Features
Features for everyone
High Quality content to go
An extensive range of brand files and media you can really work with from a range of brand owners. Vector art, high resolution images with clipping paths, editable documents web ready art and other 'source' files.
24x7 access
On demand permission based anytime access to content for the brands you work with.
Find fast
It's really easy to find the files you need with powerful Search or Browsing by company, brand, folder, tags and more.
Instant Download
Find, add to cart, checkout and instantly download the files you need. No more waiting.
Automatic backorders
Many files are restricted and you'll need permission to access them. So we've added Automatic Backordering. If you're logged in, just add a resticted file to your cart and checkout and we'll backorder it for you. Once the owner approves your access you'll be notified and it will be added to your list of available files.
Watchlists
Create and save your own Watchlists. It's like your very own brand channel. We'll email you whenever something changes or is added to your watchlist.
RSS
Don't like email? Welcome to web 2.0 and RSS. With RSS you can subscribe to a data feed that's constantly updated. All you need to do is check your feed reader for the latest updates to stay informed. You'll be tuned in to the brands you love or just need to watch. Fantastic!
Tagalicious
Browse the Tag-cloud to see what's popular and what's not.
Simple powerful search
Search is top priority and easy. Use the search box on every page to search across companies, brands, folders, assets by name, description and key words. Search results are ranked by Relavance(default) but you can also change the sort order to Latest, Name, Folder or Type.
Always up-to-date
Up to date files, logos, images, artwork, products and automatic notifications when something changes.
Always Free to download
Why? because brand owners pay us so that they can securely store, manage and distribute their brand and creative assets with BrandFM. - so that means free for users who just want to download.
Quick free sign-up
Sign up for a free user login and get instant access. We'll even remember your login for you so when you come back you'll automatically be logged on
Web 2.0 features
Free access, dynamic ajaxy search, cart selections. Pop-up notices and alerts. Create watchlists and saved selections...and more.
Barcodes and dimensions for product images
We have a special place in our heart for Products so we've got some special features designed just for products, like GS1 barcodes and dimensions. When uploading product images we'll prompt you for the right views too. We support GS1 global standards for barcodes, image variants, and standardized Global Product Categories.
Shelf management images for Apollo & Spaceman
When you download Product Images you'll also get an option for a special shelf-management plannogram download. These are specially sized images (324px) with GS1 standardized barcode based file names for auto-import into plannogram applications such as Apollo™ and Spaceman™.
Global Standards for Products
Built in standards and support for GS1 product numbering and marketing data. Including Global Product Category support.
Advanced search
When simple search is not enough. Use advanced search to get exactly what you want. Use simple search strings like AND, OR, NOT. Use wildcards or try a Proximity search. We even use some fuzzy logic with Fuzzy search to find similar words. Check it all out here.
Send BIG files to anyone instantly
Use our eCourier™ option to send large files or a selection of large and small files to anyone with an email address. Recipients receive an email with a link back to a pre-saved order to download. No email attachments to clog up inboxes and no complicated FTP. Simple!
Context sensitive help
Need help. Don't panic, help is just a click away. Clicking the Help link at the top of every page, will display help for the page you're on and if that doesn't do it for you, visit the Help Centre for more. If all else fail call us on the helpdesk.
More...
- Find files you want with simple search or advanced search - providing relevant results every time
- Select and add files to the cart straight away - sign-in when you're ready to download
- Saved favourites and orders
- Subscribe to brands, folders and tags
- Set your own automatic notification options via email or RSS
- Preview assets/files before selection
- Subscibe to RSS feeds for stuff you're interested in
- Review your selections in a lightbox before download
- Collaborate with customers and partners
- Search across multiple companies and brands with one search at www.brandfm.com
- Search for files from just a single company microsite at companyname.brandfm.com
Features for Brand Owners
Upload anytime anywhere
Being online means you can upload new files anytime from anywhere. You can even invite others (like your designer) to upload for you. The upload wizard will guide you step by step - so you'll get not only all your files looking great and in the right place but also the right meta data for each file.
Beautiful pictures and galleries automatically
No mucking around - just upload supported files and BrandFM will process and generate beautiful thumbnails and gallery images complete with extraction of embedded meta data.
Central online storage
Save your creative asset files to one central secure online repository and then share with your business partners and trusted users - even the public if you want.
Public or Private
Easily set access levels to folders and assets. With up to 4 levels of visibility (Public, Members-only, Locked and Private) combined with 4 levels of access (View, Download, Upload and Manage).
