Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Blogs I'm Reading

Interactive/brand agency Substance's blog honors such traits as courage over complacency and adventure over convention. Agencies have been beating that drum for decades. What separates Substance is its authors' impulse to zig where other blogs zag. Recent posts include attempts to define the taxonomy of ad blogs, a description of the uses of pineapple as a welcoming agent and an invitation to shake hands with other blog devotees in a real live coffeehouse. A drop-in to this blog may be just what you need to get those creativity wheels turning.

Joel Gunz

Saturday, February 10, 2007

HR Department

Leopold Ketel & Partners Adds Four
After an exhaustive search and a screening process that included FBI background checks, phone calls to previous lovers and a careful study of the applicants' MySpace pages, Leopold Ketel & Partners has hired four new employees. Wes Youssi has joined Leopold Ketel & Partners as an art director. A native of Chicago, Youssi's design experience includes stints with The DesignWorks Group in Bend, Ore., adidas North America, and freelance design work for such national brands as Nike, Digital Kitchen, Intel, Bud Light and Sims Snowboards. Youssi holds a master's degree in fine arts in design from the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Broomfield Hills, Mich. Molly Mall has joined LKP as its new director of media services. A native of Texas, Mall comes to LKP from the Loomis Agency in Dallas where she was associate media director. Previously, she worked as media planning manager for Cadbury Schweppes America's Beverages, which handles Dr. Pepper, 7 Up, Sunkist and Diet Rite. Mall is a graduate of the University of Texas, Arlington. Kate Hansen, account director, comes to LKP after a seven-year tenure at Publicis and Hal Riney in San Francisco. There she managed many aspects of the Sprint account, including business-to-business, consumer wireless, and the Sprint Local Division. She also managed the Jamba Juice account. A native of Perth, Australia, Hansen holds a B.A. in communications from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Christine Bradbury, account director, joins LKP from Bridgeport Brewing Company in Portland, where she served as assistant marketing manager. At LKP she will manage the Hood River Distillers account and its diverse brand portfolio, including Pendleton Whisky, Cockspur Rum, Broker's London Dry Gin, and Yazi Ginger Vodka. She is an Oregon State University alumna, with a degree in political science.

New Employees Find Home at Pop Art
Pop Art rang in 2007 by hiring several new employees. Copy Editor Thom Schoenborn, Junior Designer Christina Gonzalez, Project Manager Patricia Krueger, Senior Interactive Designer Stephen Braitsch, and Executive Assistant Alexia Rudolph. Collectively, these new Pop Art team members bring with them years of experience to enhance Pop Art's current online service offerings.

Two Join Asterix Group
Creative branding agency Asterix Group announces the addition of Edgar Arce as director of client services and consumer segments. In his 14-year career with Nike, Arce held a variety of pivotal positions, including director of multicultural business for Nike USA. Also joining the Asterix team is graphic designer Ilona Berry. Berry has more than five years of concepting, production and graphic design experience with a specialized background in digital art and fine arts. Prior to joining Asterix, Berry was the co-founder of Big Whistle Studios, a graphic design and multimedia firm. In her role as a consultant, Berry provided graphic design services for a range of clients including Studio 3, Direct Marketing Solutions and Pizzi Thompson Photography. Asterix Group also announced that co-founder Kate Bednarski recently left the agency to take a position as the vice president of marketing for Olivia.

Front Office

PAF Event Extremely Happy Hour
Presented by OregonLive.com
Check out the latest in creative facial hair and drinks with muddled herbs in them while swapping business cards with ad dudes and dudettes from around Portland.
Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th Ave.
February 15 (That's tomorrow!)
5:15 - 7:30 pm

Landau and Lowe-Rogstad Found Substance
A new creative experience and digital brand strategy studio has hit the shelves of Portland's advertising community. Substance, founded by PAF board member Stephen Landau and David Lowe-Rogstad, aims to create opportunities for people to interact with brands and each other through websites, CD and kiosk interfaces, mobile devices and guidance of user-generated content. During their combined 20+ years of experience, Landau and Lowe-Rogstad have produced creative work for clients including Nike, Travel Oregon, Levi's, Outrigger Hotels & Resorts and Williams-Sonoma.

