It takes a real belief in the medium to put something like this out there.
Check this out! Make sure you have a web cam active. go to HRP.com
Publicis & Hal Riney deserve massive props for taking the first step into the split sea....
Way to go guys!!! Took a simple execution to change the future!
March 14, 2008
March 12, 2008
SoDA
SoDA, you're so full of bubbles, when I drink you you solve all of my troubles.
Those RFPs are so naughty forces us to be real haughty.
Big bad agencies throwing their weight, but thats not going to seal our fate!
We will not budge on that second line, and indemnification should be just fine!
2 directions are all you'll get, thats what we discussed when we first met.
SoDA, you're so full of bubbles, when I drink you you solve all of my troubles.
Those big agencies are starting to learn, our proposals are no longer difficult to discern.
Our rules are simple they benefit all, you have that site by early fall.
Our ideas were never free, and another design will incur a fee...
Day and night we break our neck, and you still expect our work on spec??!
SoDA, you're so full of bubbles, when I drink you you solve all of my troubles.
Those RFPs are so naughty forces us to be real haughty.
Big bad agencies throwing their weight, but thats not going to seal our fate!
We will not budge on that second line, and indemnification should be just fine!
2 directions are all you'll get, thats what we discussed when we first met.
SoDA, you're so full of bubbles, when I drink you you solve all of my troubles.
Those big agencies are starting to learn, our proposals are no longer difficult to discern.
Our rules are simple they benefit all, you have that site by early fall.
Our ideas were never free, and another design will incur a fee...
Day and night we break our neck, and you still expect our work on spec??!
SoDA, you're so full of bubbles, when I drink you you solve all of my troubles.
March 10, 2008
Squeeze me
I had gotten tons of feedback on an article I wrote a few years ago called Art Vs Design and this is one response to that article that I really enjoyed.
You can check it out here
I especially liked Jennifer's conclusion:
While this article does a great job of defining the basic distinctions of the Artist vs Designer, it doesn't take into account the entire 21st century role of Postmodernism in art. While the Modernism movement might have agreed with the distinctions between the two types of visual composers, Postmodernism is defined by it's antithesis.
I like what she said because I strongly disagree with it!
First of all this whole "modernist' and "postmodernist" bullshit is simply that! Bullshit.
Art transcends all "terms" and these terms are usually added to subjects because of the desire for people to organize things in such a way. Art is expression, and expression is not only timeless but time bound, it lives in the moment and hangs there as time passes. You may mark its creation but it lives on regardless of that mark.
So to use terms such as modern, or post modern only strangles the subject and makes it even more elusive.
To me the very term POSTMODERNISM is absurd. Everything that isnt yesterday is modern, postmodern is just a distinction that helps those who need to tag and clarify for the sake of organization, do so. The question still stands. Am I an artist or am I a designer?
The roads remain parallel yet they seem to be crossing at every turn.
"The term is closely linked with poststructuralism (cf. Jacques Derrida) and with modernism, in terms of a rejection of its bourgeois, elitist culture
This is a complete farce... Art begs for attention, it is the deep desire of most artists to have their expression accepted by the world and to be lavished with the riches of the bourgeois and the elite...
You can check it out here
I especially liked Jennifer's conclusion:
While this article does a great job of defining the basic distinctions of the Artist vs Designer, it doesn't take into account the entire 21st century role of Postmodernism in art. While the Modernism movement might have agreed with the distinctions between the two types of visual composers, Postmodernism is defined by it's antithesis.
I like what she said because I strongly disagree with it!
First of all this whole "modernist' and "postmodernist" bullshit is simply that! Bullshit.
Art transcends all "terms" and these terms are usually added to subjects because of the desire for people to organize things in such a way. Art is expression, and expression is not only timeless but time bound, it lives in the moment and hangs there as time passes. You may mark its creation but it lives on regardless of that mark.
So to use terms such as modern, or post modern only strangles the subject and makes it even more elusive.
To me the very term POSTMODERNISM is absurd. Everything that isnt yesterday is modern, postmodern is just a distinction that helps those who need to tag and clarify for the sake of organization, do so. The question still stands. Am I an artist or am I a designer?
The roads remain parallel yet they seem to be crossing at every turn.
