WNTD

VW: Draw Beatle

Tricia came across this cool site for VW. Created by agency Try/Apt in Norway, both of us have had a go at drawing our own VW Beatles...fun and interesting.

Check it out and see if you can Draw Beatle...

adidas collaboration with funny man Keith Lemon...

Love this... adidas presents Take The Stage with Keith Lemon... Bangtidy! Actual ad runs today in the UK. 

FDXXX

Wieden+Kennedy turned 30 on April 1st. I know, how did that happen? In keeping with tradition Wieden hosted the yearly "Founder's Day" and since this year was such a big milestone, invitations were sent out to all who've worked at Wieden, past and present. 

With little explanation (true Wieden fashion), an email was sent out instructing everyone attending to meet at the agency, bring id, two cans of food and wear white. 

It was so nice for me to join the celebration. Getting together with many people I've not seen for a long time was fantastic (and a little overwhelming). The attendee turn out was huge. Wieden and Kennedy were fabulous and it was an unforgettable day. 

Great company, good food and booze, the two amazing fella's who created such an amazing agency, a swing set, photo booth and not to mention MC Hammer... utterly a fantastic day.

Thank you Wieden and Kennedy!

BBH celebrates 30th Birthday

Today is BBH's 30th Birthday and what a nice touch. Nigel Bogel wrote to everyone who works at the agency. Very cool...

See article here!

Great idea for a book...

This book is a must read for anyone who is looking to make a move...

About the author: BREAKING IN was compiled by William Burks Spencer, a copywriter with over 10 years of experience in advertising. He has worked at agencies including Wieden+Kennedy Portland and London, Crispin Porter+Bogusky Boulder, BBDO New York and London, Mother London, BBH New York, JWT New York and London, Leo Burnett Chicago, La Comunidad Miami, Y&R New York, TBWA\Chiat\Day New York and others on brands such as Nike, Google, Powerade, Target, Nokia, Starbucks, and Virgin. William has also taught advertising at Miami Ad School in London and Pratt Institute in New York and given talks on advertising at Princeton University, Columbia Business School, and Miami Ad School in Hamburg. He has degrees from Princeton University and VCU Brandcenter. 

SXSW 2012

We've decided to give SXSW a miss this year. With Claire recently having had a baby it's just a little too soon to be traveling. Looking forward to checking it all out online though.

http://sxsw.com/

I'm back!

Hello all...

The past few months have been the most amazing of my life. Little Archie is just a joy and it's been wonderful spending some quality time getting to know him (and learning how to be a mother!)

With that said, I have missed working and so I'm more than happy to be back to work this month :o) Bear with me for a few weeks though while I get back into the swing of things!

A brief hiatus...

Claire has been away on maternity leave for the past few months, hence the blog has been neglected somewhat. 

Not to worry, she'll be back in the next few weeks.

Motherhood certainly suits her and little Archie is wonderful.

Happy New Year...

...to all the clients and creatives we work with!

New addition to the WNTD family...

Claire gave birth to a beautiful little baby boy on 11.11.11.

Archie Robert Reynolds arrived at 11.48pm on this special day. Weighing in at 6lbs 2oz this little guy is doing well for being 4 weeks early. 

The nerdiest halloween costumes ever...

Smart thinking from a couple of New York creatives...

Google Street Boo

Halloween...

My husband sent me this picture this morning since we have a passion for VW campers. Someone spent a bit of time pumpkin carving, but we have to say, the outcome is brilliant!

I may have to try this next year!

Steve Jobs 1955-2011

Very sad to hear the recent news about the passing of Steve Jobs. The man was a genius! 

http://www.apple.com/stevejobs/

Apple publishes Steve Job's Resignation letter...

Shortly after it was announced that Steve Jobs was stepping down as Cheif Exec Officer, apple published his resignation letter on their website.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/08/steve-jobs-resignation-letter.html

Back to Blighty...

I recently managed to wangle a trip back to the UK. It's been a while since I was there last, especially visiting mid year as we normally head home at Christmas.

I was pleasantly surprised to get the opportunity to see most of my friends and family and have a great time whilst doing so. Even the weather was kind of okay. 

One day I spent checking out Manchester with my Mum, which I always love doing and whilst there I came across a really cool directors chair, which certainly reminded me of Portland... 

Check out the pictures!

ihaveanidea article...

Came across this the other day and found it an interesting read! 

http://ihaveanidea.org/articles/2011/07/08/diary-of-a-copywriter-account-people-from-heaven/

Cool link...

Tricia shared this with me the other day, and I've been meaning to put it up on the blog since then... 

 http://www.thewildernessdowntown.com/

 (just click on the link and follow the instructions).

U2 at Quest Field, Seattle

The past weekend was possibly one of the best I've had for a while. 

A group of us set off for Seattle Saturday morning to go see the long awaited U2 concert. 

With 80,000 people packing Quest Field, Lenny Kravitz as the supporting act, and over two hours of great music, the evening was fantastic.

