Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

The nights are dark, the weather is cold but here at Atom we are warmer than ever. Our festive spirits have been high and why shouldn't they be, we have had a thrilling year with positive developments and exciting new clients. Therefore a well deserved pat on the back was needed in the form of a festive celebration at Bill’s restaurant in Cambridge. After a delightful afternoon of scrummy food, multiple tipples of wine and excessive laughter we decided more wine was needed. This then wonderfully resulted in our MD swigging Champagne and folk dancing in the street with, we must say, an outstanding violinist. Christmas truly is a time for ‘Everyone dancing merrily, in the new old-fashioned way’.

Before we sign off  with our Christmas wishes we must let you know of the Christmas sales from our wonderful clients; The PoshShed Company- who create finely designed bespoke sheds, The French Furniture Company- whose elegant and distinctive pieces truly are a find, and last but not least Shimu- specialists in reproduction and antique oriental furniture and accessories. Further details of the sales can be found on the clients' websites.

To round up our festive blog we would like to say, whatever your festive plans entail, whether it's being at home with loved ones or having a special get away …

So from everyone here at Atom…

Shimu lighting the way for Bond, James Bond

As one of the UK's leading specialists in Chinese antique and oriental furniture, Shimu are often the natural choice for theatre groups and production teams to supply furniture or accessories for use as props in plays or films. Their biggest and most high profile project to date is working with the production team for the eagerly anticipated Skyfall movie; the latest and some are saying greatest Bond film starring Daniel Craig. Much of the film is set in Shanghai and on an island off Macao so Shimu was a ideal choice to supply some of the oriental furniture and accessories required to turn the set at Pinewood studios into modern day China.

The buying team first contacted Shimu around this time last year looking to source several items to be used in various scenes of the film. Over the following months they supplied a whole range of pieces, many of which were produced to order through their workshop in Shanghai or via suppliers in Beijing. Amongst these bespoke items was a wooden towel rail; based on the robe hangers of ancient China and was used in a scene set in a Macao hotel, as well as brass hardware to accessorise window panels and a number of antique stools and reproduction tables.

The biggest challenge was to provide dozens of lanterns in various shapes and sizes, based on the large wire and canvas lanterns that they offer as part of their range of oriental home accessories. The production team needed several of these lanterns to be made in a larger size than standard, as well as smaller table lanterns and light shades. These had to be supplied to meet a very tight filming schedule, the team at Shimu managed to get the pieces made and shipped, arriving on set the day before they were required. See above, Shimu's standard lanterns and the bespoke versions, created especially for the film.

The production team were delighted with the finished lanterns, which were to be beautifully lit for a scene set in Macao, overseen by the cinematographer and nine times Oscar nominee Roger Deakins. If you've watched the Skyfall trailer or have already been able to see the film then you will have spotted the lanterns and the stunning effect they have.

Following their timely supply of the products used in filming, Shimu were recently contacted by the event team organising the UK premiere, which takes place this evening at the Royal Albert Hall attended by Prince Charles. At short notice they once again met the event teams requirements and supplied another 30 lanterns for the event, including 5 for the VIP room; to be seen by both British and Hollywood Royalty. Skyfall is on general release from Friday the 26th October, look out for the lanterns!

To 'get the Skyfall look' please visit the Atom Online Image Library where you can download any of Shimu's high resolution images directly to your desktop.

Other recent product loans include a request from the Royal Shakespeare Company asking if they could order some of the Wooden Pails and Calligraphy Brushes, seen below, to be used in a forthcoming production of The Orphan of Zhao the classic tale of revenge, occasionally referred to as the 'Chinese Hamlet'.

Shimu have also supplied big production movies such as The 47 Ronin due out next year, starring Keanu Reeves as one of band of Samurai out to avenge the death of their master, where they supplied 25 red lacquer folding stools to be used in one of the crucial scenes of the film; you can find out more on Shimu's blog. 

Celebrating Summer

As the evenings start to draw in we thought we would say goodbye to the Summer in a suitable way. There have been a lot of things to celebrate and to be proud of this Summer from a British point of view including The Diamond Jubilee, Andy Murray winning at Wimbledon, The Olympics and Paralympics, not to mention Britain’s Gary Craig setting the new world record for the most underpants worn at one time!