"The term is closely linked with poststructuralism (cf. Jacques Derrida) and with modernism, in terms of a rejection of its bourgeois, elitist culture
This is a complete farce... Art begs for attention, it is the deep desire of most artists to have their expression accepted by the world and to be lavished with the riches of the bourgeois and the elite...
February 29, 2008
Great New Design Book
Come one come all... Oprah has her list... here is where I start mine...
Graphic Design: A New History is a great new book that is helping to kick off the new age of design. Interactivity has posed new challenges to designers and they have stepped up to that challenge. Check out this very well written book by Stephen J. Eskilson
http://www.amazon.com/Graphic-Design-Stephen-J-Eskilson/dp/0300120117
Graphic Design: A New History is a great new book that is helping to kick off the new age of design. Interactivity has posed new challenges to designers and they have stepped up to that challenge. Check out this very well written book by Stephen J. Eskilson
http://www.amazon.com/Graphic-Design-Stephen-J-Eskilson/dp/0300120117
February 25, 2008
congradzulations...
To Diablo Cody for her breakthrough script that I personally didnt care for but adore her story...
To the Europeans! Viva Them!
La Vie En Rose was one of the most powerful lessons I learned all year.
Bardem was evil!
Coens are JEWS!
To the Europeans! Viva Them!
La Vie En Rose was one of the most powerful lessons I learned all year.
Bardem was evil!
Coens are JEWS!
February 18, 2008
Michael Jordan off the court...
The following is one of the most articulated and honest advice given by a sports star and it shows why MJ really is much more than JUST a basketball player...
The NBA doesn't have an image problem. It has young guys who have young ideas. Maturity comes later, and sometimes too late to realize you should've done this or you should've done that. Kids shouldn't come out of school as early as they do. A year in college isn't enough. They shouldn't be allowed to come out until they are adults—21 years old.
Now, why shouldn't a black kid who isn't wealthy have a chance to provide for his family? That is an issue; I'm not walking away from that. The problem is some kids are mature and ready to deal with the whole NBA atmosphere, but many more kids are not.
I was a mature guy coming out of North Carolina, so when a negative thing happened—someone misinterprets what gambling means to me—it didn't stick. I stepped forward and said, "This is what I did, this is not jeopardizing anything, this is not an addiction," and the public listened. But I was a lot more mature when it happened. If I'd been in that position and had been asked that question at 18 or 19, I may have had a very different way of handling it.
When I turned pro, the league was looking for a change. I had the personality and the game and a style of play, and all that came together at the same time. All the stars lined up and catapulted everything that came after—23 different shoes, Jordan Brand, everything. It's a phenomenon. How do you explain a phenomenon? You can't. The only advice I can give to someone in the league now is to be original. The consumer isn't dumb. He or she can sense things being knocked off. Originality is what lasts.
David Stern hates when I say this, but in some ways he created his own problem. Look at the way the league markets its players. When I came in, they marketed the athletes themselves, how they performed, what they accomplished. To reinvent someone is very difficult. When you say a player is today's Michael Jordan or today's Magic Johnson, the first thing the public will do is compare him to the real Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson. When the public doesn't see the same degree of success, you've just dug yourself a deeper hole.
You have to show the consumers something they haven't seen before, someone about whom they can say, "Hey, that guy is pretty cool." Magic, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, myself—we didn't start out as the league's partners. We evolved, then the league made us its partners. That's what the league has to do now—find guys who can grow up to be partners. Don't take guys and force them into our mold.
One thing to learn from me is that everything I've ever done has been me, not something that someone calculated me to be. It goes to my upbringing, my parents. I didn't grow up in the inner city. I grew up in a rural area, where values were magnified. You were taught how to operate in society, to be articulate, honest. Kids growing up in the city, they're more materialistic. My kids are going through that now.
I can wear a suit today and jeans with holes tomorrow, and yet people know they are seeing the real me in either outfit. I had cornrows when I was a kid, but it was before anyone knew who I was; would the public or corporate America accept me if I had them today? If I was willing to say, "This is who I am, I'm not trying to be so-and-so," maybe, but even then I'm not sure. When you see Michael Jordan today, you see Michael Jordan as a totally honest person, and when I say honest I mean real, genuine. I am who I am, and that's comprehensible to the masses and in many languages.
