IoIC North Awards 2011

Our first award was an Award of Excellence in the Design Category for the HMS Astute Commissioning Book we produced for BAE Systems with the judges stating that we demonstrated how to spend a handsome budget to best effect, producing an effective design which enhanced the reader experience, delivering a document which will stand the test of time.

Our subsequent awards were both in the Website/Intranet Category and we took an Award of Excellence for the Astute Class Website produced for BAE Systems due to the judges being impressed with the interactivity it offered the end user.

We also received the prestigious Class Winner for the website we developed for Stafford & Rural Homes, the judges deemed that it was a great example of what can be achieved when great content, easy to follow design and interactivity are successfully combined which is quite an accolade.

Collecting the Website Class Winner award for Stafford & Rural Homes

Once again we are honored to have had our work recognised by the Institute of Internal Communications and would like to congratulate everyone involved in each project.

The Awards

HMS ASTUTE Commissioning Book

Class 6: Design
HMS Astute Commissioning Book for BAE Systems and The Royal Navy

Class 13: Special Publications
HMS Astute Commissioning Book for BAE Systems and The Royal Navy

Class 17a: Website/Intranet
Stafford & Rural Homes Website

Class17a: Website/Intranet
Astute Class Submarine Website for BAE Systems

Liz Douglas who is the North Region Director of the IoIC states that ‘these awards look for those communicators whose work is absolutely critical to the success of the organisation for which they work and who operate with skill, flair and creativity’ so just to be shortlisted is quite an accolade, so well done to all involved in each project.

Stafford and Rural Homes Website

The Awards Dinner is on Thursday 29th September at the Leeds Marriott Hotel so keep your fingers crossed we are victorious on the night!

We were approached to give full creative, structural and production input in producing this commemorative book, in celebration of the formal commissioning of HMS Astute into full service. We were honoured to have received acclaim for the quality of the publication from dignitaries and crew at the commissioning ceremony, and are very proud to have been a part of this momentous event in celebrating the commissioning of the most technologically advanced submarine in the world.

HMS Astute Commissioning Book

We are also now on the shortlist for Class Winner and will find out if we have taken this prestigious title at the IoIC Awards Gala Dinner on Friday 17th June in London. We feel that being shortlisted for a National Award is a remarkable achievement and we are especially honoured as the IoIC Awards are Europe’s biggest internal communications competition and our work has been judged by leading communication professionals to be among the best in the country.

So keep your fingers crossed and watch this space…

Astute class website - Design Section

We were honoured to have been chosen to produce the website for the Astute class submarine programme, in order to showcase the advanced technical capability of BAE Systems and the skills and expertise of their staff, contractors and supply chain. The design and content of the site was based initially on the award winning publication, Astute Exit Barrow, which was previously produced for BAE Systems Submarine Solutions. The site itself is to be continually updated and enhanced to run in parallel with the ongoing development of the Astute class programme.

Astute class website - Holding page

We led from the front on the development and management of the project, working closely with BAE Systems in defining the strategy, goals and objectives to launch and also the social media awareness strategy, in order to drive traffic to the site whilst the countdown holding page was live. This enabled subscribers to register and receive progress updates to the launch of the microsite and the Ambush roll-out event. One day into launch and we have already received rave reviews both internally within BAE Systems and externally via Twitter. The stats speak for themselves, visits are on the up and visitors are spending time navigating around the site.

Astute class website - Take a tour

The site has been developed using the latest emerging web technologies such as HTML5 and CSS3. This has allowed us to produce a responsive website that is not constrained by the limits of older browsers and delivers an appropriate user experience to any browser or device. Users of contemporary web browsers such as Chrome or Safari will receive a significantly enhanced user experience, which fully exploits the advantages of technologies such as HTML5 and CSS3.

Astute Facts in IE6 and Safari

This ‘Hardboiled’ approach to development is clear throughout the site, more so in the more interactive areas of the site. For example in the ‘Astute Facts’ section users of contemporary web browsers such as Chrome or Safari get an experience which is appropriate for their browser which utilities the latest CSS3 properties such as transforms and transition to create a slick 3D interface allowing users to flick through the different fact cards on an infinitive carousel. Users of older browsers are presented with a simpler slider as their browsers aren’t capable of rendering the more advanced CSS3 properties such as transforms or transitions. CSS3 has been used throughout to enhance other areas in simple ways; such as the 404 error page, which makes use of CSS3 animations to animate the radar.

Astute class website - Email Updates

The awards ceremony was held at the Hilton Manchester Deansgate, and once again proved a great success for Forepoint, BAE Systems Submarine Solutions and the Astute Brochure.

Congratulations to the CIPR for hosting such a prestigious and successful event and also to everyone shortlisted across the 24 categories and in particular to our fellow award winners.

See the PRide Award shortlist

CIPR PRide Awards 2010 Silver Winner

The CIPR Pride Awards recognise excellence in PR and communications across the UK and we are extremely honored that our work has been recognised by the Institute at the North West event.

We are currently developing an Astute Class microsite on behalf of BAE Systems and you can register your interest in the Astute Class programme by visiting www.astuteclass.com where you can register for notifications and updates.

