think / February 1, 2012

There’s a #Hashtag for That

Audi claims it all started with them at the end of their 2011 jailed-gentlemen Superbowl spot when we were left with “#ProgressIs” and some Kenny G.

Whether or not Audi was the first to use the hashtag as part of their campaign, Twitter has quickly become a favored place for brands to participate in (and create) conversation.

Hashtag have since emerged in print ads, TV spots, viral spots and hung out in the corners of your favorite television programs. Twitter is where conversation is happening and  brands want more than ever to influence what you talk about.

People have always loved talking about their shows. “Did you see _____ last night?” That blank can be filled with anything from football games, to presidential debates, to guilty-pleasure reality shows (you totally watched Daisy of Love). Networks now invite you to continue talking about these shows as you normally would, just with the addition of a friendly little #. Shows like The X Factor let you vote through Twitter and news stations are even sharing your tweets on air. What’s more intriguing than social-TV however, is how brands are engaging consumers to create conversations influenced around their ad campaign. Read More »

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By: DrRahlf
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think / January 19, 2012

The Color of 2012

Welcome to 2012: The year of Tangerine Tango. Or so says Pantone, who has been releasing a “color of the year” since 2000. According to Pantone, Tangerine Tango “provides the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward”.

Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, elaborates: “Sophisticated…dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it. Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, (it) marries the vivaciousness of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.”

For seasoned color watchers, the revelation of the color of the year is as suspenseful as finding out who won the Oscar for Best Picture in, say, 2009. After all, Pantone does not select a color at random. Instead, they hone in on the trendiest color — a color whose ascendance began long before Pantone’s coronation.

Indeed, tangerine first began showing up on fashion runways, ultimately becoming a major story during Fahion Week 2011 (Spring 2012 preview shows). The shade was especially prevalent in the Tommy Hilfiger, Elie Tahari, Adreinne Vittadini and Shaun Kearney collections. Cosmetics followed suit, and soon interior designers began incorporating the color to provide high-impact moments of color in otherwise uniform spaces, or bursts of energy in unexpected places.

Because we deal with clients who need to be ahead of the color curve, color trends are something we follow habitually. In fact, we often work on projects that require us to project what trends will ignite a year or two in the future, when a product in development will first hit the shelves, or a store in the conceptual phase will first open its doors. So we are old friends with Tangerine Tango and its ilk.

But even if the announcement from Pantone does not inform our current slate of projects, the color of the year remains relevant for a number of reasons. First, it is the go-to color for items with limited shelf life: trendy clothes, throw pillows, party decor and, perhaps, brand identities for macaroon shops. Likewise, the color will continue to trickle down to the mass market, meaning 2013 will see it’s share of Tangerine Tango on a wide array of goods.

So while designers are at work creating the next trend, for all you whose favorite crayon has always been “red orange”: Your time has come.

Nobody Loves Me

By: Scott Sorenson
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create / January 13, 2012

Poster Making 101

In a marketing world where information clutter is pervasive and big budgets often rule (despite what you’ve heard about “free” social media), standing out from the crowd is as challenging as ever.

Recently, StruckAxiom was honored to help the Forest Park Conservancy (FPC) with an annual communications challenge.

At 5000+ Acres, Forest Park is the crown jewel of Portland’s public park system and one of the largest natural areas within the boundaries of any city in the entire world (period). The FPC protects and fosters the ecological health of this treasure. Each year the FPC, like many non-profits, publishes and distributes its annual report to donors. These reports communicate key accomplishments; demonstrate how investments from donors were put to wise use and work to create dialogue regarding financial support needed in the time ahead. This year, StruckAxiom designed the FPC report.

The Challenges

  • Oftentimes annual reports are plain booklets. While such a format serves its purpose, they can easily be lost in the vast sea of other mail arriving during the busy end of year time period.
  • At the same time, FPC must also be hyper conscious of being good stewards of their budget (as well as the Forest). They strive to ensure every dollar works as hard as possible to make a positive, lasting difference in the park. Therefore, some typical solutions we would have dreamed up (e.g. way cool die cuts, stylish stitching, full color ink and multiple paper types) were out the window.

The Craft

  • Our design team just had to give this some world-class love in terms of image “WOW-ness”, most excellent typographical treatment, and all other elements of well-crafted design.

The Smarts

We also wanted to make it just a little greater. So, we turned the typical annual report on its head (and back) …

  • We were inspired by the trails of Forest Park themselves; the discovery, fun and adventure they offer.
  • This got us thinking about maps, and how fun they can be to unfold, discover and plan Forest Park adventures.
  • We made the report work that way. Every fold unveils a new bit of information about the work of the conservancy and the park, and keeps readers moving through them as if navigating Forest Park’s trails themselves.
  • This invites a different and more dynamic level of interaction and engagement with the material (vs. simply flipping through the pages of a book).
  • The icing on the cake of sweet annual report ideas came last … our own Scott Sorenson dreamed up the idea of offering a poster designed by StruckAxiom and we worked to print it on the back side of the report. The poster features the photography of the Park itself from Bruce MacGregor.
  • This not only delivers surprise and delight, it means all the valuable paper resources are reusable in an inventive and fun way (Bonus!).

We hope these efforts help make Forest Park just a little Greater Than it was before.

The poster found on the back of the report (seen here), doubles as a desktop background.

FPC is distributing an electronic version of the report as well as the background here and through their social channels (Facebook and Twitter).

If you’re inspired to do something great, please show your support by liking and following our friends at FPC … they’re awesome!