It's a tough task for the league to create a similar image for itself. It has to find the right mix between corporate and street, believe in what it's doing and live with whatever the response may be. Too many of the league's decisions are made based on the bottom line. People pick up on that. You can't be afraid to fail. The stars you have now might not live up to the icon of a Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson, but maybe they will create an image that delivers an impact for you 10, 15 years from now.
All I know is—for the league and its players—don't try to duplicate something that has been done before. Do it your own way, and see where it goes. It might not hit the way you want it to. You may not make as much money as you want to. But there's value in remaining true to yourself.
The NBA doesn't have an image problem. It has young guys who have young ideas. Maturity comes later, and sometimes too late to realize you should've done this or you should've done that. Kids shouldn't come out of school as early as they do. A year in college isn't enough. They shouldn't be allowed to come out until they are adults—21 years old.
Now, why shouldn't a black kid who isn't wealthy have a chance to provide for his family? That is an issue; I'm not walking away from that. The problem is some kids are mature and ready to deal with the whole NBA atmosphere, but many more kids are not.
I was a mature guy coming out of North Carolina, so when a negative thing happened—someone misinterprets what gambling means to me—it didn't stick. I stepped forward and said, "This is what I did, this is not jeopardizing anything, this is not an addiction," and the public listened. But I was a lot more mature when it happened. If I'd been in that position and had been asked that question at 18 or 19, I may have had a very different way of handling it.
When I turned pro, the league was looking for a change. I had the personality and the game and a style of play, and all that came together at the same time. All the stars lined up and catapulted everything that came after—23 different shoes, Jordan Brand, everything. It's a phenomenon. How do you explain a phenomenon? You can't. The only advice I can give to someone in the league now is to be original. The consumer isn't dumb. He or she can sense things being knocked off. Originality is what lasts.
David Stern hates when I say this, but in some ways he created his own problem. Look at the way the league markets its players. When I came in, they marketed the athletes themselves, how they performed, what they accomplished. To reinvent someone is very difficult. When you say a player is today's Michael Jordan or today's Magic Johnson, the first thing the public will do is compare him to the real Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson. When the public doesn't see the same degree of success, you've just dug yourself a deeper hole.
You have to show the consumers something they haven't seen before, someone about whom they can say, "Hey, that guy is pretty cool." Magic, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, myself—we didn't start out as the league's partners. We evolved, then the league made us its partners. That's what the league has to do now—find guys who can grow up to be partners. Don't take guys and force them into our mold.
One thing to learn from me is that everything I've ever done has been me, not something that someone calculated me to be. It goes to my upbringing, my parents. I didn't grow up in the inner city. I grew up in a rural area, where values were magnified. You were taught how to operate in society, to be articulate, honest. Kids growing up in the city, they're more materialistic. My kids are going through that now.
I can wear a suit today and jeans with holes tomorrow, and yet people know they are seeing the real me in either outfit. I had cornrows when I was a kid, but it was before anyone knew who I was; would the public or corporate America accept me if I had them today? If I was willing to say, "This is who I am, I'm not trying to be so-and-so," maybe, but even then I'm not sure. When you see Michael Jordan today, you see Michael Jordan as a totally honest person, and when I say honest I mean real, genuine. I am who I am, and that's comprehensible to the masses and in many languages.
It's a tough task for the league to create a similar image for itself. It has to find the right mix between corporate and street, believe in what it's doing and live with whatever the response may be. Too many of the league's decisions are made based on the bottom line. People pick up on that. You can't be afraid to fail. The stars you have now might not live up to the icon of a Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson, but maybe they will create an image that delivers an impact for you 10, 15 years from now.
All I know is—for the league and its players—don't try to duplicate something that has been done before. Do it your own way, and see where it goes. It might not hit the way you want it to. You may not make as much money as you want to. But there's value in remaining true to yourself.
January 1, 2008
the year that was 07
I remember 1987 and 1997 both very important years in my life. 2007 also followed suit. They all hold very important shifts in my life. My parents divorced in 87, my first marriage was in 97 and my second marriage was in 07, very big events, many other things happened that I am not getting into but it seems that the 7th year in the decades of my life are significant times.
