Underdog Media, Integrated Design & Production Services

Welcome! Underdog are a full service digital design agency based in London, United Kingdom. We offer creative services across various forms of digital media including: web design, graphic design, motion graphics, production and post production.

Underodog Creative Services

We provide our clients with full range of creative media services across four basic disciplines:

Interactive Services

Web Design

Web Development

Viral Advertising Campaigns

Creative E-Marketing

Online Video Content Creation

Streaming & IPTV

Graphic Design

Print Artwork

Illustration

Offline Advertising

Packaging Design

Oct

09

We're Hiring

Our studio is a fun and playful place to work. We believe above all else you need to enjoy coming in to work everyday and if that happens, it naturally becomes a place of creativity and innovation.



Current Vacancies:



Currently we are looking for:

Interactive Designer

We need a superstar interactive designer to help us design and develop rich media advertising and glitzy websites. You’ll know your stuff when it comes to Flash/action script & CSS but equally be passionate about your creativity & design work. You will ideally have 5+ years of agency experience and a very strong portfolio of proven work.

Tech Skills:
Must have Flash, AS1, AS2 and hopefully AS3 as well as a good skills with XHTML and CSS, Photoshop/ Illustrator
We'd be impressed if you have any After Effects / Final Cut Pro, Photography / Video, Sound experience, but not necessary.

Personal Skills:
Must be personable, a sense of humour would enable to contribute to office banter.

Salary: Negotiable based on experience

To apply, please send us a few words about you and your CV to:
hr001-interactive-designer@underdog.tv


Head of Business Development

The successful candidate will have a vast consultive knowledge in finding & closing deals, identifying & exploring new market opportunities and will have a strong, proven background in the creative/digital media industry. You will naturally rise to challenges and be used to working towards and exceeding targets. Strong relationship building skills and clear understanding of the lead generation, tracking and pitching processes are a must.

You will be involved at the forefront of helping the rapid expansion of one of the most vibrant & exciting creative agencies with exposure to our existing client base as well as developing new relationships within our target markets (Automotive, Fashion, Entertainment, Alcoholic Beverages).



The successful candidate will have:

  • Solution-based sales or business development experience
  • Experience in winning new business organically
  • Excellent communication skills through all channels
  • Self-motivation and enthusiasm
  • Comprehensive computer skills
  • A strong understanding of digital media
  • Ability to pitch creative ideas & concepts
  • A background working with advertising & marketing agencies
  • A passion for sales and marketing

Package:

  • Between £30k - £40k p.a. dependent on experience
  • Est. £50k - £75k o.t.e
  • Uncapped commission
  • Company pension scheme provision

To apply please send your CV to:
hr003-head-of-business-development@underdog.tv


Project Manager


Have a organization fetish? Great! We love you for it. Underdog are in need of a really solid project manager with a strong technical background who doesnt miss a trick. You will be responsible for the delivery of a variety of projects from small two or three day jobs, to large scale 6 month design & builds. If you think you are up to the challenge, here's the skill you will need:
Tech Skills:
  • Supreme mastery of time scheduling
  • A background rooted in development
  • Experience of managing teams of 10+
  • A good grasp of both creative as well as the devlopment process
  • Good IA skills

Personal Skills:
  • Strong client facing skills
  • A good sense of leadership
  • Obsessive compusive disorder for process & planning

We would also be doubley impressed if you had PRINCE2 (or similar) certification and knowledge of AGILE project management
Salary: Negotiable based on experience
To apply, please send us a few words about you and your CV to: hr005-dpm@underdog.tv

Creative Interns


Calling all bright young talented students and grads...
If you wish to get into the design industry, THIS MAY BE YOUR CHANCE!
No professional design experience is required but we would expect to see a portfolio of your work on application.

Barry Fontaine
Tue, 09 Oct 2007 12:00:00 BST
Apr

10

Underdog Launch

We would like to thank everyone who came down and of course the entertainment and sponsors:
Renaissance Rooms
Criminal Clothing
Religion
Sebor Absinthe
Sputnik Vodka
Energy69
Ibiza Angels
Roller Disco
Botchit & Scarper
Body Music
Mr. Keelin
Andy Cruickshank
The Mighty Avatar
Zani

If you have any pictures or incriminating photos from the launch, you can submit them to info@underdogmedia.co.uk

Alex MacLeod
Tue, 10 Apr 2007 12:00:00 BST
Jun

25

Celluloid Paradiso

events@underdogmedia.co.uk

We will be providing popcorn & drinks for the evenings which we're aiming to hold each month during the summer, weather permitting.

Barry Fontaine
Mon, 25 Jun 2007 12:00:00 BST
Sep

05

Ford Verve

The vehicle represents a new design direction for Ford, which showcases its concept of ‘kinetic design’, aimed at the style-conscious and fashion-aware mobile generation.

