Why? Never occurred to me to ask. This was one of those moments that common sense questions like that take a back seat to the big questions of: "What's it like in The Admiral's Club?" -- visions of caviar and models laughing beautifully at inane jokes were too busy zipping through my mind to allow any clear cognitive functions. We scrambled, searching our wallets and purses like kids looking for the elusive golden ticket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It didn't look promising until I, of all people, the Creative guy, pulled a Platinum American Express card from my wallet. I was as surprised as everyone else (and to be honest, I think some of their surprise was a little over the top). In fact, the boss was a little more than skeptical, and had the COO double check that it was indeed a Platinum American Express card (weird I know, since it's silver and says Platinum American Express card right on it).

We were in. You could almost smell the caviar and expensive perfume as our troupe tore down the airport corridors searching for the elusive entrance. And then, we were there. The door to paradise. Well, not exactly -- you see, once you go through the door, it's just an antechamber off the real Admiral's Club. The only thing standing between us and paradise was a counter that looked oddly like the ticketing agent's counters where you check your bags before a flight, with a hard looking woman who obviously was there to protect The Admiral's Club brand from anyone who didn't truly belong there. The six of us met up with "Bill" and walked confidently up to the counter to gain the entry that we all so richly deserved.

She asked for the golden ticket.

I stepped to the front of the group like the Donald Trump I felt I was and drew out the process of pulling my card from my wallet (how often do you get to really be the hero to your workmates?). I presented the American Express Platinum card to her and waited expectantly for her to declare my worthiness of righteous entry into The Admiral's Club. Doors would open, trumpets would sound, doves would be released and angels would sing. In short, it was gonna be awesome. But then something unexpected happened. She paused (I also think there was a hint of superior judgment, but I have no real proof), looked at the card with a wary eye and reached beneath her desk. From the shadowy depths, she raised a laminated card with no fewer than a dozen images of Platinum American Express cards on it, held it up for all to see and declared that my card wasn't "on the list". As I frantically grasped at my dissipating visions of models and caviar, I heard fragments of her awkward pronouncement that "not all Platinum American Express cards qualify," and "can't allow you entry" and "I'm sorry, maybe you can use one of the gates to sit at."

Note to all who hope to gain entry to the worlds beyond our grasp. The Costco American Express Platinum card will not get you there. But, it does give a cash-back bonus at the end of the year that makes all those purchases of bulk items totally worth it. At least, that's what my wife told me as consolation when I got home and shared the shameful tale with her (and don't think for a second she didn't laugh harder than anyone else ever has at the story).

And with that, you now know the inspiration behind the name of our new blog. Of course, what with trademark protections and all, we're altering our name significantly. We'll be calling it "The Admiral's Lounge." No golden ticket required, and hopefully some entertainment to be had. Probably not caviar and models, but damn it, some things just belong out of reach.

Sincerely,

Bob "Costco Platinum" Case

Not a day goes by without someone asking me for job-seeking advice. I have determined that building a career in these times is: pa•thol•o•gy. Pathology is defined as a condition that deviates from the norm.

We're in for a long ride before the word "normal" returns to the job market. Gone are so-called "safe jobs" with "safe companies." And for current and future grads, the job market is a veritable looking glass; i.e. crazy and unprecedented. In fact, some are even competing with their parents for jobs.

How do we correct this deviation and how quickly can that happen? No one knows. Well, until then make sure your job-seeking tactics deviate from the norm a bit too or you won't stand out. I see resumes every day that are bland and unremarkable. How can you differentiate yourself from the pack?

First, get Harvey Mackay's new book full of great info: Use Your Head to Get Your Foot in the Door: Job Search Secrets No One Else Will Tell You. Next, figure out who you are and what makes you unique. Knowing your strengths and then writing about them will distinguish you.

What's more, I suggest carefully analyzing the job description for which you are applying. Ask yourself if your personality resonates on your resume while also demonstrating that you have the requirements and skills necessary for the job. Research the company before you send in the resume. Use their language and respond accordingly.

My last tip is to use social networking sites to see if you know anyone who knows anyone who works there…after all, isn't that what LinkedIn.com was created for?

