Archive for February, 2011

Life in Color Event

Monday, February 28th, 2011

Jen Randolph is SVP Director, Organizational Development – Director of Diversity at SaatchiNY. In the past, she’s written for H/H on our involvement in the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, as well as The Color of Conversation Panel we took part in last month.

As we come to the end of Black History Month, Life in Color is pleased to present a very special event in partnership with Digitas! At 6PM tonight, we welcome a handful of special guests for an exclusive screening of the multiple-award winning documentary Waiting for Superman (see the trailer above).

THE FILM
Directed by Davis Guggenheim, This ground breaking feature film provides an engaging and inspiring look at public education in the United States and has helped launch a movement to achieve a real and lasting change through the compelling stories of five unforgettable students. The film was the winner of the 2010 Audience award, U.S. Documentary: Sundance Film Festival and voted Best Documentary by the National Board of Review. If you didn’t see it in the theater, don’t miss this opportunity. It’s a film that will make you think, it will open your heart and we hope it will inspire you to take action.

THE GUESTS
To introduce the film, as well as to discuss its relevance to the future of the advertising industry, we’ve invited two special guests to the event.

  • Dr. Adelaide Sanford is a Legendary Educator in New York. She’s had a massive impact on the lives of students at every level of New York City’s school system through her work in shaping educational policy.
  • Michele Ebanks is the President Essence Communications. She leads the number one media and communications company dedicated to African-American women. The organization is comprised of diverse media and entertainment properties including ESSENCE magazine, and the internationally renowned Essence Music Festival, one of the largest entertainment events in the world.

THE DETAILS
Date: Today! Monday, February 28th
Location: Saatchi & Saatchi 16th floor Atrium and Boardroom
Reception begins at 6PM
Screening/Discussion begins 6:45 PM

To RSVP or ask questions please reach out via email.

The front page image is a still from one of the many classroom scenes in ‘Waiting for Superman”

Category: Events, Film & Television, Our People

King St. Q&A w/ Craig Schlesinger & Steve Mendonca

Friday, February 25th, 2011

Steve & Craig @ Hudson & Houston

Stephen Mendonca & Craig Schlesinger are Junior Art Directors & Copywriters (respectively) at SaatchiNY. Since they’re a creative team, they’ve opted to answer our survey in the same fashion as they approach their work – together. Craig = C. Stephen = S. For more information on Stephen and his work, please visit his website.

Photos taken by Erin Lyons

WHAT DO YOU DO AT SAATCHI & SAATCHI?
C: I’m a Junior Copywriter. I write things. And think of things.S: Junior Art Director

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?
C: I worked at a media agency…for four months…not writing.
S: Worked at a moderately-sized farm stand when I was 16. I am still able to spot the freshest produce.

WHAT LED YOU ON THE PATH YOU’RE ON TODAY?
C: I always liked to write and I figured if I could do it for real…
S: I accidentally applied to Syracuse’s communication school and stumbled upon advertising. It sounded awesome so I declared it as my major.

IF YOU WEREN’T IN ADVERTISING, WHAT CAREER WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO TRY?
C: I’d like to be a screenwriter. Yea, that would be sweeet.
S: I’d try to travel, take photos, make stories worth telling, and share them with people. Not sure how that would pan out.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE YOUTUBE VIDEO?
C: I like the video of the kid getting hit in the head with a soccer ball. Brings me back to old times.
S: Does anyone have one stand alone? I usually look up hilarious Will Ferrell movie scenes for a laugh. 60% of the time, it works everytime.

TELL US SOMETHING SURPRISING ABOUT YOURSELF:
C: My eyes change color with what I wear (it’s true, really).
S: I dabble in yoga.

WHAT ARE YOUR LOVEMARKS?
C: Reebok, Apple, and Irish Spring body wash. Can’t get enough of smellin’ good.
S: Nikon, Yogi Tea, Apple, and Deadmau5

FAVORITE CHILDHOOD TELEVISION PROGRAM?
C: Doug. Best show. Ever. Period. Exclamation point.
S: Tough…Rocket Power and Hey Arnold!

