Summation: Things happen fast, try to enjoy them.
This post is a long time coming and much has happened since the post below it. I'll try to be concise about the outcome.
After almost two months on the open road, crisscrossing the nation while pumping gas and eating BBQ, we ended up moving from Portland to Chicago. Those two months of grey pavement allowed us to meet with many creative, inspiring agencies and talk with dozens more. It was, far and away, the best way to go about finding jobs. In the end three job offers came out of the trip (Kristina killed it!) and we feel that is a pretty good outcome, nothing to sneeze at, bat an eye towards, or, whatever. Of course, during our first week in Chicago, a stray job offer did come in from Portland. Isn't that just the way of things.
We chose Chicago because the work environment offered seemed stimulating, as did our respective industries and the creative culture in general. More so, though, Chicago is big and bold and brash, and that's what we were searching for; something to take us out of our comfort zones, a city that would educate us. During my first interview here, while we were still on our road trip, I was told that Chicago is the perfect mix of New York City and Los Angeles, which is to say it maintains all the urban affinities that NYC offers and adds in a boisterous summer beach scene that rivals that of LA.
Generalist attributes aside, however, getting settled in a new city can be daunting. Not knowing a thing about the particulars of Chicago neighborhoods we moved sight unseen into a gang infused street in the community area of Little Village. We spent a month there living out of two suitcases and sleeping on an air-mattress before moving up to Logan Square. "Stuff naive white people from the NW don't know" is the title of the blog we probably should have penned durning that long hot month. An example post would have covered this situation: if you went to ASU you likely have some ASU gear featuring ASU's lovable mascot sparky and his iconic trident. What you need to know though, is that in this neighborhood, that character and his devilish spear have been claimed by the rival gang, the Satan's Disciples. Hey, honey, didn't you mention that you felt the guys across the street - the crown tattoos and tags designate them as Latin Kings - were giving you dagger eyes while you were walking the dog. Woops.
Yeah, a new home is an exploration of personal limits, ideological positioning, and uniform/non-uniform identity. It's been a great and we only project that it will get better, that is as long as the winter doesn't see us freeze. I guess we'll just have to take that as it comes. In the meantime we mean to enjoy the newness of Chicago and all it offers. Things happen fast, enjoy what you can today and plan something fun for tomorrow.
When our time in Chicago ticks and tocks off the clock and the we need to move on to something new, well then we will see you back out on the road. If we learned one thing from this trip it's that there is a multitude of life waiting for you out there, somewhere. All you have to do is go find it.
"We were driving home to Boise and stopped in Snowville for gas. I saw
you there and decided to look up the website. I was still reading your
posts when we passed you just outside pocatello getting PULLED OVER!
Such a bummer, I hope you got out of it! Anyway, I had fun reading about
your journey and best of luck to you!" A reader of your blog, by email -- Nope, we definitely got that ticket.
9.06.2012
5.08.2012
Kristina's Places to Work: Teams Design --
(Post Disclaimer: Teams was a really great ID consultancy to meet with, learn about and profile. However, and to cure any confusion, it's not who I took a job with. I'll be moving with Matthew to Chicago near the date of June 1st, where I'll take up a position I'm very excited about with California Innovations, an awesome shop. An entire post on that is coming soon. In the mean time please enjoy this post about the very impressive Teams Designs).
Who: Teams Designs
What: An incredibly creative and fun, global design consultancy in Chicago, IL. One of the largest consultancies worldwide.
Where: Chicago IL & www.teamsdesign.com
Why: When I first started looking at inspiring firms in Chicago, Teams was one of the first to pop up. After talking with some of my friends in the Chicago design world, it became clear that Teams was somewhere that I had to check out.
How: When I first emailed Paul Hatch (the director at Teams) he wrote me back quickly, telling me he was intrigued by our journey and to bring Addie in as well! Addison was obviously excited to go meet someone who would mention her in an email, but unfortunately Doggie daycare ensued and Addie was too wrapped up with playmates to make it to Teams. When I walked in the door without Addie, I think Paul was genuinely disappointed that she couldn’t join us, which made me like Teams even more.