I have to say I was blown away by how amazingly talented these four blokes from Ireland actually are, and how very humble they came across especially when Bono spoke about Amnesty International and The Gates Foundation!

It was such a special night, we had a blast, and even the weather was great! 

AdAge Article; What You Won't Learn in Ad School

WNTD came across this article and thought it might be worth sharing, for those who may not have seen it yet. 

What You Won't Learn in Ad School

Insights for the Next Generation

By: Curt Hanke

There's one thing that everyone in the fields of advertising, marketing, digital and the like all share: We were all once newbies. Young pups. No matter how we earned our first job or sneaked into this industry -- and regardless of previous class work, internships and competitions -- we really had no idea exactly what we were getting ourselves into.

Recently, the University of Wisconsin Ad Club asked Shine to speak at its monthly meeting. Inspired by their impending graduation, we decided that instead of the expected dog-and-pony show, we'd offer a fresh perspective for the graduates -- and anyone considering entering the business.

Now, to be fair, it's been 17 years since I passed through the UW Journalism School's hallowed halls (go Badgers!), so I thought it worth pulling in another perspective as well for the presentation -- one more relevant for the modern student. With this in mind, I invited a Shine colleague (and advertising newbie) to join me, a 2010 graduate from the University of Oregon (go Ducks! -- you're welcome, Emily).

The assignment we gave ourselves: Identify some of the key insights that we wish someone had shared with us when we were in school. The presentation theme: "21 Things You Won't Learn in School." The result: Surprisingly similar perspectives, albeit from very different vantage points. And for you: A few of our key insights for your reading pleasure, as another generation of students enters the ad game.

The Stakes Are High 
Welcome to agency life. A life with real clients, dollars, expectations and people. It's a profound leap from classes and competitions to clients and campaigns. Every project matters. Each decision has implications. The trust that clients place on their agency partners -- and how that agency honors and cultivates that trust -- has a very real impact on your careers (and life). Very quickly, you realize that you're not in Kansas any more. And that your success is defined by much more than a grade.

It's Not Just About Great Work. Or Even Results, for That Matter 
There are plenty of agencies that do great work every year that get fired. And I'd dare say, even more agencies that do lackluster, mediocre work for their clients that don't. Our business isn't just about the work or whether it makes the cash register ring. It's about people -- relationships -- and the myriad of individual interactions that build trust. In college, you most likely didn't take a class in how to show the right level of urgency for a client, or how to best manage and push back on subjective feedback, or how to handle the oft-necessary budget/schedule/expectation conversations, or how to be a "junior" all over again. But these are some of the many tests of the workplace that will influence every individual's success or failure in this business, in one way or another.

It's Ultimately About People 
No matter how "creatively driven" the agency, we are ultimately responsible for helping our clients interact with real, living, breathing human beings. While it's tempting to get caught up in pursuit of fake gold awards to hang on the mantel, we need to always remember that we're being paid to create connections between people and brands -- whether it be building awareness for a new product or cultivating evangelism for an established brand. So while we may make ads, or build apps, or design and program websites, we must never lose sight of the fact that we are truly in the "people" business.

Ambiguity Is Everywhere 
Every agency or firm has its own universe -- its people, personalities, processes and the like. In addition, every client has its own universe -- its own dynamics, motivations, politics and such. And then we have the actual universe -- the world in which we live, breathe and market -- constantly shifting and increasingly morphing at a faster rate than ever before. It's a web of connections that changes each and every day. Remove or modify just one component, and the entire web is altered. And it is our job to understand this web; divine not just direction but inspiration; create engagement platforms that resonate; and make everyone feel good about the process. (Indeed.)

The World Is Not Rational 
Research has demonstrated that even when consumers believe they are making rational decisions, the vast majority of brand preference are driven by their emotions. And if you think this irrational behavior is constrained to the consumer marketplace, you're kidding yourself. When I graduated, I most certainly had the naive perception that the workplace was rational. "Look at them! They wear suits! They must be rational!" The reality is that we're all emotional beings, sorting through the needs and wants of our conscious and subconscious each and every day. We all have good and bad mornings, stresses with maintaining a good work/life balance, and everything else that comes with the modern-day workplace. Within and between clients and agencies, people want to feel secure, important, respected and, yes, liked. Starting with this premise and working backward for every relationship, client, engagement and assignment is critical to understanding "how things work" -- and successfully navigating this industry's sometimes choppy waters.

It's Less Fun Than You Think (and More Fun Than You Think) 
Make no mistake about it: A career in advertising may well be one of the most culturally enjoyable life choices that you can make. That said, we don't sit around drinking and napping all day before scratching out a campaign idea on a cocktail napkin the night before the presentation. We work hard and take what we do very, very seriously. This field is not for everyone. But if you are innately curious, embrace change and have a passion for solving problems, you're off to a good start. So buckle up. Get ready for an exciting ride. And if you ever lose your way, take heed of our final "thing you won't learn in school": A little hustle goes a long way.

The full link is here: http://adage.com/article/small-agency-diary/learn-ad-school/227743/

Happy Birthday Claire!

