So working alongside Sequentia’s marketing team, Peapod decided that the primary focus in the redesign, would be on how we presented the great content Sequentia had, but might have been lost inside their previous web design. As well as a focus on providing some ease to the immediate architecture issues and simplifying the navigation of the site.

We also took on the task of giving a bright new face to their blog, “What Fibonacci Said”. Which has been on our reading list and one of our blog buddies since 2009.

We asked Amrita Chandra – Sequentia’s Vice President of Marketing about working with Peapod

“This is my 3rd time working with Peapod Studios – I keep coming back to them because they have a great ability to understand their client needs and manage the whole process in a way that makes life easier for us – helping us launch on time and on budget! Our new website achieved exactly what we were looking for from the design to the user experience and business requirements.”

Sequentia Environics provides strategy and services to help companies generate better business results from their online initiatives. Using a combination of research, content, community and analytics.

As a key member of our interactive team you would be designing websites and application interfaces for a diverse client base, coming up with creative concepts, and refining concepts based upon client feedback provided to you. Working closely with our Art Director on external projects and on internal sales/marketing/print collateral. You would also be working with front end developers providing Production ready files, HTML & CSS development – with a strong understanding of standards-compliant HTML and CSS, as well as a desire to grow in this area.

Key Qualifications:

Experience designing for multiple mediums ( Online Portfolio required )

• Adobe CS4 CS5 expertise
• HTML & CSS proficiency (w3-compliant)
• Experience with rapid prototyping of interfaces
• Attention to detail and a genuine passion for designing beautiful, polished interfaces.
• Demonstrated experience developing UI for web-based applications
• Sensitivity to typography and colour – you know when things just “look right”
• Good organizational skills

• Familiarity with Mac OSX

You should Have:

• Experience in an agency/client services environment
• Working with multiple clients / deadlines.
• Demonstrable experience in web application design
• Strong knowledge of user interface principles.
• Strong communication skills

If you are interested in this position, please send your resume/portfolio to jobs@peapod.ca
Thank you for your response, only those selected for interview will be contacted.

Peapod has watched Ottawa based communications shop, MediaStyle grow from a one-man home office to a four-person boutique communications firm.

MediaStyle isn’t like most public relations firms. Ian Capstick and his team focus on teaching people how to maximize their public relations budgets by teaching clients how to be better communicators. They also take on high-level content strategy and creation.

The re-designed MediaStyle.ca now provides more ways to access the rich archive of two years of near-daily content. The site also provides a much stronger showcase for their portfolio of videos, text and audio content. The new site even has a cute spot for the office to post about their well-known cupcakes.

The team at MediaStyle values handmade goods, they have impeccable style and as Ian told us at the start, “We’re way overdue for a new look.”

Here’s what else Ian has to say about his new site:

“I love how they have infused the site with subtle detailing and really captured what we love about the MediaStyle brand. It’s bold, but bespoke as well.”

We’re looking forward to our teams working together again soon.

Peapod is now searching for an exceptional person to fill the position below. If you don’t feel your skills are a match for the open position we have posted, but would add value in another position, please contact us anyway. We are always interested in hearing from great people.

Web/graphic designer

We are seeking an amazing designer. As a key member of our interactive team you would be designing websites and application interfaces for a diverse client base, coming up with creative concepts all on your own, and refining concepts based upon client feedback provided to you. Working closely with our Art director on external projects and on internal sales/marketing/print collateral. You would also be working with front end developers providing Production ready files, HTML & CSS development – At least a basic understanding of standards-compliant HTML and CSS is required, as well as a desire to grow in this area.

Key Qualifications:

Experience designing for multiple mediums (Online Portfolio required)

• Adobe CS4 expertise
• HTML & CSS proficiency (w3-compliant)
• Experience with rapid prototyping of interfaces
• Attention to detail and a genuine passion for designing beautiful, polished interfaces.
• Demonstrated experience developing UI for web-based applications
• Sensitivity to typography and colour – you know when things just “look right”
• Good organizational skills
• Familiarity with Mac OSX

You should Have:

• Experience in an agency/client services environment
• Working with multiple clients / deadlines.
• Demonstrable experience in web application design
• Strong knowledge of user interface principles.
• Strong communication skills

If you are interested in this position, please send your resume/portfolio to jobs@peapod.ca

Thank you for your response, only those selected for interview will be contacted.

For all of us here at Peapod Studios it is the Ghost of Christmas Present that sticks out in our minds the most. Scrooge sees how impoverished the Cratchit family is and how Tiny Tim through all his struggles is still full of joy. He sees the Cratchit’s make due with what they have, though their Christmas meal is not nearly enough to feed the whole family properly. This is a scene that doesn’t just happen in the storybooks of our childhoods. This scene is happening daily in homes all around this great country and in every city we reside in.