Everything about the interior of Teams made it clear that they were not a typical design consultancy. They had a beautiful open layout where the first visible objects are not dirty designer desks but carefully curated sections of workspace. (In fact, there were not dirty desks anywhere, which did freak me out a bit.) The area to the left of the entrance included the ‘fire pit’ (a space where educational lunch sessions were held), the library (of inspirational books and magazines), the cleanest materials library I have ever seen, and of course… a foosball table.
The second area (which was immediately to your right as you entered) was the wide-open space with conference room and stage, as well as full kitchen area. Basically, this was the perfect party interior (which is something I hear they have a lot of).
Meeting with Paul was great. He took great care in explaining all of the intricacies of the building, which they had somewhat recently renovated to fit their growing needs. Everything in the building had been considered from a designer’s perspective. In an industry where telling a story is everything, Teams has woven an interesting tale into every decision. For instance, their very own model maker carefully crafted the privacy screens throughout the studio area. They were made of Japanese paper that was laminated on to a black frame (another theme throughout the area). The paper helped to create workstations without blocking the light to the designers. They were also used to help focus the light from the skylights above.
When I started talking with Paul, it was clear that the holistic approach that was prevalent in the interior was even more notable in the Teams design philosophy. In their design world, there are no segments. Work groups are formed by personalities rather than ‘work titles’. Instead of grouping an engineer and an industrial designer together on a project, Teams groups are carefully formulated, bring together a sensitive type, a rational type and client contact person, etc.
That same thinking goes is applied to client assignments. Instead rotating the same teams to different clients, Paul believes in the power of cross-pollination. By rotating individuals into different groups and different clients, Paul believes that the overlap can create many positive insights. A simple realization on one client might provide a breakthrough on another client.
One of the last things that stuck with me about Teams was their inherent drive to tinker. Paul often reiterated the need for designers to play and experiment as well as fiddle and test. They foster a culture of learning at Teams and that is apparent in both their shop and their interior. On a conference room wall, Teams employees had rigged up a series of lasers, which transformed the glass from a simple screen, to a virtual touch screen. Here, designers could draw, expand images, using it almost in the same way as an iPad.
Teams was a great shop for me to see. While I was hesitant about consultancy life, Teams proved that there is something very valuable that is fostered in that environment. I found their thinking both inspirational and innovative. I want to thank Paul for spending so much time to show me the Teams world… and next time I promise to bring Addie!
-- More pretty pictures of the amazing interior.
Who: Teams Designs
What: An incredibly creative and fun, global design consultancy in Chicago, IL. One of the largest consultancies worldwide.
Where: Chicago IL & www.teamsdesign.com
Why: When I first started looking at inspiring firms in Chicago, Teams was one of the first to pop up. After talking with some of my friends in the Chicago design world, it became clear that Teams was somewhere that I had to check out.
How: When I first emailed Paul Hatch (the director at Teams) he wrote me back quickly, telling me he was intrigued by our journey and to bring Addie in as well! Addison was obviously excited to go meet someone who would mention her in an email, but unfortunately Doggie daycare ensued and Addie was too wrapped up with playmates to make it to Teams. When I walked in the door without Addie, I think Paul was genuinely disappointed that she couldn’t join us, which made me like Teams even more.
Everything about the interior of Teams made it clear that they were not a typical design consultancy. They had a beautiful open layout where the first visible objects are not dirty designer desks but carefully curated sections of workspace. (In fact, there were not dirty desks anywhere, which did freak me out a bit.) The area to the left of the entrance included the ‘fire pit’ (a space where educational lunch sessions were held), the library (of inspirational books and magazines), the cleanest materials library I have ever seen, and of course… a foosball table.
The second area (which was immediately to your right as you entered) was the wide-open space with conference room and stage, as well as full kitchen area. Basically, this was the perfect party interior (which is something I hear they have a lot of).
Meeting with Paul was great. He took great care in explaining all of the intricacies of the building, which they had somewhat recently renovated to fit their growing needs. Everything in the building had been considered from a designer’s perspective. In an industry where telling a story is everything, Teams has woven an interesting tale into every decision. For instance, their very own model maker carefully crafted the privacy screens throughout the studio area. They were made of Japanese paper that was laminated on to a black frame (another theme throughout the area). The paper helped to create workstations without blocking the light to the designers. They were also used to help focus the light from the skylights above.
