Midlands Universities League

The first half of the 5or6 sponsored Midlands Universities Football League (MUL) is coming to an end, with both the East and West premiers almost finished, and the play offs set to start in February. The East league was won before Christmas with Loughborough University’s U19s side running away with a very tough league, which featured top-class University first teams. While the West league is a lot tighter, yet Coventry University are on top at the turn of the year. When the leagues have finished the top four teams from each league will enter the quarter finals to compete for the title of being crown the MUL champions 09/10.

Changing times

As most will know it has been a few years since our website has had a face lift and so we thought  we would make a start on our new year’s resolution early and revamp our site, as it was getting a little podgy.Work has started on the back end to our site after the front end design was given the green light by all involved.

We incredibly excited about our new site and so we will be tweeting and blogging our little heads off with updates on the progress of our site, lets hope you can keep up!

Programme central

The 5or6 office has been busy today working on two programmes for our two first rate teams; Ilkeston Town and Loughborough Lightning. Ilkeston host Workington this Saturday in a bid to get some points on the board in what could be a defining Christmas period. Whilst the Lightning start their home campaign against Team Bath this coming Monday evening.

Mashable's 3rd annual open web awards results

This morning the Mashable's 3rd annual open web awards results will be announced with many web based applications that our close to our hearts (Hootsuit, Tweetdeck etc.) up for awards. Have a check on the site, browse through the categories and have a play around with some new apps, you never know you might find something that takes your fancy!

New Facebook fan page

We are in the process of switching over to a new Facebook fan page for our original Facebook group page which we have been using for the last year. This is so that we can post all our new Blog and news information on the page.

Please take the time to visit our new fan page and become 'a fan' of 5or6, it will be worth your while.

Uni Football takes the leap into cyberspace

England Universities Football programme has taken massive strides in the last few years, with numerous players going pro, and many others turning semi pro over the last few years. The most recent being former Wolverhampton University colossal center back Exodus Geohaghan joining Peterborough in January and former UWE Hartpury player Matt Smith joining Robbie Fowler in Australia at Queensland Fury FC.

5or6 have been heavily involved with in the programme over the last few years, yet inn recent weeks programme has begun to develop its on line presents, with a new Blog, Twitter account and Facebook fan page, all being set up to try on draw attention to one of the most successful University sports programmes around.

Over the next few months there will be many more updates regarding the England Universities Football programme as they bid to push more and more players into the professional game. Watch this space.

WOW causes quite a stir

The new edition of the Loughborough Universities WOW magazine has sold out in record time! The new magazine cover features two Loughborough Students who play for the Tennis side playing the game they love, naked. If you wish to see what all the fuss is about, WOW has been posted on myebook.

Lightning Strikes

5or6 are well under way with the promotion material and matchday programme for the fantastic Loughborough Lightning. Lightning start their home campaign with a tasty tie against Team Bath on Monday 21st December. Tickets are £6 for adults and £4 for concessions... BUY ONE GET ONE FREE!

The Loughborough side then host Glasgow over in Walsall on January 7th 2010. Both matches will be big indications of what to expect for the season with Lightning hoping to go one better than their second place last year.

New Balls Please

Today the new issue of the Loughborough AU magazine WOW (Walk on Water) is out, and is a martial arts special. How ever the infamous WOW naked calender is what Don's the front page.

The naked calender features 12 Loughborough University teams doing what they do best accept their naked.

This issue is the fourth of the University year and features articles on Loughborough's very own 10th Dan Kung Fu guru, Master Ang, and the up coming varsity kick boxing fight night between Loughborough and Bath.

Lightning and England Uni's Blogs

Loughborough Lightning and England Universities football, two projects that we are heavily involved in here at 5or6 have been working hard on and off the field/court and have both released new blog's to keep everyone up to date with their latest news.

To view there blog's just follow the links below:
Loughborough Lightning
England Universities Football

Griffin Posters

The Griffin a local pub part of the Marston's Brewery chain ask 5or6 to produce new posters for there newest nights and new years eve.