07 was the year maturity finally hit me, i moves on from FB and stepped into my new role at Touro. Produced some of the finest projects ever and really felt good in my skin.
OH! forgot to post this link for the Merit Award at the One Show for FILA
Its always good to make your resolutions public because then people can hold you to them.
I expect 08 to be the beginning a a creative renaissance for me. Writing, film making, designing, producing, directing and creating in many ways...
A year of focus, maturity, responsibility, growth and mucho love.
I want this year to be somewhat peaceful and nurturing, exciting and above all creative!
just needed to get that off my chest
07 was the year maturity finally hit me, i moves on from FB and stepped into my new role at Touro. Produced some of the finest projects ever and really felt good in my skin.
OH! forgot to post this link for the Merit Award at the One Show for FILA
Its always good to make your resolutions public because then people can hold you to them.
I expect 08 to be the beginning a a creative renaissance for me. Writing, film making, designing, producing, directing and creating in many ways...
A year of focus, maturity, responsibility, growth and mucho love.
I want this year to be somewhat peaceful and nurturing, exciting and above all creative!
just needed to get that off my chest
December 31, 2007
New Years Resolutions
Penned a new article for The FWA today. Nothing very profound, but a nice little piece for the new year.
I apologize mostly to myself for the lack of activity on the blog. One of my resolutions this year is to try and post something each day.
Enjoy and Happy New Year!!!!!
I apologize mostly to myself for the lack of activity on the blog. One of my resolutions this year is to try and post something each day.
Enjoy and Happy New Year!!!!!
November 13, 2007
November 4, 2007
Finally!
Worked really hard to get this project. Its my last project with Firstborn and McCann SF. I'm really proud of it because its wonderfully executed and really fun. I admit I am a huge fan of the iPod but the new creative for the Zune campaign is really cool...
...regardless, the ZuneJourney.net site is wonderfully breathtaking and a true step in the right direction for MS. The site is vibrant and ripe for additional content, a media platform for all that is Zune.
The player may have a tough road ahead but its on that road and willing to take on the mighty iPod with small jabs, creative kicks and a website that will give it a bit more credibility.
The site tells the story well, an exploration inward, its smart in a very creative way. What I especially liked was the seamless convergence of audio, video, depth, movement, interactivity and product.
I will not be putting down my beloved iPhone anytime soon but I definitely have a new understanding for the product philosophy behind the Zune.
Check it out here
Huge props to Mathieu, Joon, Eric, Tim and the rest of the Firstborn team for bringing this to life and for all their hard work on this.
...regardless, the ZuneJourney.net site is wonderfully breathtaking and a true step in the right direction for MS. The site is vibrant and ripe for additional content, a media platform for all that is Zune.
The player may have a tough road ahead but its on that road and willing to take on the mighty iPod with small jabs, creative kicks and a website that will give it a bit more credibility.
The site tells the story well, an exploration inward, its smart in a very creative way. What I especially liked was the seamless convergence of audio, video, depth, movement, interactivity and product.
I will not be putting down my beloved iPhone anytime soon but I definitely have a new understanding for the product philosophy behind the Zune.
Check it out here
Huge props to Mathieu, Joon, Eric, Tim and the rest of the Firstborn team for bringing this to life and for all their hard work on this.
class act
Recently saw a post on The FWA for a site done by Mark Ferdman's shop Freedom Interactive for the Matthau Company
Its really well done, great use of typography and imagery I was very impressed.
Its really well done, great use of typography and imagery I was very impressed.
October 21, 2007
little known trick
7:10am on a Sunday morning, its quiet, peaceful, quiet.
My first week as Director of Online Services @ Touro has been really interesting. Still waiting on a programmer, I took out my design hat and tried it on for a bit, was pretty impressed when I whipped up a new logo for the Law School and blew out some 2.0layouts that looked pretty sharp.
This new week should prove to be solid in both my direction for the new medical school in Harlem as well as the business school downtown. Still need a programmer.
Keeping my eye on Zune over at FB, I still feel extremely connected to the old account, I feel its my responsibility to look after it, although its in good hands with Tim.
