Archive for June, 2010

  • 28 June2010

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    “Why you can’t work at work” or Interruptions & quality as the leader

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    Another keeper from my favorite blog Yewknee – a video Big Think interview with Jason Fried of 37signals – the company that makes basecamp and other web-based project efficiency software.

    I don’t agree with everything in this video, ie. that manager’s roles are based on interrupting, but there are definitely some interesting assertions. The time it takes to ease into the work day is equated to the time it takes to fall asleep at night when you go to bed – it’s true, this takes some ramp-up (or wind-down) time, and so much of your day seems lost to this and other evil forces, like email…. Especially junk email (not naming any names – ruelala and giltgroup…)  — though I’ve taken measures to take back control of my inbox.

    As far as collaborative open-space offices, I’ve become hyper-aware of interrupting people, so I try to tread lightly when ‘collaborating.’  Sometimes the protocol is unclear; when can I just start talking to you vs. when is that totally jarring to your train of thought. This is a blurry line when you work with people you are such good friends with — I have to fight the urge to share all the random thoughts that pop into my head.

    What do you guys think? Interruptions off-limits or do you like the free-for-all talking?

    All in all this video should be watched by everyone, there are certainly some gems in here.

  • 18 June2010

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    Can you buy relevance? AOL, Yahoo and MySpace think so.

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    Lately, I’ve noticed a lot of big, old online brands (think aol and yahoo) have launched rather expensive and, dare I say, traditional ad campaigns in an attempt to remind people that a) they still exist, b) they are relevant and c) they are at least worthy of a drive-by visit.  These brands, which certainly enjoy tons of recognition, crave the “it” status they enjoyed back in the days of Web 1.0 when user expectations were much lower, competition really didn’t exist and control was the name of the day.  Today, I even read here that MySpace is looking for an advertising agency to help develop a campaign to support the “re-launch” of its social networking platform as it continues its battle for relevancy in the Facebook and Twitter era.  I guess the question is, will these ad campaigns make these struggling online brands relevant again?

    New Yahoo Campaignaol new logo Read more

  • 15 June2010

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    How to Get in the “Creative Zone”

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    We all know the common phrase “You are what you eat”. It’s the idea that you are a direct result of the food you’re putting into your body… as in, eat enough doughnuts and you’ll start to look like one (at least around the middle). In a broader, less literal definition the phrase implies that you are influenced directly by the items with which you choose to surround yourself, whether we’re talking about food or your environment.

    Since our big move to Arlington at the beginning of June, we’ve been thinking more about how a creative space affects the work that comes out of it, and possibly impacts the mindset of the people who work within it. Remember the movie Office Space. Do you think those office-workers were inspired by their beige walls, gray-ish carpet and cubicle maze? We think not.

    In our industry the workplace is a place where creativity should be inspired, grow and give way to bigger, better ideas. A lot of creative agencies share our views on the importance of an inspiring space. For instance, Wexley School for Girls, a Seattle-based creative agency, boasts a full-size vintage Prowler trailer that serves as a conference room, a putt-putt green and a variety of other wacky design elements. TBWA\Chiat\Day built a bar out of surfboards and a gym featuring a skull and crossbones as the home-team mascot. That’s their attitude, their style and a reflection of the kind of work they want to put out.

    But at the end of the day, an agency’s environment should reflect the spirit and culture of the people who work there. For us, the most important elements of our office are the ones that foster collaboration: an open studio with few walls and lots of common space for brainstorming or critiquing.  Oh, and lots and lots of windows to let in natural light. We’re bringing in the elements that mean the most to our philosophy and mission to build brands and the experiences around them. We don’t need a full-size taxidermied moose to get the creative juices flowing… as long as we have couches, snacks and a few buckets of whiteboard paint, we’re ready to rumble. It’s clear to us that while the walls of our agency both promote and express our creativity, it’s what inside them that counts.

    So in the end, if you know us at all, you know that it just wouldn’t be Pappas Group without an impeccably sleek aesthetic… you’ll just have to come visit and see for yourself (but here’s a little sneak peek).  Cheers to a new space, a new perspective and, most importantly, new places to eat lunch!

  • 15 June2010

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    Hello, World!

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    Welcome to Pappas.co, our new creative sandbox (or soapbox). We have long dreamed of the space where we could share our insights and inspirations and give more back to the community-at-large.

    Pappas.co is where the Pappas team comes to collaborate and inspire our own team members, as well as the branding/advertising industry. It opens up the conversation and gives us a place to let off some steam and share our two cents on industry trends, success and failures. This is where we will show the world the great ideas, insightful commentary and innovative thinking and creativity that transpires in our office every day. We have opinions on things, and we want to hear yours, too.

    Fortuitously, one of our clients is .CO Internet, the domain extension that is opening up the internet for opportunity again. .CO gave us the opportunity to brand our new venture on a .CO domain- now our blog can stand on its own, outside of our main site, Pappasgroup.com, and tell the story of what makes us tick. And while you can catch more info and news about our work and clients on Pappasgroup.com, now is a good time to tell you we think .CO is going to give a lot more people like us the opportunity to get their brand online with the URL they want. If you have ever tried to get the URL you wanted or needed, then you know what we’re talking about…

    So, come on by! We’re about to start churning out some of the “ideas”, “inspirations” and “opinions” mentioned earlier in this post and you won’t want to be out of the loop. This whole “having a blog” thing is not new, but we’re excited to launch ours- and we hope you are too!