'Happy Mondays' is a new indie night at, whilst 'More Fun Than Ya Mum!' is a new student night with up beat funky house and dance music.

New Years eve at the Griffin is a fancy dress evening where everyone is encouraged to go as there favorite small screen star.

Is there a doctor in the building?

Today 5or6 managing director Peter Simmons has handed in his PhD titled 'An exploration of the effectiveness of sustainable design websites in influencing design decision making'. Peter has been working on his PhD for the last 4 years and has been working at 5or6 for the past year and a half at the same time.

Pete's graduation will be in the summer at Loughborough University when he will be officially classed a doctor in design.

Newshouse

We have begun work this week on a new line of branding concepts for Newshouse Cocktail bar. Newshouse have created 5 new nights and needed the right branding to promote the new nights.

As the projects get ticked off we will be posting the logos, fliers and posters up on line.

Glad to be back

After 4 away games on the bounce Ilkeston are back at home, and this means another match day programme for the robins. Saturdays match against Mossley is an FA Trophy match.

Lightning programme causes a storm

The Loughborough Lightning first match day programme has gone into print. The programme is for the official Loughboroug Lightning Netball Super League grand launch night at Loughborough University on Saturday 21st of November. The programme has articles on the recent game between Lightning and the Australian national side the Diamonds, along with a columns from the Lightning camp and features on how to try out for Lightning. All in all it is a good read and should compliment the evening very well.

5or6 new Website!

Work has started on a new 5or6 website, with everyone here putting ideas together to make a new easier to use, more elegant website. With an end date scheduled for next February everyone here is very excited to be working on it. 5or6 managing director Peter Simmons said...

"We are hoping to create something that represents us and our work, something we can be proud of. Everyone here is working very hard, and we should have it up and running by the end of February."

We will keep the blog up to date with all the latest news regarding our site so keep checking back.

5or6 re-jig

Over the next few months we are having a small re-jig here at 5or6. We are currently in the process of designing our new website (which will be fantastic!) and we will be linking this blog to it. So keep an eye out for all the new developments, and keep a check on Twitter as we will be posting news on there of our progress.

Lightning Storm

The grand season launch of Loughborough Lightnings season is fast approaching and the new e fliers, posters and postcards have been sent out to promote the event.

The event takes place on the 21st of November in Loughborough Universities Netball Center, with an All star netball match, fashion show, IMS grudge match and sports auction.

December WOW posted on myebook

The december issue of WOW has been posted on myebook. This months magazine was 20 pages long and featured EuroHockey winner and Loughborough student Richard 'Smudge' Smith on the front cover.

November Issue of WOW out

The November Issue of Lougborough Students Athletic Unions magazine WOW is now out. The magazine has interviews with current Loughborough student Richard 'Smudge' Smith, who recently won the EuroHockey Championships with England in Holland. Smudge and England, which include 4 ex-Loughborough Students including current captain Barry Middleton beat the Olympic Champions Germany in the final 5 - 3.

The issue also features articles on the currently high flying Loughborough Students Tennis team, the Students Womens Football side and an article on encouranging students to drink more water, 'winter warmer'.

WOW will be released online next week, so keep an eye out here for the link.

CSA'09 Video

The video for the Charnwood Sports Awards 2009 is up on YouTube now, so you can view it here.

November Newsletter

The new 5or6 newsletter for November is out, to view it click here.

Loc8me & Lakha banners arrive

Loc8me and Lakha, two local student housing companies commissioned 5or6 to create two banners for the new student housing year, the designs were sent off last week and the banners arrived in the office today.

Both parties are extremely happy with the new banners which will be displayed in Loughborough town centre as of tomorrow.

Lightning Strikes 5or6

On the 21st of November, Loughborough Lightning have their season lauch for the new Sky Sports Netball Super League. We are working closely with Lightning to produce all of the design work for the event. This includes a 24 page programme, poster, fliers, efliers and TV banner ads.

