Join us for our annual Tasting Event at Honey on Thursday, February 16th from 5:30 – 8:30pm, as Ad2 delivers another networking experience that is sure to draw the best and brightest of Minnesota’s young and aspiring advertising and marketing professionals.
If you have ever wondered what an underground New York club is like, Honey is your best local experience. Located in the heart of Northeast Minneapolis, Honey provides a unique liquor selection, a glistening candlelight atmosphere and a bar worth tweeting about. So grab your smart phones and your business cards to experience some great drinks and network with some fellow advertising professionals.
The night will feature select complimentary tap beer, wine and specialty cocktails starting at 5:30. The evening will also cater to your audible senses with the local Electro / Hip-Hop beats of DJ ODDreDealer who will be spinning some buzz-worthy mixes for your networking pleasure.
Special thanks to Ad2’s premier sponsor for the 2011-2012 programs season, Horizontal Integration!
Who is Horizontal Integration?
Horizontal Integration (HI) is an award winning, next generation agency with a unique blend of services. This “Best Place to Work” and “Fast 50” company has two key service lines: Web Solutions and Staffing Solutions. HI’s web solutions team is dedicated to strategically designing and developing websites with cutting edge technology and strong interactive capabilities. The Staffing Solutions team is dedicated to finding the best and brightest IT, Marketing and Creative talent to fulfill its client’s temporary and permanent staffing needs. Having these two service lines under one roof brings a higher level of expertise and efficiency in staffing given that Horizontal Integration’s Recruiters and Account Managers are surrounded by an in-house project delivery team.
The bottom line? Horizontal Integration is always looking for stellar new talent to fill the abundant amount of job openings! This applies to recent graduates, those looking to advance their career and those looking to take their career in a new direction. Some might be new to the networking scene, and others might just be stuck in a dead end job. Whatever your mission, Horizontal Integration’s staffing message is clear: “Let our network go to work for you.”
Event Cost:
Free for AdFed and Ad2 Members!
$10 for students
$15 for non-members
Membership / Volunteering:
- Interested in an Ad2 Membership? View our membership page or sign up at the event.
- Thinking about volunteering or getting involved with an Ad2 committee? Make sure to find an Ad2 board member at the event who would love to talk with you.
We’ll see you on Thursday, February 16th at Honey!
SHARE THIS POST]]>
On January 26, Ad2 and Martin Williams Advertising welcomed members of Ad Fed, 2 Gingers, film participants and friends for the inaugural 2 Gingers 20 Second Film Festival. With 23 film entries, 100 attendees, food provided by Jimmy Johns and the whiskey flowing, the event was a great success and ran with a common theme of inspiration.
The man of the night, Kieran Folliard, founder of 2 Gingers whiskey, was showing his outgoing and comic side from the start. He prepared his signature drink, the Big Ginger; a combination of ginger ale and 2 fingers of 2 Gingers, for event attendees. With drinks in hand, people were encouraged to mingle, play shuffle board and hear about the agency.
The highly innovative Martin Williams gave an informal presentation about a few of their cutting edge projects. First, they discussed the myMarvin campaign that was created for longtime client, Marvin Windows. Launching the company into a digital platform, Martin Williams asked several artists, thinkers and influencers to design their dream window. The project was a huge success not only for Marvin but also for Martin Williams as it pushed their editorial staff into new technologies which were met with high praise. Next, they presented their campaign concepts for Payless Shoes new brand, Brash. The 20 ton idea was to submerge themselves into the brand by following rocker chick, Ciara and her band Versa Emerge on their European tour. With five songs and countless hours of footage, Martin Williams developed 42 pieces of content for phase one of the campaign. Keep your eye out for phase two and three of this campaign. For existing components check out brashgirl.com.
To bring the evening to a close, all eyes were back on Folliard and the flash films (which had been playing on large screens during the event). With a short introduction, attendees were given a glimpse inside the life of the dream chaser himself. After a long career in marketing, Folliard began to feel uninspired and in need of a new dream, so he opened various pubs throughout the Twin Cities. With his experience in pubs and love for whiskey, his dreams began to shift and he took on a new challenge with 2 Gingers. He encouraged film participants and attendees alike to be inspired by making their own choices. With a few short words from Kathy Umland of Martin Williams on the difficulty of judging the films, the winners were announced. All participants received a bottle of 2 Gingers whiskey and a handshake from Folliard. The grand prize of $250 and bragging rights was awarded to Ryan Griffin for his film, “Miscommunication.”
Other results from the film festival:
First Runner Up: “Man in a Bowler” by Zoe Levin and Tricia Towey
Second Runner Up: “Lucky Dragon” by Dan Spengler and Michael Hauy
Third Runner Up: “Languages” by Zoe Levin and Tricia Towey
Go Here, to see the YouTube video of the winning films and other entries.