About Ben Smith, TLC Director of Interactive Marketing

Ben has been on the cutting edge of Arizona business and technology since 1985, with many roles in both the public and private sector. Previously, his role as Director of Operations for a multi-million-dollar consulting firm had him managing engineering, programming and R&D teams for a variety of enterprise clients across the country. Ben's business operations, coupled with technical experience, offer clients a unique perspective on long-range planning, design and project planning. He attended the University of Arizona, and is proud father of three.

Don't you hate when people talk during the movies? Nothing gets under my skin faster. I'll be the first to turn around for a quick "shush." If that doesn't work, they just might get a lap full of the hot-buttered concessions. Still, I couldn't help myself as I sat in a theater back in 2003 watching Lost in Translation -- Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson do Tokyo. I remember turning to my girlfriend (now my wife) and saying, "Oh, we gotta go there." A few minutes later, "This place is like no place I've ever been." Halfway into the next act, "This is the perfect Japanese travel commercial." Then she "shushed" me.

Ever since that film, I have been fascinated with how different Japanese culture appears to be from our own. I still haven't visited the country (it ain't cheap), but I and a few of my co-workers just had what could be the next best experience. We just finished shooting a commercial for Phiten, our first Japanese client.

What the heck is Phiten? It's what one third of major league baseball players wear around their necks. It's a cloth necklace infused with titanium, which helps balance your negative and positive ions. This enhances energy and quickens the healing process. Athletes, both Japanese and American, can't get enough of the stuff.

Fortunately for us, Phiten was a fan of our sports marketing work (NBA, D-backs, Suns, ASU, Phoenix International Raceway) and wanted to see what we could do for them. Half of me was, sure, bring it on. Great product, adored by athletes everywhere. Other half was, ahhh, we don't know the first thing about working with the Japanese. Their culture is different, their language is different. I saw Lost in Translation, I know.

There was no time to learn the language. Their culture and traditions would also have to wait. Any advice we got on do's and don'ts came from Google. We were on our own. We would do the best work we know how and present it with as much enthusiasm and respect as we could muster.

So what was it like? Any cultural rifts? Did we bump heads when we bowed? You know what, my wariness could not have been less justified. We filmed the spot with Josh Beckett of the Boston Red Sox and the Phiten crew in Ft. Myers, Fla. during spring training a couple of weeks back. It was a great experience. Sure there were differences -- I had never encountered this level of politeness and courtesy. Not that they were afraid to express their opinion, but they would convey it in the most tactful, respectful manner possible.

Why were our differences more subtle than profound? It was clear the Phiten team narrowed the gap by taking the time to study our culture, our language. Could that be out of politeness and respect? Absolutely. They were pleasure to work with. And they were fun during down times. Together, we made what I think is a compelling spot.

Any lessons learned? Not to be so quick to dump popcorn on the guy behind me.

Well...

It's official.

We're working really hard these days.

Perhaps a little too hard.

That's right folks. THE L VIDGE COMPANY has evidently worked it's little "A" right off.

But where did it go, you ask?

Hmm.

Sounds like a mystery... And maybe even something of a contest.

Visit our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/LavidgeCompany) to learn all the details about a little fun we're going to have with our absent vowel and a little thing we here at the agency like to call social media. You may be eligible for prizes and we invite you to get involved in the fun.

H ppy Wednesday!

The Lavidge Company has a tradition of celebrating the return of 115-degree days with a summer party each year. A chance for the agency to celebrate its employees and enjoy one another's company for an afternoon.

Or at least, that's what we used to do.

This year was a little different. You see, we're a fairly competitive bunch. Creative too. And we enjoy a good laugh.

So. This year's fun committee (yep, that's right, we even dedicate a group to continue raising the bar of fun) came up with a brilliant event that celebrated all of our agency strengths.

Can you say Lavilympics?

Here was the setup:

Divide the agency into 4 "countries" -- each tasked with naming their country, choosing its colors and designing a national flag. (National anthems and complex handshakes optional.)

Countries would compete in events that would emphasize competitive spirit over physical ability, with a distinct edge given to those events that would be visually entertaining (if not downright hilarious).

Being one of the newer staffers at The Lavidge Company, taking in and understanding the culture of your new employer is always a bit of an adventure. You don't know if you will fit in with your crude jokes, obscure TV watching (as in my coworker's viewing of the strangest reality TV shows, including "My Monkey Baby" and "Rebel Monkeys"), and if the corporate culture will make you excited to get into work every day. Truth is, we spend more of our waking hours with coworkers than our families, so having a great culture should be very important in looking for an employer and career.