Astute Brochure – Awards:

• Silver: CIPR North West Pride Award 2010
• Class Winner: CiB North Awards 2010

Also developed for BAE Systems Submarine Solutions:

• HMS Astute Commissioning Book
• Astute Class Microsite

CIPR Pride Awards 2010

The CIPR PRide Awards have grown in strength and stature, recognising public relations success and achievement in the nations and regions.

• There were over 1,221 plus entries UK-wide this year.
• Being shortlisted – even better winning one – is proof to your colleagues and clients that your work has been judged to be among the best in the UK – and is a great morale booster for your team.
• The CIPR PRide Awards is the only awards scheme which showcases the best PR work being carried out across the UK regions and nations and sets industry standards.
• The judging process is rigorous with a national panel of industry experts assessing the shortlisted entries and choosing the winners. For 2010 we appointed two Chairs of Judges, Alison Clarke and Chris Genasi, who will resolve any disputes and help ensure a fair and consistent judging process.
• Sponsors for the 2010 PRide Awards are as follows:
  • Headline sponsors are media intelligence company Precise
  • PRWeek are the National Media sponsors
  • Goddard Gadd, Redbrand and Xchangeteam are also national sponsors

Dave Sanders, Chair of CIPR North West, said: “The CIPR PRide Awards recognise and reward the thriving PR profession from across the UK. They help to celebrate the importance of demonstrating the value of what we, as public relations professionals, do and the positive impact this profession has on all aspects of business. Being named as a CIPR PRide Award winner is a fantastic achievement and I congratulate all of this year’s winners.”

The CIPR Pride Awards recognise excellence in PR and communications across the UK and we are extremely honored that our work has been recognised by the Institute.

CIPR

We were commissioned to produce the brochure in celebration of and to commemorate the exit of Astute from Barrow-in-Furness. The design and construction of the Astute class has been quoted as “the most challenging engineering project in the UK and has been described as more complex than the space shuttle”.

Steve Gill, Senior Designer said “We are delighted to hear that we have once again been shortlisted for an Award for the BAE Systems Astute brochure. Fingers crossed that we can achieve the same honors at the CIPR Pride awards as we did at the CiB Awards, where we were Class Winners, back in March this year.”

The BBC gained exclusive access to the facility building these amazing machines; one of the most secure and secret places in the country, and the Royal Navy; who commissioned it; allowed BAE Systems to tell the story of how one of the world’s most complicated vessels is built.

Fourteen years to design and build and costing around one billion pounds, the ‘Astute Class’ nuclear submarine is one of the most technically advanced and controversial machines in the world.

Astute Class Nuclear Submarine

Able to circumnavigate the globe without surfacing and as long as a football pitch, the nuclear engine that powers Britain’s brand new class of submarines will never need refueling, has a life expectancy of 25 years and makes less noise than a baby dolphin. Its sonar system is so advanced that if one of our new submarines was in the English Channel it would be able to detect ships leaving New York harbour over 3,000 miles away. Each submarine will carry 38 Tomahawk cruise missiles able to hit targets 2,000 kilometres inland with pin-point accuracy and will also be armed with the worlds most advanced torpedoes.

The ‘Astute’ is a 7,400-ton machine more complex than the space shuttle – able to keep a crew of 98 alive while deep underwater for months at a time. Four of them are currently being built by a dedicated team of engineers, designers and skilled craftsmen and women in Britain’s only shipyard capable of doing such a complex and potentially dangerous task.

Computer graphics go inside the construction of the submarine itself, giving a blueprint of the design, the life-support systems and weaponry. They also help to illustrate the areas that could not be filmed due to national security.

The film features many of the workers including Erin Browne, a 19-year-old apprentice electrician who wires up the boat; Commander Paul Knight, responsible for the safety of the nuclear reactor; and Derek Parker, whose job involves moving massive pieces of the submarine that weigh hundreds of tons into position before the welding team join them together.

The ‘Astute’ class submarine is a true example of technological advancements, capability, construction and engineering skills at their innovative and very best. The planned commission of  ‘Astute Class’ demonstrates the cost effectiveness in rolling out a number of boats in order to amortise the initial development cost.

The first episode is currently available on the BBC’s iPlayer at the following link:

How to Build a Nuclear Submarine on BBC iPlayer

How to Build a Nuclear Submarine on BBC iPlayer

Next week’s episode features ‘Rolls Royce’, yet again another client that Forepoint are proud to work with as guardians of their brand.

Previous features and links of our award winning service to BAE Systems Submarine Solutions

A Night for Celebrating

Bouyancy Aid

Dressed in our finest lounge suits and cocktails dresses we made our way to the Gala night held at the Midland Hotel – Manchester, the very hotel where Rolls met Royce. We were greeted with a champagne reception, which helped to settle our nerves, followed by a tasty three-course meal and a glass or two of wine.

As the awards were announced we were proud to walk away with the above three awards and Class Winner. Keith Noble, our Design Director said “A great evening was had by all and we were overjoyed to have been so successful at this years awards especially as the awards are not just from other designers but from the business community itself.”

We would also like to extend our congratulations to all the award entrants, winners and hosts for a memorable evening.

We are all very much looking forward to the awards ceremony which is held at the Midland Hotel, Manchester on 26th March and have our fingers crossed that we will come out victorious – we will keep you informed.