spreadin' a little magic nationwide

So, we just finalized a national cross-promotional campaign with Disney and DAD'S Treats.

Yeah, that Disney.

The promotion is in celebration of the February 5 DVD re-release of Disney's classic The Aristocats as well as its new live action film, Snow Buddies.

The tie-in couldn't be more perfect. After all, cute little kids + cute little dogs = gold, Jerry, gold.

We developed the above newspaper FSI for national distribution, plus a litany of matching in-store signage, displays, shelf-talkers, etc.—all coming to the big box retailer nearest you. We also developed on-pack rebate offers for the various treat packages and both DVDs.

Not only was it cool to work with such an enormous cultural icon, but it was also a wonderful opportunity to help the folks at DAD'S roll-out the largest promotion in their storied 75-year history.

Thanks again, Jace and Allen. Now where are those free tix to Disneyland you guys promised?

some nice tongue action

And now, for a gratuitous work update:

We recently developed the above FSI (free-standing insert) for the fine folks at DAD'S Treats. Yesterday, it appeared in newspapers across the country.

If you have a four-legged-friend at home and are looking for an alternative to those nasty, fatty pig ears, I'd recommend you clip away the buck off coupon and check out Better Than Ears. Your dog will love them. And you.

My dog, Stella, digs them but her all-time favorite treats are Nut-Tastics. Oddly enough, Jim agrees. He says they actually don't taste half-bad. He's no longer allowed anywhere near our product samples. In fact, he really should be in counseling.

We've got some more fun and exciting national work that will hitting stores near you in the coming months. Plus we've got some big news to share about our growing agency. I'll elaborate on both later. Until then, have a wonderful holiday season.

get yer can to the Tullio Arena this saturday, eh?

I went to a boxing match yesterday and a hockey game broke out. (Please chuckle accordingly.)

Anyway, the good folks at the Erie County Recycling Program have teamed up with the Erie Otters for a special aluminum can recycling event this Saturday, December 8, at the Tullio Arena.

Game time is 7:30. The first fisticuff is scheduled for approximately 7:42.

Here's how it works: Just bring an aluminum can (or cans, for that matter) to be recycled and you'll get two free tix to an upcoming Otters game. That's it. No strings attached. Plus the first 1000 folks in the door get a pretty nifty sports bottle.

For all you die-hard parking ramp tailgaters, now you've got somewhere to toss all those Bud and Coors Light empties. And it's not underneath some old lady's Buick Skylark.

If you're still on the fence about recycling and/or saving our planet, check out this short piece created for the Discovery Channel EMEA by Jellyfish Pictures, London. If this doesn't help convince you, probably nothing will.

... and then my lung fell out.

Today is the American Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout.

As a reformed smoker myself (yes, I readily puffed on the dreaded cancer stick from age 14 until 21), I know how difficult it can be to kick the habit. An article in today's Baltimore Sun reiterates that sentiment:

"About a quarter of Americans smoke because, well, quitting is hard. Most already know smoking is linked to lung cancer and nine other cancers and accounts for almost a third of cancer deaths. Smoking damages almost all organs in the body. It costs billions of dollars annually. And, really, the breath mints just don't do it. Smokers smell bad to everyone else."

Yes, quitting can be difficult. I know firsthand. And obviously to be successful, you've got to really want to stop. If you're serious about quitting, our friends at the Hamot Physician Network can help. Give 'em a call at (814) 877-3960.

To quote the immortal Rob Schneider—who has made a cameo appearance in seemingly every dreadful Adam Sandler flick—"You can do it!"

Even if it's just for today.

can you relate?

So, we're looking for a seasoned public relations guru.

A PR Strategist, if you will.

The position calls for far more than penning a traditional press release or contacting the local news hounds.

It necessitates full immersion into our clients’ culture as well as our own. It means finding a compelling message in seemingly mundane information and spreading the word like wildfire. It means believing in your work—and fighting fervently for what you believe in. It means challenging what has been done in the past—even if some delicate egos get bruised in the process. It means problem-solving on the highest level. It means being a strong, passionate, seasoned leader.

Which, in turn, means you should have a degree in a related field, at least 3-5 years’ experience and proven success in prior PR management or supervisory roles. Which means your salary will be based upon what—and perhaps even whom—you bring to the table.

Which means send us your resume immediately.

check, please

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

If you happened to catch Deanna Favre's interview last night during MNF, you saw a young woman who is determined to spread the message of hope. Of survival. Of life after beating cancer.

You saw a young woman who's every bit as tough as her legendary husband—a man who puts his own body to the test every Sunday (well, Monday too) on the gridiron.

You saw a hero.

Her new book, Don't Bet against Me!: Beating the Odds Against Breast Cancer and in Life, is a testament to her unwavering commitment to helping others beat this insidious disease. Here's an excerpt from the back cover:

At age thirty-five, Deanna Favre had it all— A loving husband at the peak of his NFL career Two beautiful daughters A wonderful life . . .

And breast cancer.

No one is immune to tragedy. Deanna Favre is living proof.

A shy, small-town girl from Kiln, Mississippi, Deanna had always been perfectly content to let her famous husband steal the spotlight. Though married to the NFL’s only three-time MVP, she preferred to live a life of quiet anonymity.

But on December 22, 2003, when television cameras zeroed in on a somber Deanna watching her grief-stricken husband lead the Green Bay Packers to a victory over the Oakland Raiders immediately following the death of his father, the spotlight shifted. Deanna’s life was about to change forever.

Tragedy struck again the following October, when Deanna’s younger brother, Casey, was killed in an ATV accident. Four days later—still reeling from the loss of her brother—Deanna was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Through it all, however, Deanna has emerged a survivor. In this candid and inspirational memoir, she shares the triumphs and the tragedies of a life lived both behind the scenes and on center stage. From her years as a single mom and her high-profile marriage to Brett, to her highly publicized battle with breast cancer, and the work she is currently doing through the Deanna Favre HOPE Foundation, Deanna’s story is living testament that with faith, hope, and love, ordinary people can overcome even the most extraordinary circumstances.