When I started talking with Paul, it was clear that the holistic approach that was prevalent in the interior was even more notable in the Teams design philosophy. In their design world, there are no segments. Work groups are formed by personalities rather than ‘work titles’. Instead of grouping an engineer and an industrial designer together on a project, Teams groups are carefully formulated, bring together a sensitive type, a rational type and client contact person, etc.
That same thinking goes is applied to client assignments. Instead rotating the same teams to different clients, Paul believes in the power of cross-pollination. By rotating individuals into different groups and different clients, Paul believes that the overlap can create many positive insights. A simple realization on one client might provide a breakthrough on another client.
One of the last things that stuck with me about Teams was their inherent drive to tinker. Paul often reiterated the need for designers to play and experiment as well as fiddle and test. They foster a culture of learning at Teams and that is apparent in both their shop and their interior. On a conference room wall, Teams employees had rigged up a series of lasers, which transformed the glass from a simple screen, to a virtual touch screen. Here, designers could draw, expand images, using it almost in the same way as an iPad.
Teams was a great shop for me to see. While I was hesitant about consultancy life, Teams proved that there is something very valuable that is fostered in that environment. I found their thinking both inspirational and innovative. I want to thank Paul for spending so much time to show me the Teams world… and next time I promise to bring Addie!
-- More pretty pictures of the amazing interior.
5.01.2012
The Decision Making Process: a visual rendering --
|| EDITED POST ||
Whoa, time jump!
We've still got a good number of profiles for desirable companies to write up, but as the world turns so has this trip taken on accelerated pace. We didn't even make it much east of Chicago before turning around which means we have a new route map to share.
Within the last couple of weeks there was interest in employment from several visited parties. In response, this duo on wheels went into some serious modus operandi for decision-making. With the query of what job to take there's an extremely large host of questions that need to be listed, surveyed, and pondered. For example, the simple question of where to live brings into the fold 100 more questions about what each particular city has to offer. Then there are the questions about the actual jobs you'll be working, the people at those jobs, work-life balance; it's all so much to drill into and through your brain. Complication is produced by the exponential weight one single decision can have upon all possible futures. That weight takes on a physical presence as your neck tightens with stress; its almost like larger universal existences are rolling around on your shoulders. These photos taken along our journey come to mind.
Whatever stresses you may have make sure you check back into this singular spatial channel, it has much more to show you: decisions, cool quality creative companies to work for, ideas of how to move from one city to another, more activities, doggy pictures, more awesome radical stuff in general; the particles of our universe.
-- Pics taken at the Des Moines Science Center.
Whoa, time jump!
We've still got a good number of profiles for desirable companies to write up, but as the world turns so has this trip taken on accelerated pace. We didn't even make it much east of Chicago before turning around which means we have a new route map to share.
Within the last couple of weeks there was interest in employment from several visited parties. In response, this duo on wheels went into some serious modus operandi for decision-making. With the query of what job to take there's an extremely large host of questions that need to be listed, surveyed, and pondered. For example, the simple question of where to live brings into the fold 100 more questions about what each particular city has to offer. Then there are the questions about the actual jobs you'll be working, the people at those jobs, work-life balance; it's all so much to drill into and through your brain. Complication is produced by the exponential weight one single decision can have upon all possible futures. That weight takes on a physical presence as your neck tightens with stress; its almost like larger universal existences are rolling around on your shoulders. These photos taken along our journey come to mind.
Whatever stresses you may have make sure you check back into this singular spatial channel, it has much more to show you: decisions, cool quality creative companies to work for, ideas of how to move from one city to another, more activities, doggy pictures, more awesome radical stuff in general; the particles of our universe.
-- Pics taken at the Des Moines Science Center.
4.26.2012
Matthew's Places to Work: Duncan/Channon --
Who: Duncan/Channon.
Where: San Francisco & www.duncanchannon.com.
