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Archive for January, 2011

#LeRoadTrip

Monday, January 31st, 2011

On January 26^th, a group of SaatchiNY team members were slated to return to NYC from a week of meetings at Lenovo HQ in Raleigh. Those plans were interrupted by 18 inches of snow blanketing the Northeast. Flights were cancelled, the airports packed . . . and a bold decision was made. A road trip all the way back to Hudson/Houston. Below is the true story of Team Snowflake, Team BlackIce, and the epic LeRoadTrip of 2011 – as told through twitter.

@aisea Aisea Laungaue: Flights cancelled from @Lenovo Raleigh to NY. So the team is driving back. We hope to still be a team in 9 hours. Let #LeRoadTrip begin

@xquamx kwame taylor-hayford: back to NY #LeRoadTrip http://instagr.am/p/BOHxa/

@aisea: We’ve split the team, 1 car for Gen Y and 1 for the Gen X-ers (i.e @veryshortstori @Dunleavy) #LeRoadTrip

@lenovo Lenovo: @aisea wow good luck! stop at Chick-Fil-a on the way to keep your sanity!

@aisea: @lenovo Yes! Great idea! Something to think about for the remaining 475 miles PS We think we love your team #LeRoadTrip

@lenovo: @aisea we think the feeling is mutual. Drive safe!

@lenovo: @skimen we hope those of you who are tweeting are not the ones driving, we need you guys to be safe!

@skimen Shel Kimen: #LeRoadTrip team blizzard @Aisea @Danni_mo @xquamx and the guy with the cash! We miss you in car b @veryshortstori & we heart you @lenovo !

@HudsonHouston Saatchi New York: @aisea @veryshortstori @Dunleavy Keep taking pics! We’ll chronicle the trip on H/H . . . ala Griswold family vacation. #LeRoadTrip

@skimen: Team @veryshortstori in front. 487 miles to go! #LeRoadTrip / cc: @Aisea @Danni_mo @xquamx @ North Carolina http://instagr.am/p/BOI-3/

@skimen: Team #blackIce ! Team #snowFlake on your tail! #LeRoadTrip 425 miles to go! @ I-95 North Carolina http://instagr.am/p/BOJph/

@esavestheworld Erin Lyons: @skimen @aisea @veryshortstori @Danni_mo @xquamx You guys get to have all the fun! Drive SAFE on #LeRoadTrip!

@Danni_mo Danni Mohammed: 1hr down: Roads looking like driving on the M25, UK #LeRoadTrip

@aisea: @Danni_Mo aka Gizmondo being boring in the car. Yawn #LeRoadTrip http://ow.ly/i/7yYT

@Danni_mo: 400miles to go @HudsonHouston; weather = rain spitting #LeRoadTrip

@Danni_mo: Nothing will stop him @aisea #LeRoadTrip http://yfrog.com/gy5m3yj

@JimmyThePencil James O: From the corner office to the side of the road with his own stenographer! [full disclosure: @skimen tweeting for driver!] #LeRoadTrip

@xquamx: crossing into VA. making good time @JimmyThePencil #LeRoadTrip

@aisea: Can’t believe we drove past that KFC Buffet #tragedy #LeRoadTrip

@skimen: 40 miles to Richmond VA! Team #snowflake making good time ! and I’ve found a new job as Twitter Concierge for @jimmythepencil #LeRoadTrip

@aisea: And there goes @xquamx, sweet dreams haha http://ow.ly/i/7z7m #LeRoadTrip

@skimen: Snowing in VA. Here we go. #LeRoadTrip

@skimen: Slow going by DC. Great driving @jimmythepencil #LeRoadTrip @ I 95 S & Rt 17 http://instagr.am/p/BOTYM/

@aisea: And so it’s come to this. http://ow.ly/i/7zlM #LeRoadTrip

@Danni_mo: Passing by Baltimore, major snow jam, but #snowflake is treating us well #LeRoadTrip http://yfrog.com/hsek4qij

@Danni_mo: #LeRoadTrip overnight at the RedRoofInn: a room with a broken lock – this motel reminds me of “no country for old men”