I guess when you lead a charge you want to make sure its finished up properly.
Otherwise, all is all, wisdom is coming, stay tuned.
My first week as Director of Online Services @ Touro has been really interesting. Still waiting on a programmer, I took out my design hat and tried it on for a bit, was pretty impressed when I whipped up a new logo for the Law School and blew out some 2.0layouts that looked pretty sharp.
This new week should prove to be solid in both my direction for the new medical school in Harlem as well as the business school downtown. Still need a programmer.
Keeping my eye on Zune over at FB, I still feel extremely connected to the old account, I feel its my responsibility to look after it, although its in good hands with Tim.
I guess when you lead a charge you want to make sure its finished up properly.
Otherwise, all is all, wisdom is coming, stay tuned.
October 11, 2007
Never Say Goodbye
Dear Firstborn,
Well the time has arrived.
I figured I would send this email out today because tomorrow I’m sure most of you will be incoherent from the massive hangovers we will all have induced on ourselves after tonight’s bash.
Based on the intranet I have been here 2 years and 5 months but it seems like it has been much longer than that.
As most of you know I will be leaving Firstborn to take on position at Touro University as the Director of Online Services.
It wasn’t an easy decision for me to make but one that will allow me to pursue personal endeavors as well flex the muscles I have attained here at FB for a great cause, education.
Coming to FB after selling the business that I ran for 6 years wasn’t easy, there was a lot of adjustment for me, but I felt like I was really able to carve out a place for myself here. One thing I can say about FB is that it is like an interactive boot camp, the intensity, the passion and the standard of excellence helped me grow both professionally and personally in all aspects of my life. Every project I have produced has been a valuable experience that I don’t think I could have attained anywhere else.
I have worked on some memorable projects over the past few years, from the Fila Experiment to Zune and everything in between. It has truly been a pleasure working with the finest talent in the business. Every designer, developer, producer and intern I have worked with here has enhanced my life in a multitude of ways.
Firstborn really is a very special place, no one should ever take for granted the environment and atmosphere that Michael helps to provide here. It is a place of growth and of self awareness, responsibility and accountability and the payoff is priceless.
I don’t ever want to lose touch with my connection with FB and even though I will be starting my new position on Monday it does not mean that I will not be in touch and keeping a close eye on all of the wonderful work that I know will be coming out of FB in this next decade of its life. I am both proud and honored to have worked at FB and to have contributed to its history.
I wanted to leave behind some wisdom that I learned while being here and hopefully it will help all of you going forward.
This is not an easy business to be in, tight deadlines, picky clients, long hours and emotional stress are all issues we face every day. When a person is in training for some sort of physical event they work out their bodies by adding resistances to help them build up muscle, those deadlines, hours and stresses are all simply that, resistances that make us all stronger and better people. Keep that in mind, know that when it hurts it hurts because growth is taking place.
I became accustomed to writing up articles and notes on every project I have worked on, I do this selfishly because it allows me to look back and see how much I have learned, it gives me an opportunity to not only review what I have done but to also share that knowledge with others. I encourage everyone here to always look back at successes and mistakes and to keep a journal as to how you have grown and what challenges you have overcome, you will see that through all the stresses you will always come out a better person after every piece of work produced and it will carry over into future projects making them that much better.
Secondly, have fun, be passionate and love what you’re doing. Always go into a project wanting it to be the best it can possibly be, keep a positive attitude no matter what and never let a challenge go unconquered. Always try and do things better, create challenges and work to overcome them, always strive to be greater. The path of least resistance will never pay off as much as facing intellectual and creative challenges, challenge yourself and don’t get frustrated along the way, embrace the challenge because you have chosen it not because you think it has been cast upon you.
Clients will always be clients and we are in the service industry, an industry that requires us to create and deliver the best possible work and service we can, one thing that has always stood out at FB is the respect we have for ourselves and our work. That shines through in every project we do. Always maintain that self respect and never let anything compromise the quality that FB is known for. I can tell you as a producer clients always recognize this in us and even when we fuck up, the client sees the respect we have for ourselves and the accountability we take upon ourselves to make things right.