The film features a dancer whose toned and athletic physique symbolises the lines of the vehicle, and whose fluid and sinuous movements embody the signature elements of the design.

The film was edited in-house at Underdog’s facilities in Notting Hill, and features Rihanna’s “Shut Up And Drive” as the title music.

Extensive use is made of post-production 3D light effects, which create the moving shapes and lines that follow the movements of the dancer.

The film will initially be shown at all of the 2007 motor shows, starting with the car’s inauguration at the Frankfurt Motor Show and later through Ford's communication networks to 21 countries worldwide.

A version of the film featured on You Tube has already acquired 500,000 hits.



Click here to see the video

Barry Fontaine
Wed, 05 Sep 2007 12:00:00 BST
Dec

04

Hitachi Digital Media

After months of blood, sweat and lots of swearing Underdog is proud to present it's biggest build yet.

Click here to see the site



Background



The recent merger of Hitachi Consumer Products Group and Hitachi Information Media Group created a newly rebranded Hitachi Digital Media Group. This repositioning was designed to reflect the market convergence of the business and consumer product sectors.



A comprehensive on and offline marketing initiative was required to enhance brand messages and demonstrate the breadth of the Hitachi Consumer offering. Give consideration to targeting the core audience while endeavouring to widen the appeal of the Hitachi brand.


A multilingual product website was developed and launched by Underdog and M4 reflecting a lifestyle-driven theme to address this increased convergence. The site covers six further European markets and includes product comparators, microsites and comprehensive after sales service information.

Barry Fontaine
Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:00:00 GMT
Mar

01

Underdog Viral invite

London creative media agency Underdog has been causing quite a storm with its latest viral campaign announcing the agency's official launch on March 22nd. The campaign which has taken the form of a series of cryptic messages has left their recipients guessing as to what to expect on the 22nd. Their website was also taken down ahead of the launch of the new site and replaced by a dynamite clad canine sporting a countdown timer.


What initially started as an innocent visual pun sent to invitees, spiraled out of control when the Metropolitan Police Special Branch caught wind of the mysterious messages advising the recipients to "pull a sickie" in advance. The messages became the subject of various police investigations and even official complaints by EMAP for glorifying suicide bombing and intimidating their staff into taking unwarranted sick days off work.



Underdog spokeswoman Anne Nickel says 'Naturally our intention wasn't to offend, far from it. However of all the things that are propagated on the internet which could cause offense, we are surprised that our little dog caused such commotion. If you get it...come join us, it will be a blast!" For more information email launch@underdogmedia.co.uk


Anne Nickel
Thu, 01 Mar 2007 12:00:00 GMT
Feb

14

Ford Kuga

The project is currently in post, Underdog were chuffed when Ford agreed to use Time Slice techniques used in the Matrix, the film features Fords WRC champion Marcus Gronholm and his co-driver Timmo

Ben Young
Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:00:00 GMT
Mar

01

COI Web TV Roster

Underdog's unique range of skills in traditional broadcast and web production has received official recognition by our appointment to the Central Office of Information's recently created Roster

Barry Fontaine
Sat, 01 Mar 2008 12:00:00 GMT
Apr

01

Addition to the Pack

Underdog welcomes a new addition to the pack with Jilly Cross joining the directorial team. As one of the top dogs, Jilly's will be responsible for developing existing and new client relationships, building on the agency's ambitious growth plans and mapping out a strategic new business programme. Jilly brings with her over 9 years agency experience with 5 of them specialising predominantly in digital design. She joins the pack from N1 Creative, where she was Business Development Director - she has also worked at integrated agency, Toast and digital specialist Wheel (now LBi)

Cristobal Blanco
Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:00:00 BST
Jul

20

We've moved!

We have moved! Underdog has launched its brand new premises on Percy Street, Central London. The building, spanning over three floors, marks the starts of a new era for the agency, supporting an ambitious growth plan that is already very much on its way. So feel free to pop in to have a look around, have a cup of tea and see what we're about!

Jilly Cross
Sun, 20 Jul 2008 12:00:00 BST
Aug

31

Brand Film Top 5

Following quite a bit of work on the brand film side of things, our Creative Director was asked to get a bit bossy about what makes an effective brand film - here are the results, published by Brand Republic in September 2008:

The last few years has seen the emergence of brand films, sharp positioning statements that add to the lifestyle messages sectors from fashion to automotive are pushing. Getting the core components of what makes an effective brand film is key. Alex MacLeod, founder and creative director of creative agency Underdog gives his top tips on making brand films for any brand owners considering the medium:

1) Style is the message – the purpose of a brand film is to be aesthetically pleasing so as to pull consumer attention towards your brand, not to dictate brand values directly or talk about product specification

2) All about the visual – brand films can be delivered to the audience via many channels, but always account for the fact that sound may not always be possible. In-store, online and trade events may not cater for audio so the visual display must be strong enough to stand alone

3) You are not a corporate video. Information about your company, its structure, it quality control policies and investment in people are not part of an aesthetically engaging piece of film – leave that to the internal communications dept.

