A word from our MD

Another new year dawns. As I contemplate the prospect of an action packed year, it also occurs to me to look at the past.

The one thing that stands out is our longstanding relationships with most of our customers. Many of whom we consider more than customers as we share a history of great partnership through good times and bad. Especially considering recent global tough times, it is quite rewarding that Artifact continues to forge and strengthen these relationships. So looking forward to 2010 we thank all our loyal customers for their continued support and wish you all a fantastic World Cup year, filled with success and good times as we walk the road beside you.

Artifact News

Our team is well rested and back with a vengeance – ready to score in 2010!

Best wishes to Kate who is finally on the road to recovery and back with us.  We hope you go from strength to strength.

To Andy and Lindy, congratulations on the birth of your baby daughter, Kara.

A warm Artifact welcome to Michelle who joins us officially this year.  We look forward to some awesome creative work.

Congrats also to Tracey and Craig on the birth of baby Lily – we look forward to Tracey’s return in February.

Good luck to Tamsin and Graham who tie the knot in March – our best wishes!

Twenty Zen cocktail

Kick off 2010 with this celebratory cocktail…

• 40 ml Dry Sparkling Wine
• 50 ml Vodka
• 1 tsp.  sugar syrup
• Several mint leaves

Garnish with lime, sit back and enjoy!

Top 10 business ideas for 2010

Over the holidays, smart new business ideas were reviewed and 10 were selected that will provide entrepreneurs with plenty of opportunities in 2010.

1.Small scale food production using membership models.

The past year saw a huge increase in innovative, upscale mobile food vendors selling everything from premium ice-cream to Korean BBQ tacos.

2) Low impact advertising

Realizing that green concerns are here to stay, new environmentally friendly techniques are being used by marketers to broadcast their clients' messages in an earth-friendly manner, such as techniques that use sand, glow-in-the-dark fungi and more.

3) Health tracking devices

From wireless headbands that track sleep patterns to wearable gadgets that track every move, an increasing number of options are available for people who want to track their own health-related behaviour.

4) Sample stores, cafes & vending machines

Following sampling stores in Spain, sampling cafes in Tokyo and sample vending machines in Belgium, this concept is suspected to spread even further in 2010.

5) Discreet rooftop solar panels and wind turbines

Smart engineers are creating aesthetically pleasing solar panels and wind turbines that blend in with their environment. Plenty of opportunities exist in this field.

6) Rotating retail at airports and in malls

Pop-up, temporary retail is still going strong; however efforts are being made to turn those fleeting pop-up shops into a chain concept, creating fixed spaces where brands can temporarily present themselves in a regular retail environment.

7) Remote farming for consumers

Offering consumers a way to remotely control a patch of land that will actually provide them with an edible harvest is a new, emerging trend.  Anyone can build an organic garden right from their web browser. As the produce grows, it's picked and delivered to the customer's door within 24 hours.

8) Connecting creative consumers with local fabricators

There are workshops that are equipped with the digital fabrication tools needed to precisely cut, machine, drill or sculpt the components of virtually any creative project. This allows consumers to turn their ideas into physical products and creates new business for small workshops.

9) Paying consumers to promote products they use and love

A recession-induced need for cash plus an ever-growing infrastructure are fueling concepts that help consumers make money instead of spending it. One of the easiest ways to do so is by taking on the role of marketeer for products they already use and love: from promoting concerts by their favourite bands, to helping small companies launch new products.

10) A single use toilet bag turns human waste into fertilizer

A potential solution to a problem that 2.6 billion people have to deal with: no access to a toilet. Designed for use sitting, squatting or standing, the single-use, biodegradable plastic Peepoo bag is odour-free and safe for burial underground.

From the source: http://springwise.com/businessideas2010/

Superior Sliding Style

We are proud to announce that we have won the Hillaldam advertising account.  This innovative South African company is dedicated to the design, manufacture and distribution of quality sliding door solutions and products.  Welcome to the Artifact fold!  Check out www.hilladam.co.za to find out more. 

Click here to view the new marketing brochure designed by the Artifact team.

Munching at the Movies

In December, Ster Kinekor rolled out their new look menu boards – click here to view. The new boards offer greater flexibility in terms of promoting different specials and the strong use of white brightens up the catering counters.

January Promotions

Start the new year off with a great offer from Hot Dog Café.  Artifact designed and printed the new instore POS for this “great start”! 

Click here to view the artwork.

Anyone for Golf?

Artifact has also been hard at work rebranding the Cape company – STM (Southern Turf Management).  We revamped their logo and developed a full CI. 

Click here to view .  Look out for great new ads coming in 2010.

Annual Reports

The months of December and January are traditionally busy ones when it comes to financial reporting.  Our design team has been busy designing annual reports – click here to view the layout.  Give us a call if you need any reports created – our Online company can also produce innovative multimedia presentations.