Archive for the ‘Industry News’ Category

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I’d Like to Ask the Audience, Regis

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

I’m reading this article on Wednesday at around 4:30p. Between the nearing end of the day haze and the sugar induced brain goo brought on by 4 mini candy bars, I’m not sure if my brain is firing on all cylinders… so I figure, heed the article’s advice.

It’s a pretty quick read so I buzzed (literally after that much sugar) through it.  After reading Dan 3.0’s description I set back in my chair and said, out loud which made everyone’s head swivel, “huh.”

What a brilliant thought.  Ask the people!  Not a new idea for sure…  today IS the 90th anniversary of women’s right to vote, you know.  I think the novelty of the idea is in how the feedback is used.  In the below companies, it seems to be used directly… not really edited or diffused, or at least minimally so.

Then I start thinking about the what-if’s.  What if 52 incorporated some form of this?  Like, um, events.  We ask folks what they want to see, or learn about, or who they want to hear from.  Then…. we do it!  Again I say, “huh.”  OR… and this is kooky so bear with me… but what if a “gig” is posted.  Say a client needs a poster with xxxxxx copy on it, and xxxxxxx graphics incorporated, to be used for xxxxxx application, and whatever else we know.  Then  if you want to work on it, you do, then upload your work directly to that client’s ‘profile’ for them to review. Then, in the end, if the client uses your art, you get the “prize.”  In this case probably money.

Ok, I’m sure there are major flaws in this 35 second idea but really though, sometimes it’s tough to get started in a field, or a new city once you’ve moved, or even if you wanted to change careers.  Something like this could provide a break-in chance.

“Huh.”  These are just my sugar flooded braincells banging together.  Here’s the article originally posted on Spring Wise.  Thoughts?

Five Businesses That Look to the Crowds for Content

by Stefan Grimm and Jim Stewart

Tapping the crowd for creative input can provide a double-sided benefit for businesses: first, it unleashes a huge resource of ideas, often at little or no cost. Second, it’s a powerful marketing tool, providing information about who potential customers are, and about what they like. Here are five recently spotted enterprises that make use of content from the crowd:

1. NAMING FORCE — Naming Force crowdsources name ideas for businesses, websites, and products. Clients sign up for a package of suggestions and provide a brief description of what they want named. The incentive for the community of namers is a cash prize of USD 100-500, paid by the client to the person whose idea is chosen. If the client doesn’t like any of the suggestions, they’re refunded the prize money. (Related: Name This.) (more…)

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Like a Concert But With Sketchbooks. Sounds Quiet, But Really Cool.

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

Unfortunately 52 isn’t involved in this at all.  And unfortunately the tour doesn’t stop in THIS Portland.  But anyone can submit  and I know of a bunch of folks that should!!  Plus, I have a sneaking suspicion that 52 NYC will represent when the tour makes a stop in Brooklyn.

Many of you may have already heard about this, if you haven’t here’s the deal:

Thousands of sketchbooks will be exhibited at galleries and museums as they make their way on tour across the country.

After the tour, all sketchbooks will enter into the permanent collection of The Brooklyn Art Library, where they will be barcoded and available for the public to view.

Anyone – from anywhere in the world – can be a part of the project.

To get more information or to enter (do it… I would if I were extremely talented like you) go here: SketchbookProject

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“How Do I Put this Gently? THAT’S THE WORST IDEA I’VE EVER HEARD!”

Monday, August 16th, 2010

It’s hot.  For some reason, when it’s hot the “writer” section of my brain goes on hiatus.  But, while feeding a different section of my cabeza I stumbled onto this article after Googling “Creative Inspiration”.  Though it’s not exactly what I was looking for, it was something I felt should be shared. I read the original article on “A List Apart” a site for web designers/developers.

No One Nos: Learning to Say No to Bad Ideas written by Whitney Hess

No. One word, a complete sentence. We all learned to say it around our first birthday, so why do we have such a hard time saying it now when it comes to our work?