@xquamx: #LeRoadTrip…. dramatic pause. spending the night in Maryland. good times. http://instagr.am/p/BOcsJ/

@aisea: It’s 6:10 and a call from @Danni_mo tells me that, yeah, the POWER has gone out in this motel. Fumbling in the dark, leaving now #LeRoadTrip

@skimen: Team #snowflake after a night without power! Dennys and #LeRoadTrip soon on the road again. @ Denny’s http://instagr.am/p/BO1J1/

@skimen: Part two of team #snowflake on #LeRoadTrip http://instagr.am/p/BO1T4/

@Danni_mo: #LeRoadTrip “If it makes you happy” Cheryl Crow #snowflake sing along, still smiling http://yfrog.com/gz1afcj

@Danni_mo: Another down on #LeRoadTrip @aisea #snowflake http://yfrog.com/hsmvioj

@Danni_mo: Living the work-life blend in USA #LeRoadTrip, #snowflake bonding

@skimen: Mmmmmmmm #LeRoadTrip http://instagr.am/p/BO63X/

@esavestheworld: @skimen @aisea @veryshortstori @Danni_mo @xquamx I’m so glad you guys stopped for the night – I was worried! EPIC #LeRoadTrip!!!

@neilredding Neil Redding: @skimen #LeRoadTrip, having transfixed us all for the wink of an eye, will be over much too soon. A contemporary epic, ending in #blacksnow.

@Danni_mo: #blackice and #snowflake separated c.7pm last night. #snowflake driving thru NJ #blackice back to Saatchi style on the Acela #LeRoadTrip

@skimen: Team rallies for @jimmythepencil for at least 13 hours behind the wheel so far! Mad special ops skills for sure! #LeRoadTrip

@Danni_mo: @skimen finds Haribos in back seat from #LeRoadTrip pic posting. What else will she find? Half-eaten blueberry bagels @aisea got bored of

@skimen: Light at the end of the tunnel! NYC!! #LeRoadTrip http://instagr.am/p/BPDo4/

@xquamx: #LeRoadTrip fin. now back to work @aisea @skimen (@ Saatchi & Saatchi w/ 3 others) http://4sq.com/fG84Hg

@HudsonHouston: Welcome Back!

@skimen: The incredible power of unreasonable! Back to work! #LeRoadTrip forever! @ Saatchi & Saatchi http://instagr.am/p/BPEnK/

Category: Digital & Interactive, Our People, Saatchi & Social

King St. Q&A w/ Sharon Showalter

Friday, January 28th, 2011

Sharon's photo from the SaatchiNY faces project

Sharon Showalter is a creative technologist at SaatchiNY. Last year she graduated from VCU as one of the first 11 students to ever participate in the BrandCenter’s Creative Technology Track. She recently had a big hand in our SaatchiNY Holiday card, which you can check out on her last H/H post. For more information on Sharon’s thoughts and ideas, be sure to check out her website, blog & LinkedIn pages.

WHAT DO YOU DO AT SAATCHI & SAATCHI?
I’m a Creative Technologist. I take a holistic view of technology from experience planning to coding and I use this knowledge to help push creative ideas forward into the digital space.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?
When I was five, I was paid 75 cents an hour to color. My dad owned his own beekeeping business and during the summer the entire family would work extracting honey. Babysitters were expensive so my parents paid me to tag along.

WHAT LED YOU ON THE PATH YOU’RE ON TODAY?
When I was in High School I joined the newspaper. I loved designing layouts so I studied graphic design in undergrad. I worked at Rosetta Stone for several years, and I saw the way that advances in technology had made the company what it was. It was started by two brothers who had the idea for a new immersive language teaching method, but technology couldn’t support the idea until the CD-ROM came out. It was a great example of how understanding technology can make an idea possible. So when I went to grad school at the VCU Brandcenter, I jumped at the chance to study in their new track called Creative Technology. I was part of the first class to graduate from the school with this specialization.

IF YOU WEREN’T IN ADVERTISING, WHAT CAREER WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO TRY?
Theater Costuming

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE YOUTUBE VIDEO?
I like to watch Big Mama Thornton sing Hound Dog.