And despite any gloomy news that has been about; every cloud has a silver lining. For example, although our British Summer was the wettest in 100 years, this has meant phenomenal leaf growth, lots of chlorophyll and increased sugar levels in our trees. The result should be a fantastic firework display of Autumn colours as the chlorophyll breaks down.

You may also know that recently, on the 4^th of October, it was National Poetry Day. On the day itself here at Atom we discovered that Roger, our MD, is a poet… and we didn’t know it! So without further ado we hope you enjoy a poem that he wrote some time ago about walking in a typically British wood. This is the first time it has been published and we hope you enjoy:-

A Summer's Day

Walking on a Summer’s day,

Through leafy glades by streamy ways,

Neath tangled ivy covered trees,

In cooling shade where sun’s relieved.

Where all that’s heard is nature’s song,

To feel alone and yet belong,

To timeless ever changing tides,

That ebb and flow but never die.

©Roger Illsley 2012 All Rights Reserved

Let’s hope that the Autumn colours are as good as they are billed to be and that there are still more sunny days left to enjoy. You never know, as an encore we might persuade Roger to put pen to paper in celebration of the Autumn too…

Not with a fizzle, but with a bang.

     

      The London 2012 Olympics are officially over, leaving Britain a little shell shocked at its own success.

Wherever you were, televisions across the country were being heckled by hoards of red, white and blue painted punters, flag-waving families and tweeting teenagers. GB joy could be seen in every little village, town and city up and down the UK, in a blaze of patriotism and pride. Who would have guessed that a recession ridden Britain could shrug off its financial burden to enjoy sport together?

But that is what happened. Miraculously, Britain put aside the past and remembered to be proud of its country. As the confidence of our GB team grew, so did the decibel level of the cheering crowd. Flags were waved into a blur, faces grinned beneath the face paints; Britain was reminding the world that it was called Great for a reason.

Unexpected heroes were born during those 16 days. And I am not just talking about the record-breakers, the Olympic champions and the Golden under-dogs. Time and time again, organisers and athletes showered the volunteers and the crowds with praise for their energy, enthusiasm and positivity. Who were the real heroes? Why, the British public of course. Us mere mortals, who (most of us) couldn’t row a boat if we tried, brought the games to life. The thousands of volunteers proved that, even in lean times, we Brits can have a generosity of spirit.

What were your highlights? Was it Mo Farah’s fantastic 5 and 10 k Gold wins? Was it Bolt’s lightning-fast 100 and 200m sprint? Or perhaps it was both athletes swapping signature moves, the Lightning Bolt and the Mobot, out of mutual respect. Were you screaming at Murray to destroy the world champion, or perhaps Tom Daley’s longed-for Bronze brought a tear to your eye? Surely only those with hearts of stone could not be moved by Jessica Ennis' glorious win, crowned Queen of the Olympic Gold-medalist champions.

Whatever your highlights were, the fantastic two weeks ended Sunday night not with a fizzle, but with a bang. The closing ceremony was packed with pop music throughout the decades, with a light show described by creative director Will Case as “the most extraordinary visual experiences ever seen on this scale”. It was an eye-popping evening that promised a seriously good after party. Jealous? Us? Never.

So with a tinge of regret, Rio takes the Olympic flag from our fingertips, ready to host what is arguably the greatest sporting event on earth. We wish Mayor Eduardo Paes and Brazil the best of luck. But the drama and excitement is not quite over yet. In just 15 days, the Paralympics will begin, with a record-breaking 2.1 million audience tickets already sold by those desperate to experience the event. Set to be the best Paralympics yet, we're counting down the days!

The Olympics officially kick off today!

The Olympics are set to kick off today, two days early, with Britain’s female football team playing their first match against New Zealand. Hopefully raising the profile of women’s football, the team face the daunting task of launching what is set to be the British sporting event of the decade.

How are the women coping with the pressure? Kelly Smith, GB’s fantastic Forward Player, seemed rather relaxed this morning on BBC Radio1. Perhaps the beautiful sunshine has put a smile on her face, that and the 40,000 fans who have bought tickets to cheer her on. Fingers crossed the sun won't be the only thing that keeps GB fans happy, even the weather is supporting our atheletes!