Lastly I want to say that FB is about good people. Everyone I have worked with during my time here have always been “good people” no divas, no superstars, no assholes and most importantly no egos. This is something that I personally feel is a secret to the success at FB. From the owner to the management to the designers and developers and even interns, everyone here has always been real , down to earth, honest and good people. FB is a filter of sorts, I have seen less talented people thrive here because they wanted to grow and improve and succeed without having to put up some false persona and in the end they have become superstars. I always tell people that FB is about hard work, nothing less. Integrity and honesty is what all good business are built upon and is what I believe has kept FB afloat in this crazy industry. Don’t ever let that slip away!
I want to thank you all for making the past few years some of the most cherished and memorable for me.
Tonight is an opportunity to set the tone for the next ten years so let’s really do it up! I want to leave this place with a bang!
Keep in touch!
Craig
---------------------------------------------------------
f i r s t b o r n
PRODUCER
CRAIG ELIMELIAH
o: 212 581 1100 ext 254
c: 646 915 4293
e: craig@firstbornmultimedia.com
http://www.firstbornmultimedia.com
---------------------------------------------------------
October 1, 2007
Moving Forward
The time has arrived. The past 3 years at Firstborn have been awesome. Worked on some very cool projects, made great friends, had a hand in a lot of things and now I will be moving on to become the new Director of Online Services at Touro University. This is a tremendous move for me because it will allow me to take ownership of large long term project that will allow me to flex everything i have learned over the past 12 years.
My goal is to set the bar for other Universities by creating a unique online experience for Touro. There is tons to do and im psyched to get started!
Stay tuned.
My goal is to set the bar for other Universities by creating a unique online experience for Touro. There is tons to do and im psyched to get started!
Stay tuned.
July 30, 2007
Mind Controled
HP's newest push for back to school is called The society for Parental Mind Control. This is a very interesting campaign that really empowers teens and gives them a cool site to send messages to their parents for a new computer as they head back to school.
This is the first full Flash 9 site I have produced and it was really interesting to learn all the new nuances of AS3.
Take a look - HERE
This is the first full Flash 9 site I have produced and it was really interesting to learn all the new nuances of AS3.
Take a look - HERE
The Lame Game
Most of the interactive ad games out there are a silly waste of time and they simply don't drive the brand message into the minds of the consumer and they end up patronizing the consumer to add another notch on its "hits" list.
What is lacking is a complete brand experience that represents the essence and purity of the brand rather than the duel of the dominatrix demanding that you buy the car they are trying to sell you.
Absolut did a nice job in their newest mini site (http://absolut.com/search).
I have been saying for years that every product and service will have an extension on the web, something that embodies and adds value to the product rather than dummy it up with some silly game that simply wastes time. I am more likely to buy a product that can be supported by a fully interactive website than one that doesn't have one. If I am trying to decide on a digital camera to buy I will most likely buy the one that has a comprehensive website that is also interactive that will basically teach me how to use and even optimize the use of my new camera, there are two kinds of sites the sell and the support. Most people don't realize that the support also sells as well.
This can work with anything, Burger King can support their product by offering interactive menus based on diet as well as offering fun and easy ways to cater on a budget and so on... you see where I am going with this. Impact is great and I love the fluff as much as the next guy but it needs to be backed up with technology and design that also aids and adds value to the stuff we buy.
Clever sites can be highly viral and spread word like wildfire BUT all the people I know who follow these sites and love the content and the entertainment rarely ever think twice about now buying the actual product.
Technology and design have eloped and didn't bother telling anyone so were all recovering from the news. I think it will take a few more years before the agencies realize that cute mini sites need to do more than just entertain the user but to completely engage them in the brand message and give them the best possible value added online experience. The cool stuff is fun and exciting but I also want to know how easy it is to roll down the seats in the SUV I am considering buying or how fresh the food at the latest fast food restaurant is
What is lacking is a complete brand experience that represents the essence and purity of the brand rather than the duel of the dominatrix demanding that you buy the car they are trying to sell you.
Absolut did a nice job in their newest mini site (http://absolut.com/search).
