Talk about a dream brief. To compose a poetic stream-of-consciousness about the urge to write. That’s what Alan Aboud asked Jim to produce for the launch of Story, a new men’s fragrance in a book-shaped bottle by Paul Smith

The words, painstakingly retyped on one of Paul’s ancient Olivetti machines, were overlayered on to photographs of a bespectacled young man, representing ‘the writer’ and his thoughts. Jim drew on his own personal experiences and referenced the George Orwell essay ‘Why I Write’, adopting an expressionistic, free-flowing style. 

The words appear on advertising, POS packaging and carrier bags. You’ll only be able to read snatches of Jim’s work on these items because the words have been artfully laid over each other – unless, that is, you visit www.paulsmithstory.com, where they have been reproduced in full.

A handsome certificate dropped through the totalcontent letterbox last week. It was for the 2003 Orange Corporate and Social Responsibility report, which won a prestigious Award of Excellence at the 2005 Communication Arts awards in New York. Jim contributed all the words for the second year running. This one featured arresting illustration by Olivier Kruger, and was designed by Conran Design Group.

It’s not often you get to meet one of your childhood heroes in the course of your work. But, during a project for UK Athletics through design company navyblue, Jim was lucky enough to spend time with former world 5000-metre record-holder David Moorcroft – UKA’s inspiring chief executive. The outcome – a document aimed at geeing up British clubs and athletes in the run up to the 2012 Olympics – will be published soon.