TELL US SOMETHING SURPRISING ABOUT YOURSELF:
I used to live in an old farmhouse with a woodstove, a garden and a dirt cellar, now I live in an apartment building in Manhattan; I’m not sure which one I like more.

WHAT ARE YOUR LOVEMARKS?
Trader Joes, Lindt, Threadless

FAVORITE CHILDHOOD TELEVISION PROGRAM?
My So-Called Life. I lived and breathed that show. It was the only show I ever saw as a teen that gave a realistic view into all the details that teenagers obsess over. I re-watched it last summer and came to the conclusion that Jordan Catalano was actually not a god.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE CREATIVE PURSUIT?
I just come up with things I want and then make them. Lately, I’ve been focusing on robotics and Arduino, fiddling around making stuff move. I made a big paper umbrella with a friend; it opens using a servo and motion sensor.

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN?
Get up early on a Saturday and walk to the movie theater in my pajamas.

WHAT BLOGS/MAGAZINES/BOOKS/PAPERS/WEBSITES CAN YOU NOT LIVE WITHOUT?
My clock radio tuned to NPR. If I had to wake up to a buzzing alarm clock, I would go insane.

BOOK THAT YOU’RE CURRENTLY READING?
[Insert the name of a book that will make you think I am witty and smart here]

A GUILTY PLEASURE FOR ME IS:
Sleeping in until noon, and then making a big breakfast of the thinnest sliced fried potatoes, slow-cooked grits (I’m from Virginia), scrambled eggs with cheese, toast, orange juice, and coffee.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE GREATEST INVENTION IS IN YOUR LIFETIME AND WHY?
Open-source. It is the example of a new working model for humanity. The more open we are to sharing knowledge with one another, the more we will accomplish.

WHAT’S THE LAST GREAT TRIP YOU WENT ON?
I went to SXSW interactive and ate a waffle shaped like Texas every morning.

WHEN’S THE LAST TIME YOU GAVE A STANDING OVATION?
I saw Al Pacino in Merchant of Venice

Category: Digital & Interactive, King St. Q&A, New York, Our People

Saatchi.org: One Truck Inc.

Thursday, January 27th, 2011

Saatchi.org is a monthly feature where the SaatchiNY team shares the charities and non-profit organizations that really hit them on a gut level. We’ve asked the entire agency to tell us about where they volunteer, why it’s such a worthwhile cause and how you can get involved to help out. Our first .org comes from Jonathan Zimmerman, Director of Digital Technology & Innovation on the Toyota Dealership Association account. Front page image from One Truck’s Picassa Page.

THE CHARITY: ONE-TRUCK
One Truck Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit pending organization dedicated to providing long-term revitalization for the displaced members of the Cité Soleil community in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. To achieve they are involved in a wide variety of programs on the ground in Haiti.

They’re currently supporting several micro-lending opportunities for small family businesses in the IDP area known as Tapis Verte (like the baker in the above video). They also staff an on-the-ground team for a pilot sanitation project in Port-Au-Prince and Tilory, and collect cleats, sneakers and athletic clothing for the child participants of Boby Duval’s sports and education program L’Atletique D’Haiti.

HOW TO HELP
If you’re interested in getting involved in One Truck’s efforts, the best place to start is with their website. From their, you can find out about volunteer opportunities as well as how to donate to their cause. For additional information, you can also find them on Facebook, Twitter & YouTube.

Editors Note: If there’s a charity or organization that you’d like us to feature on H/H, just hit the contribute button on the bottom right corner of the page and drop us a note. We’ll also be featuring the charitable arms of SaatchiNY clients, so we’re happy for any info you can give us on the great charitable work being done by your accounts. We can’t wait to hear what you’ve got to say!

Category: New York, Our People, Sustainability

An Ad Club Event

Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

Don't miss Marnie's speech tonight

Marnie Kain-Cacossa is the Managing Director of Retail at SaatchiNY. She was recently invited to speak at the Advertising Club’s weekly Advertising & Marketing 101 series. Below is some information (and an invitation) to the event. For more information on Marnie’s background, please feel free to visit her LinkedIn page.