One of my favorite items in our office is something that may be overlooked by many, but I think this small object encompasses a lot of what Lavidge stands for. As you exit our offices, there is a small whiteboard affixed to the door with a marker. Simple enough. Being surrounded by the creative geniuses that form The Lavidge Company, it is constantly filled with either a message or drawing...drawings which everyone adds to throughout the day and makes their own all while using the previous drawing to morph it into something different.

For example, one morning a monkey was greeting me as I stepped out. Yesterday featured two lines which I thought resembled a person's bottom that throughout the day was transformed to a face, and then to a ski slope with various skiers jumping -- all using the previous drawing that was left for them.

All elements of The Lavidge Company's mantra ("Be Creative. Work Smart. Have Fun.") can be found in this simple whiteboard. And I'm sure there are more "Easter eggs" hidden through the office that I have yet to find.

So, to reinforce how cool us iPhone users and our apps are (and, we are so much cooler then Android owners), I give you The Lavidge IT Guys' top 5 iPhone apps.

1. Camera+: In my opinion, probably the most solid Camera app in the app store, Camera+ adds a ton of functionality over Apple's standard camera app. The app features touch to focus, touch exposure, a ton of cool filters to edit the photo, and more.

2. 1Password: Keeping track of all the passwords I was using on the net started to become a second job. With 1Password, I was able to untangle the web of passwords I had been using and instead, use just one master password to unlock any website I logged onto. In addition to storing passwords, the app can store secure notes, software license keys and help you generate strong, hard-to-guess passwords for new sites you join.

3. Dr Seuss Books: Any iPhone owning parents understand the soothing power that an iPhone has over a cranky child in a restaurant. While I have two folders full of kid games, my daughter's favorite apps right now are the Dr. Seuss series of interactive books. Oceanhouse Media has done an amazing job of bringing classics like Green Eggs and Ham and The Cat in the Hat to the iPhone with professional voice actors reading the books, animation, and text highlighting, helping kids associate the spoken words with the written ones.

4. Star Walk: (Space geek alert). For anyone interested in astronomy, Star Walk is a must-have iPhone (or iPad) app. The app has a ton of features that can help teach you about the sky, but the coolest feature uses the iPhone's compass and accelerometer. Simply hold up the iPhone to the sky, and it overlays star charts that help you decipher what you're looking at. It can also help you find certain stars or planets by telling you which direction to point your telescope.

5. Fatbooth: Coco, one of our Massage Envy AE's (and a new iPhone 4 owner), showed me Fatbooth the other day, and I haven't been able to put it down since. The app lets you take a picture of anyone, runs the pic through some filters, and on the other side, produces a version of photo that adds about 80 lbs to the person in the shot. Trust me, hours of fun.

Bonus Pick -- Talking Tom: Talking Tom repeats anything you say in a chipmunk type voice, and honestly, you could tell me anything in this voice, and I'd start cracking up. My sister sent me this last week, and I, of course, immediately downloaded the app after watching it.

**Warning: This song WILL get stuck in your head**

So now that you have my top 5, what are some of the most used apps on your phone?

Update: Dale "The New Guy" Castro would like to take credit for introducing the agency to the time wasting app known as Fatbooth.

- VPN connection to server? Check.
- Cell phone tie in to office phone? Check.
- Seamless email connection? Check.
- Instant messenger for fire drill communication with design team? Check.
- Actual face-to-face communication with other adults? Uncheck.

It's amazing how easy it is to reconnect to everything you need to conduct a complete workday from another location. With one tiny exception. Actual conversation with your office cohorts. It's the one thing advancements in technology have yet to address, the one thing that helps get you through even the toughest deadlines, the camaraderie between co-workers.

Don't get me wrong, I love my home-office mates, but take New Bryan for example:

So, to all of you out there wishing you could work from home just like me, as I type to you from my 2' tall lime green plastic conference table, listening to the characters from Yo Gabba Gabba sing "Don't bite your friends" for the tenth time this hour... Be very careful of what you wish for.