And it’s not just the thermometers that are rising; things are hotting up for the heating industry here at Atom too. Roger and Daisy have left for the day to have a productive pow-wow with the lovely Eurostove, and their own brand, Mendip. The future looks cosy for all of our heating clients, who are already preparing for a potential turn in the weather and a (hopefully far away) chilly autumn.

We hope that you enjoy what will be an explosive start to the Olympics. Our thoughts are with our London-based clients such as Bleinham Carpets, The Odd Chair Company and The Original Bedstead Company, who face the perils of public transport!

Hopefully the Olympics won’t disrupt business too much, for now, we're cheering for GB and all our British manufacturers.

Wimbledon might be old news this 2012, but it still has punnets of patriotism.

Hurrah! Wimbledon has arrived!

The tennis event, so interlinked with summer, has finally started this week. The wonderful word ‘Wimbledon’ incites memories of stretching out on garden lawns, sun-bathing and listening to tennis on the radio, or spending long evenings in pub gardens where the occasional “IT IS MURRAY’S YEAR!” can be heard puncturing the air.

Looking back on 2012, unless Murray actually wins it, Wimbledon is unlikely to be remembered at all. This year has seen the Jubilee and the Olympics completely dominate the headlines, squeezing out the highlight-of-any-other-year tennis tournament in to the shadows. That and the droughts and floods, does Wimbledon stand a chance?

However, despite Britain still recovering from a post-Jubilee feeling of too much Victoria sponge and bunting, and the growing excitement of the Olympics, not much has really changed this summer for Wimbledon. It dutifully plays on, with shocking defeats already headlining the media, such as Venus William’s first-round loss and the defeat of British hopeful, 18-year-old Laura Robson. Rain still forces the ball-boys to sprint across a green fit for the Queen, and punnets upon punnets of strawberries and cream are the number one super-food snack of the event.

Looking back on this summer, despite the Jubilee, Wimbledon and the Olympics, the true British symbol of 2012 has to be the strawberry. The Jubilee saw supermarkets stock-pile crates upon crates of the fruit, with Sainsbury’s alone predicting the sale of over 10 million servings over the four-day weekend. And a whopping 28 tonnes of the red heart-shaped fruit is expected to be eaten at Wimbledon this year, priced at a recession-conscious £2.50. As for the Olympics, whose opening ceremony is based on the British countryside, who wouldn’t want to join the 10,000 volunteers in a picnic in the stadium on the grass, with a red-chequered rug peppered with delicious strawberry treats.

Strawberries are so truly British, so understated and yet so utterly wonderful, they have to be the true symbol of 2012 British patriotism and pride.

Recipe of the week: Strawberries dipped in melted chocolate and nuts – as seen in Landscape magazine.

Makes 30 strawberries

150g white chocolate

150g dark chocolate

30 strawberries

30g chopped pistachios

30g chopped hazelnuts

20g desiccated coconut

2 small freezer bags

Clingfilm

Break white chocolate into a bowl and melt over a pan of hot water. Repeat with the dark chocolate. Carefully dip each strawberry into melted chocolate. Prepare 15 white and 15 dark. Leave to dry a little. Roll 10 white chocolate strawberries to coat in pistachios or hazelnuts. Repeat with 10 dark chocolate strawberries, using coconut on some as a variation. Put 1-2tbsp of white melted chocolate in a freezer bag and repeat with dark melted chocolate in another. Cut a tiny slit at one corner of each bag. Decorate 5 white chocolate berries with dark spots and 5 dark chocolate berries with white spots. Cover a tray with Clingfilm, lay out the berries and refrigerate for 15mins. Enjoy!

Olympic Opening Ceremony announced- and we love it!

When you think of an Olympic opening ceremony, fireworks and somersaulting gymnasts comes to mind. However, this year, the London Olympic stadium is to open its doors to the world and reveal… the British countryside!

What says ‘British’ more than a landscape of rolling green hills, flowing rivers and a farmyard of live animals? All are to be recreated inside the stadium, with a mind-boggling 10,000 volunteers acting as farmers, picnicking families and even a few cricket-players having a game on the green.

