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 :-)