Awards:
Top Motion Graphics :)
codegent is a full service web development new media agency, based in clapham, london, uk, that delivers well-designed content managed sites, microsites and flash games supported by robust technology and integrated marketing solutions including search engine optimisation, pay-per-click and html email.
We're proud of the company we have built up since we started in 2004. But it's an ever-evolving process and we're still as passionate as we were on day one.
We're an award winning, dynamic agency who started life in London but then opened an office in Bangkok. Both offices have their own projects, but there is also a lot of collaboration. It was always important to us that the teams weren't totally independent of each other: otherwise what's the point?
As well as being an agency, we're also fledgling entrepreneurs, having launched our first Joint Venture with TV's Sarah Beeny.
This year, to celebrate our 5th birthday, we all flew to Nice for a long weekend.
We do lots of clever, award winning, ground-breaking, digital things. It's hard to sum up in a simple phrase, but we basically work across the digital spectrum and across multiple industry sectors. We don't do advertising or direct marketing or PR and we think it's better that way. We're technology agnostic, although we do have our favourites and we're big fans of Open Source.
We also like to give something back, which is why we do a pro-bono project each year.
Pretty much every project involves some strategic planning on our part. What does strategy mean? We think of it as analysis, wireframing and information architecture, user-centric design, social media planning, search engine marketing and brand development.
Projects around specific campaigns are generally fast-turnaround, focused on a specific message and relatively temporary. The key is to understand the brand, define the message and execute something effective to a strict timescale. Our processes allow us to hit the timescales, and our passion for digital ensures we deliver something exceptional.
Many of the sites we produce have complex content requirements. This is where we bring our Information Architecture expertise to bear, as well as a long track record in delivering content management systems across a wide range of industry sectors. We use our own frameworks as well as 3rd party systems. It really depends on the client's needs.
User-centred design, editorial with relevant calls to action, seamless payment handler integration, appropriate data collection and tools to manage your customers and stock. It's not rocket science, but it does take experience and an understanding of what works. Unfortunately, one size really doesn't fit all when it comes to selling online. Getting the right information about your customers at the right time is really important. That said, not selling a client a sledgehammer to crack a nut is also something to consider.
We see SEM, be it Pay Per Click campaigns or Search Engine Optimisation, as an integrated part of the overall big idea, rather than a discreet bit of work.
We can plan, implement and provide ongoing management of effective PPC campaigns, working with you to decide how we reach the right audiences with the right messages to get the most efficient delivery of targeted traffic to your site.
We can also ensure that the site is technically and content-optimised to move it up the search engines' natural listings without making the site appear contrived or awkward for the user to navigate.
Sometimes quick and dirty, sometimes beautiful and award winning, we've been making films for use on the internet since we started. We try not to think of them as separate to the rest of the site: although clearly they require a different production discipline. A user shouldn't feel that they are in video mode or website mode: it should be as integrated and as seamless as possible.
We're exploding with ideas and innovations when it comes to UGC. We were one of the first agencies in the UK to develop a system for user-generated video, producing a cost-effective solution for Youth Music. We were the lead developers on the Red5 project. Facebook uses Red5 for it's self-record video tool. Given how open young people are to UGC, it's no surprise that we've created projects that use our UGC tools for some of the best-known youth brands in the world.
From iPhone & Blackberry Apps to Smartphone specific sites, mobile is becoming an ever-increasing part of the work that we do at Codegent. We see mobile as a marketing and communications channel in its own right and work with our clients to develop strategies and experiences to fulfil the potential of their brands within it.
We are a digital ideas agency. Ours is primarily a creative process, but one that is firmly rooted in delivering measurable returns for our clients: be that increased awareness, changed perceptions, education or monetisation (or something else!)
When we started Codegent we agreed that the idea of rolling out the same old stuff year on year seemed like a pretty dull proposition. So we decided that we would allocate time to experiment. Intellectually it seemed to be the right thing to do, even if commercially there were no immediate returns.
Innovation has become part of our makeup and our investment has more than paid for itself. We found ourselves way ahead of the game when it came to user-generated video, for example and this allowed us to beat off some much bigger agencies.
We were the lead developers on the Open Source Red5 project and have also developed a number of applications that help developers create more engaging interactivity for their audiences.
The strategic planning, design and build elements of a project are essentially creative processes. Structuring this within a tried and tested framework means that everyone stays focused on the ultimate goals of the task. Our project process has been designed to allow for creative thinking and experimentation, whilst ensuring that milestones and objectives are met.
We recognise that our clients hire us for our ideas, but need those ideas to be firmly rooted in the commercial realities of their businesses. And, truth be told, we kind of like it that way.
Is your agency thinking about your business even when you haven't asked them to? Do they come to you with strategic insights or do you have to drag it out of them? We love nothing more than pulling up a chair, working through the problems and planning a solution.
One model for running an agency goes like this: take a brief, don't challenge it, charge as much as you can, turn it round as quickly as possible, don't rock the boat, invoice, get paid, move on.
We don't think that's what clients want. They want us to be on their side, but also to tell them when we disagree. We don't pretend to know more about our clients' businesses than they do, but we do know an awful lot about digital.