Why & How: When I met with Duncan/Channon several weeks ago their upstairs bar was just a couple of months newly finished. It’s a spot to hang out and unwind after closing out the workday. It also serves as showpiece to dazzle clients with while they’re in town. Of course it serves other functions as well, but whatever way you want to look at it just the fact that they went to distance and put a full on functioning bar in the top level of their space speaks directly to one of Duncan/Channon’s grounding philosophies: they see the world at fundamental levels which revolve around relationships. It’s pretty fundamental that most people like to get together, enjoy a drink and have a good time now and again.
Upon walking into their workspace it’s quickly apparent that good times are commonly in full swing. Pictures depicting staffers sharing laughs, engaged in pranks, robed in costume, all line the walls. Dead center of the entry sits a spacecraft looking receptionist desk. As I approach it my profile glares up at me in oddly disproportionate angles similar to a fun house mirror. Looking around, there's the inviting 14th floor view, the low profile work areas which house a range of departments, colors of orange and yellow.
Home to a current 55 heads I’ve been able to procure a meeting with the one Erin Scruby they have on staff. In a brief conversation, we talk about the D/C range of clients, some recent work, and then I just lay out the most obvious question there is: Is Duncan/Channon really as cool as they seem? Are they the agency of rock stars that they proclaim to be? Well, the quick and simple answer is yes, and as for the rock star bit, they do own a record label… Moving further into the conversation Erin shares that it’s all about the partners. Success happen from the top down, a top that’s in the office daily and provides strong leadership by example, both in good times and in good works. Of course, they’re not a large agency with unlimited resources and hard work does happen often. All 55 heads have a multitude and variety of hats. Working at Duncan/Channon means you’ll live a well-rounded, busy and full life. Still, she assures me, life within the walls of D/C is even better and cooler than it seems.
Clients seem to be picking up on the positive vibes as well. Maybe it’s the Guanxi Duncan/Channon refer to on their site, definitely an interesting term, but definitely something’s radiating out from this San Francisco office and bringing clients in. From Birkenstock to Hard Rock to Vice Russia, the agency is boasting a well-rounded roster of fun engaging clients who allow D/C to produce fun engaging work.
Behind the work is forward thinking business concepts and strategies for agencies, as evidenced by Robbie Whiting’s solo panel at SXSW Interactive where he discusses the next steps for sustainable agency existence. While diversifying revenue streams by creating agency brands and agency-based products is not new or groundbreaking, by any means, it is nice to see an agency stand tall and build out successful actions towards this model. Development like this is progressive and it fosters a strong sense of creative entrepreneurship, something that the ad industry was originally grounded on and somewhere lost along the way. I think Duncan/Channon may be poised to be a leader in reclaiming that sense and feeling. Through Guanxi, good times, and roughly 55 heads each equipped with it’s own set of hats, there’s a successful story unfolding. We should all be watching.
4.18.2012
10 questions from the road --
After several days of family and contemplation and planning in Burlington, Iowa, we hit the road again with Chicago a short 4 hours away. 2 hours in, with a cruising speed of just under 80, Fun once again on the stereo, and a full tank of gas, we decided to ask each other some questions and script down the answers. Kind of an on the spot introspective reflective session crafted out of questions created there and then.
1. Favorite TV Series Ever?
Kristina -- The Wire (speaking of which, if you like the wire you should probably watch THIS).
Matthew -- 6 Feet Under. Hands down. It's the most beautifully crafted TV experience I've seen. I love it. I did have high hops for HBO's Game Of Thrones but after the first season it became apparent that the TV settings could never match what my mind created while reading the books.
2. Favorite Color?
Kristina -- Tangerine.
Matthew -- Purple.
Addison -- Rainbows.
3. Favorite Portland Attributes?
Kristina -- It comes across as small enough that you can effect the culture. Also, all of our great friends. Last, the price of food. Everyone can eat well in Portland for a very decent price.
Matthew -- I adore the fact that I can walk out the door and be surrounded by so many amazing food options. Also, I really enjoy the true aspects of ironic sensibilities found in that city.
4. Favorite Thing About Burlington?
Kristina -- Crapo (pronounced: Cray-po) Park. Kristina has strong family ties to Burlington and as a result of many summers spent there she has fond memories of fun times in this park. It really is beautiful and expansive.