P.S. I can't wait to see you Monday. : )

*Playdough co-workers courtesy of Finley.

Being in front of the camera can be intimidating, sometimes even more so than speaking to a live audience. Whether you are a politician or a small business owner, going through media training and preparing for interviews is vitally important. It gives you confidence when you get nervous and helps to ensure you are getting the right point across.

• Know Your Messages: Prior to any interview, determine what your important points are and ways to work them into conversation
• Keep it Short: For broadcast interviews it's all about the sound byte so keep your answers concise and noteworthy
• Picture Everyone in their Underwear: We don't actually recommend this old wives' tale, but do try to relax and remember to breathe
• Practice, Practice, Practice: The only way to get comfortable is to do it. Get out a video camera and have a friend or colleague (or PR pro) play the interviewer. Watch the tapes and critique yourself, then try it again. Before you know it, you'll feel much more prepared and at ease
• Come Relaxed: It may sound simple but get a good night's sleep, have some breakfast, take your time getting dressed and try to arrive a little early. Giving yourself that extra time will help keep you centered and less stressed

For most of us who don't get in front of the camera very often, it can be comforting to know that someone with Brewer's public speaking experience can still screw up. We are all human. Next time you watch the news, imagine you are the person being interviewed and maybe you can learn from them. But in any case, these are steps you can take to make sure your flubs aren't dissected and criticized by the national media.

Jerry cheering George on.

Bette Midler hitting the dirt.

Kramer holding her pineapple Italian Ice.

Oh, Seinfeld. How I've missed you.

If you can't recall the episode, or even side-stepped the '90s sitcom all together, it's ok--you can still play along. In fact, deep down I believe that's what Jerry and Bette Midler's dueling softball teams were trying to teach us. (That's right, it wasn't just J. Peterman jokes. Sometimes there was a lesson.)

Join your company's rec-team and just play ball.

Softball, bowling, dodgeball, karate club: Whatever adult style pseudo-sport your office has signed up for, it's in your best interest to say, "I'm in!" And here's why:

After sitting out a season, the Lavidge company softball squad took to the field once again on Wednesday. I won't go into detail on how much who won by (for that information you can visit my personal website). All I know is that for seven innings at Pierce Park off 44th and Oak, a rag tag group of account executives, interactive specialists and creatives were transformed into a team--a concept simple as apple pie, and twice as American.

What made us a team? Partially the mismatched uniforms, but mostly the camaraderie, trust and collective pursuit of a goal. Not coincidentally, these basic tenets are also the foundation of great organizations. (Of course tangible skill sets have a bit to do with it, but I'm talking to employee attitudes here.)

In fact, isn't that what we were supposed to take away from youth sports in the first place...well, that and a little exercise? I know my nieces (beautiful 5 and 10-year-olds) often report back after a game, "My team won!" Notice how that was stated? Not I won. My team won.

Now granted, my beautiful nieces are also exceptionally astute. But nevertheless, the lesson stands strong: Join the team, work together, get some exercise; if you can, win, but just play ball. And when you're done, bring that attitude back to the office.

Just one cautionary note: For the love of David Puddy, don't take the game too seriously (cough Melissa...cough, cough). Remember the enraged mob that chased George and Jerry on Bette Midler's behalf? Well there was one. And they were pissed.

As an industry, the direction of the web should be top-of-mind for all of us. The next few years will bring with it a ton of new and innovative ways for brands to narrow cast to specific target audiences, using analytics to weed out the most likely consumers for a given product.

If you look closely, though, you can see that we've already begun to see pieces of the next "version" of the web, and it's being driven by mobile devices.

There's an App for That

Today, most of us find information on the web through a web browser and a search engine. With mobile devices like the iPhone, and platforms like Android and the upcoming Windows Phone 7, those habits are starting to evolve. We've started to move to a more application centric model, where we launch web-connected apps that essentially focus our searches to specific verticals (ie. Yelp for restaurants, ESPN Scorecenter for sports scores and news, the Weather Channel app for local weather and so on).

As marketers, it's been standard practice to advise our clients that they need to be prominently ranked in search engines when developing online brand strategies. Moving forward, it will be our job to remember that the explosive growth of smartphones in the consumer space is opening a number of new opportunities beyond traditional SEO. This new world, call it Web 3.0 or whatever you want, is going to be about discovery through social media, location-based services, and highly interactive display ads embedded in mobile applications.