UPDATE: DUE TO THE SNOWY CONDITIONS, TONIGHT’S EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED. WE’LL KEEP YOU POSTED WITH THE LATEST INFORMATION AS SOON AS IT COMES IN.

ABOUT THE PRESENTATION
If you’re looking for something to do this evening, look no further than the Advertising Club’s weekly Advertising & Marketing 101 Series, where our very own Marnie Kain-Cacossa will be giving a presentation titled “Maximize YOUR Presence: What Everyone Needs to Know.” Her presentation will cover the ins and outs of building a successful career (with an emphasis on advertising, obviously), and is filled with plenty of useful advice for people who have been in the industry five weeks or 25 years.

ABOUT THE EVENT
The event is being hosted by the Advertising Club and will be held at USA TODAY’s offices on 535 Madison Avenue (at the corner of 54th Street) – the 31st Floor. For those of you who don’t know, the Advertising Club is an organization that offers a lot of great benefits and educational events throughout the year. Be sure to check out their website when you have a chance.

If you’d like to attend the event, please provide your contact information to Cathryn at the Advertising Club and let her know you’re from SaatchiNY.

Category: Events, New York, Our People

Ad Age A List

Tuesday, January 25th, 2011

If you haven’t seen already, Ad Age announced the winners of their annual Agency of the Year awards yesterday. It was a good showing for the global Saatchi & Saatchi network, with Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi (Argentina) winning International Agency of the Year, and our partners down south Conill (Miami & LA), taking home Multicultural Agency of the Year.

INTERNATIONAL AGENCY OF THE YEAR
Del Campo Nazca has been on fire this year. You may remember our past post on their new Play Station work from early December. The above video comes from their Cannes Grand Prix-winning Teletransporter campaign for Andes Beer. Watch it and you’ll see that they absolutely deserve all the accolades they’ve gotten this year.

MULTICULTURAL AGENCY OF THE YEAR
Conill was also super deserving. They’ve had the best year in their 40+ year history, picked up new benchmark clients like JCP, PlayStation & CitiBank and won a Gold Lion for film at Cannes. We’re especially happy since the SaatchiNY team has had the chance partner with them on a number of multicultural projects in 2010.

Congrats to both agencies, here’s to the entire Saatchi & Saatchi network making 2011 even better than the last!

Category: Awards, Creative

King St. Q&A w/ Nick Miaritis

Friday, January 21st, 2011

Nick approves his daily dose of the news

Nick Miaritis is an Account Supervisor on the Miller & IAVA account at SaatchiNY. You may have seen him mentioned in some of our past posts on the great work the Miller team has done with the IAVA in the past year. If you’re looking for a laugh or interesting story to perk up your day, be sure to also check out his blog, Unintentional Greatness.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?
At the tender age of 7, I was made to dress up as a Native American and walk around my family’s restaurant handing out toys to the children on Thanksgiving. I made over $125 in tips and spent nearly every penny buying cookies from the school cafeteria for the entire 3^rd grade.

WHAT LED YOU ON THE PATH YOU’RE ON TODAY?
Mostly my feet.

IF YOU WEREN’T IN ADVERTISING, WHAT CAREER WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO TRY?
Musician.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE YOUTUBE VIDEO?
Hmmmm…. Tough to pick just one. Right now, I’m really into an old clip from Saved By The Bell where Mario Lopez is dancing at The Max. It’s about as good as it gets.

TELL US SOMETHING SURPRISING ABOUT YOURSELF:
At the age of 8, I ate breakfast with the Dalai Lama. At the time, I had no idea who he was and I was definitely not on my best behavior. I’m still doing good deeds to dig myself out of that Karmic black hole.

WHAT ARE YOUR LOVEMARKS?
Robert August surfboards, Fender guitars, Whole Foods, Starbucks, Pearl Jam, Chipotle, Cocoa Puffs, Steven Seagal movies

FAVORITE CHILDHOOD TELEVISION PROGRAM?
Tie between Alf and Duck Tales.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE CREATIVE PURSUIT?
Writing music.