Matthew -- Mr. Motos was probably my favorite physical "thing/place" in Burlington only because it was totally unexpected for me. The space, food and vibe felt like they would be right at home in Portland or Brooklyn. However, found in Downtown Burlington, it was totally charming and without cliché. Better yet, the food was great and it offered a remarkable beer selection.
5. Favorite Road Trip Activity So Far? Have you seen our log!?
Kristina -- Trampolining in San Francisco at the House of Air.
Matthew -- Bootcamp in San Francisco at Coit Tower.
6. What's One Thing You Miss About Being A Kid?
Kristina -- Eating whatever I wanted, particularly after school and summer snacks!
Matthew -- Endless summers in which you're allowed an honest interest in mischief. That's how it felt anyway...
7. Favorite Road Trip Sight So Far?
Kristina -- El Capitan campground, just North of Santa Barbara, and the morning there.
Matthew -- El Capitan; we'll plan to go back when we have more time. However, I really did enjoy the High Trestle neon bridge outside of Boone, Iowa, too.
- cliff warning at El Capitan Campground.
- High Trestle Trial Bridge at night and lit up
8. Going Back To School, What Would You Go For?
Kristina -- Masters in counseling of some sort.
Matthew -- MFA in Social Practice at Portland State University.
9. Favorite Food From The Trip So Far?
Kristina -- Lahor Karahi in San Francisco. So Goooood!
Matthew -- Mr. Motos vegetarian pizzas. I'm going back just to try the German veggie sausage and sauerkraut pizza and the Cajun pizza with baked eggs!
10. What Have You Learned?
Kristina -- I've learned that people are willing, welcoming and excited to help in what ways they can. I worry a great deal about being a nuisance on people, both in interrupting their work environments when requesting an meeting or interview, and also with family in their daily lives, like when we show up begging a bed and we've got a dog in tow. Everyone has been so inviting and accepting of what we're doing though. It's been really great to see the goodness in people through this.
Matthew -- I'm always learning not to worry so much. Sometimes you just need to jump in with both feet and make it work, rather than fretting all of the smaller details that will, when combined, possibly hold you back. We went to Thailand a couple years ago and I had the same experience: where are we going to sleep, how do we budget for this, for that, will our car make it, will the dog live to see the end of the journey or will we end up being forced to sell her for blankets to keep us warm in the Colorado mountains when we run out of gas? As someone who likes to plan for all possible scenarios it's important to also allow for a fly by the seat of your pants attitude sometimes. I have a friend who works at WK, he mentioned in passing at one point that their particular culture breeds the thought "do first, ask questions/for permission later." I heard the exact same thing in Wichita while on this trip, "it's easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission, sometimes." Yeah, so that's what I'm still learning.
And that's the end of our 10 questions from the road. Back to driving through the viewfinder.
4.16.2012
Kristina's Places to Work: LIFESTYLEDESIGN --
Who: LIFESTYLEDESIGN
Where: Santa Barbara, CA & lifestyledesign.com
What: LIFESTYLEDESIGN is a design consultancy consisting of 8 industrial designers and 1 graphic designer. They create products for some of the most shopped outdoor lifestyle brands including Flow, Arbor, Dragon, The House of Marley, Bern, Reef, Deckers, Teva, Serengeti, Bolle, Zeal, Klipsch, Harman International, Plantronics, Thomson, Soul by Ludacris, Bushnell, Coleman, Case Logic, Forms and Surfaces, Janus et Cie and Mark Levinson, among many others.
Why: In our search for a desirable work experience one of our main criteria is the ‘office’ vibe. The atmosphere in an office is a powerful thing and Matt and I are looking for a certain fit. When I found LSD on Coroflot I laughed at their job experience requirement of excellent ping pong skills. It sounded like a place with a fun atmosphere and when I peeped their website I knew it was a place where I would love to work. I was impressed not only by their clean designs and emphasis on graphics but also by their client list (all interesting and cool brands, many of which are in the outdoor/action sports categories). When I saw the pictures of them playing in the world of the products they create, I figured LSD had the vibe I was looking for.