Creatives from around the Twin Cities braved negative temperatures and a blistering wind chill to hear Todd Dexter, VP and Group Creative Director of Aimia, share his philosophy on the future of creative departments. Todd’s presentation took place Thursday January 19th hosted by Ad Fed at International Market Square in Minneapolis. Todd’s 17-year career began with the suggestion from a professor that he “should consider going in another direction” because graphic design wasn’t “his thing”—and he hasn’t looked back since.
From Best Buy to Campbell Mithun to Martin Williams and now Aimia, Todd shared the lessons he has learned from his years of experience. There is something everyone can learn from his presentation.
10 Lessons for Creative That Works
- Are you an art director or a designer? The answer is “yes.” You can be good at both. You need to be a career developer, a diplomat and a guidance counselor.
- Hug those backseat drivers. In essence, allow others to give you direction. People can be motivators for the better.
- Friends don’t let friends drink and design. No explanation necessary.
- Show a little leg before you drop the robe. In other words, consider the art of presenting. Set it up appropriately—because selling is half the job.
- Remember the golden rule: Treat people the way you want to be treated. Be nice. The connections with people matter most—remember where you came from.
- Integration via segregation doesn’t work. Coworkers have to be able to interact, regardless of department. Culture is huge.
- Speak specifically to specific people specifically. Consider “customer centricity”—the marketing of materials specifically tailored to specific buyers.
- Realize the gift that’s in your hand. Regardless of the project you’re given—give 120%. That kind of work on smaller projects will get you bigger work.
- Marketing is more than a pick-up line. Show respect to consumers by marketing to individuals that want to be marketed to with a balance of the rational and the emotional.
- The people around you are everything.
Check out other upcoming events: Ad Fed events page
SHARE THIS POST]]>On January 26, Martin Williams, in conjunction with Ad2, will host the inaugural 2 Gingers 20 Second Film Festival.
Not only will attendees have the opportunity to see inside one of the Twin Cities’ hottest ad agencies, film submitters will also have a chance at winning $250 and a solid handshake from both Kieran Folliard, founder of 2 Gingers and Martin Williams CEO, Tom Moudry.
Two C-suite handshakes and $250?!? I bet that wasn’t on your New Year’s resolution list!
Rules and regulations are here: Martin Williams & 2 Gingers Film Festival Viewing Party
It is FREE to enter a submission to the film fest. The cost of attending the film fest is FREE for Ad Fed and Ad2 members, $10 for non-member students, and $15 for all other non-members.
Have questions? Email Forest Taylor at ftaylor@martinwilliams.com. Do it.
Interested in an Ad2 membership? You can sign up at the event! Talk to an Ad2 member about why you might want to join. Interested in getting involved with a committee? Talk to an Ad2 board member, they’ll be at the film festival.
$250.
Handshakes.
Food.
Drinks (for legal adults).
Pleasant conversation.
Future best friends.
Martin Williams and Ad2 Present: 2 Gingers 20 Second Film Festival, January 26
SHARE THIS POST]]>We all know that to be successful in advertising, we need creative that works.
During this Ad Fed breakfast event on January 19, Todd Dexter, VP Group Creative Director of Aimia, will share his philosophy on “Creative That Works” and the future of creative departments. He will share a case study on Carlson Marketing, where he is today, and how clients are demanding more accountable creative. Dexter will talk about bad work, brilliant work, and all that in between work.
Get a new perspective on creative strategies that work for your clients’ demands.
Come to Creative That Works, an Ad Fed event on January 19.
Be there.
Want more details? Register here: Creative That Works
SHARE THIS POST]]>Campbell Mithun welcomed record-breaking attendees — totaling over 200 eager and excited Ad Fed and Ad2 members — on Thursday, November 3. Entertainment, Chipotle burritos, networking, signature drinks, conversations, and learning are some of the things that give a glimpse into what attendees enjoyed during the happy hour event.
Campbell Mithun’s philosophy “Everything Talks” was intertwined with the various evening activities. Guests could interact with social media during the event by snapping strategically placed QR codes to be brought to Campbell Mithun’s Facebook page, which had a live feed of photos from the evening. The delicious spread was sponsored by Campbell Mithun’s client, Chipotle of burritos, chips, salsa and guacamole had everyone raving. Background music was provided by Campbell Mithun’s own Matt Parker, who serenaded the group with renderings of Dave Matthews Band and other soft tunes.
Rachael Marret, president, and Heath Rudduck, chief creative officer at the agency, gave a presentation about Campbell Mithun’s philosophy as well as a case study of the Mayo Clinic and how they developed an interactive experience for the client. It was easy to see the passion they shared for their new relationship with the Mayo Clinic. Heath walked through the steps Campbell Mithun took to create something that was simple, unique and beautiful. From what I have seen, I believe they’ve achieved that. The group was enthralled by their presentation and it was great to see all of the hard work in action.
If you made your way back to the creative area, their signature drink titled “Blood, Sweat & Tears” was waiting for you. It was a perfect blend of pomegranate juice, vodka and Sprite. If mixed drinks aren’t your style, they had a keg fridge with ice-cold Summit beer and plenty of bottled water. Music played and you could even catch attendees dancing. Everyone enjoyed the unique drinks provided by all groups; it was a great testament to the creativity within the organization.
