Promotional Ransom Note

My friend Nerida has a business called Admin Bandit, which specialises in an accounting software for community groups. As a writer, I've helped with a range of brochures, press releases and other promotional material, so am absolutely au fait with how her product, also called Admin Bandit, makes keeping the books and meeting various government regulations easy in any organisation — from play groups to sports clubs.

Over a recent lunch of strawberry champagne and roast chicken, Nerida asked my husband Justin to use his illustration skills to come up with some ideas for a fun promotional postcard. Driving home, we brainstormed gags that played on the company name and its logo of an archer ready to shoot his bow and arrow — of course, Robin Hood and William Tell were obvious references.

Justin has to balance his creative efforts with "real" 9-to-5 work so, in the meantime, I came up with this ransom note (how could I resist also trying my hand at such an appealing brief?). I literally cut words and letters from a newspaper, then scanned and put them together in over 50 layers in Photoshop. What an effort for a result that looks so easy!