So, ladies, we implore you. Just because Breast Cancer Awareness Month is nearing its end, don't forget its life-saving message.

Don't forget Deanna Favre.

If you're over 40, or have a history of breast cancer or other cancers in your family, please talk to your primary care physician today about scheduling your yearly mammogram.

shoo, shoo seasonal flu

Just a friendly public service reminder to everyone out there in blog-land:

Stay healthy. Get a flu shot.

well, it's bikini season somewhere

With fall-like temperatures finally catching up with us, I thought posting this rather provocative seven-foot tall pull-up banner display might pique your blogging interests. Or at least make you yearn for a well-deserved tropical vay-cay. It was one of several banners we produced for Doc Bergqvist's booth at the recent Women's Only Health Fair in Erie.

Word is that the banners made quite the impression.

In other healthcare-related news, we just finalized a new hand hygiene campaign for the good folks at Hamot Medical Center. We produced several different educational/awareness posters, banners, wall stickers (near wall-mounted hand sanitizers) and signage for elevator doors. You should start seeing the materials throughout the hospital in about a week or so. Here is a small sampling...

Wall posters:


Hanging banners:
Main lobby elevator door signage (the black line down the middle represents where the two elevator doors come together)...
The idea was simple, really. Let's remind people that the everyday objects we all touch—like light switches, elevator buttons and, yes, potty flusher handles—can collect some real nasty bugs. And we can pass those nasties on real easy like to others. Just imagine the amount of germs that are dancing a jig on your keyboard right now.

Seriously. I can't stress enough the importance of washing or sanitizing your hands. A lot.

Spread the word, people.

The Boys & Girls Club truly does change lives.

Every once and a while we have decided to post some of our favorite work from the past, not just the present. This really came about while we were searching for some work in the archives and had one of those Clark Griswold in the attic type of moments.

This video we shot and edited for the Boys & Girls Club of Erie still holds a special place in our hearts (and on our reel). We wanted to show people that there are children in our very own community that don't have what most of us take for granted each and every day. We focused on where they live, what they face in their daily lives and how the Boys & Girls Club helps fill that void.

It was an emotional shoot and an even more emotional edit. How the Club affects their lives, indeed affected ours just as much.

get your phil. and then some.

For the musically inclined, The American Symphony Orchestra League recently recognized the Erie Philharmonic as "one of the finest regional orchestras in America."

We, in turn, were recently chosen by said orchestra to develop and implement a number of new marketing initiatives for its 2007/2008 inaugural season. Nice segue, huh?

These initiatives included various print and outdoor executions as well as the creation of a new brand positioning statement: Get Your Phil.

With the introduction of music director Daniel Meyer and a full slate of entertaining, captivating and remarkably diverse concert offerings throughout the season, Get Your Phil. practically wrote itself. Although, for billing purposes, don't tell Karen or Eric that. Here's a print ad you may have seen in the local paper.

So far, the campaign has been very well received and is generating "a ton of new subscribers." Yay subscribers! So if you (yes, you) haven't renewed or purchased your 2007-2008 season subscription, now is the time to do so (hint, hint, wink, wink). Good seats still remain. Call the box office at 814-455-1375 ext. 4 or visit eriephil.org right this minute.

Oh, I mentioned a few posts back that we were in the midst of designing a new brochure for the folks at RAILPOWER. Here's the front cover and an inside spread of the finished piece for your viewing pleasure:


Other points of interest (without dropping any names):

• we're currently in the process of re-branding/re-positioning a local solutions provider
• we were just selected to work on a national co-branding effort with a regional manufacturer and one of the most endearing cultural icons in American history
• we're in development of a comprehensive hand hygiene campaign for a local hospital

Well, there's a bunch more. But there's a newborn at home I've got to go marvel at.

C-ya.

and now, in the category of "sweet"

Visually orgasmic spot... from the makers of BRYLCREEM, no less. Who knew?

from Erie to Quebec

Just a quick update on two new projects that have local, national and international ties.

First, we're happy to announce that the Erie Advertising Club is sponsoring its inaugural Erie Ad Week, beginning September 17.

It's a five day celebration of all things, well, advertising, including a look-see at the winners of the Cannes International Advertising Festival, guest appearances by the one and only Crispin Porter + Bogusky (the Miami-based agency responsible for V-DUB, Burger King's Subservient Chicken, Truth and many more classics), the creative geniuses behind the What Happens in Vegas ad campaign, as well as recognition of Erie's own exceptional advertising community.

At fishtank, we've been chosen to create the Erie Ad Week promo materials. Here's a teaser poster we just finalized:


In other international news, we were selected to develop a trade ad for ECO CRANE™ by RAILPOWER. Here it be:


If you're not in the know, RAILPOWER develops specialized clean energy technology systems for the transportation and power generation industries. Its corporate headquarters are located in Brossard, Quebec, but its U.S. headquarters are right here in Erie. Yay Erie.

Speaking of RAILPOWER, we're also in the final stages of creating a spiffy new corporate collateral piece for the company. More on that later. C-ya.

enjoy your pillows. just enjoy them.

Not sure what my current fascination is with pillows in advertising, but, here goes:

who else is itchin?

As I watched a semi-boring Hall of Fame game on the NFL network, I thought to myself, "Why do I not have the itch yet"?

Could it be that the Buffalo Bills are going to maybe win 3 games max. this year? Or...could it be that I have no confidence in the freshman Jimmy Clausen to actually lead the Fighting Irish to a winning season?

On a serious note...how bad is football really going to suck for me this year?!?!? Come on people!

Well... today everything may have changed. My "future husband" Brady Quinn finally signed with the Cleveland Browns for $20.2 million dollars over 5 years; with incentives to possibly make $30 million total for 5 yrs.Read here

Finally some great news! Now all I need is a solid Fantasy Draft in two weeks and I just might start to show minor symptoms of football fever.

Who else is itchin?

Who are we predicting to breakout this year?

5 more weeks of countdown people :-)

Honeytribe and the curious disappearance of Devon Allman

Anyone else venture out to Eight Great Tuesdays to see Devon Allman's Honeytribe?

