WNTD

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/

Can (American for Cannes) 2009

Hotel du Cap

Melanie and The Gimp

WNTD made a last-minute decision to send a representative to Cannes this year, after much deliberation. Several unexpectedly tough mud-wrestling matches later, Melanie emerged victorious. Here's what she had to say about the week:

I was the first to arrive in Nice, and shared a cab with a lovely guy I met on the plane into Cannes. Picked up the keys to our apartment, which was surprisingly nice considering it was booked by our partners across the pond who are men, Matt Wells and Andy Wardlaw of Congregation. The boys finally arrived, insisted I get the nicer room with the bigger bed (Thanks to the British tendency to avoid face-to-face confrontation at all costs) and we were off. It wasn't as empty as we feared this year due to the economy, but turned out to be a great crowd that never seemed to get so over-crowded you couldn't get a drink or pee. Highlights? Hotel du Cap, Martinez, Carlton, Beach parties, Gutter Bar with Fancy, Y&R, W+K Portland, NY, London and Amsterdam, 180, Coca-Cola, TAXI, DDB, Nike, Google Creative Labs, Poke, R/GA, Apple, Publicis, LBi, Leo Burnett, JWT, Ogilvy, RSA, Creature, Fallon, Lobo, Ebeling Group, BBH, Goodby, Crispin, Massive Music and tonefarmer. 

The big buzz of the festival included the first time not film, but PR campaigns, Best Job in the World and the Obama campaign, dominated multiple categories. Other impressive works: the Wallpaper / Trillion Dollar Campaign, Eco-Drive, Carousel, a kickass Uniqlo interactive t-shirt with a small piece of special something on the front that plays video - no wires or anything. We saw Bob Geldof, Roger Daltrey, Kofi-Annan... It was one of the best years I've had, as long as I don't think back to when Matt sprayed Andy's cologne on my toothbrush. And now, a little revenge...

Andy Wardlaw and Matt Wells of Congregation

Someone should have thought before spraying shit on my toothbrush...

*JUST. DO. IT.

Before

After

Claire ran the Helvetia Half-Marathon on Saturday, along with 4,000 other people who aren't lazy. Let me give you a little background here. About 2 years ago, Claire smoked about 40 cigarettes a day. When we worked at W+K, someone had the great idea to bring in an acupuncturist who specialized in smoking cessation and agreed to pay half the cost for anyone who was interested. Claire completely quit smoking. Then she started eating. And eating. Then she started running. And running. And Pilates. Running. Swimming. Running. Biking. More running. And she's lost 30 lbs. (Which is like over 2 stone!) Last week, she announced she might try to run this half-marathon in a few days, even though her longest distance was 9.5 miles. She didn't think she could do it, but leave it to Claire to give it a try. 

She ran 13.1 miles in just over 2 hours on Saturday. This strong, determined, focused, inspirational woman literally couldn't run one block 8 months ago. 

Claire, we think you KICK ASS! 

*If you're Tim Reynolds, Claire's husband and employee of adidas for 17 years, please replace above title to Impossible Is Nothing. 

Dan Wieden's speech at the 4A's

This is what I love about Dan. 

He was invited to speak at the 4A's, an advertising group that shunned W+K when they were a brand new no-name agency back in the 80's, and a group Dan has refused to join ever since. This is a conference where advertising people get together to talk about shit that really doesn't matter. Well, maybe some of it does, I've never been. I can only imagine the riveting discussions at the American Association of Advertising Agencies' yearly conference.

Dan is known by everyone at this little shindig as the man who penned Just Do It. He's half the name behind an agency that revolutionized advertising because they had the balls to say and do things no one else would. Their brilliance is using brands as a vehicle, not only to sell people crap they don't need, but they often use the industry to send important messages, messages of courage and determination and strength and truth, to huge audiences around the world through their televisions, magazines, radios and computers.  