Guilt. Fear. Pressure. Doubt. As we grow up, we begin to learn that not doing what others expect of us can lead to all sorts of negative consequences. It becomes easier to concede to their demands than to stand up for ourselves and for what is right.

(more…)

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2010 Creative Resolution: Fail

Thursday, August 5th, 2010

John, a brilliant writer and good friend of 52, contributed this piece in December of 2009.  How do you think these methods have stacked up so far in 2010?

I thought up a wish around Christmas 2008. (You remember, this was when the economy fell into a well, only to crawl out in an algae-soaked stupor around mid-year.) By the end of 2009 I got some of the stuff I hoped for: Cool projects. Money. And I made some great new relationships with passionate professionals. I was lucky. But some things never came. That’s the era we’re in.

IMHO, 2010 isn’t going to be the year of getting back to the big getting that we sometimes enjoy. (My stimulus package is pretty much BOGO at the supermarket.) Sure, Obama’s president. I have hope. But the economy remains iffy. Building brands will be fun but no less exacting than 2009—given lean budgets, challenged clients and the speed of change. But you’ve got a great secret weapon. It’s called: an idea.

If I, you—we—do nothing this year but die for our ideas or the ideas our brand teams come up with, you’ll make it to 2011. People will admire you. Will want to work with you. And if you play it right, they’ll pay you well. What’s truly thrilling is how powerful ideas can be now. As in: effective, gorgeous, persuasive, cash-generating, transforming, life-building, whatever.
(more…)

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Portland on the DL Could We Use a Little Bling Bling?

Monday, July 26th, 2010

Unpretentious, relaxed, quirky, and fiercely independent, Portland’s creative community is very much on the down low in terms of nationwide visibility. Even though our agencies consistently garner national awards, and our boutique agencies produce some of the most original advertising, marketing, and creative material anywhere. But people are beginning to take notice that Portland is truly a dynamic creative hub.

Young creatives fresh out of college and art schools flock here. Talented people with established names and businesses in larger markets are moving to Portland for quality of life reasons a smaller city with outstanding arts and culture, diverse and urban with great planning, respectful of the environment, and with some of the best food, wine, and beer in the country. In a word, Portland exemplifies livability. Often they’re also bringing their high paying clients with them who positively impact our economy.

Major companies already recognize the city’s wealth of creative talent. Nike is a homegrown powerhouse that has forged a long-term advertising partnership with Wieden and Kennedy. Adidas has their North American headquarters here. This competitive atmosphere also helped raise the profile of local companies such as Columbia Sportswear. Now a new wave of companies is drawn to Portland for its talented creatives and energized setting. Nautilus, Keen Footwear, And Icebreaker all come to mind.

We’re seeing this exciting new wave of talented people in our own practice. At 52 Limited, we’re working with creative and inventive people from many places and backgrounds: art directors from New York, designers from Minnesota, copywriters from San Francisco, fashion designers from Los Angeles to name a few. As a creative resource company, we’re able to match highly talented individuals with our best businesses. We work diligently to ensure success at all levels. Our growing creative base has made this an easier task. Success breeds success. The more outstanding our industry becomes, the more Portland shines as a creative center. (more…)

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Company culture. What does that even mean?

Tuesday, July 13th, 2010

Statistically only about 10% of folks can be quoted as being happy with their job.  Yikes!  That leaves another 90% that would really rather work somewhere else.  What’s up with that, you ask?  And don’t jump to conclusions, for the most part, it’s not salary related.  Gasp!

Well, if the desire isn’t more money, what else is there?   A couple of things actually, all relating to (you guessed it) company culture. So listen up ye managers of unhappy, grumpy folk.  If you’re running a company and continue to see new, strange, and often terrified faces everyday… you, sir, may have a revolving door on your hands.  Here are a couple of things you could work on to improve your internal company culture and cease the flapping of the exit door.