Here at Atom, we LOVE the idea. Some of our clients, such as Garden Arts Plus and InGarden, have created some fantastic new lines in the spirit of the summer and the Olympics. With their lovely products, the ceremony, titled ‘Green and Pleasant’, could be hosted in your very own backyard.

Many of our clients manufacture right here in the UK, and represent what we think are the best of British businesses. By staying close to home, our clients benefit the country and its economy by trading right here. So whilst the Olympics might be good for Queen and Country, we know the real unsung heroes are the British business-owners who keep the economy moving!

So don't bin your bunting anytime soon, and keep those post-Jubilee flags close to hand – because in less than 50 days time, we will be cheering on our team, our country, and the best of British business!

One year in and going stronger than ever!

This week marked a year's anniversary for your lovely Atom account managers, so naturally we celebrated in style...

We'd like to take this opportunity to let all of our clients know we've thoroughly enjoyed working on your accounts for the past 12 months and look forward to a long future ahead. We hope you've enjoyed working with us too, it's lovely to see these fantastic companies grow from strength to strength and know that we've been a part of their success.

Our next Quarterly PR Update is on the horizon which we've begun work on here in the office and we're pleased to announce there will be some shiny new client entries on there too but you'll have to wait and see who. 


In the meantime we wish you all a wonderful weekend, let's hope this sunshine sticks around a little longer :-)

Summer is coming!

As most of the UK would probably agree, the weather this week has left much to be desired, with the previous sunny spell feeling like a very distant memory, that is... until today! We've definitely got that Friday feeling as the sun has been shining gloriously all day over beautiful Ely, casting a warm glow over the Cathedral. Here at Atom the unexpected sunshine was very much welcomed, along with a brand new client, The Gypsy Caravan Company. 

 A small family run business, The Gypsy Caravan Company hand build beautiful, fun and practical Gypsy caravans. A delightful feature in any garden or meadow, these statement caravans are quite unlike conventional garden buildings. We are very pleased to be representing The Gypsy Caravan Company, where all of their beautiful images of their Reading-style caravans, Children’s caravans, and resorted vintage bow-tops can be found high-res at www.atomeyes.co.uk

 Along with a new client, many of our current clients have also brought out new products ready for summer, be sure to take a look at our AtomOnline Image Library, for all the latest in client imagery, including Ingarden’s innovative new selection of furniture for 2012; choose from retro mango wood and steel dining sets, PU leather look outdoor sofa's, nautical driftwood tables and even very cool illuminated fibreglass furniture, sculptures and accessories! We particularly like the champagne/wine cooler. 

Garden Art Plus, another fresh new client to Atom have a great range of antique garden ornaments; boasting a selection of urns, statues, benches, tables, birdbaths, sundials, fountains, stone troughs and staddle stones which are all sourced from around the country.

Roger's taking the plunge!

So this weekend saw some amazing efforts around the country to raise money for Sport Relief. So many people got involved for this amazing charity which helps people living incredibly tough lives, both at home in the UK and across the world's poorest countries. It goes a long way too. From transforming the lives of people in the UK’s most disadvantaged communities, or those living with poor mental or physical health, to protecting street children and providing life-saving healthcare abroad.  

The Sport Relief Mile was a huge success and saw more than a million people get involved bringing the current fundraising total to £52,070,587. Celebrities got involved on mass with various challenges for example, Freddie Flintoff's challenge to beat 12 world records within 12 hours which he smashed and actually beat 14 world records! These included fastest time to high-five 20 people blindfolded (in 6.53 seconds); Most people popping party poppers (420); Most peas eaten with a cocktail stick in 30 seconds (38); Most kisses in 30 seconds (40).

Our local celeb, Roger Illsley, loves getting involved with these good causes (we all saw the moustache) and this time is no different. Unfortunately he missed the chance to take part in the Sport Relief Mile but is gearing himself up for the Big Splash Mile which is pretty much the same idea... Just in water. As they say, 'Missed out on the mile? Take the plunge now!' Now's your chance to get involved, with charities like this a little really does go a long way so loosen those purse strings and sponsor Roger for his Big Splash Mile here. 

In the spirit of charitable giving Griffin Glasshouses have been selected by The National Garden Scheme (NGS) to offer an exclusive new collection of free standing glasshouses. This collection represents excellent value for money, features beautiful design and the NGS receives 5% of the proceeds from the sale of every glasshouse in this collection. Included are 5 designs which can be personalised with a range of accessories and made in any colour. To find out more about the NGS visit their website here.