Yes, he's the son of rock legend Gregg Allman—although he kinda looks like a cross between Sammy Hagar and that dude from Nickelback.

If you've never heard him, young Mr. Allman is indeed a capable guitar player. He also seems to be one heck of a magician. In fact, Tuesday night, he made himself disappear.

Yup, right in the middle of a song, he calmly leaned into the mike and said: "Let's here some bass" (or something to that effect) and then promptly walked off stage. For like 15 minutes.

WTF?

To their credit, the other three band members (the bass player in particular) expertly jumped into an impromptu albeit seemingly endless jam. At one point or another, however, they each looked as confused as the rest of us in the crowd. Then the drummer and keyboardist also left the stage, leaving said bass player alone to entertain us all. I think he strung off every bass solo he ever learned.

Perhaps Allman may have broken a string, but even a blind man with one hand stuck in a pickle jar could restring a guitar quicker. So my initial assumption is that he had some, uh, internal plumbing issues? To put it delicately.

At any rate, when he finally rejoined his band mates, it started to pour. Sadly. So we, like the rest of the throng, picked up our folding chairs, tucked them neatly into their carry-alls and headed for the hills.

Bathroom emergencies aside, I did pick up Honeytribe's album on iTunes today. Sounds good. Hearing all the songs live would have sounded better.

Seriously. Anyone got an inside scoop on what happened?

pillowfight!

Ahh... to have a sniff of the production budget of this one. Beautifully shot, wonderfully directed, great score. Yeah, I'm jealous.

R U drawn to life?

His work is raw, meticulous, awe-inspiring. His tools are made not of iron or steel, but flesh and bone. He's a local phenom known nationwide for his gritty, in-your-face portraits of some of today's most gifted athletes, including Hines Ward, Terrell Owens, Smokin' Joe Frazier, Mel Blount, Jerome Bettis and Brad Boyes. Just to name a few.

He's celebrity sports artist Kevin-John Jobczynski—whose devotion to his craft is equaled only by his passion for those around him. And now he's giving back to a community that's already given him the world.

In support of the Community Blood Bank, Kevin-John will create a custom 30" x 40" graphite work of art for one donor chosen at random. It's a coveted prize package worth $20,000.

You can match his selfless donation with one of your very own. Simply donate blood now through December 31, and you'll be automatically entered to win.

For years, Kevin-John has been drawn to sports. Now, more than ever, he's drawn to life. To see his work, visit Kevin-John.com anytime. To become part of it, donate blood today.

To find out more, call 456-4206 or stop by the Community Blood Bank at 646 Peach Street. Hours of operation are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.; Tuesday 9:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

breasts, tattoos and lawyers: a retrospective

Back in May, we featured the first of our random work updates. Part exhibitionism, part catharsis, it's a chance for us to show you (well, you, in the plural sense, being collective members of the Erie-blogging community) what we actually do for a living. And what we're proud to call our very own.

Last time, we featured the first in a series of newspaper ads for Dr. Gunnar Bergqvist, the local plastic surgeon. As pictured here:

As you can see, this ad deals with breast cancer and the positive outcomes associated with reconstructive plastic surgery. Not quite your typical superficial nip/tuck fare. But then again, Gunnar's not your typical plastic surgeon. Below, you'll find subsequent ads that have run in the series so far. You'll also find a billboard execution that many of you have probably rubbernecked on your way across town. (Sorry 'bout the printer's marks on some of these...)


And for all of you Bayfront Highway travelers, here's to discovering New Hope... and hopefully a commute home without any lane closures and/or significant construction delays.

Here are some print ads that aren't necessarily new, let's consider them new-ish, for the law firm of MacDonald, Illig, Jones & Britton LLP. There's actually a whole slew of these, but since they've only run in the Manufacturers' Association business magazine, I figured most of you haven't seen them. Then again, I could be wrong.



There's a bunch more stuff, but I need to get back to work. C-ya!

Baba Booey's Doppleganger on People's Court

So we're chowing down on some Quizno's yesterday at lunch, watching some People's Court and harassing Melissa about, well, about being Melissa, when who should appear but Fafa Fooey's twin brother from another mother, complete with 80's era 'stache and hair.

Check it.

For the uninformed, Baba Booey, aka Gary Dell'Abate, is the long-time producer of the Howard Stern Show. Jamie sent the above link to the Stern Show for their viewing pleasure. We're hoping to get some props on air in the coming weeks.

But even if you don't see the resemblance—which, by the way, is indisputable—or if you don't care about all things Howard Stern, the beauty is in the way-too-short-but-hilarious Q&A after the court proceedings:

Question: "What's the hardest part about being you?"

Wait for it.... wait for it....

Answer: "Mustache."

That's all I've got, people. It's Friday.

Recycle your e-Waste on the 23rd

Saturday, June 23, 2007
e-Waste Recycling Event
General McLane High School, Edinboro

Free and open to all Erie County residents, this e-Waste Recycling Event will offer collection between the hours of 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Typical electronic items county residents may bring for proper disposal include televisions, microwaves, computers and peripherals, VCRs, telephones, stereos and tape players.

Any type of electronic equipment that has been improperly disposed of is considered to be e-Waste. Such waste may contain hazardous materials such as lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium. These toxics pose no problems when properly contained in the equipment. However, when thrown away with other household garbage, the hazardous materials can become airborne or leak into the ground and contaminate drinking water as well as cause other environmental and health hazards.

When recycled, the electronic equipment is taken apart and plastics and glass components are turned into new products and reused. Precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum and palladium are also removed and recycled. In fact, a recent ECRP-sponsored e-Waste collection event netted 16,373 pounds of electronics to be recycled alone. County residents brought 67 televisions, 249 computers, 92 printers and fax machines, 35 VCRs, 22 telephones and 72 other electronic items.

Each e-Waste Recycling Event is limited to 250 participants and pre-registration is required. County residents may contact the Erie County Recycling Program at (814) 425-7773 to register or for more information.