Charnwood Sports Awards '09 Presentation

Last night we attended the Charnwood Sports Awards presentation evening. The event was a great success and here at 5or6 we produced the programme for the evening, videos for the event, tickets, and branding. We also sponsored the coveted Sports person of the year award, and up for the award was Jo Jackson (world swimming silver medalist and world record holder), Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (Olympic medalist) and Liam Tancock (world swimming gold medalist and world record holder). The award was eventually won by Liam Tancock.

"It is fantastic for the council and the community to recognise sporting achievements in Charnwood from Olympic athletes to local sports clubs" - Peter Simmons (photo second from the left) 5or6 Managing Director

The event was something that we actively seeked to be involved in due to our background in sport and sports design, and felt that it was a great event for the borough and for the county of Leicestershire, as it showed the dept in sporting talent we have here.

Twittering About

What can you actually do with Twitter? It's just status updates isn't it? These are questions we get asked all the time by companies, individuals and friends, and they are valid questions. To many Twitter does seem like a status update site, due in part to the question in your 'status' box, "What are you doing?", yet the what the box should really say is " What have you got to share with others?".

If you treat your status update as a way of sharing useful information with others then it opens a whole new dimension. Why not share a link to your company website, or blog that you find interesting, if others find it useful they may re-tweet, sending you link out to many more people. Twitter can be a very powerful tool to connect yourself or company with a much wider range of people, with out spending thousands.

There is a reason why millions have embraced Twitter, it gives you a chance to connect with thousands if not millions of people in 140 characters, give it a go, you never know what might come of it.

Well done Ilkeston!

On Saturday Ilkeston beat Tamworth to progress to the first round proper of the FA Cup. Ilkeston had to overcome a strong Tamworth side who are a league above them in the Blue Square Conference. Yet the Blue Square Northern Conference side came out on top 2 - 0 winners.

It is the first time in 10 years that the Robbins have made it to the first round proper and have been drawn against another strong side, in former league side Cambridge United.

The game will take place on Saturday the 7th of November at Cambridge's R Costings Abbey Stadium.

An evening with Graeme Swann

Last night we went to an event at Ilkeston Town Football club, 'An evening with Graeme Swann'. For the event we produced the posters and promotional video which aired at the event before Graeme took to the stage. The evening went well, and the video went down a storm (if I do say so myself!), with Graeme stealing the DVD at the end of the night!

5or6 + ICP = A great design

For the last 2 weeks we have been putting together a web concept for Ideal Chemical Products (ICP), the sealants and adhesives specialists. ICP have been established since 1988, supplying the highest grade products to building contractors all over the country, with there products being used in the construction of the new Wembley and the renovation of the Docklands.

ICP are looking to create an ecommerece website that can supply there building grade products to the everyone. 5or6 have been tasked with designing a website that is accessible to everyone, easy to use yet modern and inviting.

The website will be launched at the begining of December, keep checking back for more information.

Charnwood Sports Awards '09 Tickets go out!

The tickets for the Charnwood Sports Awards '09 have gone out this morning to everyone that has been nominated for an award.  The event is in 2 weeks so all the design work is coming together, with the programmes for the event, along with the video being produced at the moment.

We have also sponsored an award for the event, the prestigious 'Senior Sportsperson of the Year' award.

WOW what a week

After a lot of hard work the second issue of Loughborough Univeristies Athletic Union magazine WOW is out. The design went to the printers on Monday afternoon and the magazine has been placed on the shelves today.

The issue featured Chicargo Bulls and GB star Luol Deng, as well as features on the Students Rugby League side and Women's Rugby Union squad.

Deng was in Loughborough over the summer with his basketball camp, and was kind enough to do an interview for the magazine. He expressed his expectations for 2012, this season for the Bulls and what he hopes to achieve in the future.

If you want to have a look through the magazine it has been placed on myebook by the Students Union.

Charnwood Sports Awards Tickets

The Charnwood Sports Awards tickets are in and are being sent out on Monday morning to everyone who has been nominated and invited to the event. Here at 5or6 we are sponsoring one of the awards and when we find out which one we will let you know.