But very few in the ad world know Dan for what I think is his most inspirational achievement, Camp Caldera. A camp of pure love he and his family built from the ground up that has changed the lives of kids who've faced challenges more difficult than most of us will ever know. What's important in life is what you give back, and just watching this video reminds me, once again, of all the things I've wanted to start but haven't yet found the time. 

It's people like Dan we should be following - people out there who are doing not just it, but IT.

Clios 2009: What happens in Vegas, might stay in Vegas

Tricia Krupa Cha, Claire Reynolds, Karen Monahan, Nick Law and Geoff Teehan. Drunk.

David Kennedy giving solo speech about Wieden, in front of a crowd, behind a podium? Now that's love. 

Tricia and Claire jetted off to the 50th Anniversary of The Clios in Vegas. Who knew Tricia was a candidate for Gamblers Anonymous? The Hard Rock Hotel was official headquarters, and between the riveting speakers including Tony Granger of Y&R, Anne Bologna/TOY, Daniel Stein/EVB, Rob Reilly/Crispin, MIke Geiger/Goodby, Karen Monahan/BBH and Nick Law R/GA to name a few, Tricia was hitting the blackjack tables in order to help WNTD maintain our high standard of living. 

A highlight was the Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Dan Wieden, an extraordinary man on so many levels who holds a very dear place in our hearts. Some of the other W+K big-wigs, Dave Luhr, Susan Hoffman, John Jay, Bill Davenport and one of the most wonderful people who walks this planet, David Kennedy, showed up to celebrate the occasion. Based on our previous experience, getting those people out the door and actually AT an event is no easy task, quite impressive.

The second highlight was....drumroll....no, it wasn't Matthew Weiner, the producer of MAD MEN, nor was it Mark Cuban, Chairman of HDNet and owner of the Dallas Mavericks and no, it wasn't even the Evolution of Dance guy from YouTube...

Two words: Barry Manilow.

All this experienced in Vegas by two girls in three days - gambling, swimming, connecting, talking, learning, laughing, drinking, dancing and getting to experience Barry Manilow's unbelievable plastic surgery up close and in person. 

Well worth the trip. Thank you, Clios. 

- WNTD

OFFF 2009 - Fail Gracefully

OFFF is a 3-day festival where digital artists, web, print and interactive designers, motion graphics studios and musicians celebration emerging visual culture. This year, the venue was moved to Oeiris, Portugal from Lisbon, to a huge warehouse formerly used to make bombs. I'm pretty sure several years were taken off the end of my life due to the crazy dust and poor air circulation the first day. The speaker line-up was killer, though, and made my shortened lifespan feel worth it. Aaron Koblin is just amazing, Champagne Valentine creates incredibly unique work and they look damn good doing it, Joshua Davis has the most incredible energy and just lifts a room, Stefan Sagmeister is just one of the smartest and most talented people I've ever laid eyes on and PES does the kind of stuff that makes you kick yourself for not coming up with it first. What I love most about all these people? Not only are they geniuses of their craft, they absolutely LOVE what they do and it radiates off them and sticks to you. Love OFFF.

Check out more here and here.

The Roots at Roseland Theatre

BRAVO!

While in L.A., I found myself at the BRAVO awards. Now, I'm not into the Hollywood scene, or at least I wasn't, until I went to the after party and saw Tyson Beckford. You must understand, Tyson was the love of my life in college. He wasn't aware of it, but my love was real. So to have the opportunity to share with all of you, all you people who most likely aren't wasting your time reading this blog, our incredible photo? C'mon. You'd post it, too. You know it, and I know it. 

- Melanie

TEMPT / The Ebeling Group / Graffiti Research Lab - Day 3

Caskey Ebeling, Jose Cabaco and the sound guy prepping James Powderly, in the wife-beater, for a scene in the upcoming documentary.

Evan Roth and Zach Lieberman, being smart.

Zach and Theo Watson being smart on the couch.

TEMPT'S crew, ANGST and KEY, laser-tagging messages to him as he watches out his hospital window. TEMPT wrote with his eyes for the first time using ocular-recognition technology just a few days later. Great to watch this unfold. Thanks Mick and Caskey! 

- Melanie