Random Work Update Numero Uno

Since Miranda, our summer intern, was cut down in her prime by the evil academia, I guess it's my duty to write something blog-worthy. Let me tell you, however, that the injustice that has befallen her will not go quietly into the night.

We shall smite thee, oh-mighty-scholars-whose-craniums-are-ever-so-deeply-embedded-
within-your-own-posteriors.

Sounds kinda harsh, but hey, we're effectively depleted of our summer go-getter, er, marketing apprentice. See ya in '08, Miranda.

Anyway, back to the random work update. I thought it would be a good opportunity to let y'all know what we've been up to as of late. Let the amazement begin.

First off, we're proud to announce that we recently won a prized piece of national print work from one of our favorite clients, DAD'S Pet Care. It's an FSI for their various premium dog treats that will be inserted into Sunday papers across the nation this coming summer. Yay, us.


We've been working with the folks at Hamot to help promote their outstanding Physician Network. We've created some TV, some print, some radio and some billboards around town. We also went a more non-traditional route to help spread the be you. be healthy. message. If you've been inside one of the hospital's elevators recently, you'll know what I mean. If not, allow me to illuminate you via the magical .jpg:

(please note, the line in the middle of the graphic represents where the elevator doors meet)

He's not Dr. 90210, but I guess you could say Dr. Gunnar Bergqvist is a celebrity in his own right. He's one of the most heralded plastic surgeons in our area, and we've been lucky enough to begin a working relationship with him as well. We're in the midst of a new branding campaign for Gunnar, and below is the first of several newspaper ads in development. Actually, this ad ran a few weeks back in the Erie Times Sunday Living Section, and then the following Thursday on the back cover of Showcase. On a personal note, I can't wait for my calf implants to get here.


Oh, here's a fun little billboard we just did for the Quinn Law Firm's personal injury team.


On to other notes of interest:

We're finishing up a direct mail piece for Time Warner Cable in Dallas. This will be sent to a little over 300,000 households throughout North Texas.

We're currently in development of websites for C&J Industries in Meadville, PHB, Custom Engineering, Lamjen and Venango Machine.

We're putting the finishing touches on corporate ID and brochure for Willowbrook Employment Services, Inc.

There's a bunch of other stuff, too, like TV that's running for Community Health Net and the Erie County Recycling Program. Oh, and we're waiting to hear back from proposals we sent to the Erie Philharmonic, the Junior League of Erie and RailPower. Fingers & toes crossed.

Ok, I'm done. Tonight's the Hip show. Gotta go.

newbie's teaser

Hello Kelly and to all. Everyone at fishtank has been so nice and helpful to me and I appreciate it. But I must say goodbye before my actual time is up. I have been victimized by the "man" aka my educational institution, and academic advisors. Ohh how helpful they are...let me further explain...months ago I was told I was going to get credit if I participated in an internship at fishtank creative...well two weeks after that I was told that I would not get credit b/c I’m a junior...obviously I was livid, but sticking to my word I came to fishtank. Telling everyone here that I would not get credit. They tried to fight for me...and after their efforts (thank you Jamie and Mike) I could get credit, but it would not count towards credits I need to graduate, and I’m not giving the "man" any more money than I have to, so I’m out like a fat girl in dodge ball. No sad eyes please...I will be back in summer of 2008...ahhh.... I promise to be better than ever...so I wish everyone a good, fun and safe summer...thank you doesn't explain my gratitude. So eat a bagel and be happy : )

Monday (newbie intern report)

Hey, how you doing?

Before we get too personal, let me introduce myself, my name is Miranda and I'm privileged to be the newest intern at fishtank creative. I'm a Gannon University student, and will one-day graduate, maybe before the turn of the next century. I'm only kidding. I love school and value the education I'm receiving and hope to add to those lessons this summer.

The first day, oh my, it can be nerve racking and over-whelming, but everyone has been really nice and welcoming. I appreciate the kindness and fun spirits of everyone in the office. The Monday morning meeting was a nice way for me to meet the crew and get informed on all that is going on, and where I could be helpful. Sweet big girl work or actual meaningful tasks not pointless problems in the back of a boring textbook.

The workload was not overwhelming, but interesting and I really like how the whole operation is ran. I have a funny feeling that my summer in the ‘tank will be educational, challenging and result in a lot of fond memories.

A stereotypical white collar and blue tie agency is not where I wanted to be. So, I was relieved to experience and witness the cool and creative environment that is fishtank creative. Everyone is friends, and I have already begun to bond. Missy and I had fun over lunch chatting about our wonderful relationships, and Cinderella dreams. Aww icky girl stuff, I love it!

I’m looking forward to getting to know everybody, and reading what everybody has to say about my thoughts.

Catch you all on the flip side.

so long, farewell...

Well, it's about that time... time to post my last blog as intern here at fishtank. I'm sitting at my desk, just kind of reflecting on all that's happened over the past 3 months. It'll definitely be weird to not come back here Friday... next week, too. It's really sad! :( It's raining, too, which doesn't help the mood...
When thinking about all I did here, I would have to say going out on commercial shoots was my highlight. I loved getting to see things from a behind the camera perspective. To see these commercials on television now is really sweet because I know I was there at that very second they were being filmed. I love my film classes at school so this was definitely at the top for me. I'm also very thankful I was given opportunities to come up with my own creative and to get feedback that really pushed me to think in different ways... to think more creatively. I enjoyed being challenged and getting to see how ads and various other things are created. I was not aware all that went into advertising until actually experiencing it. Everything I did here as an intern I learned from, no matter how small or how big. I'll definitely take it all with me, that's for sure.
I want to wrap up by thanking everyone at the 'tank for making my time here a great one. Thank you Jamie for giving me this opportunity, thank you Mike and Missy for keeping me involved and pushing me to think in different ways, and thanks to Lou, Jim, and everyone else for taking me in and making me feel at ease. I'm going to take what I've learned with me to whatever lies beyond graduation... hopefully something good. :) I might drop by here from time to time to leave a comment or 2, let you guys know what I'm up to. :) Good luck with all your future work and thank you again! I'll miss you guys!