Google Wave in the future...

Over the last few years Google has been raising the bar constantly in the way we use the internet. Yet their latest project the Google Wave, which is set for release soon is set to completely change everything. It will revolutionise the way we use our browsers, exchange information and communicate with each other via the internet.

Google Wave was previewed earlier this year at Google's annual Google I/O conference to rave reviews, and has been described as "a personal communication and collaboration tool". Yet from the description it might seem hard to understand what Google Wave actually does. As a personal communication and collaboration tool wouldn't work together, right? Wrong, Google Wave allows individuals to talk together at the same time, yet alter the conversation or "Wave", add others to the Wave, share images, maps and documents via the Wave, and so much more.

So be prepared to wave good bye to your email client, say "sayonara" to your instant messager and hello to Google Wave.

CSA'09

The Charnwood Sports Awards 2009 are nearly upon us. The logo has been chosen and the programme and video for the event are being put together as we speak. This year has seen some very high profile sports men and women from the borough being nominated for awards. Swimming World Record holder Liam Tancock, who trains at the University is up for Loughborough University Student Sport Award with fellow Swimming World Record holder Jo Jackson.

For more information on the event click here, yet for more information on the events design work keep checking back here.

Thinking inside the box - Are branding guidelines a restriction on creativity?

All designers will know that when designing for a client there can be some perceived pit falls, namely the dreaded creativity destroying, 'brand guidelines'... Brand guidelines can seem like such a restriction on ones imagination, you always have to stick to the guide. You're never allowed to 'think outside the box' or 'push the envelope' so to speak. Yet is having guidelines such a restriction? Are they terribly detrimental to the overall design?

I have always found having a simple set of rules to govern or guide my design work, an aid rather than a hindrance. I often find myself setting out simple rules for myself when I begin a project, that way I can focus on what the client really wants. This way it stops me from getting carried away with what I really what from it, and there is often a big difference between the two. Remember rules can give order, direction and a purpose to a design.

So next time you're given 'brand guidelines' or restrictions from a client, boss or even a friend don't think of them as a hindrance. They're there to focus your design talents on what is really needed from the finished product, customer satisfaction.

Rolling with the times...

Being a design consultancy and constantly having to search out new technologies out there, you often stumble across a few gems (and quite a few pieces of deadwood), that not only aid your work yet make it easier and far far quicker. At the moment the most popular net based technology we use here is Netvibes, with this you can have all your social networking pages (Facebook, Twitter, Blogs etc.) all on one page, along with almost anything else that you find interesting, for me thats BBC Sport and Sky News. This makes it so much easier to update everything in one go and get your voice out there on the net. Social Networking is one of the fast growing ways to connect to your customer and having a platform in which you can reach them instanly is always a plus! So give Netvibes a go, or you can always search out your own Social Networking gem, it will save you time, effort and most certainly stop you from seeing that frustrating little character the Twitter 'Fail Whale'.

Can you loc8 me somewhere to live?

Loc8 me the student housing company have approached us to help them redesign their website, fliers and posters for this year. Last year we help them with their corporate image and fliers, and this year they have even more houses and so are looking for a massive push into the student market.

Designing for students can be tricky as everything has to be up to date with current fashions, yet because of our experience working with student aimed companies in the past we feel that this is right up our street.

Designing for a Reaction

5or6 are joining forces with Cox Web Design to produce a new website for Ideal Chemical Products Online (ICPO). ICPO are a spin off company of Ideal Chemical Products which has been running for 21 years selling industrial grade sealants, adhesives and cleaning agents to building contractors all over the country, with their products being use in the Docklands renovation and the new Wembley Stadium.

ICPO came to 5or6 with the idea of building a brand new e-commerce site, to sell their superior products to the general public, and over the course of the next few months we will be designing their new site to bring in a whole new customer base.