Your own branded micro-site
In addition to your files being available from the main BrandFM site. You also get your own site address (e.g. yourcompany.brandfm.com) with just your content and your own corporate look and feel. Upload your logo and change your colours. Hey presto - you've got your own uniquely branded web-site where your users will feel right at home - all without coding.
Automatic free inclusion in the global site
Users can also search and find your brand when searching across multiple companies and brands on the global BrandFM site using a single user id and password. Big users of multiple brands (such as retail chains) will love the time savings available to them while you stay in full control.
Enable Self Service
Save yourself a ton of money or a ton of time. Designed from the ground up for self-service. You can publish your own files and organize your catalogue all from the luxury of your PC or Mac. Publish, edit, change, archive - all a click away. You can then invite users to see and download what they need - with the right permission from you.
Update data, files, descriptions - anytime, anywhere.
Want to make a name change, move an asset to a new brand or sub brand? Need to change a reference, upload new files, change Visibility, add new Tags? No problem - just logon, find the asset you want and click Edit.
Unique Asset ID
Every asset has its' own unique ID. You can provide this to users and they can jump straight to the right asset without having to search or browse to find it.
Asset Cross References
You can add a cross reference from one asset to others. For example, a photo may appear in a brochure or piece of artwork. Cross references help you keep track of dependencies in your assets. So for example, when a photo expires you'll know exactly where that photo has been used in other assets and can make the appropriate arrangements to renew your usage rights or update the dependent assets. Brilliant!
Download Report
Reports to identify who is downloading your files, how often and why.
More Reports
A big advantage over the traditional process of sending files by email or on disk is that now you have an audit trail of all the activity on the system, including what users downloaded, when, how and what they wanted to do with your files. Standard reports include a Download report, Asset report, Asset Expiry & Review report, Cross Reference report, Storage report , Usage report, URL report and Brand report. Each asset also counts views so you can also see what people are looking at as opposed to downloading.
Automatic delivery of guidelines
Easily setup files to deliver when other files are downloaded (e.g. automatically deliver brand guidelines, usage guides, instructions or mandatories when a file is downloaded).
Guest authors & full control
Invite your designer or agency to upload your brand files and media directly to your online library. Owner Approvals means you stay in control and when you approve- your users can instantly access.
Organize the way you want
Organize your catalogue anyway you want using Brands, Folders & Sub-Folders, Tags and Taxonomies
Folders and unlimited sub-folders
Add as many folders and sub-folders as you need to get organized. Each folder/sub-folder can have it's own Manager(s) and folder hierarchy is respected for permissions.
Secure
Your data is safely stored in a telco grade datacentre with constant backups. You can download your data anytime or you can backup to your own external storage. Trusted by Governments and Companies.
Tag your assets with user defined OR administrator defined tagss
You can tag your assets with simpe single word or multi-word labels that make it easier to find things. Tags appear in a tag-cloud wth popular tags larger than the less popular. As an account owner you can also set company wide mandatory tags that managers or uploaders must select when creating new assets.
Source files = Source files
Upload a file and that's exactly what is delivered at download time. We don't mess with your files. However we do generate thumbnails and gallery images (when it's a supported file format) so that users can see what they're getting when they search, browse and download. So as a bonus we offer the largest thumbnail image(640px)optionally downloadable as well as the source file.
Collects standard meta data
We use a combination of human entered data and extracted from the file data (e.g. Exif). We help you formalize human entered meta-data of your assets by providing standard data forms and schema's when you create your assets. So instead of staff using differing ways of categorizing assets you get a nice well defined and consistent approach across-the-board, making it easier to track assets and files down later, even when the original publishers are no longer around to explain where they put them.
Release and expiry dates
Set release and expiry dates for assets and we'll automatically display or hide the asset and associated files when appropriate.
Review expiring assets
When you have assets with an expiry date (e.g. photos with usage restrictions), you can set a review period and you'll get a notification as soon as an asset is due for review.
Bulk uploads
When you set-up your brand library or have a whole lot of new assets to publish, we have a bulk upload process to speed things up. Just supply a CSV file (using the bulk upload template) and we can auto generate your assets for you. Saving you time and money.
Long descriptions
You can add long searchable descriptions to each asset and even apply styling using Textile markup.
Extended meta data
Store extended information against an asset with addittional standard fields like location, creator, tags and notes. Add unlimited related files such as product information, packaging and labeling information, ANZFA documentation etc. Plus automatically extracted Exif data from uploaded files.