How: As I walked into the LSD office, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The office exterior was fairly inconspicuous but when I opened the floor to ceiling wood door, I was immediately taken with the interior. It was exactly how I imagine cool consultancies to look. Great product thought sketches covering the big white wall, renderings of previous products on the side wall, and a ping pong and Foosball table right up front. (While I pretty much suck and ping pong, I am a killer at Foosball.)
When I got there, I met with Marc Tappeiner, the founder and director at LSD. Ten years ago he decided to leave his design director position at BMW Design Works to focus solely on lifestyle products. He is a surfer who seems to pick clients who create products that fall into his life and style. (In a total small world scenario, it turns out that Marc was staying at EL Cap in his beautifully redone 1960’s airstream trailer the night before our meeting. That same night Matt, Emily, Addie and I also camped there and were totally scoping his trailer that morning.)
As Marc and I started talking, I was impressed with the holistic approach their consultancy provides. They often start projects from the ground up, creating the brand strategy, designing the products, and seeing them through to production. After working in a corporate environment, I am particularly interested in the freedom that creating from the outside can provide. Countless times I have watched cool promising products and ideas be deluded to nothing from the many hands of the corporate world. Finding an environment that allows the ideas to stay ‘pure’ is a huge motivator for me and I really admire the fact that LSD has made it a priority in their process.
Where: Santa Barbara, CA & lifestyledesign.com
What: LIFESTYLEDESIGN is a design consultancy consisting of 8 industrial designers and 1 graphic designer. They create products for some of the most shopped outdoor lifestyle brands including Flow, Arbor, Dragon, The House of Marley, Bern, Reef, Deckers, Teva, Serengeti, Bolle, Zeal, Klipsch, Harman International, Plantronics, Thomson, Soul by Ludacris, Bushnell, Coleman, Case Logic, Forms and Surfaces, Janus et Cie and Mark Levinson, among many others.
Why: In our search for a desirable work experience one of our main criteria is the ‘office’ vibe. The atmosphere in an office is a powerful thing and Matt and I are looking for a certain fit. When I found LSD on Coroflot I laughed at their job experience requirement of excellent ping pong skills. It sounded like a place with a fun atmosphere and when I peeped their website I knew it was a place where I would love to work. I was impressed not only by their clean designs and emphasis on graphics but also by their client list (all interesting and cool brands, many of which are in the outdoor/action sports categories). When I saw the pictures of them playing in the world of the products they create, I figured LSD had the vibe I was looking for.
How: As I walked into the LSD office, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The office exterior was fairly inconspicuous but when I opened the floor to ceiling wood door, I was immediately taken with the interior. It was exactly how I imagine cool consultancies to look. Great product thought sketches covering the big white wall, renderings of previous products on the side wall, and a ping pong and Foosball table right up front. (While I pretty much suck and ping pong, I am a killer at Foosball.)
When I got there, I met with Marc Tappeiner, the founder and director at LSD. Ten years ago he decided to leave his design director position at BMW Design Works to focus solely on lifestyle products. He is a surfer who seems to pick clients who create products that fall into his life and style. (In a total small world scenario, it turns out that Marc was staying at EL Cap in his beautifully redone 1960’s airstream trailer the night before our meeting. That same night Matt, Emily, Addie and I also camped there and were totally scoping his trailer that morning.)
As Marc and I started talking, I was impressed with the holistic approach their consultancy provides. They often start projects from the ground up, creating the brand strategy, designing the products, and seeing them through to production. After working in a corporate environment, I am particularly interested in the freedom that creating from the outside can provide. Countless times I have watched cool promising products and ideas be deluded to nothing from the many hands of the corporate world. Finding an environment that allows the ideas to stay ‘pure’ is a huge motivator for me and I really admire the fact that LSD has made it a priority in their process.
4.11.2012
Matthew's Places to Work: Venables Bell & Partners --
Who: Venables Bell & Partners
Where: San Francisco & www.venablesbell.com
Why & How: Upon first glance, it's exactly what you imagine a big city agency with a stout reputation to look like. Open corner glass, sleek furniture, shining silver accents, a staircase descending upon the lobby, several people milling about discussing their daily fires and others climbing stairs on their way to meetings, coffee in hand. Off to the side, stage right of the reception desk sits a mid-sized square room with at least two walls comprised of full transparent glass. It's the perfect place for an interview as it prescribes just enough vulnerability for the visiting party while also visually communicating the size and importance of the agency. This is the room in which I met David Russ, Director of Printing & Experiential Production. Yeah, that title is real, and it's awesome. Just wait till paragraph four.
