We’re chuffed to announce a new and more formalized collaboration with Charlie of Nott Architects. Called Two Right Group, it’s a simple way for us to showcase our combined design talents. We first met Charlie Nott when starting concept work for Depot Oyster Bar, and have since become good friends. He shares a passion for great design, good wine, tasty food and craft beer. And fly fishing. But where our passion for trout is, for the moment, spent dreaming of getting some river time (and lessons), Charlie is a bit of a gun. Too bloody right.
Call it a dream brief. A group of young, (very) smart and talented people get together and decide to create a power company to take on the big boys by selling electricity in a completely new way. Then call it ‘Flick‘. Gas developed the brand strategy, created the identity and helped with rollout of stationery, T shirts and environmental graphics in their new offices. Good folks and clever flickers.
You’d have to be mad to publish a book these days. At least that’s what we were told when working on the follow up book to Selling the Dream. But as people who are mad about design, author Peter Alsop and Gas Project decided to work together again on Promoting Prosperity – the history of New Zealand advertising art. It charts the development of New Zealand’s adverting art from the very early days up until the 1960s, when TV and photography took the place of artists, painters and signwriters. Set for release in October 2013, the book contains the work of a great many unsung heroes in the art and design field, as well as 11 essays from some of our best media commentators. At nearly 440 pages, 3kg and a retail price of $79.95, it should win the Best Bang for Buck Award at next year’s Book Awards – if such a category existed of course. To see more of the book and pre-order a copy to get a 10% discount, head to the books dedicated website here.
We live in a sort of dairy paradise (unless you look at our rivers, but that’s a whole ‘nother story), so why has it taken so long to get good butter here? Its like buses. You wait for ages, and then all of a sudden, along come two. Well this one has well been worth waiting for. Al Brown and Whitestone Cheese teamed up some time ago to produce the freshest, tastiest and yellowist butter a toast-loving kiwi could wish for. Yep, it even tastes good on that dreadful gluten-free stuff. Gas were lucky to join early prototype-tasting sessions and for the last two weeks have been rediscovering what bread should taste like. Oh yeah, and we also designed the packaging. Tip-o-the-hat to Andy Warhol for some Pop Art-style inspiration. Available in three ‘flavours’ from selected supermarkets, Farrow Fresh in Auckland and Best Ugly bagels (more about that later), its yellow goodness. Go to the spreadthelove site to learn more.
The Roxy cinema is the best thing to happen to Miramar since Weta decided to build some studios there 20 years ago. Owned by a passionate group of locals with backgrounds in film and hospitality, the cinema and restaurant, CoCo, have become the centre piece of entertainment on the Peninsula. Gas were stoked to be asked to work with such a talented group of people, and designed identities for the cinema and restaurant, menus, website and a number of other items. We’re big fans of the Platter and the back row.
Check your nearest bookseller for Al Brown’s latest book, Stoked. It’s been a big year for Al, with a tv show (Get Fresh – with some Gas-influenced typography), Depot in Federal St and this little number, coming in at over 300 pages. We’re ‘Stoked’ to have had the opportunity to have again worked with Al, Kieran Scott (surely one of NZ’s best photographers) and the folk at Random House. Stoked. Get it while its hot.
We recently worked with Al Brown (chef), Charlie Nott (architect) and Andrew Missen (furniture) to create a little bit of Wellington (via Melbourne) in downtown Auckland. Depot is a place to refuel for the working man (and woman).
The French Baker is heading north. Not content with just shifting homes and putting the kids into a new school, they are setting up a new bakery and cafe in Hastings AND Havelock North, while running the Greytown business remotely. GAS worked up a new logo for the newly named business Y’abon, which is slang for ‘everything’s fine’. More to come. Thanks to Mr Cheeseman for inspiration.