One last time... peace! :)

i'm Hip to that

The wife and I caught the Tragically Hip at the House of Blues in Cleveland a couple Saturdays past. Great show, although the ride home was treacherous due to an early spring snowstorm. For those of you who've got tix to the upcoming Warner show, here's the set list from Cleveland in anticipation of all things Hip: 1: In View 2: New Orleans Is Sinking 3: The Drop-Off 4: Daredevil 5: Family Band 6: Ahead By A Century 7: Yer Not The Ocean 8: Nautical Disaster 9: Chagrin Falls 10: World Container 11: Fireworks 12: At The Hundredth Meridian 13: The Last Of The Unplucked Gems 14: Gift Shop 15: Fly 16: Bobcaygeon 17: The Lonely End Of The Rink 18: Blow At High Dough 19: Emperor Penguin 20: The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald 21: Fully Completely

Coming Up On the End...

Well, this is going to be my second to last blog as an intern here at fishtank creative. It's so crazy to think that next week will be my last. I have my internship presentation and paper due that following week, then finals, sr week, and finishing with graduation. I don't think it'll hit me that it's the end until that very last week I'll be spending in Erie. It's scary to think I won't be a "student" anymore...
This week has been kind of chill. I've been spending a lot of time on my internship paper and getting my poster together. We have to present on May 2 to all of the Communications professors as well as Comm. juniors. It's a little scary to think about, I'm not big on talking in front of a large group of people. However, it has to be done in order to graduate, so I can suck it up. :) Thank goodness the presentations have a maximum time of 5 minutes, which I can handle.
The weather has certainly taken a turn for the better and it's so sunny! I would be happier if it were about 15 degrees warmer, but this is a good start. I'll definitely be enjoying my weekend, I hope you enjoy yours! Have a good one, peace.

Recycle your e-Waste. Event schedule released.

The Erie County Recycling Program, under the direction of Erie County Executive Mark A. DiVecchio, today officially announces the 2007 spring/summer e-Waste Recycling Event schedule:

Saturday, April 28—North East Township Building, North East
Saturday, May 19—JoAnna Connell Elementary School, Erie
Saturday, June 9—Iroquois High School, Erie
Saturday, June 23—General McLane High School, Edinboro

Free and open to all Erie County residents, each e-Waste Recycling Event will offer collection between the hours of 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Typical electronic items county residents may bring for proper disposal include televisions, microwaves, computers and peripherals, VCRs, telephones, stereos and tape players.

“Waste related to the disposal of electronics is a growing problem,” said Mr. DiVecchio. “By participating in these e-cycling events, Erie County residents are helping to conserve landfill space and ensure that dangerous toxins are disposed of properly.”

Any type of electronic equipment that has been improperly disposed of is considered to be e-Waste. Such waste may contain hazardous materials such as lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium. These toxics pose no problems when properly contained in the equipment. However, when thrown away with other household garbage, the hazardous materials can become airborne or leak into the ground and contaminate drinking water as well as cause other environmental and health hazards.

When recycled, the electronic equipment is taken apart and plastics and glass components are turned into new products and reused. Precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum and palladium are also removed and recycled. In fact, a recent ECRP-sponsored e-Waste collection event netted 16,373 pounds of electronics to be recycled alone. County residents brought 67 televisions, 249 computers, 92 printers and fax machines, 35 VCRs, 22 telephones and 72 other electronic items.

Each e-Waste Recycling Event is limited to 250 participants and pre-registration is required. County residents may contact the Erie County Recycling Program at (814) 425-7773 to register or click to www.eriecountyrecycling.com for more information.



—It looks like the fishtank creative Apple Macintosh Museum located in the basement of our office will be closing its doors soon. The Mac Classic will remain on my bookshelf though, it makes a great paper weight.

City Life is the Good Life

Well, I'm back and trying to get into my normal routine. It's been hard. NYC was great and we definitely packed in as much as you can in 3 days. Here's a lil' recap.

Thursday: Headed over to NBC for the studio tour. We saw the Dateline, Nightly News and Saturday Night Live studios. There were pictures everywhere of old and new casts and all the hosts which was really neat to look at. Our first celebrity sighting, Tiki Barber, took place at NBC. He walked right by our tour group. From NBC we moved on to a meeting at the Edelman PR Firm. (www.edelman.com) We sat and spoke to the company's recruiter and got a lot of information on their hiring process. Intimidating, but expected, I guess, for one of the largest PR firms in the U.S. Afterwards, we walked all over to Central Park, Radio City, Rockafeller Center, 5th Avenue, and Times Square.

Friday: Woke up craaaazy early to make it to the Today Show. We weren't close to the railing, but I got some good pictures of the back of Matt Lauer's and Meredith Viera's heads. Al Roker, too. :) Didn't make it on TV, though. From there we went on the On Location Tour. It was a bus tour of some famous spots seen in TV and movies. The highlight for me was seeing the firehouse from Ghostbusters. (Looove that movie.) It's home to Hook and Ladder 8. They had the door open and you could see the Ghostbusters sign used in the movie hanging inside. I got atleast , I don't know, a million pics. We also saw the house from The Cosby Show, the building used in Friends, and the Moonstruck Diner where Mary Jane worked in the first Spiderman, among other things. We had another celebrity sighting on the tour: Nigel Barker from America's Next Top Model. Needless to say, the girls on the bus were screaming and going crazy snapping pictures... myself included. To round out the afternoon, we moved on to Revlon where we met up with a Penn State alum who works on the financial end of things for the company. She talked a lot about what she does and her past with Revlon. It was a very quick meeting so, not much else was covered. That night a group of us went down to The Village and checked out the bars. Great night, I'll leave it at that.