First encounters often set the tone of things and if I have to connect a persona with Venables Bell & Partners, the agency, I'm glad that I had the opportunity to meet with David. He was a pleasure to talk with, seemed interested in what I had to say and the ideas I shared, and was passionate about the work VB&P has been doing. My couple of boilerplate questions easily developed into discussions as I learned about job process, production, and some of the creative executions delivered from the agency walls. The Lumberyard, VB&P's version of a production house, covers off on everything from print, to photography, to broadcast production. All housed on one floor of the agency, I had the chance to walk through the Lumberyard space and the simple idea of "making stuff" was everywhere to be seen. That kind of energy can be infectious; it'd be easy to do good work there and the couple of people I was able to chat with on that floor seemed sound in confirming this to be true.
While a great space can help to produce great work, it does not provide for an all encompassing answer to creation. Rather it's a combination of ethos and the participants involved that really set the stage for groundbreaking performance. This can be evidenced in the kind of work VB&P is consistently producing for clients such as Audi, Intel, The Montana Meth Project, 76 Gas, and more. A quick look at their work samples will tell you this and in my meeting with David, he stood firmly behind it. For example, by reaching beyond conventional boarders and making work that verges on the disturbing, and getting the client to agree to it(!), Venables Bell & Partners was able to put an honest and necessary face on the meth epidemic in Montana, an issue that also plays to the entire nation. Similarly, for 76 gas, through an understanding and willingness to reach customers in innovative ways across a broad yet integrated media landscape (TV, OOH, Radio, Mobile), VB&P developed a memorable campaign for what is traditionally a very tired product, gas.
And... speaking of gas propelled automotives, it's Audi and a specific project VB&P did in conjunction with the luxury car brand that I'd like to touch on last. It's the kind of work that exemplifies how agencies should think; rebuild the box. Using the Pavement to Parks project in San Francisco -- a project that speaks to the progressive ideals embedded in that city -- as a spring board, VB&P and Audi re-imagined a community and socially enhanced area of downtown SF. Opening up the sidewalks, building seating areas, bringing in plants and installing solar power terminals, this park was planned and executed within a short 6 month window. With limited Audi branding, just one small plaque that I saw, this area opens up community space in a bustling area of downtown making it a much more enjoyable couple of blocks to walk and sit. While, obviously, this breaks the traditional bars of the ad landscape, what it really does is allow the brand to speak directly to the citizens of one of the most visited and recognized cities in the world, saying: we stand with you. That's a hard brand message to beat and the agency that made it happen should be lauded, idealized, discussed, and used for inspiration.
VISUALS!! Here's some pics I took of the Audi Pavement to Parks project while in SF:
ps to whoever made it this far. VB&P is housed in the Addison building in downtown San Francisco. I have a dog named Addison. That's cool and that's all.
4.07.2012
Kristina's Places To Work: Speck --
Who: Speck Products
Where: Palo Alto and speckproducts.com
What: Masters of product protection
Why: I was first drawn to Speck because of the fun personality that is infused into all of their products. The bright colors and playful styling spoke to me as both an electronics consumer and as a designer. Lately, Speck has been combining the worlds of hard and softgoods, which caught my eye as someone from the footwear industry.
How: When I first arrived to the Speck headquarters in Palo Alto I was greeted by a very happy 3 legged dog. I was excited that a). they had dogs at the office and b). that they had a 3 legged canine, as we were staying with our own tripod friend Dixie. Eventually I was lead to the design offices where I met with Jon Dukerschein, a ‘design ninja’ at Speck. Jon showed me the engineering ‘think tank’ that was their design area. With walls covered in concept drawings and specifications, the place was bursting at the seems with creation. It was a space for sharing ideas and their internal blog further promoted that philosophy.