We've never really deliberately targeted a specific sector, but as we've evolved we have naturally developed expertise in particular areas. These have included:
Youth
Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Youth Music, B-Live, Save the Children
Fashion
Swarovski, Skechers, My Green Lipstick, Independent Models
Entertainment
BBC, ITV, Endemol, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Sarah Beeny
Financial Services
Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Youth Music, B-Live, Save the Children
Public Sector
Department for Trade and Industry, Government Office for London, NHS
London, Bangkok. It's not exactly global domination, but our aspiration is to establish our brand of building happy, brilliant teams of people elsewhere in the world. If you think you might want to be part of that we'd love to hear from you.
This year we launched a Joint Venture with Sarah Beeny from Channel 4's Property Ladder. It is one of the things we are really good at - bringing our skills and knowledge and combining them with someone else's to make something much bigger.
Tepilo is a site where people can buy and sell their homes online without the need to go through an estate agent. We think this is a simple and therefore brilliant idea. Also, we're not sure there are many other people in the UK we'd rather have partnered with than Sarah.
We've generally taken a fairly 'reactive' approach to awards; but more recently we've recognised that a) it motivates everyone who works on the projects; b) it gives prospective clients a warmer feeling if they know that their agency has cupboards full of bits of plastic. So we've resolved to try a bit harder.
Having said that, the work we did for Searcys recently won a FITC award for Motion Graphics and was nominated for a Webby. And a project for Cartoon Network was part of a BAFTA nomination so we probably shouldn't be too hard on ourselves.
We've selected a random(ish) sample of people within Codegent to give you a flavour of who we are:
We're currently based in Clapham in a converted brewery. It's a big airy space with enormous beams and suits us just fine.
Founder/Managing Partner
Location: London
I normally cycle to the office if I can, or if I'm feeling especially virtuous I walk in and run home. My time is split broadly between: working with clients to help shape their digital strategies; promoting Codegent to the world; and managing the commercial aspects of the agency. I'm also vice-chair of BIMA (British Interactive Media Association), which also occupies some of my time. After work, I might get dragged to the gym by Mark, be out with clients, peers or colleagues, or curled up at home on my sofa.
Founder/Managing Partner
Location: London
Running a busy, expanding agency means there is never a typical day. I tend to be involved in new business meetings, assisting on pitch presentations, helping to run the production team and planning many of our internal processes. I touch upon most projects within the agency. At the outset I usually brainstorm creative, strategic and technical ideas with the team. I'll also get involved with the more complex Information Architecture projects. My hand drawn wireframes are notorious with our designers! When a project nears completion I am normally involved in Quality Assurance. A fresh pair of eyes at the end makes all the difference. It's usually a bit of a surprise when I look at my watch and it's past 6pm already. Out of hours I keep fit, travel extensively and enjoy a palette cleansing tipple...
now and again :)
Creative Director
Location: London
My day starts off with 50 Lengths of the pool. I'm not really a fitness fanatic, but this is where I do my best thinking and day dreaming. I spend my days talking to clients and the Codegent team and sharing my excitement about the digital world, and the possibilities the technology unlocks. Like all creative directors I am a frustrated artist, so upon an evening you can find me at my printmaking class, where I get to make a big mess, and get ink under my fingernails.
Executive Producer
Location: London
My day starts by racing buses through central London on my bike - the quicker I go, the faster I get my coffee. As Executive Producer, I work across the production team to share ideas, solve problems and maintain quality and budgets across all of our projects. I have to make sure the teams all know what they are supposed to be doing and that our projects have the right people available at the right time which, on occasion, can be a little tricky. On not-so-typical days I could be working on a big pitch, running a workshop or talking digital strategy with one of our wonderful clients. Then it is back to racing those buses.
Head of Client Services
Location: London
Living in the countryside means that my day starts with a train journey into the city courtesy of Southern Railway – which is a good excuse not to partake in all the healthy activities everyone else in the office seems to do these days!
For me no day is ever the same and always brings something interesting and unexpected. As Head of client services my role is to make sure that all of our clients are happy and are receiving a first class service from Codegent. So as well as managing a range of projects I am also the main point of contact for our clients. Generally my days consist of client meetings, discussing and scoping new projects, project briefing and update sessions - plus of course the obligatory testing to makes sure the final product is ready to be released into the big wide world! Unless of course I can talk someone else into doing it for me – well no-one’s perfect!
Project Manager
Location: London
I'm an early bird who needs to get going with a session at the gym or a run on the common to feel ready to start the day. Once at the office, most of my time is spent making sure I deliver my projects, on brief, on time, to the agreed budget and highest quality. This involves talking with my clients and working in harmony with my team. Often called a 'Geekette', I am mad about everything digital and reading the latest trends is part of my daily routine! I have to confess Social Media is where my real passion lies and I dedicate part of my time to helping our clients engage in online conversations in the effective ways to build relationships. When I'm not in front of my computer I work on growing my shoe and handbag collection.