Saturday: This was our free day. Myself and 2 friends headed to Ground Zero, Battery Park, Canal Street, China Town, and the Tribeca area. They're starting construction on the 9/11 memorial so there was a lot of Ground Zero that was hard to see. There was a temporary 9/11 museum set up nearby that we checked out. Very moving, there wasn't a dry eye in the place. We went and saw the Statue of Liberty from Battery Park due to lines for the ferry being rediculous. Chinatown and Canal Street followed. Let me tell you, when those street vendors think you so much as glance in their direction, they chase after you. They know how to bargain, I'll give 'em that. I also had the best Chinese food EVER that day.

Overall, it was a great time. Visiting some companies that are typical "corporate America" was something I had never experienced first hand. Definitely different than here at the 'tank. I felt very small in those buildings, if that makes sense. One thing's for sure, it will take me a solid week to catch up on my sleep. It was worth it. :)

New York, New York!

Tomorrow I leave for a 3 day excursion to New York City with fellow communications majors from Behrend. Thursday and Friday are pretty much packed with communication/marketing related things. I believe I signed up for the following: an NBC Studio tour, an On Location Tour (famous sites around the city), dinner with a Penn State alum who is in marketing, a meeting with a PR firm (not too sure on the name, but it's supposed to be on of the largest in the U.S.), and finally, LOTS of free time to roam. :) I think I'm most excited for the NBC Studio tour and the On Location tour. Maybe I'll see some celebs while we are going around Manhattan... You never know!
I've been to NYC several times and love it more each time I go. There's a certain energy when you're walking around. I'm slightly obsessed with the place. The only negative side of this trip is we're staying in The Meadowlands, New Jersey... a 45 minute bus ride from Times Square. That and we are taking a bus from Erie to the big apple... Soooooo that's no good, but I guess I can't really complain too much. All the free time will be great. Saturday we have until 6 pm to get all the tourist things done like the Empire State Building, Ground Zero, 5th Avenue, etc. I'm hoping we'll get to Chinatown and some of my favorite restaurants. For anyone that has been to the city, have you ever heard of Serendipity 3? The movie Serendipity with John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale kind of centers around this restaurant. BEST deserts EVER. I recommend the frozen hot chocolate, but make sure you have atleast 3 other people with you because it's rather large.
Alrighty, I'll be back Monday to round out my last few weeks before graduation. Have a great weekend! Peace.

I'm dreaming of a white ... Easter?

Last Saturday my wife and I joined a couple of friends for a trip out to Vegas for four days where the weather never dipped below 80 during the daytime. Today, I'm hoping that I don't have to get my snowblower out after putting it away for the season a couple of weeks ago. Honestly, enough is enough already.

Back to Vegas. I'll sum the trip up really quick for you: Wheel of Fortune Slots, pool (drink), nap, dinner (drink), get my ass kicked at blackjack (drink), club (drink), go to bed and repeat 3 more times.

No celeb sightings, not even a glimpse of any of the dudes that work at Hart and Huntington on the show "Inked." Ghostbar on top of the Palms was cool and after being there, I promise, I will never complain about the cost of a drink in Erie again ... ever.

Back to the grind on Monday(drink).

Can't wait. That's sarcasm people. I should have Mike do my job for at least one more week.

Happy Easter, Early

Easter 2007 is upon us and since I will be traveling to Pittsburgh tomorrow for the holiday, I'm posting my blog a little early. I'll be staying with my roomie, Alexis, since it is a long 6 hour drive back to good ol' Hershey. There's really no point to drive that far for the weekend. Well, there is, but I'm too lazy to drive that much.
This week I've assisted in digging around for some photos. Not as easy as you think! I found some pretty cool ones along the way, though. Oh and this week is supposed to be when we get some April snow. Ok, I'm sorry, snow is nice and all around the winter holidays, but in April?! I don't think so. It's spring, time to get warm! 25 degree weather doesn't work for me anymore. I'm sick of jackets!
Ok, enough ranting/complaining. Not like it'll change anything... Ok, I just wanted to wish everyone a wonderful Easter weekend. So, have a wonderful Easter weekend! Peace.

MUTEMATH CONTINUES...

So in my earlier blog, I was having troubles uploading my personal video from a live performance of MUTEMATH to our blog. (from my camera thank you very much!) Well with the help of Lou and Carrie, I am able to provide you with it!!

(i am sooo excited!)

This is my favorite song...it's called "Noticed" and then the video continues in another song called "Break the Same". I didn't record the whole thing though because my arms were hurting.

I do apologize however for the shakiness of the video. Remember peeps...on tippy toes and trying to dodge the huge heads of the many men. A girl has shaky hands...sorry.

Please enjoy my first YouTube video! It's a great one!

Click here for a MUTEMATH live performance in Cleveland.

Intern Blog: Shorty, but Goody.

Another week has gone by, and now it's time for another intern blog by yours truely. As the post below me already states, the Addy's were last Friday and I got to attend. It was a good time and of course it was nice that fishtank won a rather large amount of the awards. The free drinks were pretty sweet, too...
This week I've been coming up with my own ideas for an ACMC ad and I must say I've really enjoyed being challanged while interning here. Being told that my ideas are no good when they're no good isn't as bad as I thought. I guess I have some thick skin that I never knew I had before. It has definitely helped my creative process a bit. :) That I can say for sure.
The warmer weather is making me anxious for the summer, which is fast approaching. A month and a half and I'll be home, hunting for jobs and wishing I was still in school. Oh the joys of being a college graduate that await me.

Sorry for the shortness on this one! Have a good weekend, peace!

my kind of "Math"

Solve this word problem: A group of 3 people in a Subaru legacy leave Erie, PA at 5:23pm on Thursday. If the vehicle is traveling west at a speed of 70 mph for 101.26 miles, where does the the car meet its destination point?

Answer: The House of Blues for MUTEMATH!!!!!!

Last night, my cousin Stephanie, my brother and I went to go see one of our favorite bands MUTEMATH. Most of you are thinking... "Mute.. who?????" Yes, I thought the same thing when my cousin Ashley raved about them in Florida. I can not remotely explain the genre of the band. It's not "poppy" by any means...but its not even hard core alternative rock. It is a combination of all different kinds of music and instruments (some homemade), that produces this amazing sound like no other!!! And every member can play anything...they literally "jump" from instrument to instrument (or throw the dang thing).

