SHOWTIME Launches “Inside NASCAR” with Promotional Support from We Are Plus

The brand movement specialists at strategic creative ideas studio We Are Plus (www.weareplus.com) are very proud to detail their latest project, the complete graphics package, including main titles and launch spot, for premium television’s first weekly highlights and analysis program dedicated to America’s number one spectator sport, the new SHOWTIME® series, “Inside NASCAR.” Produced in association with NASCAR Media Group, the new series premiered on February 10 on SHOWTIME®, and will run for 38 weeks, corresponding with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. Read more

Among many people I’m thankful for, my big brother Scott

We’re taking off to go spend some quality time with our families in the St. Louis and Milwaukee areas over the days ahead, and I thought I’d make a quick nod to one of the people I’m most thankful for, my big brother, Scott Darnell. Scott and his partner David Gotter established a company in 2003 named Further OPTIONS, as a developer of innovative mobility systems for wheelchair-bound individuals. After debuting its first product at the 2006 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, the company’s Patent-pending DMS-4 was unveiled at the 2009 National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association Annual Conference, where it was honored by NMEDA and the Adaptive Driving Alliance with their 2009 New Technology Award for Innovation in Engineering and Technology for the physically challenged. Read more

MVP of Communications: Your friend, Twitter

Most of my friends are well aware that I spent a couple of days last week at this year’s Boards Summit conference in New York. The publishers and editors of Boards Magazine have been producing this event for 10 years now, to support and help lead people from all points around the globe who are actively involved in the commercial production industry, and other sectors directly engaged in creating breakthrough marketing initiatives. The organizers outdid themselves this year, at a time when changes are playing out faster than ever, requiring us all to rethink, revisit, and then redouble efforts to seize any potentially viable opportunities, even those where there is little or no expectation of profit. Read more

Heroes of heroes: Damion Clayton

My formal studies into the amazing artform of the music video began in 1981, when MTV first appeared. I was 15. Soon, I’d watched so many that I was dreaming them… and since then, hearing great music has always triggered MTV-inspired cinematic visions. Today, my studies continue, and I consider myself very lucky to have crossed paths with many masters in this field, each of whom is a hero to a director who has made something I’ve seen on television and loved, for one reason or another. Damion Clayton, editor at Rock Paper Scissors, is one of those heroes. Read more

I’m all about learning, friending at the 2009 Boards Summit

Calendar year 2009 has been a constant challenge for me, and I consider myself very lucky compared with many I know who are facing difficult times. My thoughts remain with them as I carry on daily in what is truly my dream job, and while I’m hoping things will get easier for everyone who’s struggling, I’m also doing more to benefit others. Through this process, I’m finding that strengthening myself and my capabilities is impacting a growing circle of friends and colleagues. A large share of my business now occurs within the commercial production industry. Read more

Proven social media marketing strategies, tactics and breakthrough ideas for the ad and film industries

This week I had the pleasure of attending a webinar entitled, “Tweet this! Using Twitter and Social Media to Promote your Project and Yourself,” which was organized and moderated for StudioDaily.com by Film & Video Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Bryant Frazer (@bryantfrazer), and featured Mike Monello (@mikemonello), co-founder and executive creative director at Campfire Media and co-producer of “The Blair Witch Project,” Erik Proulx (@eproulx), freelance creative director, copywriter, employment activist, social entrepreneur at Please Feed the Animals, and director of the short documentary film, “Lemonade,” Ian Schafer (@ischafer), CEO of Deep Focus, and Paul Klinke and Tobin Nageotte (@37click), co-founders of thirtysevenclick, and producers of the independent comedic short “Moustachette.” Read more

We Are Plus relaunches, drives positive brand movement worldwide

Since first launching Plus et Plus in New York City in 2002, company founder Jeremy Hollister, his co-creative director Judy Wellfare, projects director Zu Al-Kadiri and their colleagues have built a reputation as a go-to company for fashion brands seeking to create sexy, marketing-savvy visual content for high-profile promotional uses ranging from live and in-store events to online, offline and traditional broadcast marketing campaigns. Recently relaunched as We Are Plus, over the past several months the company has delivered innovative projects for AMC, Shu Uemura Cosmetics, and Kidrobot, among many others. Read more

Behind the lens with ATTIK’s Simon Needham

As the co-founder of global creative agency ATTIK, and the creative director for ATTIK U.S., Simon Needham has already made an impressive impact on the marketing industry. ATTIK recently published NoiseFive, the latest of its self-guided, experimental, collectible design publications, and with each passing day, Simon continues to innovate alongside the world’s premier marketers — and the extremely talented artisans and craftspeople working with or within ATTIK on its latest campaigns. Read more

A ray of hope from Levi’s and Walt Whitman, courtesy of Wieden+Kennedy

Since the world we live in is constantly changing, I guess it’s pretty easy to feel that anything from ‘yesterday’ is irrelevent. I recently read a critique of one of my clients’ latest ad campaigns, where the facets included a couple of really cool and interesting microsites. The critical comment said, “Microsites are so five minutes ago.” It made me think, my how some people love to hear themselves talk, even when their words make no sense. Earlier this month, Wieden+Kennedy Portland launched an arguably fascinating initiative for Levi’s called the GoForth campaign, which features the “America” spot I’ve embedded above. Read more

Stardust Studios… going places!

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