brings one fundamental difference to the world of internet video broadcasting as it incorporates user account ability to host live video communications that tie in with Google+ profiles and networks. Previously a private hosting service, a switch in the software now allows the user to broadcast live to non users.

With the service now available through Google user dash it allows social media awareness campaigns to incorporate a really interesting aspect into their existing networks for external communications. It’s still early days as Google’s You+ network project in general is still over shadowed by Facebook and Twitter. But with such a powerful investment engine behind Googles social media concepts, You+ video features are something to keep the awareness creation sensors tuned in to.

Hangouts has tapped into large name celebrities who already have a large following to help spread platform awareness. Google has already hosted On Air Hangouts with David Beckham and President Barack Obama as well as investing training resources into large firms such as Wired and the New York Times.

Excuse our obvious punned up sign off. But Watch. This. Space!

Pinstantgram? No, not a spelling mistake.

We all agree Pinterest and Instantgram have been two of the most sexy startups in the last years.  Now, what would happen if these two hot web properties were combined into one?

That is exactly what Pek and Brandon wondered. What began as a joke and continued as a weekend coding adventure may end up being the next big thing on social networks, so stay tuned!

Here’s how it works: After connecting your Instantgram account, you view your photo stream in the waterfall layout Pinterest is known for. You can like and comment on pictures, as in the Instantgram app while pinning photos to your Pinterest pinboards.

Want to give it a shot? Here’s the link.

http://pinterest.com/epicmom/pinstagram-party/

To join the Pinstagram Party, leave your Pinterest username in the comment section below and they will add you as a contributor to the Pinstagram Party Board.

Enjoy your pinning!

Well here it is everyone…. are you ready to celebrate?

It appears Diamond Jubilee mania is nearly up on us, and to celebrate all things GREAT about the British Fashion Industry, underscore’s neighbours in Oxford Street are flying a 147 Union Flag display as homage to the “heroes that put the GREAT into Great British Craft and Design”.

There are over 200 Great British brands available on Oxford Street, including Alexander McQueen, Aquascutum, Mulberry and Stella McCartney – all helping to attract over 100 million shoppers from 200 countries per year. Wowsers.

Farther afield, for a spot of design culture the V&A’s exhibition “British Design 1948–2012: Innovation in the Modern Age” celebrates significant moments in the history of British design and how Britain continues to be a world leader in creativity and design – and we at underscore are certainly proud to form part of that cultural cutting edge.

At underscore we are certainly playing our part, and we are well underway with planning  Jubilee themed retail events and promotional campaigns for Duke of York Square in Chelsea and Alexandra Palace in North London. Both approaches are very different takes on ‘patriotism with a modern twist’ so be sure to come back soon for a doilie-tastic dose of British design from us this Diamond Jubilee year – and if you are in London for the celebrations why not pop in to underscore towers for a classic British cuppa?!

2012 confirms a new major player in the social media space.

Pinterest is the freshly popular photo sharing social network. The New York venture capital-funded networking website attracted a staggering 18.7 million visitors in March this year. The website has significantly snowballed its delicately created December 2009 market pinholes into a now largely defined, innovative and visual enthusiast targeted marketplace gap.

Pinterest is officially the 3^rd largest social networking site in the world and is currently sprinting ahead of both LinkedIn and Tagged for social media market share – bronze in the build up to the 2012 London Olympics. Now partnering with market leaders Facebook and Twitter, Pinterest indeed reveals exciting times to come for the world of digital branding.

So: what is Pinterest? Pinterest allows users to create theme based image collections ranging from events, hobbies, shopping ideas, latest fashions and many more. The concept is minimalistically effective. It follows in Facebook’s footsteps in that users can follow chosen user content (this time in the form of pinboards). Account holders can pin images on their own themed boards, “re-pin” other user images and can even pin images directly from the net with Pinterest automatically crediting the copyright holder. The platforms interaction with Facebook allows users to reflect opinions through a mirrored “like” and “comment” system. Enthusiastic news sharers can also tweet inspirational pinboard content.

With facts visualised, let’s answer the important question: how can this benefit your businesses digital branding campaign? In short, Pinterest allows businesses to boast its strategic imagery to enthusiasts.

We cannot express that term’s importance enough: categorically driven enthusiasts is what the experience is all about.

As the company explains, “Pinterest is creating sort of a meritocracy of what’s visually appealing”. Some contextualised examples you say? Take these: an online retail outlet can publish interesting and pioneering stock pictures which will evidently be picked up by target market enthusiast pinboard followers.

The site allows price tagging which also allocates items into gift idea sections listed by expense for users. Fashion companies are in their element with a confirmed US marketplace of 84% female users, and are enjoying the online Youtube-like viral effects that their design innovations are creating. Technology companies are using the website to leak advancing innovations to the forever valuable word-spreading geeks of tech culture.

Pinterest is giving businesses the opportunity to directly portray their brand’s visual personality to very appropriate customer bases within a highly efficient social networking platform. The firm said it best themselves in a recent New York Times write up, “a picture is worth a thousand words”.

We at Underscore Towers are happy to reveal the new brand for Nash Bond – the most active specialist retail agency in London.

As well as more functional elements such as letting boards and iPad presentations, their  high end functional brochure site highlights some superb imagery of their extensive London property portfolio, contains a full property listing system, case studies to highlight their finest instructions and detailed profiles of the people that make their brand unique.