I mean, they brought back the "Key-tar" for pete's sake! (which i love by the way)

The night started with us meeting our friend Turos at 7 for some din-din at PF Changs (for those of you who speak my language...all I have to say is "LETTUCE WRAPS!!" and you know what I am talking about!). The doors at the House of Blues opened at 9pm and the show kicked off around 9:30.

There were two opening bands before MUTEMATH performed. The first one... if I can remember...was called...oh yeah..."please go back to st. louis missouri, because you suck!!" It's a replicable name don't ya think?

So after a disappointing first act, I was sketched out and getting really irritated (one of the reasons being that I am 5'4" and all the men in front of me were 6ft. or taller and I couldn't see anything...i mean what the heck are they feeding these boys in cleveland). The Cinematics, who went second, were awesome. Very good band...so please google them when you have the time and show some love (they are along the lines of sounding like "the killers").

Then the gates of heaven opened up at 11:37pm when MUTEMATH came on the stage. Nothing but funky lights, great sound, and a good time for an hour! The lead singer is amazing live and his voice reminds me of Sting. They were finished at 12:45am, and it was worth every penny. There will never be a time again where you can get tickets for MUTEMATH for $12 a piece.

Oh yeah...funny coincidence...the last song during the intermission right before MUTEMATH came on was that Wolfmother song. (just look down two blog posts and the light bulb should click)

I had the chance to record my fav MUTEMATH song called "Noticed" last night on my camera...but I am having troubles uploading it. I think the file is too big.

Below is the first single/video that just came out.

Typical

Enjoy!

And I would like to thank my brother for blasting the air conditioning and stereo the whole ride home, so I could not sleep in the car! I felt really rested this morning let me tell you!

Keep an eye out for my MUTEMATH updates. Maybe soon I can get some Live stuff to ya!
-missy

I don't know how to put this, but, we're kind of a big deal.

So the 37th Annual Erie Advertising Club ADDY® Awards took place at the Metropolitan Dance Club on Friday night. Pictured above are a few of my esteemed colleagues as well as a couple of our favorite clients.

The ADDY Awards ceremony is the first of a three-tiered national competition conducted annually by the American Advertising Federation (AAF). The ADDY Awards Competition is the industry's largest and most representative competition for creative excellence.

That being said, we took home top honors (AKA, Best of Show) for the fifth time in the last six years and the sixth time overall during the past nine years. It's akin to winning Best Picture at the Oscars, only without all the overblown hype and media frenzy. We did, however, get to fully enjoy the open bar.

This year, we were awarded Best of Show for "Go. Downtown."—a series of 15-second TV commercials we shot and edited in-house for EMTA's new Bay Liner Trolley service. You can peruse one of the winning spots here. And the next time you're downtown, jump on board one of the trolleys. After all, they're free.

Kudos to Christine Yamrick and the rest of the Ad Club board who put on quite an event. It was probably one of the best ADDY Awards in years. Although, if there's one negative I can vividly recall, it was the ever-so-tightly costumed Spiderman and the unfortunate appearance of what will henceforth be described simply as his "package of Rollos." (As the theme of this year's event was Creative Superheroes, so enters the guy in the revealing Spidey outfit.)

I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the agencies/creatives who submitted their work this year. And also send a special belated shout out to Ed Bernik and the folks at Forest Press who took home Best of Show honors a year ago.

For those of you who were there, just remember one thing: Save the creative. Save the world.

It's Been A While...

Hello! A couple weeks have passed since my last blog because I was off enjoying my last spring break EVER... crap. Anyways, I thought I'd just mention what I was up to while I was gone. March 9th I endured the 6 hour drive home while sick. Not fun. There, I spent the first half of my break in bed with soup. Even more not fun, but still better than going to classes.
Midweek, a few of my friends and I flew to Chicago for a few days. A lot of walking, eating, drinking, shopping, and driving went on and everyone had a great time. I got to find out why it's called "The Windy City" as I practically had my jacket ripped off my back a few times. The Sears Tower was the highlight even though I hate heights. The tallest buidling I had been inside of before that was the Empire State Building in NYC so this was definitely a lot different. It ended up being worth it and I got some pretty amazing pictures of the city and Lake Michigan. Overall, Chicago was very exciting and I'm dying to go back. It did feel like it went by too fast, but a lot was accomplished in a short amount of time. Oh spring break, how I'll miss you!

Being back is nice, mostly because I now have less than 2 months until graduation! It's also good to get back into the normal daily routine. I felt thrown off for a while. Today, I helped brainstorm some ideas for Erie County Recycling and then Friday I will be attending the Addy's with the crew here at the 'tank. I'm looking forward to checking that out and seeing what it's all about. Also, to enjoy the free drinks. I'll write about what all went on there next Friday so, I'll say now to have a good weekend and peace!

of wolf and men

Jamie and I ventured out to Cleveland last night to see Wolfmother at the Agora Theatre. The show was excellent. Note the grainy cell-cam pic above. We invited a certain someone (Damon), but that certain someone declined. Loo-hoo-ser.

After a pretty lame opening act, Wolfmother came on stage around 9:30 and played non-stop for about an hour and a half, took a short break, then came back and played for about another 30 minutes. Jamie tried to get the set list from the soundboard guy, but was denied.

Fast-forward to this morning. I feel like someone kicked me in the head repeatedly, paused, admired his or her work, and then commenced with more kicking. Great way to start the week. Anyway, tix to the concert only cost $20, but they were selling T-shirts for $30. WTF? I opted to go the cheaper route, and buy one for $10 after the show from a very nice man who had a bunch of merchandise tucked down the front of his pants. I realized about 10 minutes into the ride home that the shirt wasn't even from this tour. Sucka.

Happy Monday. Wake me when it's over.

Getting to Know Me, Getting to Know All About Me...