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE CREATIVE PURSUIT?
C: That’s a loaded question. I just like to write. I like taking seemingly mundane things and making them sound amazing. I like making people’s jaws drop. Is that even remotely applicable to this question?
S: I love taking photos, both film and digital.

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN?
C: I like reading classic books so that I can say I’m reading a classic book. I also like hockey.
S: Hang with the girlfriend, snowboard, take pictures, go to the jersey shore, go out to a bar or discotheque, catch a movie, and a weekend trip every now and again with friends…Nothing too strange

WHAT BLOGS/MAGAZINES/BOOKS/PAPERS/WEBSITES CAN YOU NOT LIVE WITHOUT?
C: Take away my Sports Illustrated or my NYTimes and you’re in big trouble, mister.
S: ? I kind of miss life when they didn’t exist, but Pinterest.com is rapidly becoming a favorite. The Timesheet entry site too…need the money to live.

BOOK THAT YOU’RE CURRENTLY READING?
C: On and off…Catch-22
S: About to start Russell Brand’s Booky Wook 2 – non-digitized.

A GUILTY PLEASURE FOR ME IS:
C: Pretending I’m an NHL goalie. What? Like you don’t have dreams?
S: The occasional Rom Com. Love Actually is brilliant.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE GREATEST INVENTION IS IN YOUR LIFETIME AND WHY?
C: The iPhone. Because it changed cell phones for good. It’s really incredible what you can do with something the size of a deck of cards these days.
S: The segway. Because walking is a bit much. I’m just kidding.

WHAT’S THE LAST GREAT TRIP YOU WENT ON?
C: I studied abroad in Australia. I love Sydney. Send me back.
S: Portugal in August for 2 weeks with girlfriend and her family. Good times.

WHEN’S THE LAST TIME YOU GAVE A STANDING OVATION?
C: At a New York Rangers game like 3 months ago. I give out standing ovations like skittles. I’m a sucker that way.
S: Saatchi artist series…but I was already standing.

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

Oscars & Ads

Thursday, February 24th, 2011

A scene from last year's Academy Awards

It’s that magical time of year again – Oscar Season. After two whirlwind months of heavy dramas (we’re looking at you, Winters Bone and Blue Valentine), tour-de-force performances (yes, Colin Firth was that good) and a plethora of controversial lead-up awards, the night of glitz & glamor is this Sunday. 41.3 million people watched last year’s awards – which means it’s nearly as big a night for TVC’s as the Super Bowl.

THE BIG NIGHT
We’re excited about a lot of stuff for Sunday night. The intrigue of the big category toss-ups – The Kings Speech vs. The Social Network (Best Picture); Natalie Portman vs. Annette Benning (Best Actress); David Fincher vs. Darren Aronofsky (Best Director). The hosting scorecard – can Hollywood A-Listers Anne Hathaway & James Franco be entertaining for the entire 4 hour broadcast? The fashion!

YOUR PICKS
But what’s really interesting for us about the Oscars, is what an important day it’s become for the ad industry. It’s the Super Bowl for the entertainment industry, and that means big new adverts airing in a tightrope situation . . . which always makes for great TV. We’ve even got some new work airing, with the roll-out of JC Penney’s spring line campaign (we’ll have more on that next week). The H/H team would love for you to keep track of your favorite (and least favorite) spots of the night. Next week we’ll try to put together a best-of list to share with the world.

Category: Creative, Film & Television

Saatchi Artists Series Recap(ped)

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011

You may remember our post from last week announcing the second-ever Saatchi artist series. Well, as planned, we held the event at H/H headquarters last Thursday and the result was a big success. We had music. We had photography. We had monologues. We had beer. And what did it all translate to? Fun!