Spring in our step

With a noticeable improvement in the weather and the nights getting a little lighter, it’s a great time to reflect on the year gone, but also to be looking forward to all the delights Spring brings with it. We’ve seen many positive news stories recently, which is a real boost for morale. The 101^st International Women’s day was celebrated by many across the globe yesterday with initiatives, events and news creating a real media buzz, and a top ‘trending’ theme on Twitter. Social media was marked as an essential key in spreading awareness, with our own Prime Minister, David Cameron, marking the day with calls to eliminate violence against girls and women using social media initiatives to change and improve lives. Celebrity supporters for the day include singer-songwriter and We are Equals activist Annie Lennox, Avon Foundation advocate Reese Witherspoon and OXFAM supporters Helena Christensen and Kristin Davis.

 

In other positive news, the marketing group, WPP has reported a surge of more than 18% in pre-tax profits for 2011 to break the £1bn mark for the first time. With Martin Sorrell, WPP, stating that: “The group's 26th year was a record year on virtually whatever measure you are to name… This record performance was achieved in difficult circumstances, particularly in the second half of the year." While we are still in the early quarter of 2012, it’s a great boost to hear companies are not only starting to do well, but are smashing records. Read more about the WPP story here.

Here at Atom, as well as having a great selection of products ready for Spring issues, we’re also proud to report that many of our clients are also going from strength to strength. Eurostove have announced that they are branching into the European market. Continuing their expansion becoming exclusive distributors in France, Spain and Portugal of the already well established UK brand of Scandinavian wood burning stoves, ‘Westfire’, with plans to also expand the European coverage of their own brand, ‘Mendip’ stoves. Any of our followers in France can look forward to seeing the range exhibiting under the name Eurostove SAS at the ‘Foire de Paris’ show: 28^th April - 8^th May. And in St Etienne at the ‘Salon Bois Energie’: 22^nd -25^th March.

Go Get ‘em Tiger

London Zoo is hosting an event tonight to raise money for Tiger SOS. Some very brave (or very stupid…) people, including Daisy’s zookeeper sister, Grace, will be taking on the challenge of walking over hot coals, all in aid of a great cause. Tiger SOS is a campaign to raise money for ZSL’s tiger conservation work in Sumatra as well as developing a new Conservation Headquarters right in the heart of central London.

 
The tiger is desperately endangered throughout its range and its future is in our hands. Over the last decade the wild tiger population has been decimated, with a massive 95% drop in numbers. ZSL’s aims are to raise £4 million to save the Sumatran tiger. Plans include developing a state-of-the art Tiger Conservation Headquarters in the centre of London at ZSL London Zoo. Its purpose is to inspire support and a lifeline of funds for their tiger conservation work in Indonesia and other key tiger ranges.

A huge amount of money has already been raised, but further efforts and support are still needed. Tonight’s fire-walking event will see participants attending a 'Nothing is impossible' seminar, where they will learn to face their fears and attempt to walk over burning hot coals in the London Zoo grounds… if, like me, you have a more ‘rather them than me’ attitude towards putting bare flesh to hot embers, don’t fear, you can still play your part in support by putting your hands in your pockets and donating to this worthy cause. Daisy’s sister’s just giving page can be found here. At time of publishing Grace has already raised £360.00, keep it coming!

Spectators are welcome on the night, with gates opening at 5:30pm. More information can be found about the event, and the Tiger SOS campaign here.

A Great British Knees Up

This year is a pretty special year for Britain, with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in June just a month before the opening of the London Olympics in July. The tube will be rammed, the streets will be busy and taxi’s will be extortionately priced but regardless of all this, what a fantastic summer it will be. Everywhere will buzz with the confusion of lost tourists, the excitement of sports fans and/or royalists. On top of all of this there will be an immense feeling of unity, not only within our own community but throughout the entire world.

It’s a time to really show off what talent Britain has to offer, I think Adele managed to kick start this on Sunday evening at the Grammy Awards by winning 6 awards and irrefutably giving one of the most moving yet infallible performances of the night, just weeks after throat surgery.