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN?
Surf, snowboard, music, cook, read, write, work out, compute

WHAT BLOGS/MAGAZINES/BOOKS/PAPERS/WEBSITES CAN YOU NOT LIVE WITHOUT?
Magazines: Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Foreign Affairs

Websites: Surfline.com, CNN.com, commondreams.org

Blogs: Richard Branson’s blog, Mark Cuban’s blog

BOOK THAT YOU’RE CURRENTLY READING?
The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks and Giants of the Ocean by Susan Casey

A GUILTY PLEASURE FOR ME IS:
Dark Chocolate. Pretty sure I’m an addict.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE GREATEST INVENTION IS IN YOUR LIFETIME AND WHY?
Hands down, the KFC Double Down. Because buns are so played out.

WHAT’S THE LAST GREAT TRIP YOU WENT ON?
Night snowboarding at Jiminy Peak last weekend. We rode from 9am – 10pm. It only costs $4 extra for night snowboarding and there are no lift lines. Think I may stop riding during the day all together.

WHEN’S THE LAST TIME YOU GAVE A STANDING OVATION?
The IAVA’s Heroes Gala.

Category: King St. Q&A, Lovemarks, New York, Our People

DOT Charrette

Thursday, January 20th, 2011

Aaron Schiller (Saatchi S Global Director of Sustainability) and Phillip Ma (Account Supervisor at SaatchiNY) were recently invited to Syracuse University to speak and participate in a two day charrette on the subject of Saatchi & Saatchi’s Do One Thing Program. Below is a recap of the two day event from Phillip.

WHAT’S A CHARRETTE?
So what’s a charrette? Basically, it’s a collaborative session in which a group of people draft solutions to a problem. The DOT charrette was organized by the SIFE and COLAB student groups at Syracuse, who then extended an invitation to some sustainability team members here in the SaatchiNY offices. We joined a group of Syracuse University students exploring creative solutions to spread DOTs not just on their own campus, but beyond. Saatchi had shared with the students their brief about the importance of sustainability and action, the students went away to brainstorm ideas.

INNOVATIVE IDEAS
We were blown away by the innovative and creative solutions that were developed for further expanding DOT. By the end of our charrette, the group had produced over 600 concepts for expanding DOT to more students, including an amazing final presentation. We both feel privileged to witness first hand the excitement around this project, and really wanted to share that energy with everyone at here at Saatchi.

We’re looking to really blow out DOT at Syracuse and other campuses, and if anyone at SaatchiNY is excited about the potential and is interested in volunteering, please feel free to reach out to us. We can really make a difference, as students have shown at Syracuse their passion to embrace sustainability; we have an opportunity to create a DOT movement that reaches everyone.

FROM THE STUDENTS
For two days, 50 students were hard at work, brainstorming ideas on how to bring the concept of DOT to life on the Syracuse University Campus SU-SIFE would like to extend a very big thank you to Saatchi & Saatchi for making the DOT Charrette such a tremendous success.

- Joseph Hanko, SI-SIFE rep

Category: Our People, Sustainability, Thought Leadership

Life After Santa

Wednesday, January 19th, 2011

Tim Leake is a Creative Director at SaatchiNY. Since December, he and a number of other members of the Toyota Dealers Association team have been working on a huge grassroots project for the TDA built around the announcement that Santa’s official vehicle for 2010 was the Toyota Prius. Below is a breakdown of the campaign, as well as number of photos and links to check out.

SANTA BOUGHT A PRIUS
In December, the Greater New York Toyota Dealers got a huge show of support when (the one and only) Santa Claus himself upgraded to a new 2011 Toyota Prius. The twist? The dealers were concerned about what would happen to the reindeer. They asked our team at SaatchiNY to make sure they were taken care of.

LIVING THE DREAM
As it turns out, Santa’s Prius upgrade may be the best thing that ever happened to the reindeer. Since going their separate ways with the big guy, they’ve each moved to NYC to and pursue their dreams.

They’ve been seen all over town the last few weeks performing and passing out treats or flyers. If you were at the SaatchiNY Holiday party, you may have seen them hanging around (and performing). We’ve helped them set up a Life After Santa Blog and a YouTube channel where we’ll add content as their journey continues.

Blitzen is pursuing a music career. Dasher, a life as a personal trainer.