Project Manager
Location: London
I start every day with a 20 minute walk to work across Clapham Common, it can be a nice way to start the day - depending on the weather. I'm interested in how we drive traffic to websites after we have built them, it makes sense to me that we're involved in this process after spending so much time understanding our clients' business and their audience. I am specifically interested in Search Engine Marketing so I split my time between project managing web builds and thinking about ways that we can use PPC, SEO and Content Network advertising to increase traffic and ultimately make the sites that we build more successful. I really like the diversity and it means that I get to spend a lot of time talking to the design and development teams about how we can make our sites more search engine friendly. After work I can usually be found at home or out and about in Clapham with friends. I'm also about to go back to school to learn Spanish.
Coldfusion Developer
Location: London
I often like to hit the gym to wake myself before a day in the office. The core activities of my day are to help architect and build new sites along with adding new features to existing ones. Most of the sites that I work on are built upon our own in-house CMS using Adobe Coldfusion. Using this combination gives us the best balance in terms of flexibility and speed when creating a site to meet a client's needs. I'm also learning to develop applications for the iPhone.
Designer
Location: London
Because art knows no boundaries I have traveled around the world in discovery of International Design. I like to open my eyes to new things, experience new cultures and learn from the people I meet.
To relax I have a warm chai in front of the fire - a habit I picked up in Sweden. It is the best place to think about art and put the world to rights. Whatever the project - Web, Print or Film, I try to design in the same way I make a cake;
Take the perfect concept as a sweet base, good consistency in the thinking, a pinch of creative flair, crunchy ideas that push boundaries and an amazing aftertaste that lasts.
Create tasty designs. Consume life. Carpe Diem.
We're based in the Phahonyothin district of Bangkok. We're in the process of building a new office round the corner which is due to be finished in late 2009 (this is an artist's drawing of what it will look like).
This year, to celebrate our 5th birthday, we all headed down to Ko Samet for the weekend.
Founder/Technical Director
Location: Bangkok
Our flat is directly above the office, so my commute only takes 3 seconds. After an injection of caffeine, I do a quick round checking people are OK. My role is really about helping people with technical advice and solving those tricky problems. If things are not too busy I head for lunch with the team around noon, in Bangkok you are never more than a stone's throw away from awesome food. The London team joins the matrix mid afternoon, so in early afternoon I knuckle down and do a bit of coding. The rest of the working day is spent multi-tasking on different projects and communicating with London. After work I try to spend some quality time with my son before he goes to bed, then settle into an evening of hacking on code. Being a total night owl, it's the hours between midnight and 4AM that are often the most productive of my day.
Executive Producer
Location: Bangkok
After arriving at the office (which can take quite some time, thanks to Bangkok's traffic jams), my day is filled up with user interface design, coding and testing. While I sporadically happen to dig into "backend" coding, I have a much stronger focus on front-end web development. In my spare time, I often experiment with new & emerging web technologies, while sipping my favourite Starbucks Frappuccino.
Flash Developer
Location: Bangkok
I always start my day with a cup of coffee to get my brain in gear. Every day I'm working across 3 screens and 2 machines but some days it can be 4 including my laptop. After 10 years with Flash I'm now a hardcore and happy Flash coder working with AS3 and Flex. My role includes motivating the Flash team and most days I'm trouble-shooting, sharing knowledge or buying everyone coffee in our lovely local café. After work I'm a gamer, sometimes my best ideas come from the games I'm playing: so now you know my secret!
Ruby/Python Developer
Location: Bangkok
My main activities of the day are getting the sites working, adding cool functions to the CMS and learning about cutting-edge web technologies. Most of the sites that I have built use code and "magic" from Rails and Django, whose web frameworks are written on Ruby and Python respectively. These are agile and efficient programming languages. After work, I go to the gym, work hard to get rid of fat and get ready for basketball tournaments. Outside of work, I'm a big supporter and active member of the Open Source community. I also love reading, mainly fiction, but anything and everything can catch my attention.
PHP Developer
Location: Bangkok
I normally travel to work by bus, it takes about 45 minutes to get to here depending on the traffic in Bangkok and once at my desk I check my emails, read the news and get connected for the day ahead. My days are spent writing and fixing code, testing frontend and backend sites, and chatting with the team in London via Skype. I'm also currently learning jQuery. I'm about to get married: I'm Buddhist and my fiancé is Christian, which means I'm currently swatting up on the Bible! I'm passionate about the internet and outside of work, I work on my own website and like to keep myself up to date with emerging technologies and ideas.
Doing something that makes a difference makes us feel good. It makes us feel that we have given something back and we're not just about making money. And if a worthy cause benefits from our selfish need to feel altruistic, then everyone wins.
For this reason, since we began, we have taken on a pro-bono project each year. The criteria has to be that its something that we feel is a great cause and that they ordinarily wouldn't be able to pay for the work themselves. Coincidentally, all of the projects we have done so far are also aimed at helping young people.
We plan, design, create and distribute campaigns using social integration as the channel. It has massive advantages when it is used alongside the launch of a new business or website because you can generate instant feedback to ideas and change accordingly. It can also create a buzz around a new service if it's done responsibly. We help brands use social media to manage their reputation online and we've developed tools that help them do this.