So remember, next time you pull out your iPhone to calm your restless child in a restaurant, or to show your buddy that awesome new fart app you just downloaded, you're probably holding the future of web as we know it. Pretty cool stuff, if you ask me.

After years of creating holiday business fetes, I've collected a handful of commandments to follow before diving in. You may find these tips handy as you start preparing for the season:

1. Determine the purpose of your event. A corporate holiday event is more than a simple "party;" it's your once-a-year opportunity to work toward specific goals. Are you rewarding employees for a successful year? Are you trying to develop team spirit? Do you want to highlight a particular event that took place this year? Are you launching a product that you can spotlight? Establishing your goal will lead the decision process and help everything come together more easily.

2. Define your target audience, with the goal you've established as your guide. Will you invite everyone in the office? Are significant others welcome too? Would your staff prefer a family-friendly event and if so, does that fit with your goal? Once you know your target audience, you can estimate attendance and start looking at venues.

3. Determine a theme for your event. This will drive the creative process and help you evaluate everything from location to menu to entertainment.

4. Create a venue "wish list" before you start looking at properties, restaurants and halls. What type of establishment will best meet your needs and help achieve your event goal? Once you've answered this, then you can begin to assess your options. Bring your list of "must-haves" along when you tour each site and share it with the salesperson.

5. When you have a location and date secured, send out a "save the date" note via email to all invitees. Social schedules book fast during the holidays, so be sure to get on everyone's calendar early.

Another tip to remember: it's not the size or even the dazzle factor that matters most when you plan your company celebration. It's the camaraderie, connection and pride in the company that your attendees experience when they come together to toast the holidays!

Missy Lagomarsino is a long-time event management expert who has planned and executed corporate holiday events for clients ranging from small, intimate dinners to large-scale themed events. She can be reached at mlagomarsino@lavidge.com.

The new hot movie "Social Network" spotlights the site's explosive success and its founder's riches. But amid the fanfare over its ever-growing half-a-billion user base, Facebook's ubiquity has spawned perplexing questions about privacy versus transparency.

New York Times reporter Claire Cain Miller recently recounted her struggle to keep her professional and personal selves separated online. She even went so far as to create two separate Facebook profiles using tweaked versions of her name. Miller also interviewed several sociology and social intelligence experts, who agreed that technology is moving faster than our traditional etiquette can adapt. These observers additionally point out that real-life social networks have evolved to become more specialized, so that your friends at work are not necessarily in your book club; the couples you and your spouse play tennis with may not be members of your church or synagogue; and the professional organizations where you spend time polishing your career are not a part of your family's world.

In response to the need for segmentation, Facebook recently introduced a way to ensure group-only access to certain posts. As Miller explains, however, anyone can assign members to a Facebook group, while only members can remove themselves. What if your newly ex-sister-in-law won't take herself out of the family group?

There's also the sentiment that society has taken a bit too much delight in the over-sharing of personal dramas (cue celebrity gossip's favorite subjects from Lindsay Lohan to Brangelina), not to mention the last decade's appetite for lurid memoirs and reality shows. So much information tends to desensitize us into imagining that others are curious about our every thought from dawn to dusk. We can care about our Facebook pals without knowing that they're bored, psyched for Starbucks, or waiting in line at the department of motor vehicles.

Until social online networks catch-up with the reality of people's multiple lives, here are a few obvious but worthy tips to remember:

1. Don't post anything you wouldn't want your grandmother to see: You've probably heard that before, but it works well as a judgment call. Content posted to the internet is permanent and could circle back at a delicate time. Just ask Michael Phelps.
2. Politics and religion -- tread lightly: If you're not actually in the business of politics or religion it's best to keep your beliefs and opinions offline. You don't want to risk offending a client or co-worker unwittingly. For example, think again before "liking" a political or religious post even if you feel that no one will care -- remember that these updates appear to all of your connections.
3. Beware of over-sharing -- Some people post their thoughts about everything from the time they arose (or overslept), to rush hour traffic, to what they had for lunch, to when their child threw a tantrum and what their dog thinks about it. Limit your updates to shared stories, happenings in your life and topics that have relevance beyond the moment.
4. When you want to dialogue with one of your connections, remember to send a personal message versus a wall posting that can be seen by all -- And here's why: someone we know shared an amusing video clip of a male streaker riding a horse around a show ring. It was impossible to see the rider's fully unclothed body, so it was "safe" to post. But a day later the Facebook user's mother wrote on her wall the following message: "Hi honey, that naked man you posted on your page was just hysterical!" So there you go.
5. Be yourself: Despite some of these warnings, don't be afraid to project your personality, interests and quirky side. Social media's purpose is, of course, social, so go forth and connect -- just use your head along with your keypad.