Charnwood Sports Awards '09

5or6 have won the battle of the tenders to produce the branding, programme design, ticket design and videos for the Charwood Sports Awards 2009. The event will take place on Monday the 2nd of November and will be used to showcase the large amount of sporting talent with in the borough. Awards include senior team of the year, young sportsman of the year and University sportsman of the year. Individuals within the borough have been asked nominate individuals and teams to be shortlisted for the event over the last few months.

Over the course of the next month we will be working hard to make the evening as special as we can by providing the best design possible, we will keep you up to date with everything involved and let you know the winners when they are announced at the event.

WOW posted on myebook

The new September issue of the Loughborough WOW is up on on line, featured on myebook. Have a look, let us know what you think and if you could give it a 5 star rating that would be amazing.

Busy, Busy, Busy

We certainly have a packed couple of weeks of work, with so much going to print, as well as a few longer term projects finishing for the year.

First off Ilkeston play Gloucester this weekend at the New Manor Ground, which means we are putting together the match day programme. Currently Ilkeston are sitting sixth in Conference North, eight places ahead of their opponents on Saturday. However Ilkeston are flying after a 4 - 1 FA Cup victory at the weekend over Mildenhall Town. Then next Tuesday, Championship side Derby are coming to the new manor ground for a friendly, which will certainly draw the crowds, and large sales of our match day programmes (fingers crossed)!

Secondly this weekend saw this years final of Street Athletics. All the results for the final are up on line now with pictures of the events to follow later this week. It has been an amazing year for Street Athletics with some incredible events, some amazingly talented athletes on display and of course a fantastic website (by 5or6 if you didn’t get the hint).

And last yet certainly not least, it is going to be a very busy few weeks for all the Estonian national football sides, as their international fixtures list is nearly as long as our 'to do' list! There are fixtures for the U-17's sides all the way up to the full national side. Its an incredible honour to be selected to represent a country, which is why we are still over the moon to be able to produce the match day programmes for all these fixtures (yet I'm not too sure how we will feel at the end of the week, I'm sure there will be some very late nights in there!).

Street Athletics Final Weekend

This Sunday Albert Square in Manchester is to host the final of Street Athletics, the amazing sports anitactive set up by Darren Campbell and Linford Christie. The final will see children ranging from under 13's up to under 20's competing to win gold, a years supply of Nike training equipment and mentoring from Darren and Linford themselves. Here at 5or6 we wish everyone the best of luck, and hope that the weekend goes well for everyone.

World Cup Debut

Following on from yesterdays realisation that we have an FA Cup run coming up, we are also starting today on the programmes for the World Cup Qualifiers Estonia vs. Belgium and Estonia vs. Bosnia.

The start of our Cup run

This weekend sees us produce our first programme for an FA cup tie, Ilkeston Town FC vs. Mildenhall Town. We have been producing the programme for Ilkeston all season and wish them the best of luck this weekend.

The programme features an interview with FA cup giant killing legend John Duncan, who managed Chesterfield to the FA semi final where they were cruelly knock out by a controversial last minute goal by Middlesbrough at Old Trafford in 1997.

WOW... What a 1st Issue

The first issue of WOW is out today! It features Loughborough's newest athletics star Martyn Rooney on the front cover, as well as detailing all the summer success the University had in the Swimming and Athletics World Championships.

The new issue should hopefully be posted up on myebook soon so we will keep you up to date on that.

Estonian FA Programmes

As some of you will know we have set up a link with the Estonian FA, producing all there design work for match day programmes, business club brochures and their newsletter. Today they have posted one of our first programmes for the U-21 games against Ireland and Georgia on myebook. Have a look and let us know your thoughts (programme link).

Running out of Time

Street Athletics is coming to an end... However it will be back next year! Street Athletics is an event run by British Olympic legends Linford Christie and Darren Campbell, and does exactly what is says on the tin, it is an athletics event held on the street. It is designed to give inner city children the chance to compete in an organised athletics event and to encourage them into getting into more sport. The event has been running since 2006, yet and we were comisioned to produce the website, along with the branding from 2008, and we did the same this year... we just made it bigger and better! For more information on how to get involved next year visit the site, or go to nuff-respect.co.uk.