For those of you who couldn’t make it out (or  came but had so much fun that you just can’t help but want to relive the experience), we’ve put together a photo/video recap of the evening’s festivities. But before we get to that, let us take a moment to especially thank Amy Carlstead, Michael Dew, Erin Lyons & Jay Dougherty for their awesome contributions. Enjoy!

PHOTOS BY AMY CARLSTEAD

Antiqued Umbrellas

Antiqued Umbrellas

Flowers

Flowers

Surfer in La Jolla

“STARBUCKS” BY MICHAEL DEW

THE SHOW CLOSER FROM ERIN LYONS & JAY DOUGHRETY

Category: Creative, Events, Our People

Hands On NY

Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011

Remember summer?

Consider this a call to action – the SaatchiNY team is officially recruiting members for Hands On New York Day. We’re all coming off a relaxing three day weekend, and what a better way to use some of that excess energy than doing a good deed? The April 16th event (from 9am-3pm) will be the fifth consecutive city-wide NY Cares volunteer day that we’ve participated in. Many of you were gracious enough volunteer last time around, and we’re looking to build an even bigger team this April. We promise it’s a fun time, and the level of good done city-wide makes a HUGE impact on the community at large.

WHAT IS HANDS ON NY?
The NY Cares website hits the nail right on the head when they say: “New York City parks, gardens, and community centers are an essential part of urban life. They provide space for recreation, relaxation, and community growth.” Honestly, how awful would summer be if you couldn’t hike to your neighborhood park, picnic basket, iPad & cell phone in hand? Just imagine the oppressive August heat without the reprieve of carefully manicured lawn, trees, ponds and “nature” in general.

And the truth is, the parks don’t take care of themselves. That’s why every April, Hands On volunteers spread across the city to prep the city’s parks, gardens and community centers for the summer months. Trash is cleaned, murals are re-touched, fences mended . . . it’s a big deal! At the end of the day, if it wasn’t for Hands On Volunteers, you’re weekly park picnics would be a whole lot dirtier.

GET INVOLVED

So take some ownership of the city’s beautiful green zones! The SaatchiNY True Blue team has set our sights on thirty volunteers this year . . . but we’d love to blow that goal out of the water. If you’re interested in lending a hand for Hands On, you can sign up on our official team page. Once you’re there, enter the discount code (HONYD11SPO) and you won’t have to pay the sign-up fee. It only takes a minute to fill in your information – go do it now!

Above image from BGR.com. Front page image from ZeroOne.

Category: Events, Our People, true blue

It’s Presidents Day

Monday, February 21st, 2011

Honest Abe in the climactic final scene of "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure"

Four score and seven years ago . . . Saatchi & Saatchi wasn’t created yet. We are, however, here now and having a fantastic 2011. Today in honor of Presidents Day (also known as“Washington’s Birthday,” “President’s Day” & “Presidents’ Day”) we’re taking a much needed holiday. If you’re looking for patriotic reading, be sure to have a look at our recent coverage of Chief Creative Officer Con Williamson’s spot in Harper’s Magazine where he pitches a Super Bowl spot for the American government. Because what’s better than Iron Man atop Mount Rushmore on a day like today?

The Hudson/Houston team will be back in full effect tomorrow, with lots of exciting stuff to share. Enjoy the break today . . . because we’re right back into it tomorrow. Viva la Lincoln! Viva la Washington!

Front page image taken when Madame Tussauds Wax Museum sent their Abe Lincoln figure to DC on a promo event.

Category: New York, Our People

King St. Q&A w/ Jen Randolph

Friday, February 18th, 2011

Jen soaking up the sun

Jen Randolph is SVP Director, Organizational Development – Director of Diversity at SaatchiNY. In the past, she’s written for H/H on our involvement in the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, as well as The Color of Conversation Panel we took part in last month. If you’re interested in more information on Jen, please check out her LinkedIn Page.