In real life The Ghost of Christmas Present is actually played by a variety of people and organizations. This year Peapod Studios was asked to design the HoHoTO website and we jumped on the chance to be able to show the real Scrooges of the world just how important this cause is. HoHoTO has been in existence for almost three years now, raising money, awareness and donating food for the Toronto Daily Bread Food Bank. The first HoHoTO was organized in less than 20 days and had 600 attendees, it has been dubbed “the party that Twitter built” but in all honesty I think we can realize that its “the party that human compassion and selflessness built.”

HoHoTO has raised more than $80,000 and collected about four tons of food (That is roughly the weight of your average African Elephant or 65 extremely well fed pigs) for the Toronto Daily Bread Food Bank. These numbers are pretty astounding but to most people the numbers, the weight none of that is really what they care about. What the average person cares about is “Why do they do it?”. So we asked a few very important HoHoTo members just why they do it.

The responses to the question “Why are you a part of HoHoTO?” were as genuine as they come.

Ryan Taylor

“It’s been 2+ years since I enthusiastically asked that we use the hashtag #hohoto to continue the twitter conversation about an event to feed the needy. I was heading into my studio that night, worried myself about feeding my family.

I feel there are a lot of people we care about here in Toronto quietly suffering, embarrassed by their position who are in or have been very close to poverty.

When you have been one step away from needing a service like the Daily Bread Food Bank, it makes being an organizer that much more satisfying when we hand the giant cheque over at the end of the night.”

Follow Ryan on twitter @ryantaylor

Rob Hyndman

“I’m a part of HoHoTO because there are few other things I can do that will make as much of a difference, for so little effort.  HoHoTO is marvellous because with just a bit of effort, we can make an enormous difference in the lives of vulnerable people in our community.  I’m involved because it’s our responsibility to make sure that the awesome people at the Daily Bread Food Bank have the tools to do their work.  This is our community, these are our neighbours.  How can you not help?”

Follow Rob on twitter @rhh

Michael O’Connor Clarke

“HoHoTO represents a really simple equation: you drink, they eat. Considering how absurdly wealthy Toronto is, it’s just plain wrong that so many people in our city don’t have enough to eat. Throwing a big, drunken Holiday party might seem like an odd way to draw attention to this, but it works.”

Follow Michael on twitter @michaelocc

Leila Boujnane

I believe that I can extend a helping hand and make a difference with HoHoTO. Ending hunger in our community starts with a single act of kindness: caring. And year after year, HoHoTO has brought our entire caring community out to lend a hand. You would be insane not to want to be part of such an incredible group!

Follow Leila on twitter @leilaboujnane

HoHoTO is being held December 16th 2010 at The Mod Club (722 College St, Toronto, ON) the tickets go on sale December 1, 2010, but you don’t have to wait till then to get involved. You can click here to access the sponsor page and become one of this years gracious sponsors. There are six levels you can choose from ranging from the Santa level ($10,000.00) to the Candy Cane level ($250.00) or you can start collecting canned goods etc. at your office to donate to the Daily Bread Food Bank.

This event exists because of people like you who take the time to not just think of others but to pass along this message to your entire network be it through Twitter, Facebook, email or even as simple as talking to a stranger on the street. So start following @hohoto or using the #HoHoTO hashtag to spread the word ( or if you are not on Twitter there is a Facebook page ) and Be like the Ghost of Christmas Present to show the Scrooges of the world just what really matters.

A Little History

Château des Charmes story began over five generations ago with a family that traces its roots to the Alsace region of France and the vineyards of French Algeria. Thousands of kilometers from its present day vineyards located at Niagara-on-the-Lake.

In these foreign lands, the ancestors of Paul Bosc began a heritage of fine winemaking that would serve the Bosc family for generations to come. This tradition of excellence continues today in the vineyards of Niagara-on-the-Lake where Paul Bosc and his family carry on this rich heritage of meticulous vinification by harmonizing science and art.

A graduate of one of Europe’s finest winemaking schools, the University of Burgundy at Dijon, Paul Bosc came to Canada from France in the 1960′s. He brought the Old World tradition of winemaking to his new home and he grafted that knowledge and tradition to the soils of Niagara.

Renowned British wine writer Hugh Johnson in his book Wine Companion has written:

“Canada was discovered, in fine wine terms, in the 1970′s when old fears and prejudices about which vines could survive were tossed aside. The formidable know-how that had been accumulating in new wine districts around the world provided answers to problems that had seemed insuperable. Paul Bosc became the first to plant a wholly vinifera vineyard. Award winning VQA estate wines include Icewine, late harvest riesling, an impressive range of both white and red varietals as well as méthode traditionnelle sparkling wines.”

We had to try it

Peapod Studios is picky about our clients, we want to work with the best of the best. We seek out companies and projects we can feel good about.