It's Claire's Birthday today, so we had to embarrass her and give her a big shout out...

Happy Birthday to our very own British flower... have a super duper day! 

Can anyone guess how old she may be?

SXSW 2011

For the second year running we attended SXSW in Austin, and although we kinda knew what to expect we were still pretty much blown away by the festival, the attendees, the people we met and of course Austin!

WNTD Offsite; Palm Springs

Once a year we always try to take a few days away from the day to day shenanigans that makes up WNTD. This gives us the opportunity to spend some time reviewing what's working well / not working well with the running of the company. We spend time reviewing what we can do as partners to make the business better and what we can do as people to continue to be the best at what we love to do. 

This year we decided instead of shutting ourselves in a dark room for a few days, we'd push the boat out and take a trip. So we threw the dice and the outcome was Palm Springs. 

What a bonus!! Working around a swimming pool in the beautiful sunshine certainly is a perk!

a very red hotel lobby!

very pleasant dining!

 the parker hotel

Another New Year is here!

Around this time I tend to start reflecting on previous years and the things I've have done in life, both personal and professional. It's also a good time to sit down and review future goals and ambitions, again not just in a professional manor, but also in a more personal one. Many people like me take this time of year to attempt to act on those new year resolutions!! I'm determined to run a full marathon this year, hoping to complete the Portland Marathon in October. I'm also going to try to keep in contact with family and friends more back home (UK), not just my mum, but my brothers, sisters and mates too! I've gotten really bad staying in touch lately and with the likes of Skype, email, phone all at one's fingertips, it's not hard staying in touch! My final goal is to pick up a good book more often... I love reading and find that it really takes me away to a special place "my me time". I just don't read enough these days!

I asked Tricia about any resolutions she might have, and after the ten minutes she spent laughing at me, she then gave me a big smile and said that if anything she'd love to spend more time with her two adorable children, as well as spending more time working in her garden... (huh?? hello, we live in Oregon!).

One thing Tricia and I would like to do is to wish everyone a very happy and prosperous New Year!

All the best for 2011.  

Cheers!

WNTD new shoes!

 
Have you ever WNTD your very own personalized shoes? 

WNTD did. 

So where better to go than to a world renowned sneaker maker, adidas. Here we worked with marketing and creative people to develop our very own "one off" WNTD identity sneakers. 

Taking elements of WNTD's corporate logo, and painting this on a modern classic canvas, we came up with a fun way for us to show off the brands on the street. 

The other foot, thanks to Claire's 5 year old niece, now adorns pompoms, eyes, jewels, feathers, stickers and anything else she could find around the adidas office...

For an alternative to sneaker customization, check out the professionals at Sneakart.  

WNTD... in New York

Tricia and Claire took a whirlwind trip across the country to attend The One Show. 

Ran around like idiots for three days, before jumping back on a plane Portland bound. 

Although it was the quickest of trips, we met some great people and got the opportunity to view some really cool work as well as some great architecture!

SXSWi 2010

Winter in Portland

CAT London

Attended the CAT Conference in London, a gathering of some of the brightest minds out there to discuss furthering creativity through technology. Technology is like having a kid. Every step of the way, the second I think I have it all figured out, I don't. The fun part is trying to figure it out and evolve with it, spending each day absorbing as much as I possibly can, and by listening to people who are way fucking smarter than me talk about what they do and how they do it. I know I'm not the brightest bulb in the room at these events, and that realization is what makes it interesting. I end up seeing even the smartest people out there as human. They get nervous before they go on stage, they stumble over their words at times while they speak, they argue, they get excited, they cuss and they are every bit as human as me. Which puts us right back on the same playing field, doesn't it? I walk out feeling energized and inspired and believing I'm capable of doing something much bigger than I thought when I walked in.

W+K London

One of the two walls we were able to photograph in the office.

More of a ceiling than a wall, really. This was just before the camera was confiscated.

So we took Anders to the pub on the corner instead. 

Where he drank a surprising amount for such a skinny guy.

London, England

God Save the Queen!

It's time...

For a pint.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Shanghai, China

Tokyo hijinks

Stumbled across Oregon restaurant in a Tokyo hi-rise, brochures by W+K PDX.

Lil' Ted taking a rest.

Doh! WNTD sticker.

Tokyo art & architecture

Nike Harajuku store

Akio Iida, Naoki Ga, Jose Cabaco

Architect: Masamichi Katayama / WonderWall Video #1 Video #2

W+K Tokyo

 

Inspiring Akio.

Tokyo

 

 

My cankles and I have finally arrived in Tokyo. Such an incredible city, it's a very clean, friendly, respectful New York with incredible people, art, design, architecture, fashion, food, culture. 

Airports can be fun.

 

As Claire would say, this bloke has lost the plot with these shoes.  

The Decemberists at Edgefield

Aaron Rose + Jim Riswold

 

Talented men with similar hats.

 http://www.allegedpress.com/     http://www.jimriswold.com/