RadioSEGA Interview: Insert Coin
They make you look stylish and they're awesome people. Read on to find out more about Insert Coin Clothing.
RadioSEGA: Thanks for your time, guys! We really appreciate you giving us the chance to talk to you!
First of all, Why the name "Insert Coin"?
(Question by mtwinny and BurningFlame2010)
Insert Coin: Thanks for having us - and a great first question! When Jon (IC's creative director) and I first started talking about setting up the business, we ended up going down memory lane and chatting abut our early gaming experiences. A big part of this - for both of us - was arcade gaming and the flashing words 'Insert Coin'. It signifies the start of something fantastic and so the name just stuck from the very start of the business onwards.
RS: Judging by your name, do you try and do a retro spin when designing modern wear?
(Question by mtwinny)
IC: The styling of each design is always a big thing for us, but they're not all retro. It depends on what the game is. This is the kind of thing that makes a big difference between ok design and great design. The fonts used are a great example. We don't just plonk on the first typeface we find or one we personally think looks 'nice'. We will take the time to think about the design we're making. Is it anchored in an era or a particular style? What was happening in the real world at the same time - at the game's release and during the in-game history? All these things help build a picture and make the design come together.
RS: How does the creative process for your designs work?
(Question by ZonicZoneCop)
IC: It all starts with deciding what game to represent and then thinking about what made that experience special for us - and for all gamers. Then we work around a few key ideas, scamp up some rough drafts and then hone and refine them down to initial concepts. All the while, we're liaising with the teams at the relevant developers/publishers to further polish the stylings, keep them on brand and get them finalised ready for the big reveal to our awesome community.
RS: Did you expect such a huge success in only two years? And please, don't be modest! :)
IC: Ha ha - no modesty involved, but we never ever dreamt that we would have achieved so much in two years. We started with no presence and no designs - just an idea of what we wanted to do. Now we have worked with the gaming icons from our childhood, have a hugely loyal following on Facebook and Twitter and have been featured on Xboxes and PlayStations across the world. We have had such amazing support from the gaming industry and the gaming community - it's been incredible and we still have to pinch ourselves every so often to make sure it's all real!
RS: What lead you to start this ambitious project in the first place? We're you unhappy with your jobs at the time? XD
IC: Ha - well, kinda! But, moreover, we were just horrified with the terrible quality of products out there. It was like people would target the average gamer, print a half-baked idea on a cheap tee and then charge people the earth for it. And heaven forbid you complain about it as there'd be no customer service either! We knew we could do better - we knew we could make gaming tees less of a shot in the dark and something all gamers could rely on. So we decided to make our own tees and hoodies from scratch so we could guarantee quality. We developed our own production processes to make the designs brighter and more vibrant. We spent time on the designs, the customer experience and the community that underpins all our work. So it all started - really - because we wanted tees and hoodies that allowed us to represent our gaming credentials in style.
RS: You started off creating unofficial tees inspired by videogames but that soon changed, starting with your official partnership with SEGA for Sonic's 20th Anniversary. How does it feel to be collaborating with the very companies you admired?
IC: It's amazing to work with so many awesome companies - particular SEGA as they has such a huge impact on our gaming lives. Sonic defined our childhoods and so this was a huge thing for us - as it is for all the amazing companies we work with... Ubisoft, Namco Bandai, Capcom, Codemasters, EA, Microsoft, Eurogamer, Gamespot, IGN - the list goes on and on!
RS: By the way, who approached who in that case? Did you get in touch with SEGA and pitched your designs or did they hear about your work and came to you?
IC: SEGA was our first licence and we spoke to them originally, not thinking they would be interested at all - but they were and we quickly built up a really fantastic relationship with them, which led to our SEGA: Reloaded range going live this year too!
RS: Was that what happened with the other companies as well?
IC: After SEGA, it all kind of went from there. While we came to some developers/publishers, others came to us direct after seeing what we had been working on. It was amazing to have these huge companies come to us and ask about how we could work together.
RS: Whoever follows you on twitter, knows you've had the pleasure of meeting many people in this industry. Would you like to mention someone, or a few of them, that made an impression on you guys?
IC: We've been really lucky to work with some truly incredible people in our first two years - far too many to mention them all here to be fair! Some of our favourite quotes from lovely folk are on our site though... so check 'em out!
RS: How about gaming events? What's your favourite and why?
IC: We've been lucky enough to go to some amazing events - but our favourite is probably Eurogamer Expo. The guys there are amazing and know how to put on a show - and we've worked with them so closely too. We're doing the tees for this year's event again and so we're very proud of that. There were amazing scenes last year - we can't believe there were hundreds of gamers chanting our name!
RS: Have you been present at any event outside of the UK? Which of the main gaming events would you like to attend the most? (E3, TGS, etc.)
IC: We've been to E3, which was amazing - and we're planning on hitting gamescom and TGS in the coming years too. Insert Coin is going on the road!
RS: Since the partnership with SEGA, we've seen some impressive stuff from you guys. (That Dreamcast bag...) And by the looks of them, they're inspired by SEGA's past. Any recent or future SEGA games you're hoping to make into a tee or hoodie?
(Question by mtwinny)
IC: We're looking forward to working with SEGA on a lot of new ideas moving forward, so you never know what we might produce next year!
RS: There are other past SEGA titles such as NiGHTS, Daytona USA, SEGA Bass Fishing. Ever thought about doing something inspired on these titles?
(Question by BurningFlame2010)
IC: Absolutely! SEGA have got such a great back catalogue and those titles are just the tip of the iceberg. All SEGA fans need to keep an eye on what we're up to... definitely!
RS: You recently announced your line of SEGA bags. Are we going to see caps in the future?
(Question by BurningFlame2010)
IC: There are going to be a lot of new product lines coming online in the next few months - and caps/hats have been mentioned... so you never know!
RS: We're a SEGA fansite, so I can't help but ask you what your favourite SEGA game of all time is. I wonder if it's retro or modern...
IC: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is probably my personal favourite SEGA-developed game... although if we're talking published by SEGA, Gunstar Heroes and Vanquish are two of my favourite games of all time.
RS: What about your favourite SEGA console?
IC: Definitely the Mega Drive for me - although we've still got loads of love for the Dreamcast and Saturn too. Jon actually designed covers for SEGA games in a previous life - so there's definitely a lot of love there for the SEGA brand.
RS: We have a regular feature in our site called "SEGA Fans Chronicles" and we always ask our guests which SEGA game soundtrack would they take with them to a desert island. We'll change this for you guys, though. Which SEGA or non-SEGA soundtrack would you choose?
IC: Ooh, probably the opening music from Gunstar Heroes or the closing music from Vanquish - love those two games so much!
RS: Can you give any hints on future designs and projects you're working on?
(Question by ZonicZoneCop)
IC: Well, we can't say too much at the moment - but if you keep an eye on our feeds on Twitter and Facebook, you'll see lots of news incoming before the end of the year. Big things are a-brewing at Insert Coin Towers!
RS: Thanks for the opportunity! We hope to keep hearing from you in the future. Anytime you want to listen to some good music, just tune in! ;)
IC: Thank you for having us!
Keep your eyes on Insert Coin's
Twitter,
Facebook and
website to know about all the incoming news. Anything SEGA related will be also posted by us here. I'd like to give a special thanks to Dan Long for such great communication and for being a really nice guy!
And, if you like Insert Coin, we're happy to confirm we're having a little joint competition with the guys! Keep your eyes on our Twitter and Facebook in the next few days and you ears in our live shows next weekend. All will be clear soon...
14th August, 2012 - 11:41 GMT
KC
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