I have been saying for years that every product and service will have an extension on the web, something that embodies and adds value to the product rather than dummy it up with some silly game that simply wastes time. I am more likely to buy a product that can be supported by a fully interactive website than one that doesn't have one. If I am trying to decide on a digital camera to buy I will most likely buy the one that has a comprehensive website that is also interactive that will basically teach me how to use and even optimize the use of my new camera, there are two kinds of sites the sell and the support. Most people don't realize that the support also sells as well.
This can work with anything, Burger King can support their product by offering interactive menus based on diet as well as offering fun and easy ways to cater on a budget and so on... you see where I am going with this. Impact is great and I love the fluff as much as the next guy but it needs to be backed up with technology and design that also aids and adds value to the stuff we buy.
Clever sites can be highly viral and spread word like wildfire BUT all the people I know who follow these sites and love the content and the entertainment rarely ever think twice about now buying the actual product.
Technology and design have eloped and didn't bother telling anyone so were all recovering from the news. I think it will take a few more years before the agencies realize that cute mini sites need to do more than just entertain the user but to completely engage them in the brand message and give them the best possible value added online experience. The cool stuff is fun and exciting but I also want to know how easy it is to roll down the seats in the SUV I am considering buying or how fresh the food at the latest fast food restaurant is
June 1, 2007
Interactive Marriage
Here is an article I wrote for Daniel Shutzsmith's site Graphic Define... a bit sappy but I think its a decent read.
May 18, 2007
Agency Understanding
The giant wave called “interactive” that has splashed on the shores of the advertising world has created many opportunities for a re-examination of roles and talent in the ad business. Interactive is a digital multi platform arena that offers advertisers the most impact and allows for the most engaging ideas to be developed. Integrating a campaign is no small task and requires a true leader who understands how to anchor the print, TV and other offline media with the strengths of what online brings to the table.
I work with many agencies, I manage many projects for the worlds largest brands, companies like Microsoft, Intel, Samsung, CITI, AXE and many more who rely on our abilities to develop an online strategy for their brands. We hold the key to the most intimate engagement that our clients have with their consumers and we serve as their navigator for the interactive platform.
One of the many challenges that I and many other people face today is the transition that many of these agencies are currently going thorough in order to fully comprehend and integrate interactive digital services with their more traditional approaches to advertising. Developing an online campaign is very different than the offline traditional print, TV and radio.
So I asked myself who's capable of managing these types of projects?
I understand that a person in this position is a rare breed at this very early stage; it is not a unilateral decision to become a leader in this field. A successful interactive producer requires the respect of those he manages, the various artists, designers, developers and motion graphic people who need to know that their fearless leader is someone who lives and breathes the intimate interaction that the web offers its users. If they don't attain that respect from their teams and people they work with then their teams are merely being managed and not being led. The various intricacies and combination of creative and technological understandings along with the cultural variations of the web require a real leader who knows how to combine all of these aspects and how to distill them down to him team and then across to the client.
A true interactive producer at this early stage of the web spectrum must in some way want to make a difference and push the limits of what people are doing online. They have to trust and know the team and their abilities and to know how to work with them as an extension of themselves. To imagine that this is something that can be done independently of others is foolish. To achieve true innovation and inspiration requires the cooperation, will, and desire of the entire team to follow their leader and to accomplish a larger mission.
The mission is not to simply produce a pretty website; it is to engage the user to fully connect with the brand and the environment that they are in when they visit the website or interactive installation. It means that a lasting impression must be made and that the user feels a sense of connection and affiliation to the brand and the overall message. Success is achieved when the user feels right at home every time they reach the destination and that they return to that destination as their main source of information for that particular brand, product or service.
In my experience the key to getting the entire team completely onboard (enthusiastically) is to first get them committed to the overall project idea. (And remember, before you can get others to believe in anything you have to first believe in it yourself.) The team is not just the interactive team but the entire creative team that will be working on all aspects of the campaign. This is very important because everyone needs to have a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities in order to have realistic expectations. Educating the print or broadcast team as to how the interactive works is the secret to getting everyone to play nice. Often times it’s the lack of understanding across the project lines that causes frustrations and slows down delivery of important assets that are being shared.
Once the idea is fully flushed out and the online experience has been completely finalized by the producer that is when the fun starts, you will suddenly radiate enormous enthusiasm as will your team because everyone has similar expectations and a unified goal has now been set. It is the producer’s job to keep up the energy and a clear plan for success this will keep the clients happy and your team committed.
