Life in a Digital Agency

The Portland Ad Federation sponsors an intern program every summer known as the COLABORATORY. During the 6-week program, interns rotate into participating agencies for two week periods so that interns can gather experience from a wide range of different agency styles and business models. Interns are divided among two teams, who compete to build a creative/strategic pitch to one prominent local brand. This year, its Tillamook Ice Cream, who created some brief materials for the Intern teams to interpret and build upon.

AIGA announces- The New Group's Assoc. Creative Director, Billy Huys is elected to their board- http://bit.ly/bKe0dt

Let me start by saying that I have one of the world's great Mom's.  She has followed the path of being "unconditional" in every aspect of my life.  Last week was no different.  As she was sitting in the lobby of the agency waiting to have lunch with me she looked up at the client logo wall we proudly display and said, "I'm going to call Jenny Craig".  Knowing Mom, part of her motivation is that she'd love to lose weight as her 70th birthday is approaching on July 7th but I also know that she simply loves to support me and The New Group.  Wit

In my line of work I am often asked to explain industry-speak and buzz words; to put them into plain English and to illustrate why anyone should even care. User Experience is one topic that sparks a lot of questions and while I think most people innately understand the concept, they struggle with how to put it into words. Especially how you describe a positive user experience and what makes it so?  

A former colleague of mine at Critical Mass bemoans the unrealized potential of augmented reality in creative marketing. Augmented Reality is basically using technology to add layers of information over what you view in the real world. Imagine glasses that allow you to access model info and pricing of a passing car or an iPhone app where you can find out where to buy that cute coat that the woman waiting at the bus is wearing by using a camera modification. The possibilities are endless and that’s where Margo’s disappointment lies.

We are happy to announce significant business wins with branding heavy-weight Hitachi – HTA. Hitachi-HTA (Hitachi High Technologies America) hired TNG to outline a corporate web strategy and to marry seven corporate brands in one streamlined digital approach. This win comes on the heels of our one year anniversary as digital agency of record for weight-loss powerhouse, Jenny Craig.

November 2008 marked TNG's 15th anniversary of creating business-winning marketing communications solutions for our clients. Summarizing 15 years and the amazing advancement of technology, strategy and creativity that has taken place over those years, is like trying to produce a two minute movie trailer about raising three daughters and one son into adulthood. It just cannot be done, but it would sure be fun to watch...at least for me and my beautiful wife, Sally.

I had the pleasure of making another trip to Bangkok this summer and was fascinated to see highway billboards shifting locations and media content throughout the day. A closer look and I saw the latest Thai media concept. [Images after the break]

We Americans are an interesting bunch - especially once you focus in on our real priorities. According to some recent studies on the effect the down-turned economy is having on consumer purchasing behavior, we're willing to pull our spending away from brands for core staples such as eggs and baby formula, but when it comes to alcoholic beverages - we're steady as she goes.