Part 21 – 1990s Still Growing after All These Years

Ready and waiting

Reader’s Digest was a star client, and like Time-Life, they had made marketing, and direct mail in particular, a science – we would produce 20 to 30 versions of each mail-pack. The care and attention to detail expended on these catalogues was impressive.

We had to work very hard to gain prestigious accounts like this, and in those days price had little to do with the client’s decision to change supplier.

Fortunately, our business had reached a critical mass, and we always had one or two designers available should an incumbent supplier not be able to meet the client’s deadline. When the call came late on a Friday afternoon, we were, after months of sales effort, ready to pounce.

Our first commission was to design and produce the Autumn Video catalogue which featured the Reader’s Digest’s vast library.
Most pages like those featured here called for special photography, a stylist, props and art direction, all with the attendant costs.

My journey as a graphic designer, an introduction

Part 01 – 1960s In the Beginning: Undergraduate work

Part 02 – 1970s The Royal College of Art & The Advent of Colour

Part 03 – 1970s Starting Out in the Real World

Part 04 – 1970s My First Major Client

Part 05 – 1970s More Than One Man

Part 06 – 1970s Striking It Lucky

Part 07 – 1970s Embracing Ground-breaking Techniques

Part 08 – 1980s Changing Roles for Designers

Part 09 – 1980s Our First Technology Client

Part 10 – 1980s Growing Through Recommendation

Part 11 – 1980s The Dream Client

Part 12 – 1980s Moving into Corporate Design

Part 13 – 1990s Ramping Up the Workload

Part 14 – 1990s Graphic Design goes Global

Part 15 – 1990s A Steep Learning Curve

Part 16 – 1990s Working for The Nation’s Favourite

Part 17 – 1990s The Challenge of the Future

Part 18 – 1990s Picking up the Crumbs

Part 19 – 1990s Vested Interest

Part 20 – 1990s Setting the Standard

Part 21 – 1990s Still Growing after All These Years

Part 22 – 1990s New Business from Old

Part 23 – 1990s Keeping up with Demand

Part 24 – 1990s A Full-Service Consultancy

Part 25 – 1990s Into the Unknown

Part 26 – 2000s Learning New Tricks

Part 27 – 2000s Lifestyle Publishing Moves on

Part 28 – 2010s and Now…