The Lavidge Company Pubic Relations department offers social media counsel, strategy and implementation. For more information, contact Anne Robertson (arobertson@lavidge.com) or Jennifer Spangler (jspangler@lavidge.com).

Ken Pham, our man of many hats -- in this case, casting genius, soon informed me I was selected for the shoot. He cast me as an ASU fan -- an ASU fan! Wow -- this girl is a proud ASU graduate and a HUGE Sun Devil fan. I was sure to be a natural.

I arrived at the studio early one afternoon -- and there's Sparky! This was going to be fun. I'm quickly ushered to a back room where a makeup artist does my hair, makeup and wardrobe. How come I can't have this done every day before I go to work? They lead me out to the set, which looked just like a family room you'd find anywhere -- complete with flooring, photographs, plants and snacks on the table. They thought of everything.

Jeff Newton, the director, was awesome. He explained that the commercial is about an ASU family watching the game together -- along with Sparky. Jeff introduced me to my new family -- my husband, our son, my granddaughter and Sparky. Wait -- did he say granddaughter? What does that make me? Fortunately, Jeff has a way of making even a shocked grandma feel at ease. I could have stormed off, or I could just kill Ken later. It was time to act professional.

ASU take 1-Action-Cut

Shooting the commercial turned out to be blast. It's amazing how many people it takes to produce a commercial. But everyone has a role (did I mention, mine was grandma?) and no time is wasted.

As for being cast as grandma, sure, I'd do it all over again. Especially if I got to work with Jeff, his crew and all of my fellow Lavidgites. I've always been proud of being a part of Lavidge, but to actually participate in the process of creating a commercial was an experience that I'll also treasure. And when you see that hot, young grandma in that Fox Sports Arizona commercial -- that's me!

by Kathy Knudson

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip. More than 3,200 guests and 1,100 crew members departed Long Beach on a seven-day cruise through the Mexican Riviera. The weather didn't get rough, but a fire in engine room left the Minnow, er, Splendor, bobbing in the ocean -- no hot food, no working toilets and a PR mess.

So this is the tale of our castaways, here for a long, long time. Eating Spam and cold pop-tarts -- and out of cellular range, families fretted wondering about their families drifting at sea. No phone, no lights, no motor car, not a single luxury. Like Robinson Crusoe -- as primitive as can be.

If Carnival were our client, here are a few thought's we would have floated their way:

• After finally getting tug boats to pull the Splendor in, we would stress the fact that live feeds from their arrival would be beamed across news outlets all over the world. Wouldn't it be, well, splendid, had there been a cadre of hot showers, warm food and other welcome home amenities? How about a "carnival" party -- with Carnival CEO Gerry Cahill leading the charge? Wouldn't it had been grand for those finally back on land to hit Facebook, Twitter and conventional news outlets -- not to mention their friends and families -- with how welcoming and gracious there were to be home and how Carnival turned their wrecked sea-going vacation into a welcome home fiesta on dry land?
• Surely they had working communications systems on the ship. Why not convey conditions (accurately) -- for better and worse -- and let on-land communications pros relate those messages via traditional and social media? Some news is better than no news.
• Post event: The brand and its image have been tarnished. We'd recommend a tiered strategy to build back the public trust. PR, social media and advertising are needed to reduce the carnage.

Cruise-goers will be refunded their money for their adventure and reimbursed for travel. And, here's the exciting part: offered a future cruise -- for free. Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of fateful trip. It started on the Long Beach shore and ended in a flop. It's PR -- as primitive as it can be.

Greg Sexton is an account supervisor at The Lavidge Company and handles crisis communications for host of clients. He can be reached at gsexton@lavidge.com.