4) You are not a viral. Viral campaigns are created solely to be passed on and therefore generally consist of the funny, shocking, perverse or cute. A brand film’s purpose is to communicate your brand effectively to your target audience – the challenge is to make it engaging enough that people want to share it

5) Consider all of your target audiences. Video holds within it a great opportunity to communicate a strong message to a diverse range of audiences – trade, channel, consumer, internal and press. Consider all of these and therefore how to plan the delivery of your film effectively

6) Make every second count – the digital age has presented us with a new frontier in media buying, shifting the emphasis towards more engaging creative and its ability to maintain consensual viewing – unlike television, online your brand film can be stopped with the click of a mouse, best to keep it short and sweet than risk a negative response for taking too long to get your point across

Jilly Cross
Sun, 31 Aug 2008 12:00:00 BST
Sep

20

Kyoku for Men Launch

A new premium male skincare range, Kyoku for Men, has been launched in the UK using web-led creative strategy and design from independent creative agency, Underdog.

The brand, aimed at 18-35 year old style-conscious men, is the first branded product to be launched by leading American skincare manufacturer RNA (??). The initial range consists of 6 products with further variants being planned over the next 12 months.

Unlike traditional retail-led launches, Kyoku for Men is harnessing the power of digital technologies from the off-set with the development of a website that contains both a series of 6 short films and full e-commerce capabilities.

The films, created and produced by Underdog, aim to convey the core characteristics seen as synonymous with that of the target audience’s aspirations. Each one has been assigned to each of the products in the range and focuses on a different challenge potentially faced everyday by the ultimate male – the creative approach being that the range collectively holds within it all aspects of the everyday hero – the climax of masculinity. Underdog has also developed offline communications materials to support trade sales efforts including a DVD version of the site and premium sales presentation packs.

“Premium and simplicity has gone hand in hand with this launch” says Managing Director of Kyoku For Men, Asim Akhar, “Underdog’s work with our team has taken the brand identity and strengthened it through every channel, creating a signature look and feel that holds within it the makings of a long-term brand language that will only deepen further as the product range increases”.

“Using online as our primary channel has enabled us to create a rich, premium positioning for Kyoku for Men and get that across without the inflated budgets demanded by traditional media spend” says Client Services Director, Jilly Cross, “This has been an exciting project for the team, enabling us to tap into every area of our service offering and work closely with our clients to launch this exciting new brand to market.”

http://www.kyokuformen.com/

Barry Fontaine
Sat, 20 Sep 2008 12:00:00 BST
Oct

01

www.domusnova.com

West London estate agency Domusnova has launched their new online presence this week with the aim of setting a new standard for the premium property sector.

Designed by independent digital agency, Underdog, the new site showcases some of West London’s most sought after properties using an innovative style-led creative direction and ground-breaking search facility.

Launched this weekend, the new online presence supports the company’s new office opening on Kensington Park Road and is a major component to the business’ wider growth strategy.

“Our clients view us as the premium choice for property sales, lettings and management in London” says Domusnova Director, Rob Atkins, “Our level of service, our knowledge of the local area, and our genuine passion for what we do sets up apart from our competition. The new website positions us exactly where we want to be and is, from our point of view, the first site that truly gets across premium quality of service in both look & feel and functionality.”

The Flash-based site is the first property portal to use full-screen high-resolution photography on all of its pages and includes a search facility whereby selection criteria link directly to the back-end database, enabling the users to see the resulting properties are revealed and narrowed in real time.

An additional feature of the site is a full-screen map of the Notting Hill area. Entitled “Local”, this section of the site pinpoints all sales and lettings properties available, plus known added-value information important to both buyers and tenants when selecting a new home. This includes local schools, restaurants and bars, transport links, sports and leisure facilities, plus interest points surrounding history and heritage and the Domusnova team’s “favourite places”.

“The whole strategy behind this site is driven by what consumers want when looking for their next home” says Creative Director at Underdog, Alex MacLeod. “Insights gained from our work with the Domusnova team over the past year told us that images are king; that local knowledge and a personal touch really makes a difference; and that the ability to narrow down your selection quickly and easily without getting lost are key to creating a positive user-experience. This site does all of this and more. It’s been a fantastic project to work on and as team, we’re very proud of the response so far!”

Please visit http://www.domusnova.com

Barry Fontaine
Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:00:00 BST