While talking with Jon I was surprised at how many similarities there were between footwear and case constructions. They even have a similar underlying theme of protection. What stuck with me about Speck was their commitment to the end user. They “protect what matters” while incorporating thoughtful details and features that target a specific end use, but in the end are helpful for the general public as well.
I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with Jon, who informed me that life at Speck comes with some perks. Employees are treated to a monthly Cal Train pass to commute in from the city… in case you didn’t know… Cal Train allows its riders to participate in a nightly happy hour. I could get used to that!
4.04.2012
Matthew's Places to Work: Dojo --
who: Dojo.
where: San Francisco, California, & www.dojosf.com.
what: A hit making (commercial / advertising) creative production house.
why: The tone of Dojo and the outlook that they employ is was what originally gravitated me towards their front door. With a standing mantra of Defy, Subvert, & Create, Dojo is interested in pushing limits and breaking boundaries throughout the process of producing great work. This mentally reaches beyond their output, however, and is embedded into the day-to-day culture. The brass really seems to understand the importance of keeping ideas fresh and fluid and they’ve set up specific in-house programs to do so. Without getting too detailed, let's just say that I'd like to sit in on a couple of lunches there. This type of thinking is something I really admire. It’s such an important aspect when the end goal is great work.
The agency space is impressive as well. A couple floors of brick, it’s just tall enough and big enough to hold a particular physical presence on Sansome street while still being small enough to exude an approachable nature. Ensconced in this space is a white-wall idea room, creative-crew family style seating, and a bottom floor devoted to music & good times. They’ve even got a stage down on that bottom level ensuring that they enjoy happy hours every Thursday afternoon, providing for weekly agency memories in the making.
how: This was my first meeting in San Francisco and it set the tone for what was a really great week, albeit a dank and soaking wet one at times. Quite honestly, I was not ready for the quick changes in weather that San Francisco has to offer. However, this day was bright and blue, and kicking off a long week of meetings was this mid-day Monday session with Dojo’s Sr. Creative Resources Manager, Scott Fessler. We sat on leather couches, just feet from the stage, and talked about creative process, idea making, and the particular intricacies of Dojo. It was completely enjoyable.
BONUS: Good thing for both me and you, Dojo has been highly and recently reviewed by other entities much greater than myself (meaning: larger arsenal of resources & connections). Here's some video of the Djo creative digs via the industry tycoons at Ad Age.
Springer, New Mexico --
It was a brief stop, just to get gas and throw the ball for the dog. 20 minutes at most. Then we were back on the road and heading east. The conversation though, the conversation that happened as we sprinted towards the horizon with Springer dwindling in our rear-view, it was about how nice everyone in the small town was, how everyone smiled, chatted us up, held doors, and gave us brief moments of advice. Then, about 20 minutes down the road, I got this.
How awesome. How totally encompassing of everything we were just discussing. It was such a fun email to get, not to mention that it's the first contact we've gotten as a direct result of our window treatments. We hadn't told anyone in town what we were doing or where we were going. Mr. Bell took an interest in us and peeked at our site, finding our email, and decided to reach out. Unfortunately we were too far gone down the road, with a timeline in place, and our time in Springer ended too briefly it seems. On the way back though, this time from east to west, we may just need to make a stop and see this thrift store with my name-sake, find a cafe with a cup of coffee, and spend a little more than 20 minutes in town.
Thanks for reaching out, Mr. Bell from Springer, NM.
Good Days.
"Hope you liked our little town. Not much to see. You stopped for gas. Good journeys to the three of you. We have a thrift store by the name of Jasperson's.
Mr. Bell
Springer, NM"
How awesome. How totally encompassing of everything we were just discussing. It was such a fun email to get, not to mention that it's the first contact we've gotten as a direct result of our window treatments. We hadn't told anyone in town what we were doing or where we were going. Mr. Bell took an interest in us and peeked at our site, finding our email, and decided to reach out. Unfortunately we were too far gone down the road, with a timeline in place, and our time in Springer ended too briefly it seems. On the way back though, this time from east to west, we may just need to make a stop and see this thrift store with my name-sake, find a cafe with a cup of coffee, and spend a little more than 20 minutes in town.
Thanks for reaching out, Mr. Bell from Springer, NM.
Good Days.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)