Probably one of the biggest complaints people make about their job is:  MY BOSS IS A DOPE.  (Well, maybe the language has been sweetened a bit, but you get the gist.)   If you are, or you have a boss that is: never in the office, does not respect you, acts holier than thou, and operates under the slogan “do what I say, not as I do” (Think: gone Monday thru Thursday shooting for birdie, and in on Friday until noon to check for full time cards) this is the problem.  And no, not all bosses suck.  But it can cause huge respect issues, in turn impacting productivity and efficiency.

A boss who’s attempting to foster positive company culture should encourage employees to share their thoughts freely.  This “good ideas can come from anyone” attitude creates an open-door, motivating, and collaborative atmosphere.  This equals happy people that won’t jump ship on a whim.  Hell, they may even come up with the next big idea!

Another fatal company flaw that often times spurs employee exodus is: THERE’S NO ROOM FOR ADVANCEMENT.  Granted, some small companies can’t keep promoting its 6 employees, otherwise it would end up with 6 directors of something and 0 doers of anything.  So, obviously this “advancement” doesn’t always have to equal “job promotion.”  It could mean educational opportunities or even growth within a position, like added responsibilities. If people stay engaged and interested in their work, the more likely they are to be… well… engaged and interested in the advancement of the company as a whole.  Phew… good point. (more…)

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We Won’t Do it, And Here’s Why

Monday, June 21st, 2010

More on the “Unemployed Need Not Apply” Mess.

By Sara Davey-Schmidt, senior account manager 52 PDX

In an employment economy where there is a disproportionate amount of talent to opportunities available, a trend of vetting candidates by reasons-not-to-hire, rather than reasons-to-hire, starts to become the method for qualifying the shit-tons of resumes that come pouring in at every mention of possible work.  It’s a tempting approach!  That behemoth pile dwindles a lot faster when you can disqualify resumes as soon as you see an end-date on their last position.

Even though the status of “unemployed” doesn’t fall under any law enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the same logic for anti-discrimination should apply. To avoid any perception of discrimination, effective Senior Recruiters tend to develop a habit of thinking less about what they shouldn’t be asking and more about discovering the relevant qualifications of each candidate.  Thus assessing the candidate’s cultural fit and career motivations. This is the most cogent practice for avoiding dangerous discrimination territory, as well as the most effective practice for revealing the most qualified candidate–how convenient!

How relevant is it that a candidate is unemployed? In the fast-paced world of technology, it might matter. In the ever changing world of compliance, it might matter. For the creative class however, where you can keep skills sharp through trade and pro-bono or pro-rata work, the quality of your work matters. Your attitude matters. Your motivations matter. Your professional goals matter.

Apart from “Unemployed Need Not Apply” being a lousy hiring practice, the greatest damage it really does is to the employment brand. There is a seismic shift in attitudes about and patterns of work in the economy from the early 1950s era of William Whyte’s The Organization Man to today’s worker. It’s acceptable and common to see people shifting employers every 3-7 years, and then there’s the rise of the free agents. In fact, as Daniel Pink reveals in Free Agent Nation, over 25 million Americans are now self-employed, and fewer than one in ten works for a Fortune 500 company.

(more…)

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Not on Our Watch.

Thursday, June 17th, 2010

By Patricia Beasock, Senior Recruiter 52 PDX

Ugh.  Let’s face it. At one time or another, we have ALL been unemployed. For the general population, if you have had the misfortune of adopting this status, even momentarily, it is normally NOT a result of your own boneheaded action.

As a recruiter, the gal constantly pounding the proverbial pavement to find the best talent around,  the little hairs on the back of my neck stood up recently while reading an article on CNN.com that stated:  “Unemployed candidates will not be considered”. 

According to Lisa Chenofsky Singer, a HR consultant from Millburn, NJ, specializing in media and publishing jobs,  “most executive recruiters won’t consider a candidate unless they have a job, even if they don’t like to admit to it.”

Really? Um…. We’re calling bullshit.