So if you’re after a prime chunk of Mayfair or maybe the Kings Road why not have a look?

Our branding was front & centre at the launch of Beavertown Brewery last week, featuring on bottles, beer mats, pump clips and promotional collateral around the brewery in De Beauvoir Town.

It was a full house, with locals, brewing enthusiasts and the odd A-list celeb packing out the brewery’s home at Duke’s Brew & Que. Beavertown’s delicious Neck Oil, 8 Ball and Smog Rocket brews were flowing, accompanied by some seriously good ribs and burgers from Duke’s.

The brand has been a labour of love for us here at Underscore Towers. We’ve worked closely with brewery founders Logan Plant and Byron Knight to create a completely unique identity that tells the story of Beavertown’s past and future. The brand draws inspiration from its founders’ American and British heritage, as well as some gothic illustration and Masonic symbolism – definitely not your standard brief!

You can view more of our work on the brand here on our site. You can also check out Beavertown’s new website (also designed and built by us) and follow them on Twitter.

Of course, you could always take the old-fashioned route and head down to the brewery to sample Beavertown’s finest yourself. There’s a good chance you’ll see some of us there!

Following on from our highly successful work in bringing Alexandra Palace back to the head table of London venues for music events and conferences, we are delighted to be now tasked with delivering the visual communications for its long term regeneration programme.

The goal is to regenerate Alexandra Palace and Park, in the pioneering spirit of its founders, creating a proud, iconic London Destination with global appeal, as a successful, valuable and sustainable asset for all, including the local community.

The People’s Palace has been a destination for entertainment for nearly 140 years and despite a lack of funding it still provides a major London outlet for recreation. We are working with their in-house team and Terry Farrell architects to regenerate the hidden gems within the Palace and we would like your thoughts on the plans.

From Friday 18 May until Friday 22 June 2012 we will be sharing the strategic masterplan design concepts, and potential future business models for Alexandra Palace.

How you can get involved:

•Follow on twitter @yourallypally

•Like them on facebook: Alexandra Palace Landmark.

•Request a consultation pack (including free post return) by phone email or via the website.

•Come and see the exhibition at Ally Pally and visit from the 18th May 2012 to see the master plan at the Palace and submit your thoughts.

•Stop and talk to one of the team walking around the Park and Palace.

•Or Visit one of the events ( announcing here soon)

We want to find out what ‘the people’ think about these proposals so why not get on board. You really can help shape the future of this iconic landmark and your ideas can make sure the People’s Palace has something for everyone all year round.

Welcome to the first in our 2012 insights series. Our first topic? How to better engage in retail.

We recently shared some of our insights into retail marketing at a series of client briefing meetings. We’ll be sharing some of them via Twitter and here over the next week. Follow us on Twitter to catch them all! And of course, don’t forget to reply – we’re really keen to hear your opinions and how your own efforts are going.

Top tip #5: Maintaining interest

Well-crafted blogs create an ongoing conversation platform within your own digital space. Don’t use them to sell your products: instead offer up interesting and relevant information to your audience. You could even invite guest bloggers from your industry to give personal hints and tips of up and coming trends.

A well presented video is far more engaging than just text and offers up bite-size chunks of information to time-sensitive consumers. For example, you could show the highlights of your most recent event to encourage your audience not to miss out on the next one!

That wraps up our first insight series for 2012. If you missed any of our previous posts, you can catch up on NFC & Wi-Fi, social media, drawing a crowd and pocket retail.

We’ll be running more of these throughout the year. Why not follow us on Twitter or sign up for our newsletter below to be the first to know?

CGA is the UK’s leading customer experience consultancy. They know that in today’s highly competitive market, customers interact with your brand in many ways, so they approached Underscore to refresh their brand, refine their digital presence and clarify their offering.

We achieved this in part by creating a ‘customer’ from an adaptation of their newly refreshed logo. We then inserted this into sector-reflective images to show off their key services and create a flow through their new website.

The website is now live and also includes a great video, which we scripted and produced to offer a simple introduction to their key consultation offering: the ‘CGA Heartbeat’.

“The team at Underscore managed to interpret a fairly challenging brief and, working together with us,  produced a fresh and engaging website, which ticks all the boxes in terms of  information, navigation and creative design.  The people we dealt with were talented, responsive and made every effort to ensure we got what we wanted. We are very happy with the result and look forward to working with Underscore in the future.”

Chris Garthwaite
CEO

We at Underscore are delighted to have a happy client and we hope you like it too. Enjoy!

Welcome to the first in our 2012 insights series. Our first topic? How to better engage in retail.

We recently shared some of our insights into retail marketing at a series of client briefing meetings. We’ll be sharing some of them via Twitter and here over the next week. Follow us on Twitter to catch them all! And of course, don’t forget to reply – we’re really keen to hear your opinions and how your own efforts are going.

Top tip #4: Retail in your pocket

Go mobile! Make sure your website is mobile friendly and have a version of your site that gives people on the go the information they need. By 2014 mobile internet should take over desktop internet usage, so it is imperative you get your presence correct.

Bespoke or customised Apps will offer your audience key information on their mobile even when they are not online. You can use Apps to promote special offers, events, opening hour changes, car park rates and even give special discounts to your users.

Missed any of our tips so far? Catch up on our posts on NFC and wi-fi, social media and drawing a crowd.