Magneto Creates the Ultimate Brand Identity
Magneto Brand Advertising has recently developed the name and brand identity for Portland's newest home show, The Ultimate Open House, New Home Tour. Identity development included the logo, stationery system and sales kit. In addition to the brand identity, Magneto is also creating an integrated campaign launching this spring.

MKTX Completes Sundeleaf Painting Website Redesign, Launches Sales Support Program
MKTX, Inc., a full-service marketing communications firm, has completed the redesign of the website for residential and commercial painting businesses Sundeleaf Painting. MKTX has also been hired to organize and help implement a sales support program, including a direct mail campaign to celebrate Sundeleaf Painting's 76th anniversary. In the past year, MKTX developed and implemented the design for a promotional calendar as well as gift card incentives for prospective Sundeleaf Painting clients.

Limbo Lands Three PGA Spots
Film production company Limbo Films saw three TV spots that it produced for the 2007 Professional Golf Association's (PGA's) Champions Tour go live on February 1. The three spots, titled "Rookies," "Rivalries" and "3 Day Weekend," will be aired nationally, featuring TV series "Scrubs" star John C. McGinley. Austin, Texas-based advertising agency GSD&M coordinated the production.

Leopold Ketel Bottle Design Featured in BRANDPackaging Annual
Hood River Distillers' Yazi Ginger Vodka continues to win awards for Portland marketing agency, Leopold Ketel & Partners. Most recently, it was announced that the Yazi Ginger Vodka bottle would be included in the fourth edition of BRANDPackaging's Design Gallery honoring the year's most innovative brand packaging. The Yazi bottle was designed by Andrew Reed, LKP's creative director of design and previously won a gold medal from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and an Award of Excellence in package design from the Portland Advertising Federation.

Food Chain Video for Best Buy Runs Nationally
Food Chain Films' Internet banner advertisement for Best Buy was live now through the Super Bowl on Web sites throughout the United States. The spot, directed by Brent Carpenter, and produced for client Avenue A/Razorfish, focusses on how High Definition Television (HDTV) brings football to life for the viewer.

Anvil Awards Finalists, Reels in New Clients
Search engine marketing firm Anvil Media has landed a finalist position with the AMA MAX Awards for Best ROI Campaign for its collaboration with Summit Projects on work for SmartWool. Anvil also brought in 12 new clients in January, including Boule (via partnership with 28 Burnside), CarToys, Diamond International, Gleukos, Electron Energy, Inologic (via partnership with Laird Communication), LRG Capital, Outdora, prAna (via partnership with Summit Projects), SpeedMatters.org (via partnership with Blue State Digital), The Carlson Group (via partnership with HMH).

eROI Launches Cycle Oregon + Lands New Clients
Last night, eROI helped Cycle Oregon launch its most successful first 12 hours of online event registration for its 2007 main ride event. eROI also launched new adver-games, websites, blogs, and email campaigns for clients like Travelocity, Email Experience Council, Rafting America, Chockstone, photographer Jan Sonnenmair, Papa Murphy's, Modern Luxury (magazine), and Pearl Insider.

Insightful Ad News Analysis

The Portland International Film Festival and its onomatopoeic acronym -- PIFF -- kicked off last weekend, and if you're looking to open your mind, steal a few ideas or score with the graphic designer down the hall, you likely already have a pair of tickets. And with the Broadway Metroplex getting in on the action, now's the time to catch a movie at Regal Cinemas that doesn't feature overpaid, overhyped Hollywood schmoozers. Nourishing your creativity should be like kissing your significant other: both a pleasure and a duty. And PIFF is a great place to pay those dues. For more ideas, check out "Blog of the Month."

PAF Board Member Scott Huber will soon be leaving the building -- and the country. He's taken a position in Amsterdam. Thanks, Scott for all your hard work around here, and best luck in the city of tulips, canals and dimly lit teahouses!

Joel Gunz