Let’s look at the facts:  The Unemployment rate in Oregon is 10.4%.  That is 3rd highest in the nation and that sucks.  If executive recruiters aren’t looking at that 10.4% at all,  then they are doing a disservice for both of their clientele: their paying client, and their talent who are ready and willing to hit the ground running.

The Client: A large part of the qualified class could be unemployed… if you ignore them, you ignore a potential fit.

The Talent: Unemployment doesn’t designate a lack of qualifications.  In this economic climate, most of the unemployed class were laid off due to recession… through no fault or error of their own.

A good recruiter, a status I would proudly pin on my own girl scout scarf,  is going to vet talent based on an in person meeting, evaluate them as an individual, ask the right questions to get to the answers necessary, all this  in order to present that talent to a prospective client.   THEN (and only then), it should be decided whether or not a talent is a viable fit for the position that is open.

To assume that “you must have been laid off for performance issues” is indeed one of those myths that we should add to Snopes.com.

I agree with Judy Conti: “Making that kind of automatic cut is senseless; you could be missing out on the best person of all,” she said. “There are millions of people who are unemployed through no fault of their own. If an employer feels that the best qualified are the ones already working, they have no appreciation of the crisis we’re in right now.”

Here at 52 LTD, each talent is looked at as an individual. No matter what you do, 52 wants to learn more about you. Not by having you fill out a standard online form, but by actually getting to know you better.

(more…)

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Doughnut Day, Turkey Lovers Month, Iced Tea Day, and Internet Week

Thursday, June 10th, 2010

There seems to be a day, week, or month for everything.  If you look up Obscure Holidays, you’re Google-ometer will read off the charts.  Thankfully not all of them are completely worthless.

This week in NYC, 52 LTD is attending Internet week.  Internet week is a festival of events celebrating NYC’s thriving internet industry and community.

Check out Internet Week’s Happenings

Located at Metropolitan Pavilion, Internet Week HQ features two main areas: Interactive Playground of 12,000 square feet of exposition space. This space will be both a place for attendees to meet, greet, and get a little work done, as well as hosting arts, technology, media and entertainment exhibitions and social events.

Topics range from Custom Silverlight controls, to a day dedicated to “IAmEffed.”  All this and more.. including parties galore scattered throughout various venues across Manhattan.

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The New Helvetica

Thursday, May 27th, 2010

Thanks to Leighann Franson for writing this up!

Over the past year, I’ve heard the same response uttered from new clients across various industries, “We want the voice to be real, honest, succinct. No Bullshit.” Of course, this always leads to the conclusion that, in the past, copywriters have been asked to be deliberately deceitful, overly ostentatious, and painfully longwinded. Whatever your assumption, this growing response begs the question—could this be the beginning of a new trend?

Of course, this burgeoning tonal style is an attempt to capture the next generation of consumers. Call them Gen Y or Gen Next, these digital natives grew up online. On top of their keen perception and fleeting attention span, they know how to move fast and process things quickly. They’ve developed a massive BS detector that enables them to sift through the glutton of marketing messages that screams at them from every medium. So if we want them to hear our message over the din of puns, cheeky clichés, and cumbersome adjectives, we’ve got to make it real. Drop the superfluous language or, like a blood hound, they’ll sniff out our crappy metaphors before we’ve even finished writing the sentence.

As a writer, I find this candid approach quite refreshing. I get it. In fact, I welcome it. It requires me to strip the language down to the bare essentials. Be less formal and more conversational. With even shorter fragments. And quicker wit. It requires creativity and math skills in order to fit five major copy points into a 135-character space or ten seconds of air time.

My husband, a freelance graphic designer, describes this trend well. He said, “this simple, uncomplicated approach is the Helvetica for copywriting. It’s so neutral and unobtrusive that it’s a style unto itself.” Perhaps he’s right. This is the new Helvetica for a generation of kids who are smarter, quicker, and faster. It’s a trendy BS filter for an era that demands transparency and truth. Of course, trends come and go. I wonder how long this one will stick around.

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