Ah, the end of the week is finally here. The craziness of Friday is starting to get to everyone, but then again who doesn't get a little restless at this time of day/week? So, to join in, this post is going to be a kind of random, questionnaire type thing. Something fun, like a 50 questions... only not 50 questions. I want to start with my initial thoughts back when I first began my internship here at the 'tank. My very first expectations and what I have come to learn while interning here.

The place: Before I had ever been inside fishtank creative, I had this picture of an office building with cubicles inside. I know, stereotypical of a workplace, but that's what I thought. When I came in for my meeting in the Fall, I was surprised, but also relieved. It relaxed me a lot to come into... well, a vibrantly colored former frat house. Cool, huh?

The people: I was very nervous to come in and interview for an intern position. I had pictured in my mind everyone wearing business suits, being very firm and strict. I was quick to learn that fishtank is definitely not in that realm, which turns out to be a very good thing. Everyone here gets down to business when things need to get done, but they also know that having fun is part of what keeps any job interesting and enjoyable. Right down to being able to wear comfortable clothes, which I love.

The atmosphere: As I said before, when projects need to be done, they are done with the utmost dedication. Things can get crazy, but at the same time it's fun. Just by reading fishtank's blog, anyone can see that. Everyone here gets along and have great relationships with one another which shows in the quality of work. I definitely feel that the fact that we are a smaller advertising agency works as a positive because everyone gets to work together. It seems that with a big corporate agency, you wouldn't have the chance to have that level of closeness with fellow employees. You might not even know who some people are! Can't have that.

Now for a little bit about moi because sometimes I like to talk about myself. Also, just in case anyone was wondering what some of my favorite things are.
Name: Whitney
Age: 21
Hometown: Hershey
Major, Year: comm/media studies, senior
School: Penn State Behrend
Fav. Color(s): purple, red, black
Fav. Food(s): spaghetti, quesadillas
Fav. Drink(s): Miller Lite, frappuccinos
Fav. TV Show(s): Lost, Heroes, Entourage, Grey's
Hobbies: learning guitar, seeing live shows...
I Hate: spiders, large amounts of snow
Fav. Restaurant: House of Blues
Fav. Place: NYC
2 Random Facts: I was a swimmer for 14 years and I hate cheese by itself.

Yea, that was fun. :) Have a great weekend... peace!

all these commercials won't watch themselves

The past few weeks have been a virtual blur. We've been out on-location shooting TV commercials like they're going out of style. Like early this morning, for instance. In the freezing cold rain/snow/wintery mix that makes the Erie outdoors so, so enjoyable.

The rest of this week is no different—next week either—with the addition of two long-format videos in the mix. All I can say is that our editing equipment is getting a workout of gargantuan proportions. That's why I love this biz, though... it's actually fun to go to work. How many people can say that with a straight face?

Tomorrow, we're taking a short break from production and meeting with a director/director of photography from the New York area. In addition to directing regional spots and a national documentary about the Marines (which, incidentally, aired on PBS last week), he's also worked as a technician on over 30 feature films, including Hoffa, The Shawshank Redemption, Lorenzo's Oil and my personal favorite (those aren't pillows) Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. Now if I can only get me some John Candy memorabilia.

Back to the TV spots currently in production. As soon as they're approved and ready to go, you'll see them here first. A sneak preview, if you will. So stay tuned.

Oh, and if you're visiting the new casino this week, don't gamble all of your money away. Seriously.
(a public service message from the fine folks at fishtank creative)

Intern on the Move...

This week I was definitly out and about a lot. Wednesday and today I went along to 2 shoots for a Hamot commercial. Both had great shots that I know will turn out to look really good. On Wednesday we were at Mike's shooting scenes with Mary. She had a few different shots to participate in. One in particular will have words appear as she opens and closes her laptop. (Very cool.) Today was at a local gym where Mike's friend Jeff participated. As he bench presses, words will appear as the bar moves up and down. Same idea as with Mary and her laptop, just shot differently. (Again, very cool.)
Being in that gym only reminded me how out of shape I am. I couldn't even lift the bench press bar! (It was so much heavier than ones I've had to use... at least in my mind it was.) Oh well, being a lazy bum suits me pretty well, I think. Sorry this is a brief post, but I need to start my weekend, as does everyone else. :) Have a good one! Peace.

Intern Update Again!

T.G.I.F.!!

Another Friday here at the 'tank. When will this weather ever change? If I never see snow again, I seriously won't mind. Anyways, this week was pretty chill and calm for me. I assisted Missy in some more market research for which I had to look up admissions directors for Florida and Ohio colleges and universities. On Tuesday I sat in on a meeting with everyone to go over what needs to get done in the near future. Listening to their planning processes and how they get organized was interesting. There's a big project coming up so I'm sure everyone will be quite busy over the next week.
Well, that about sums up my week! I'll see you guys next Friday... peace.

Intern Update!

It's the end of week #3, time for an update. I know I've been complaining about the temperature a lot, but I want to get one more in... I wish it was spring already!!! And I'm good. This week I got to go on 2 more shoots for the Community Health Net commercial. For the first one we shot in the gym at St. Peter's. Rokey was really nice and patient and did a great job. The coolest part, I thought, was the shot of him on this revolving platform Jamie and Mike put together. It's hard to explain, you'll understand when you guys see the commercial. I'm anxious to see how that turned out.

The second shoot was at a laundromat and featured Missy's friend Kelly. The glaring sun and the small amount of space available were challenges, but everything worked out in the end. ABOVE are pics from that shoot as well as some from another shoot at Mike's house. These featured an elderly couple and his neighbor. Stella, Mike's dog, had to be included in this blog because she's so darn cute!

PS: I'm not too smart when it comes to uploading pics, so they're going to come up first... in reverse order. Sorry! Have a great weekend and stay warm! Peace.

What to do when you're waiting at the airport.

Well, for one U.S. based high-end ornament company, they used their time to call Hanes Erie, Inc. after they saw their full page ad in the latest U.S. Airways Magazine.

We created the ad in early December and Art Becker did the photography. Even though Hanes said they would be happy if they got one new client from the ad, we set our sights on many more than that.

If only 6 days into it they already started receiving calls, I would say our predictions could hold true.