So we headed off to our local LCBO to grab some of the Châteaus offerings. We ended up with the 2005 Old Vine Cabernet- Merlot and the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, St. David’s Bench Vineyard.

Nom nom nom

The Cabernet Merlot was simply exquisite, the more it breathed the more fantastic it became, and the Cabernet Sauvignon reminded us of that summer in Rome.

We were hooked, The wine is fantastic, and the scenery and chance to visit and work with a company that is in arguably in the most gorgeous place in Canada. A family run business that returns its wealth to the community and environment. All the things we love and appreciate and aim for being ourselves.

“In the belief that quality and value go hand-in-hand, we at Château des Charmes have been dedicated to producing world-class wines in Canada by growing only the finest grape varieties.”

-The Bosc Family

Photo credit: whatsonmyplate

There is a great deal of discovery and strategy that goes into creating the final products we deliver. We start with several sessions of discovery, where we set the basic goals and criteria we’d like the clients site to meet.

Then we develop several individualized personas of who the key users and stakeholders of the site will be. Personalizing a users experience dealing with a website is a key part of ensuring success. We develop several pathways throughout the site, for them to easily obtain the information they desire or have come for while navigating the site.

Architecture and Strategy Documentation

We take all of this information and use it to develop our Architecture and Strategy document. This will serve as a resource for both our developers and the client to refer to as we move forward to the point where we can begin the preliminary site mapping and wire-framing of the eventual site build.

WireFrames

Once we have established the web sites core functionality and layout only then can we move into creating the initial rounds of designs, a process we call skinning. Initially we like to provide the client with three distinct rounds of creative, allowing the client to have several choices in the future direction of the design.

Design Begins

Taking the clients feedback from the intial three mockups we can begin to build out more honed designs based on their feedback. This is not a perfect science, sometimes a client will go through more than one round of creative, although sometimes we nail it from the get go.

Design Sign Off

WIth all the elements in place, we finally have the basis for build.

The documentation we have from the preliminary steps allows the developers to work knowing the ins and outs of the final structure, and gives them an extensive library to refer to. Art direction is minimized as most of the design lives within the styles created in the skinning stage.

Asigra.com

One of the first companies to go online was Apple, here is a snapshot of their journey, design and products through the last thirteen years.

Apple Website 1997

Apple Website 1998

Apple Website 1999

Apple Website 2000

Apple Website 2001

Apple Website 2002

Apple Website 2003

Apple Website 2004

Apple Website 2005

Apple Website 2006

Apple Website 2007

Apple Website 2008

Apple Website 2009

this post was made possible by Innocente–Hayart’s Apple Gallery

However some in the typography community are now moving towards the creation of high quality, open source free fonts. This is a sea change in the philosophy we’re used to dealing with from the old school foundries, representing a new age in how we can consume great typefaces.

Today we’ll focus on an open source foundry we just love…

The League of Movable Type

Philosophy: No more bullshit. Join the revolution.

“We’re done with the tired old fontstacks of yesteryear. Enough with the limitations of the web, we won’t have it. It’s time to raise our standards. Here, you’ll find only the most well-made, free & open-source, @font-face ready fonts.”

Quite a statement, and they deliver on that promise. Here’s some of our favourites typefaces from The League of Movable Type.

League Gothic

League Gothic is a revival of an old classic, and one of our favorite typefaces, Alternate Gothic No.1. It was originally designed by Morris Fuller Benton for the American Type Founders Company (ATF) in 1903. The company went bankrupt in 1993. And since the original typeface was created before 1923, the typeface is in the public domain.

You can grab League Gothic here

Junction

Inspired by my favorite humanist sans serif typefaces, such as Meta, Myriad, and Scala, Junction is where the best qualities of serif and sans serif typefaces come together. It has the hand drawn and human qualities of a serif, and still retains the clarity and efficiencies of a sans serif typeface. It combines the best of both worlds.

You can grab Junction here

Chunk

Chunk is an ultra-bold slab serif typeface that is reminiscent of old American Western woodcuts, broadsides, and newspaper headlines. Used mainly for display, the fat block lettering is unreserved yet refined for contemporary use.

You can grab Chunk here

One of our core philosophies at Peapod Studios is to always strive to work with open source software whenever and wherever we can. Seeing this open ideology move to the realm of typefaces is indeed very exciting.

With our highest recommendation, please check them out.

The League of Moveable Type

What’s Your Kidney Story of Hope?

March is Kidney Health Month across Canada. Kidney Health Month offers a special opportunity to educate all Canadians about potential risk factors for kidney disease and important steps for prevention. It’s also the time of year to encourage financial support to help improve quality of life for current and future patients.

Based on your positive feedback on last year’s Kidney Stories of Hope campaign, the Kidney Foundation and campaign partner Shire Canada are pleased to once again offer you an opportunity to help raise funds and have a chance to receive a cash prize in return!

Here’s what we came up with.