The finals for Street Athletics are to be held in Manchester on Saturday the 26th of September, so get down there and support tommorows sporting stars.

Lakopoly

The popular student housing company Lakha based in Loughborough, asked us to create their new ad for the upcoming academic year, and after a few different designs a monopoly style advert was decided upon. The ad uses the board to recreate the most prominent landmarks in the town as well as some of the infamous Lakha properties the playboy and playgirl mansions.

New Revolution Fliers ready to go

Revolution the nationwide Vodka Bar chain commissioned us to create a brand for a night of theirs, and so Superstar Boudoir was born, an up market night at a top class venue. Along with the branding fliers and posters were needed to gain awareness of the night.

Dance:Street Contract

We have recently won the contract for the branding and web development of a new Dance School, called Dance:Street. Dance:Street takes street dance teachers into school to give children the chance to try something different. At present we are working on the website as a whole, yet the branding has been created and the holding page for the website is up.

Our First Newsletter

Our first newsletter has been sent out to all our excisiting clients via a HTML email, if you want to have a look here it is, Newsletter Issue 1.

Ed's Blog

Ed are new Creative Designer/Placement Student has started his own placement diary blog outlining his progress on his year own from University and what he has been up to at 5or6.

The WOW Factor

Loughborough University's Athletic Union has had some famous people pass through its register in past years, Seb Coe, Bob Wilson, Paula Radcliffe, and Clive Woodward. And now 5or6 are joining them!

We are delighted to announce the successful tender of the Athletic Union's WOW magazine for this year. 'We will be working with the AU and the editor to produce the best magazine possible. We are excited about working with the no.1 Sporting institution in Britain.' said Managing Director Peter Simmons.

The Famous Mr, Ed

5or6 have expanded with Creative Designer Ed Williams joining the design consultancy on a years' work placement. His Professional Tutor Ryan McNamara commented: 'We are looking to expand and it is a great opportunity for both Ed and us to do that. He will be a great addition to the design team.'

Ed is on a year out from his Industrial Design & Technology degree course at Loughborough University.

Brazil 1 - 0 Estonia

Unfortunately our new programmes did not give the Estonian national side as much luck as we had hoped, as they lost 1 - 0 to a full strength Brazil side, with the goal coming from Luís Fabiano of Seville in Spain.

We will keep you posted on all the other results and see how we do.

Kaka stars for 5or6!

We have recently acquired the contract to produce the programmes for the Estonian FA. With the first game that we will be working on is against Brazil, the most successful national football team in the world and the number one ranked national side in the world! The game is to celebrate 100 years of Estonian football and their Football Association. The programme is 36 pages long, and has Kaka, the former worlds most expensive player on the front cover and features an interview with the Estonian Golden boy Ragnar Klavan, who plays for AZ Alkmar the Dutch Champions. The programme was accompanied by the Estonian Business Club Brochure, which is given out to all the sponsors of the national side at the game.

The game is tomorrow and so we will let you know if the programme gives them good luck to over turn a team that is over 100 places high than them in the FIFA world rankings!

Good luck Estonia!

Love Life? Love Running? Then this is perfect for you

Love Life, Love Running is a new running event taking place next July at Cannock Chase, Staffordshire. It is a weekend event for the family based around being healthy, family fun and of coarse running!

Here at 5or6 we were ask to produce a dynamic fun website to promote the event, and we feel we have done just that!

Go on the Robins

Our first programme of the new season is going out tomorrow night for Ilkeston Town FC against Redditch United. Ilkeston did lose their first game of the season 2 - 0 away from home to the highly fancied Droylsden FC. The first issue has an interview with centre back Charlie O'loughlin, who also stars for England Universities.

The New 5or6 Blog!

Hello everyone! This is the new Blog for 5or6. We are a design consultancy based in Loughborough England. We specialise in print and web design, with clients ranging from small local buisness to large national governing bodies. We will be posting all our most recent work on here, our Twitter profile and our Facebook page, so keep your eyes peeled.