Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Mullen

Last week Mullen was gracious enough to offer me a series of informative interviews with several people working in their social media influence group. Having never been inside an agency before, I was very aware and nervous about what a big event in my life this was as I stepped off the elevator into Mullen's new downtown offices. The first through the last interview (especially when Edward popped in) felt a bit surreal, mostly because I could not stop thinking to myself, "This is so cool, this is so cool..." I learned a lot and each person who I met with was welcoming and happy to answer all of my questions and give me advice. After some great conversations I was sad to leave, but invigorated to up my game and really show what I could do.

Concerning Mullen specifically, I have this to say: I think that it says a lot about a person who takes the time to sit down and help others just because it's a nice thing to do, and it says something equally significant about an agency that does the same. Each person I sat down with at Mullen was taking time out of their very busy day to speak with a student who'd never seen an agency lobby, and were all happy to do so. Additionally, I learned how the internship program at Mullen assigns interns to mentors and provides lectures during lunchtime to help them learn and grown while they are there. This is the mark of a great agency, and a corporate culture that really cares about everyone, even the interns - even prospective interns trying to understand what the industry is like a little better.

Thank you Mullen, and thank you to everyone who I met with. I had a great time and I learned a lot!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Ads in the Wild

At FedEx Kinko's the other day I was reminded of the age old problem of translating GUI (what I see on the screen) to paper. The colors never seem to come out quite right, no matter how hard I try. It's not really a problem, just a little frustrating. But the bigger question it raised for me was about execution. Ads on a screen, in a book or in a conference room (I'm guessing) never really look quite like they will when they're finally printed in a magazine, shellacked to a wall or stretched over a billboard.

This is partly what inspired me to go out and take some shots of ads as they exist in their "natural environment." Notice their majestic, colorful and trendy plumage utilized to attract a mate. I may well be grasping for something that isn't there, but I think it's interesting how they effect the landscape, and how it effects them. I've been taking walks around the city every few months snapping shots, and soon I'll post the series I've put together in a place that does them a little more justice (this blog isn't really designed to accommodate images). Until I get them all edited and up on a more suitable site (possibly JPotteiger.com?) here are a few I've picked out.

click images to view larger