Software as a Service (SaaS)
No software install! BrandFM is delivered as an online service for a monthly fee. No up front costs. No long term contracts. You don't need to install any software. No IT support needed. We do the backups for you automatically and you can access your stuff anywhere anytime. All you need is a modern web browser (like Mozilla's Firefox, Microsoft's IE7/8, Apple's Safari or Google's Chrome) and an internet connection. You always have the latest version and you get all the new toys for free as soon as they are released. How good is that!
Pay as you go
Monthly billing with no term contacts. 30day free trial. Close your account at anytime if you're not happy. No hidden agendas. No lock in. Try us for free.
No Lockin - you can download all your data and close your account anytime
Your data is always available and there are no term contracts (unless arranged offline). Want to close your account just download your files and close your account. We even have a button for it on your account page.
Archive assets which you can easily reactivate any time
You've updated your assets and files - but you have a sneaking suspicion that you might need those old files again. No problem just Archive them and we'll keep them under lock and key securely stored. They won't appear in search or browse. But if you need them again you can reinstate them in all their glory and they'll be as fresh as the day you created them.
Invitation only or Public Free-for-all
Brand owners decide who sees what, who can download, who can upload and who can manage. "Public" is great for products and "Private" brilliant for that next great campaign. You'll find that "Members-only" is just the ticket for core assets that are used again and again. You stay in control!
Setup authors who can upload pending approval
Want your designer or agency to upload for you? Want to approve files before they're shared and distributed? No problem. Invite users to upload. Once uploaded you'll be asked to approve the asset. Until you do, only you (including your managers) and the uploader will know it's there. Click the approved box and save - the asset goes instantly live. Not good enough - ask the uploader to tweak and upload again. When you're happy, approve and go. Workflow simplified!
Unlimited files per asset
You can upload any number of files against an asset you want and we'll automatically generate four different sized thumbnails for each supported file format. Great for subjects where you want multiple viiews and associated files (e.g. products)
Usage restrictions & Copyright
Add usage or license restrictions to assets that are visible to all users. Add private usage notes only visible to Managers (great for recording talent renewal or usage license details). At review time all the details you need are right there with the asset. You can also set a default copyright statement for your account so that every new asset includes an approved standard copyright statement.
Asset history and notes
A diary for your assets. Every upload or edit is automatically recorded so that you have a complete profile of what's happened to that asset. You can also add notes to the asset for additional info (for example if the asset was used in a publication). Furthermore every time a user view an asset page is also counted.
Supported File Formats
Note: You can upload almost any file and they will be delivered as uploaded - however only the following files have been tested for the production of thumbnails and gallery images. Even if not supported you can uplaod the file and then upload a separate thumbnail image (e.g. a jpg) if you wish.
Vector Art
- Adobe Illustrator .ai
- Adobe Illustrator .eps (must use 8bit tif preview)
- Adobe Illustrator .pdf
Raster Art/Photography
- Adobe Photoshop .psd
- Adobe Photoshop .eps (must use 8bit tif preview)
- Adobe Photoshop .pdf
- TIF .tif (LZW compression recommended)
- JPEG .jpg
- PNG .png
- GIF .gif
Documents
- Adobe InDesign .pdf
- Adobe Acrobat .pdf
Supported Asset Types
Logos
Logo artwork in vector format and in spot, cmyk, b&w and rgb colourways. Plus all the other artwork resources and assets that are used to communicate and promote a brand. Icons, backgrounds, graphic elements, etc
Brand Guidelines
Brand Usage Guidelines, Visual Usage Guidelines, Brand Manuals, Advertising Guidelines, etc, can all be uploaded and then set to automatically add themselves to a users cart when downloading files from a particular brand or sub-brand
Artwork/IllustrationsVector or raster based artwork. Icons, badges, mastheads, banners, stationery designs and templates.
Photography
Photography in high and low resolution, landscape or portrait. RGB or CMYK. Store multiple views of a subject.
Advertising
Advertising resources such as print ads, layouts, editable dealers advertising templates and more.
Signage/Touchpoints/Installations
Billboards, building signage, point of sale, in-store displays, etc
Animations
Animated Gifs, Flash, etc
Documents
Brochures, Flyers, Instruction booklets, Catalogues and more
Products
Product Images with multiple 3D and 2D views. Global GS1 standard product references(GTIN) and category(GPC) support. Images to suit Shelf Management Planogram software. Automatically creates GS1 standards compliant file names. You can also upload product specifications and usage guides and deliver these with standard GS1 coimpliant file names.
Video
Television commercials, training videos, instructional videos.
Audio
Radio commercials, jingles, sound bites.