The event drew guests ranging from students through seasoned advertising professionals. One of the student groups in attendance was from St. Cloud State University’s Ad Fed Club. Senior Zac Hanson, a representative from the group shared with me that he was really glad he was able to connect with other agency professionals and is looking forward to introducing their club to the agency in the coming year. University of St. Thomas junior, Laura Beshire shared that she liked getting a feel for Campbell Mithun by meeting various employees, discussing their positions and learning about the company. For students, these events are a great opportunity to connect with other students to start building a personal network early.
Overall, this was a very successful event. Following along with the evenings tweets showed that everyone had a delightful evening. Great job by the Campbell Mithun team and everyone that worked so hard to make sure the evening went off without a hitch.
Links:
Campbell Mithun www.campbell-mithun.com
Zac Hanson www.twitter.com/zdhanson421
Laura Beshire www.twitter.com/laurabesh
Ad Fed’s annual The Show is coming up quickly! This year’s The Show will be held at Epic Event Center this Friday, on 11/11/11. Here are some behind-the-scene images of this year’s judges going through the difficult task of determining who gets awarded The Show Pin.
As we finish the first weekend of the annual deer hunting opener, as so popularly celebrated by many outdoor fanatics of Minnesotans, we find a familiar theme in this year’s The Show. The theme for this year’s Ad Fed The Show is about the hunt for inspiration.
This is the big annual show where marketing and advertising industry professionals put their work from the past year on display for the whole world to see. The Show brings out the best of the best from the advertising world. This event is a great opportunity for everyone to get together and see all the tremendous work created in the past year.
Be sure to check out The Show Hunt’s website and get ready for another epic Show!
Be the hunter, not the hunted.
Don’t miss it – it is the “must go to” event of the year!
Join Kristina Slade at International Market Square on Thursday November 10, for an Ad Fed breakfast event as she shares her philosophy on, “How Digital Saved Advertising’s Soul”.
Kristina joined the highly awarded and regarded digital agency, AKQA, in 2010 as Creative Director on Target, after becoming convinced that the potential for stronger relationships between brands and consumers was to be found in emerging technologies.
She started her career as the first female creative at boutique agency CORE, Kristina went to work on projects such as Ty Cobb, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Zebco fishing company, Ford, and Monsanto. Her work on Virgin Digital, Beck’s beer, the Los Angeles Time, California Anti-smoking, Lucy, and Virgin Mobile won her national and international awards/acclaim and inclusion in the One Show’s showcase on Women In Advertising. Her award-winning creative for ESPN earned her a place in their Hall of Fame.
Kristina then moved on to TBWA’s Chiat Day where she worked on major brands such as Visa, Nissan, and Infiniti, and to define and launch smaller brands like Procter & Gamble’s Pur.
In 2010, Kristina joined AKQA, where she is now the Creative Director on Target.
–Don’t miss you opportunity to learn from this great industry leader – Register Today!–
SHARE THIS POST]]>Minneapolis warmly welcomed Dan Khabie, CEO of Digitaria, to the International Market Square on Thursday, October 20th for a breakfast presentation. 75 professionals listened in as Dan shared how a Minneapolis guy in San Diego fosters an environment coined as a Western Agency with a Midwestern Soul.
Before his presentation, he walked around the room making conversation with attendees. Dan quickly enthralled the group by showing a video that provided an inside look at Digitaria, a full service digital agency. Here is what you should know from Dan’s presentation:
Love what you do.
Dan says not to be afraid of making your employees superstars. How inspiring is that? He talked about agency culture and what it is like to work for Digitaria. At this agency, employees are believed in; Digitaria embraces their innovation.
If you don’t love what you do, then get out, Dan said. What I found most interesting about Dan’s presentation was not regarding his work with Digitaria but rather the way he talks about how they treat their employees. With examples ranging from personally shopping for employees to sending them on vacation, I was ready to pack my bags and head to San Diego! I highly recommend checking out their website (www.digitaria.com) and if you find yourself in a city where their office is, go visit!
Attract Great Brands.
Digitaria’s client base includes well-known brands such as Under Armour, National Geographic, LG, NFL and ESPN. They didn’t get these clients by accident. Dan’s advice is to get experts in the area and create a subculture that empowers leaders. This way, you have an expert on your side. If you want to get a sports company as a client, get some sports marketing people on your team.
Over-service your clients.
He shared inside agency views as well as advice for those on the client side. Dan wanted the group to know that the relationship you have with your client is irreplaceable. You become your client, so make sure you like them. Thank your agency, they’ll appreciate it.
Continually evolve and focus on what you want to become.
Dan suggests to continually evolve and reinvent yourself as an agency and focus on what you want to become. Digitaria reinvented themselves by opening an office in London to focus on breaking into the global market.
Ad Fed was glad Dan was able to join us, and we hope that everyone in attendance had a great time and learned a lot! We look forward to seeing you at upcoming Ad Fed events.
Links:
SHARE THIS POST]]>