BiBNT Member Profile – Daren Birchall of Pigcom

The BiBNT represents a wide variety of professions in the Toulouse area and we thought it would be nice to share a little more information on this site about members in our “BiBNT Member Profile” series.

As often as we can we’ll pick a member’s name from the hat and ask them to tell us a little bit more about themselves and their business.

The first lucky member to be drawn from the hat is Daren Birchall of Pigcom Design. Here’s what he had to say:

In 30 seconds or less,
what business are you in?

I am a graphic designer and owner of Pigcom. I make products and services more visually appealing to a company’s chosen market. I help businesses tailor their message, define their offer, and present themselves in the best way to maximise profit. I then develop their new ‘identity’ throughout all of their printed and online media.

Can you share a little more detail?

Sure. The difference between a graphic designer and an artist is that pure art can be free of commercial aims. The challenge with graphic design is that it must have a purpose. It exists to achieve a goal which ultimately transpires that someone will give my client their money. It’s the persuasion industry, seducing unsuspecting people to choose one path instead of another.

The idea of consciously or unconsciously changing the course of someone’s thoughts to the point that they whip out their wallet and cough up for something that someone else possesses has intrigued me from the very beginning.

My principal discipline, graphic design, has led me to work in many others such as: copywriting, direct marketing, printing techniques, packaging, media buying, artworking, photography and retouching, marketing and positioning, advertising campaigns, 3D modelling, animation, DVD making and in recent years website programming and online brochures.

I swear I could bore you numb about any of these fascinating aspects of my work, but my copywriting skills remind me to be brief.

So just a word about design. When I first came to France 20 years ago my French was pretty much non-existent, so all my solutions to graphic design problems were visual.

Although the language is no longer a barrier I’ve taken this point further in that a visual idea should be as good in black and white as it is in colour. Good design is about analysis, wit, observation, creativity, inspiration, culture and intelligence. It is a vast and never ending subject that changes constantly.

It is also a job that everyone seems to think they can do without any experience whatsoever! If you can handle a few expletives then here are a few animations that give a funny insight into my job (ADMIN WARNING: Daren says a “few” expletives – ahem! Though his video suggestion contains cute little animated characters – we’d better suggest that you chase all children from the room before you click the link.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfprIxNfCjk

What has been your favourite project over the years?

My favourite project is always the one that I’m working on. At the moment I am working on two big projects. The first is an association for helping winegrowers of Southwest France market themselves against new world competition (see www.avso.fr or www.vdso.fr).

The second project has surprised me in that I have readily dropped my preconceptions of the property business to work in tandem with Heather Hughes in setting up an estate agency with a difference.

We have absolute confidence in each other’s skills and commitment which is the base of any healthy relationship, especially in business. See www.ticket-immo.com.

Also, without being too toady to our beloved pres’ Heather, she also introduced me to the English Pantomime, which has been a fabulous confidence boosting experience, and has also made me more charitable and tolerant, working alongside 12 year old kids to 70 year olds that err towards the boards. See www.secretpantosociety.com.

Can you tell us your business mission statement?

I deliver simple, practical, legible, understandable, effective advertising -  with a dash of devilish.

And your business’s values and vision?

Although I have designed for some of the region’s largest institutions, cultural / sporting associations and advertising agencies, the real value… or rather what really gives my job value, is giving more than what is asked of me, and I have found this easier to do for smaller companies.

I derive a great deal of pleasure turning sow’s ears into silk purses. To abuse the “pig” metaphor again, this pleasure can often mean “donner de la confiture aux cochons”, which translates that the recipient wouldn’t know jam from swill.

Although this can be disheartening I firmly believe that I should give my best every single time if I am to have pride in my work.

In order to satisfy myself – which is a tall order – there has to be a positive change, and the bigger the better. So it’s clear that when I am presented with a huge pile of pigs ears to sift through, the satisfaction of the finished silk purse is more obvious.

The vision for my business? I would like to head up a hand-picked creative team, to work on artistic projects and have the freedom to be very different. My other vision is being paid for all the work I do for free ! Though I suspect this is more a fantasy than a vision.

Why do your customers pick you over your competition?

Who knows? Isn’t this marketing’s eternal quest : to discover what actions trigger positive responses?

I would like to think that customers choose me because I analyse where my client wants to go, then find the best way to get them there.

Even if a client asks me to do something ridiculous, I generally do it, because there’s a fighting chance that they know their market better than I do. However in these cases I invariably present them with a completely separate idea which is the fruit of 25 years marketing experience.

How long have you been a member of the bibnt?

SInce 2001 I think, Richard Bayle was the culprit.

How has business networking benefitted your company?

All my business is through personal recommendation, I wouldn’t want it any other way. Getting out there and meeting new people is essential.

I would like the BiBNT to get more involved in events with French business networks, we have a lot to offer each other.

Thanks for sharing Daren!

If you would like to talk to Daren about graphic design, advertising or web services, you can find his contact details here. If you’d like to add your two cents worth, simply type it into the “Leave a Reply” section below.

See others posts in the BiBNT Member Profile Series :

Penny Dickinson of Toulouse Walking Tours
Penny Sadoudi of Greenfrog Garden Design
Olivier Consales of Sopyrec
Martin Parker of Guide2MidiPyrenees
David Gouedreau of AGS Movers