It’s not only music that the British can be proud of; we should also take note of the great designers that to this day are still recognised as pioneers in their industry. Namely the great Thomas Crapper, whose designs are still kept alive and known as the world’s most authentic period style sanitaryware. Another is H&E Smith known for their traditional techniques, coupled with an inherently skilled work force, these expertise is what lead to their presence within a vast re-furbishment programme by the London Underground.

And a little on the business side… Just two days ago the CBI (Confederation of British Industry) issued a positive * forecast with growth in UK manufacturing and professional services having been encouraging in recent months. Their report forecasts that as well as increased business investments, net trade will continue to provide the most positive contributions to growth with UK exports expected to increase by 4.3 per cent in 2012 and 6.4 per cent in 2013. 

The British love a good knees-up and I imagine this summer will just be one big party rolling into the next.

For a further read on this subject the Editor of Elle Decoration, Michelle Ogundehin, explores some fascinating views on her blog.

*Source CBI PressRelease 13th Feb 2012 entitled 'Growth will restart in 2012'

The Power of Print Media

To follow on from our last blog I think it's appropriate to bring to light a recent Mintel report that shows how people are still very fond of 'traditional' print media.

Richard Cope discussed at 'The InternationalContent Summit 2011' how, what is often dubbed as, 'slow media' is still going strong. Some of the main points of his presentation were:

• 71% of people say they prefer to read a printed magazine than the online version.
• Time is the new privacy and slow is the new opportunity for publishers.
• 42% of people consume print for long journeys.
• 1/5 adults would buy a print subscription if it included free access to exclusive online content.

Many people argue these days that with the rise of social media, print media is becoming somewhat redundant but with the above stats they couldn't be more wrong. Everyone loves to sit down, with a cup of tea and flick through their favourite magazine, it's safe to say it's definitely one of the perks of working in PR for the home interest sector! Subcriptions are also still so popular, and why wouldn't they be? It's lovely to have your favourite magazine posted through your door every month, many people will keep older copies as either a coffee table read or sometimes as collectables.

For further information and if you'd like to read the full report (maybe over a cup of tea!) click here.

The Power of Social Media

Happy Friday everyone!

We thought we'd kick your weekend off to a nice start with a follow up story from our last post.

So you all read about the lost dog, Digger, and hopefully some of you got the chance to see the Facebook group set up by the owners. Well, soon after the, what started out small, social media campaign was launched both Facebook and Twitter were absolutely buzzing with sightings and news of this furry pup! Word spread and by the same evening people around the Cambridge area were trawling up and down the A10 (where Digger was last seen) looking for the dog. And, the good news we'd all been waiting for, he was found!

The Facebook group is still going now, helping other people find their lost dogs and raise awareness for lost dogs in other parts of the country.

The main factors that went into the finding of one families beloved dog were:

• A Facebook group (set up by the owners)
• An article within the local paper (written by an impartial journalist)
• And a few announcements on the local radio stations

Which goes to show how important social media is when compiling a successful marketing campaign.

I wonder who will play us in the film...?

Help Find Digger!

As an office of dog owners, we were very sad to read that one local family are currently on the search for their beloved four-legged friend, Digger :-(

This furry creature went missing following a crash on the A10 involving a learner driver and a lorry. The distress of the accident caused the Tibetan terrier to bolt from the scene leaving behind his owners and their 2 year old son, Alby who was said to have been inconsolable after seeing his dog run away.

They have launched a campaign to find their pet through Facebook and various news announcements, asking people to keep their eyes peeled when driving on the A10 and for anyone with information to please come forward. Our hearts go out to the family and wish them all the best of luck with finding their furry friend.

Read the full story here: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Family-in-crash-heartbroken-as-dog-goes-missing-09012012.htm

Happy New Year!

A warm welcome back from all of us here at Atom! I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and a great New Year. In true festive media spirit we have a fantastic little poem here for you from a Wise Wicken Elder, usually found in Roger's cosy local. We hope you enjoy it, it's really rather relevant to all our readers.

The Codfish

By: Anonymous

The codfish lays ten thousand eggs,

The homely hen lays one.

The codfish never cackles

To tell you what she’s done.
And so we scorn the codfish,
While the humble hen we prize,
Which only goes to show you,
That it pays to advertise.