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By: StephenGrieco
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think / January 11, 2012

Are You a Middleman?

Unless you’ve been hiding in the woods (or visiting family in, say, Bakersfield) for the last few weeks, you’ve probably heard all about Louis CK’s recent, semi-revolutionary venture.

He produced a stand-up special with his own money. He posted on his own website. He charged $5 for DRM-free download. And, well, he made a ton of cash (and he’s giving a bunch of it to charity).

It’s a great approach, one enabled by his intensely loyal following and the years and years of hard work that Louis CK has put into building that following. It’s essentially a step in the same direction Radiohead took a few years back.

The approach, however, isn’t what fascinates me about the experience. It’s Louis CK’s matter-of-fact attitude about why he chose this approach. In a recent appearance on Bill Simmons’ ESPN Podcast (Listen to it HERE), Louis breaks it down quite simply:

Bill Simmons: It seems like you really wanted to cut out the middleman and create this website. Five dollars. Paypal. Stream it… What made you say that you wanted to cut out the middleman?

Louis CK: Well, I didn’t want to cut out the middleman, I just didn’t need one. You know what I mean? To me, cutting one out would be a workaround, to work around something you’re used to needing. But there wasn’t any reason to have somebody there. I just thought, ‘Make this thing and put it up.’

If you’re a middleman—a record label, a publishing giant, a tv network, a ticket seller—those words should scare you to death. And if you think you’re not a middleman, you’d better make sure. Are you just a pass-through and mark-up? Do you offer any concrete value? Are you integral to the experience? Does Louis CK need you? Because, really, Mr. CK runs this world. And if you’re a middleman, your days are numbered.

Plus, Louis CK hates Twitter:

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think / January 4, 2012

Kickstarter is for Dreamers

Confession: Until yesterday, I’d never given a red cent to a Kickstarter project. I’d thought about it. I’d mapped out my best intentions. I’d even bookmarked a few so that I could come back later and contribute a few dollars. But I’d never followed through. I’d never put my money where my heart was.

So what clicked? Why did I suddenly make the leap and pledge some cash to THIS AWESOME PROJECT?

It’s simple. Jeremy Saxton is my friend. We used to live next door to each other. We’ve arranged a marriage between his daughter and my son (they’re nine years old, btw). And, really, that’s what made the difference. Jeremy is my friend and he’s a dreamer. He has big plans and he wants to do something great. And I’m more than happy to support that dream.

Because, after all, I’m a dreamer too. And it’s only a matter of time before I’m the one asking for a few nickels.

SHAMELESS PLUG: The ODDIO1 project has about 20 days to reach its goal. Please stop by and drop some cash in the jar.

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think / December 19, 2011

The True Art of Giving

As we prepare to send out holiday gifts to our clients I have been reflecting on the uncommon power and art of gifting. There is something about the act of thinking on another person’s needs, preferences and proclivities that can be very satisfying to the soul. It’s as if, for a short moment we abandoned our own needs, inclinations and preferences to step into someone else’s shoes. Yet, as satisfying as that may be, that’s the hardest part about giving: defining the other person’s needs. Read More »

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By: Pauline Ploquin
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create / December 15, 2011

Jack in the Box Names StruckAxiom as Digital Agency

Jack in the Box has named StruckAxiom as their Digital Agency of Record. StruckAxiom won the business after several rounds and reviews from a long list of competitors.

Executives at Jack in the Box narrowed it down to two finalists, both of which were given a creative assignment. In the end, StruckAxiom presented ideas that impressed both Jack in the Box and their traditional agency, Secret Weapon.

“We were extremely excited to show Jack in the Box what we could do in the digital space for their brand,” said Dan Conner, CEO of StruckAxiom. “This is a huge accomplishment and honor. We are looking forward to some impressive work and a lasting relationship.”

“They came up with some things that were really relevant and really connected with the voice” of the brand, said Nick Fletcher, who manages marketing communications at Jack in the Box in SanDiego. (quote via Adweek)

StruckAxiom will primarily work with Jack in the Box out of their Portland, Oregon office, which will lead creative efforts, and Los Angeles office, which will provide account management and strategic support.

About StruckAxiom

StruckAxiom is a digital-forward, creative agency with offices in Los Angeles, New York, Portland and Salt Lake City. The world-class brands and campaigns the agency creates are known internationally for their high-design, pioneering technology and break-through creativity. Clients include Fox Picures, Nickelodeon, DreamWorks, TCBY, Mrs. Fields and The Utah Office of Tourism.

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By: DrRahlf
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play / December 9, 2011

For the Kids

For the past 41 years Utah has hosted the Festival of Trees where volunteers decorate  then auction elaborate trees, wreaths and other holiday centerpieces with all proceeds benefiting the Primary Children’s Medical Center.

Click to see our flickr album

Being suckers for both Christmas and Children, we took a little company field trip to go see all the trees being auctioned for such good a cause. If the Griswalds were to host a Christmas tree lot, this is what it would look like. There were hundreds of spectacular trees and centerpieces packed in the South Towne Center. Most of the them are inspired by stories from children and families involved with Primary Children’s and decorated to represent each story.

Every Holiday season StruckAxiom also extends their efforts in benefiting a noteworthy cause. This year we were honored to purchase two trees and a wreath from the Festival of Trees. We hope our contribution brings the same smiles and cheer that the trees and wreath will to our office.

Believe Tree Inspired by Gracie

Merry Motorcycles- made from tires!

The Festival of Trees is over, but you can still help benefit the Primary Children’s Medical Center through several other opportunities.

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By: DrRahlf
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