PORTLAND--An overflow crowd of designers, ad people, snowboarders and other Stumptown characters packed "The Cleaners" at the Ace Hotel last night to hear from Portland-based designer Aaron Draplin, 36, of Draplin Design Company (DDC). The event was hosted by AIGA and 52 Ltd. Draplin is a big man and his work is even bigger. The guy demands respect and last night respect was given. Glass of wine or beer in hand, …
Agency Owners (and Managers), Check This List Twice
Peleg Top of Top Design, writing in the December issue of HOW, offers creative agency owners 10 tips on what NOT to do. (Editor's note: HOW doesn't offer its magazine content online, or I would link to it.) Here's his list: Mistake #1: Not having a marketing plan. Mistake #2: Not priming the pump. Mistake #3: Not getting it in writing. Mistake #4: Not connecting with the local talent pool. Mistake #5: Not talking up …
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The Climate For Change Is Heating Up
The 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) is taking place at Bella Center in Copenhagen right now. To raise global awareness for the climate change issue, the UN is working with the International Advertising Association to rebrand the famous Danish city during the Conference. From December 7 -18, Copenhagen is Hopenhagen. Ogilvy, OgilvyEarth, OgilvyPR, Ketchum, Colle+McVoy, T-sign, Mannov, Zazengo, …
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Why Make Ads When You Can Inspire Art Projects?
La Comunidad/Miami and Buenos Aires is producing 40 original art and video shorts for the pan-Latin American audience on behalf for Converse. "Art has always been a great source of inspiration in our culture. This Converse project plays to our strengths as an agency, as it gave everyone in our three offices the chance to express themselves creatively and interact with great artists from all over the world," said …
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Portland’s Other Powerhouse, Ziba Design, Helping Take China’s Top Sports Brand To The Next Level
I was intrigued by a four paragraph story in The Oregonian today. Here it is, in part: Li Ning Co., China's largest footwear and apparel maker, plans to open a Portland store in January that will be its first outlet outside Asia. Li Ning already has a research and development center in the Pearl District. Really? That's pretty big news to hide in a tiny little story (The Oregonian has covered pieces of the story …
Spotlight On NW Creative: Blackbox Republic
Portland startup, Blackbox Republic, is a new social dating site that claims it can help you, "Find people who love you back. Friends, lovers, soul-mates, and fellow booty-shakers." According to The Oregonian, Blackbox launched its service yesterday and is "a members-only, fee-based alternative to social networking sites like Facebook and online dating sites like Match.com." Founders April Donato and Sam Lawrence -- …
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The End
According to The New York Times, CBS is canceling "As the World Turns," the 54-year-old soap that is the last daytime serial owned by Procter & Gamble. The show's audience, which exceeded six million viewers a week in the 1990s, has drawn less than 2.5 million so far this season. The show chronicled generations of characters in fictional Oakdale, Ill., as they survived love and loss, but they couldn't survive the …
John The Giant
As we know, Diageo's Johnnie Walker likes to walk (his penchant for a stroll is, in fact, built right into the logo). From the looks of it, Walker's spokespersons do too. Thanks to the brand's investment in content, whiskey fans can "take an inspirational Walk with Giants." Specifically, John Hegarty of BBH, Richard Branson of Virgin, explorer Amyr Klink, Formula One racer Lewis Hamilton, adventurer Ranulph Fiennes, …