WHAT DO YOU DO AT SAATCHI & SAATCHI?
I work on the Human Interest Team and primarily oversee diversity and inclusion for the agency.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?
My senior year in high school I was an intern in the special events department at Neiman Marcus in Washington DC…Met some amazing people, worked like crazy and had a blast!

WHAT LED YOU ON THE PATH YOU’RE ON TODAY?
Legacy—my great grandfather, Herman Dreer was the second Black Man to graduate from Bowdoin College in Maine and wrote the history of one of the oldest black fraternities, Omega Psi Phi . . . he’s also credited with initiating Black History Month. His daughter & my grandmother, Clarice Davis, was the first black woman to graduate with a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Pennsylvania — practicing diversity & breaking down barriers is in the DNA. I just hope I can live up to the legacy!

IF YOU WEREN’T IN ADVERTISING, WHAT CAREER WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO TRY?
TV Producer. I grew up around television. My mom, Carol Randolph had her own talk show in Washington DC for a number of years and served as an anchor for Court TV.  Always loved the behind the scenes stuff and making things happen…I LOVE TV… Not many people can say that!

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE YOUTUBE VIDEO?
I still love the Saatchi London T-Mobile moment at Liverpool Station. Would love to see someone try that at Grand Central!

TELL US SOMETHING SURPRISING ABOUT YOURSELF:
I love deep sea fishing…now that’s a workout!

WHAT ARE YOUR LOVEMARKS?
Haagen Dazs Coffee Ice Cream, Nike, Starbucks … just inject the coffee straight into the vein!

FAVORITE CHILDHOOD TELEVISION PROGRAM?
So many- Family Affair, loved Mr. French, Nanny and the Professor, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir and my all time favorite… Love American Style (came on Friday nights…had to go to bed right after it was over!)

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE CREATIVE PURSUIT?
Writing.

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN?
Hang out with Cosmo . . .

Cosmo disguised as an elf

WHAT BLOGS/MAGAZINES/BOOKS/PAPERS/WEBSITES CAN YOU NOT LIVE WITHOUT?
What did anyone do before Gwyneth Paltrow started GOOP? Now I know all the best places to stay and eat in China. Vanity Fair, Bazaar, Marie Claire, More Magazine, Daily News, People and In Touch so I can stay well informed!

BOOK THAT YOU’RE CURRENTLY READING?
“Little Bee” by Chris Cleave, thanks Susan great book so far!

A GUILTY PLEASURE FOR ME IS?
Food. I AM A TRUE “FOODIE!” I can help you find a great meal in any country where I’ve traveled!

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE GREATEST INVENTION IS IN YOUR LIFETIME AND WHY?
DVR—I can watch what I want, when I want!

WHAT’S THE LAST GREAT TRIP YOU WENT ON?
Bali – conquered a lot of “nevers” there – never traveled to that part of the world; never met people so content in their lives; never rode an elephant before!

WHEN’S THE LAST TIME YOU GAVE A STANDING OVATION
…and meant it? Sting performing with the Royal Philharmonic at the Met— (4) encores 2 hours 15 minutes of just him—Awesome!

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

Fashion Week NYC

Thursday, February 17th, 2011

Lani Nguyen is a strategic planner at SaatchiNY. Her blog, Sugar Rock Catwalk, is done in collaboration with a friend from the fashion world, Erin Lee. The blog offers a uniquely personal take on fashion, shopping and getting the most personal style out of your budget. It also happens to be (in our opinion) one of the best style blogs in the city. Since fashion week took over NYC last week, we thought it would be fun to look at some of the events Lani attended. Below are some on the ground looks of a few shows Sugar Rock Catwalk attended. For their complete (amazing) coverage, including insightful breakdowns of the week, be sure to visit Sugar Rock!

SIKI IM – FALL 2011

Neuvo Amish meets Native American

COSTELLO TAGLIAPIETRA – FALL 2011

FARAH ANGSANA – FALL 2011

Category: Events, New York, Our People