Simple idea, nicely written, requiring a great voice talent, 3D character development, modeling and animation.

We've done 3D animations before. Often. For McDonald's and many of our other clients. What was different with this project was that we have never tried character animation on this scale of complexity.

So -- we hired someone to do it for us, right? Common sense would say that's the route to go.

Nope. We did it in-house.

Why would we do that? Why put ourselves in a position where we could fail (and fail very visibly), putting our client in a spot where maybe they wouldn't like the finished product if it didn't meet their justifiably high standards? Not to mention blowing a media schedule that needed spots for airing. Oh, and the fact that we'd already brokered the spots to other markets based on the script.

Why take that risk?

Here was the rationale:

If you're not scared at times, then you're not pushing yourself. If you don't have a moment or two (or a couple days' worth) of panic on occasion, where you're pretty sure you've bitten off more than you can chew, then you're not taking risks. No risk, no growth. No sense of accomplishment. No pride in having a) done something you hadn't done before or b) adding a new skill set to your toolbox.

We have done animation in the past as I mentioned. And we had dabbled some in character design, but never to this level of purpose (meaning we'd never actually taken our characters into a full spot). This project required character development, but it wouldn't require us to have the characters move or speak, so in my mind, this was the ideal opportunity for us to take the leap with the best chance of being successful.

If we didn't have the confidence to do it, we would have gone another route, but since we did, the only thing that would stop us would be fear of failing. And we won't work that way. We're not reckless, but we will take chances -- especially if it allows us to grow creatively and is something we want to do in the future.

In the end, we wound up with a great spot, confidence that we can do character animation again (and add complexity), and the pride of authorship.

One last note -- not every client will allow you the freedom to push your boundaries. Special thanks to our McDonald's friends for showing faith in our abilities and allowing us to continue to push our own creative envelope while doing our small part in moving the McDonald's brand forward.

For students who are unfamiliar with the inner workings of an advertising agency and how creative is planned and executed, there is a lot to take in. Whether it's the crew of 35 people on set, the make-shift living room assembled in an inconspicuous space in downtown Phoenix, or Jeff Newton, our "comic-book like character" who has shot numerous celebrities and athletes for national magazine covers, the awe of the event could be seen on their faces.

Fox Sports Arizona brings all Arizona teams into our homes, and the "Living Room" campaign will feature six of the top prominent mascots and cheerleaders from the Arizona watching the game with various family members and extended family. Of course, the mascots and their presence are larger than life and a unique madness will ensue.

Students were involved throughout the entire process -- as they concepted the original idea and shadowed our staff in the development, planning and execution of the spots. The hands-on experience they gained by being on set, in the edit bay and audio sessions gave them a great start to their careers in advertising and is something they can't learn in the classroom.

Here are a few behind the scenes clips and a link to view the entire "Fox Sports Arizona -- Living Room" campaign.

Coyotes behind-the-scenes

Suns behind-the-scenes

Fox Sports Arizona behind-the-scenes

Living Room TV Spots

The Lavidge Company has been nominated in four categories for Arizona Foothills Magazine's "Best of Our Valley" 2011 Awards: Best Advertising Firm, Best Public Relations or Marketing Firm, Best Social Networking and Online Media Firm and Best Marketing Guru--Bill Lavidge. So how do we know we're the best? We have a great team that lives by a mantra that represents our personality as well as our approach to our work: "Be Creative. Work Smart. Have Fun." By consistently producing excellent work, we have a healthy roster of satisfied clients who see measurable results. If that isn't a testament to the fact that we're at the top of our game, we don't know what is.

Voting concludes on November 30th at 11:59 a.m. One vote per computer per day is allowed in each category. Do you have a computer at work and one at home? You can vote from each! For your convenience, links to each category are below. We thank you in advance for taking a few minutes of your day to help us earn the well-deserved top spot in each category.

- Best Advertising Agency
- Best Public Relations or Marketing Firm
- Best Social Networking and Online Firm
- Marketing Guru

These new devices allow you to stream movies, buy TV shows, video chat with relatives, surf the web and access loads of other customized, web-based content without ever having to leave your couch. In a recent interview, Reed Hastings, the CEO of Netflix, projected:

"By the end of 2012, nearly all purchased television sets will be connected to the Internet."