The final key to success is never to forget to keep everyone up to date with how things are progressing; the client and other members of the team may not have the same understanding of the production process as you do so this should be set as one of your primary ongoing day to day tasks. Being a producer also requires personal responsibility; never ever make it about your own ego or personal spotlight. Educating your clients and team members is about listening and making sure they understand the processes involved and are clear with realistic expectations for delivery dates and the ability to change within the allotted time and budget. Remember these few pieces of wisdom and you'll continue to have your design and development team as well as your clients and fellow co-workers believing in and joining your efforts to take interactive into the mainstream advertising spectrum.
Due Process
The emerging state of interactive multimedia rises from the ashes that buried it during the dot com tragedy. This new media is the savior of the advertising world, the second coming of promises that were first glimpsed when life was given to the web. The early dot coms all died for the cause. It was a revolution that went into hibernation waiting for the speed of broadband to recharge its ambition. Amazonian expectations were set and now being fulfilled in only its second generation.
Digital trailblazers, men and women, boys and girls who traverse the gigs of terrain that lay before them contained inside of a simple box streaming through infinite amounts of information, art, organization, tools and environments that keep them soaking up culture like a sponge. I marvel at the accomplishments of the medium. The web has given us a universal platform that extends beyond any limitations. It is our interface to the world, the way we learn, the way we study, the way we search and the way we communicate.
Millions have found love, life and opportunity on the web. It has created a gateway to every corner of the earth. There is no place the web doesn’t penetrate. The web is clothed in technology and ideas.
The days of static sites are gone, interactive web design is now truly an art form. The ability to not only create something visually awesome but an application that has so much functionality and purpose. Be it entertainment value, information, commerce, communications or warning, the interactive realm has emerged the creators of this new world.
When I was in grade school I had always felt a sense of emptiness when learning about the famous explorers of the new world. Columbus, Pizzaro, Orellana and Cabeza De Vaca had all uncovered the final unexplored territories of the world. They created a new world; they expanded boundaries and were responsible for new life. I knew at a young age that I was never going to have an opportunity to sail the high seas and uncover the mysteries of the planet and a streak of jealousy would strike me leaving me to ponder more realistic employment for my future.
Become a doctor, a lawyer, maybe a cop or a teacher? I never entertained any one of those suggestions, I would rather do nothing. Always an artist I was never without a pen or marker in my hand. I would decorate everything and my eyes seemed to make everything move. If I could only push that, or pull that, if I could only see the next scene or adjust the color of everything I saw. I was desperate for something that didn’t yet exist but something I was very prepared for and when I found it I knew, I didn’t need any lessons as to what it was, I knew that this was my world and I was going to explore it.
My passion for online interactive multimedia is beyond any of the corporate sites that I produce. It just gives me an opportunity to think and live in my world all day. I create new trails and develop new ideas that push the web deeper and deeper. The impact of my involvement extends way beyond the limited borders of my city, state and country. My work travels through a new dimension, a new world that begs for beauty, knowledge, spirit, faith, and inspiration.
I am an explorer. I explore the web and uncover its potential, I push its limits. The message I chose to transmit over this giant pipe is inspiration. No greater message can be transmitted. Mankind needs inspiration; the television killed our minds, so passive and so dreary. It’s content to broad to comprehend yet simple enough for mass murder.
It no longer shapes our minds and our views. Everyone has a place on the web. Everyone is represented and everyone is honored. The ridiculous, the creepy and the sappy all converge here. No two sites the same, each one a digital representation.
On the web video and sound stream like the great untamed
I love this new frontier. Its capacity is endless and its potential is infinite. The tools have become common and now everyone has access, anyone can breathe new life and their own soul into this container and express their voice.
Inspiration is the new creative.
May 1, 2007
Its been a while...
Its been a while since I opened the doors of my mind here I have been busy with Microsoft
Just wanted to share some love and show everyone this interview i did for DevLounge
Enjoy folks and im about to bust out another killer article soon.
Just wanted to share some love and show everyone this interview i did for DevLounge
Enjoy folks and im about to bust out another killer article soon.
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