Drum roll please!!  See the finished :30 TV spot for the Fort Worth Zoo promoting their stage show at the new Outdoor Learning Theater.  It’s free with your Zoo admission, and you will definitely want to check it out!  What a fun project to get to be a part of.

-Erin Naterman

Agency Surprised by Flash Mob

As a precursor to an internal agency presentation, we were surprised with a flash mob performance put on by our neighbors, The Young Women’s Leadership Academy. The stunt took place in our own side yard (literally). Thanks to the students, faculty and staff for showing us how to wobble!  

This stunt was meant to drive home the point of the presentation, of which we will be posting in the near future.  Can anyone guess the topic?

  -Erin Naterman

A New York-based agency hired a group of homeless individuals to act as wireless internet hotspots at Austin’s SXSW. While the agency closely worked with a local homeless shelter on how to best structure the program, it has struck a nerve with many and has become controversial news across the nation. 

What do you think?  Was this approach degrading, or did the agency have a brilliant idea to temporarily employ the homeless and have them serve a great function for SXSW? 

Weigh in with your thoughts!

-Erin Naterman

Joel Sartore is a freelance photographer for National Geographic.  His most recent project is called the Biodiversity Project, and the idea behind it is to promote animal conservation.  Joel has has gathered nearly 1,800 photographs of animals species over the past five years, with many more planned in the coming months.

Joel’s quest for photos led him to the Fort Worth Zoo.  You can see video footage and photographs of the shoot here.  The photography features animals on a solid white or black background. The idea behind this is to give all animals equal weight…from the ladybug to the lion. The photography is beautiful, and the video is captivating and inspirational.

-Erin Naterman

Banana Republic has launched a new program called “Our Duty to You”.  The program is designed to help returning U.S. troops prepare for their next professional opportunity. 

In addition to special in-store events and product discounts, Banana has launched a website dedicated to helping advise military personnel on dressing for success, resume writing tips and job leads. 

Kudos to Banana for inserting themselves where it really matters.  I think I might just stop by my local Banana Republic this weekend and show my support through making a purchase of my own!

-Erin Naterman

Daily Inspiration through art

Ex-Graffiti artist Kaws

Seriously this guy is MAD SICK YO! This weekend I took a trip solomente as usual to The Modern Museum in Fort Worth where the KAWS exhibit is up. I only had about thirty minutes to go through it, but his work alone was well worth it. Being a designer and artist myself I found his work to lie somewhere in between where the two paths cross. All I can say is if you are in Ft. Worth check it out.

Check out the interview here from The Modern Museum.

-Colt

No, we aren’t talking about the latest political debates - those are boring.  We’re talking about insurance - old-fashioned commercial, medical, life yadda-yadda.  Higginbotham Insurance, founded in 1948 is an institution in Fort Worth.  And, over the years, they’ve grown to be one of the largest independent insurance brokerages in the country.  They aren’t flashy, they aren’t hard-sell, rather they are a reliable, trusted advisor for many. They needed a web-based facelift combined with some pretty nifty technical magic thrown in.

We refined their messaging and presented it in a timeless design, that both updated their image while streamlining the navigation of a several hundred page site.

With multiple locations that operate under separate brand flags, we had to create a universal CMS that worked across 7 different URLS, while providing limited local content management capabilities to the field offices.  

The result is a clean site that proves that work for a conservative company - doesn’t have to be boring.

Advertising with Facebook Timeline

Israel Anti-Drug Authority

McCann Digital Israel has put together a Facebook timeline of a fictional Adam Barak juxtaposing a year with and a year without drugs. It is an interesting anti-drug campaign and it will be interesting to follow over the next year.

-Colt

Daily Inspiration through art

Sam Weber: Illustrator

For quite sometime I have been drawn to Sam Weber’s work. Perhaps because like mine, it is dark and he makes use of texture to give his work a very realistic look but not too realistic where it could be confused with photography. I am always amazed and excited to find something new that he has done such as his lord of the flies illustrations. Below is a quote from a Commarts interview about illustration which applies to anyone in the design field. I hope this serves up some inspiration in your day.

Do you have any advice for people just entering the profession?

Try to have a new body of work six months after you graduate. Have a Web site. Look at illustration in context. Create work you enjoy making. Be objective about your work; just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean you should be doing it.

I know we would love it if you have a source of inspiration you could share as well.

-Colt