Early generations of IPTV technology have already hit the market in the form of set-top boxes, and while I don't think any single device has "got it right," many will most likely be hot stocking stuffers this Christmas. Some of the more popular devices include the Apple TV, Google TV, Boxee Box and Roku -- not to mention the PS3 and xBox 360 which have grown to be much more than video game consoles.

So, as advertisers, what does the eventual IPTV revolution mean to us? It's still early days, but I think we can expect two major shifts in the way users interact and consume television.

1.) Advertising That Sells
Imagine the type of interactive advertising a brand could do with a robust ad platform that has been fully integrated into the content you're watching. For example, let's say you're watching Desperate Housewives, and Eva Longoria is wearing a pair of killer Christian Louboutin shoes that your wife just has to have. With IPTV, there is nothing stopping her from simply clicking on the shoes to buy them instantly. Dangerous? Yes. Effective sales technique? Absolutely. Or what if you hear a song during an episode of Glee that you really dig? IPTV could allow you to instantly buy the album or book concert tickets for the artist, all with just a few clicks of the remote.

2.) Content Is King
The Internet is the great equalizer when it comes to content delivery. Unlike the cable industry, with its multitude of providers and prohibitive carriage fees, the free Internet puts all content on equal ground, and is probably the only place you can find videos of cats playing piano right next to news clips from CNN. With bandwidth continually getting cheaper, aspiring artists are no longer locked out when it comes to distributing their content.

Soon, traditional networks like FOX and NBC won't be the only places where brands take the spotlight during commercial breaks. Companies like Revision3 are helping usher in an era of inexpensive, but highly produced broadcast content. This means that anyone with a camera, a microphone and an idea can produce content. With sites and shows catering to specific audiences, brands are going can more easily narrowcast their message to a specific target, based on what IPTV content they're consuming. Want to reach the technology geeks out there? Check out Revision3's Tekzilla. Want to reach moms? Listen to the MOM Podcast. Instead of reaching millions of viewers or listeners, you'll reach tens of thousands, but those consumers will be easier to activate than the majority of consumers watching traditional media.

Early Days
These set-top boxes represent just the beginning of a burgeoning industry, but they could be disruptive for a number of businesses -- from advertising to sales to video production and distribution. With that said, they still have a long way to go until they truly reach mass market appeal (or as I like to call it, the "Does my Dad use it yet" measurement).

The Lavidge Company has been privileged to work on the McDonald's Phoenix Co-op account for just about seven years now. Because of this long-standing relationship, the Co-op trusts us. Though we may not get to do a lot of original creative, when we do, we are given the opportunity to come up with great new concepts -- that fit the budget they give us, of course!

Now being an Account Supervisor, I take opportunities like this one to another level. Of course I'm excited that we get to do some cool creative. But I'm even more excited to share our work with other markets who run similar promotions for McDonald's -- for two reasons. 1) it showcases what great work we do here at Lavidge to those who may not be familiar with our agency, and 2) it gives us the opportunity to help offset the Co-op's production budget by seeing if these other markets want to broker our creative for their own use for a small fee. What can I say, I love the dollars and cents of it all as much as I love the creative aspect.

The "Smiles" TV spot ended up being brokered out to seven markets from Pittsburgh to Seattle in both English and Spanish. As it stands today, the Co-op ended up paying for only about 10 percent of the production costs. The Co-op is happy, we are happy and so are the brokering Co-ops.

Our Creative Director, Bob Case, may have been a little scared to take on producing the spot, but he never showed it to me. And I never had any doubts that the spots would be as great as it is!

Thanks to McDonald's for continuing to let us do great work for them and special thanks to Bob and our creative team for pushing their fears aside to create an amazing piece of animation!

There was also that little issue of getting 50+ cobblers to agree on the "shoe style." Pumps, wedges or flats; wingtips, high-tops or crocs… ok maybe not crocs but you can see that there were several different directions to explore. Once we put ourselves into the client seat and resisted the lure of seasonal fads, there was but one choice for our site.  It should be akin to a classic new pair of boots.  Our boots are really a hybrid between form and function.  Light enough for hiking up the national food chain and sturdy enough for construction on new fronts.

http://www.lavidge.com/

We here at Lavidge are barefoot no more!