Prove It.

The City Golf League wants to be a national network of public golf leagues. It's cool because ALL of the league stats are recorded and kept on their website. So when you have a great round, you can send all of your friends links to your scorecard. I'm sure they will appreciate that.

This is the book that WK12 made for the CGL. The cover photograph is by Portland photographer Martin Thiel.

Para Mi

Kennedy + Wieden

Harrell Fletcher and W+K 12 Collaboration

12 met with Harrell Fletcher this week to discuss a possible collaboration for a gallery show at the Portland Art Center this March.

When we had internal meetings about doing an art show, there had been mention of ignoring the advertising context which has brought the twelve of us together. But as we met with Harrell it was interesting to hear him explain how that is an essential part of our context as a group, and that he would find it interesting if we incorporated advertising methodology into our eventual show.

It is fun to think about creating ads for super unfeatured things and people. Take a random person and give them the type of spokeperson treatment as LeBron James. Pump up their individual attributes in a multimedia campaign. It is a funny and intriguing idea. I'll keep you posted on the show's direction as our talks continue.

I am super excited to get a chance to work with Harrell. I have really enjoyed our meetings with him thus far and getting some insight into his personal artistic philosophy.

Bruce Davidson Visit

Bruce Davidson stopped by Wieden + Kennedy today and talked us through five decades of his photography. He talked about how easily he would get distracted on assignments, and how he could never follow the imposed guidelines for extracting meaning from his subject matter. He needed time to immerse himself, to investigate and find the most interesting storyline or meaning to him. He talked about needing to find a point of view in your photography, and that in this day and age of the digital image, point of view and intimacy with your subject matter cannot be shortcutted. You cannot point and click an inspired photo that fits into a greater thematic context. It made sense, and I think the same argument translates into video and film, as it does any creative endeavor. The work that will truly resonate will always come from sources that attack their subjects with depth and perspective.

What a great talk.

He also quickly flipped by a picture that the Beastie Boys commandeered for the cover art to 'Ill Communication.'

I Love/Hate Helvetica

Gary Hustwit stopped by W+K to screen his award-winning documentary 'Helvetica.'

I never knew a movie about the most overly used font in design history could be so enthralling. I now see what all the fuss is about. It was beautifully shot and provided a nice range of expert opinion.

They passed out two types of buttons, both set in Helvetica.

One said 'I hate Helvetica'

The other said 'I love Helvetica'

I took one of each and am currently wearing them both proudly.

The Rickster

Ricky Powell aka the Rickster aka 'the fourth Beastie Boy' dropped by Wieden + Kennedy last week to give a colorfully impromptu narration of his pocket full of slides. He had some iconic shots of early DMC, LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys, amongst other NYC legends and characters.

The guy has always carried a camera around, and like Forrest Gump, has wound up in the right place at the right time over and over.

It was inspiring work and makes me want to go take a lot more pictures.

Thanks Rickster!

the ice cube

W+K Bump

Back to School...

View from my desk.

The Library.
The Classroom.
The Student Lounge.
My desktop.

W+K 12 Collectable Pin

For $13,000 this limited edition Wieden + Kennedy 12 pin could be yours!

These finely crafted keepsakes were minted in a very limited run four years ago, at the genesis of the 12 program. Only 100 pins were made. 25 red. 25 green. 25 yellow. 25 blue. Each color is for a different year of 12.

This pin is NOT JUST A SOUVENIR.

People who wear this pin can jump higher.
People who wear this pin can fail harder.
People who wear this pin can create messes.
People who wear this pin can organize chaos.
People who wear this pin can arrive late.
People who wear this pin can order thai food with 22 stars.
People who wear this pin can rally vampire cavemen.
People who wear this pin can suffocate bunnies.
People who wear this pin can blog about nothing.
People who wear this pin can just try it.

Want a pin?

Got $13,000?

E-Mail Me...

Adventures in Business Carding

Here is the latest offering in my series of business/calling cards. This one draws on my recent thinking to give more shout-outs to my influences.

I grew up in the 80's and was impacted by much of what the decade's pop-culture had to offer. My media awareness and context under which I now aim to contribute evolved from wearing out my Raiders of the Lost Ark VHS, copping dance moves from MC Hammer and re-enacting thousands of Michael Jordan game-winning shots.

The WK12 Ship

I'm always on the lookout for another ship to join. I've made passage on a series of vessels over the past few years, but none of them rang true at my core. They were a way to pass time until I found the ghost ship I was hunting.

Then, two years ago, in the murky underbelly of the information super-highway, I caught glimpse of a massive and submerged vessel. Stormy weather soon hit, and all I could make out was a golden crest; the silhouettes of two pirates. The ship went deeper and left me reeling for clues.

This past year, I abandoned my previous ship and navigated the waters in a rickety lifeboat. My unwavering compass held a direction that I was sure would lead me back to the mysterious submerged craft.

Tracing the origins of the ship's crest, I was able to find the port mailing address of one of the captains. I shipped off a package that included a retelling of the loot I have plundered and exclaiming my overall love of pirating. I expected no response.

In two weeks time I was FedExed a message in a bottle written on fine parchment. The only marking save the silhouetted crest of the two pirates was a date and the address of a tavern at a local port.

On said date, I arrived at the dingy tavern to be examined by the ship's existing crew. They were a lively and oft-bearded bunch that regaled us with tales of cultural pirating, YouTube ads, viral marketing, Nike Air and a place called Brandland.

When the effects of the rum had subsided we were given a brief tour of the ship and were allowed to walk the deck and explore a few of the cabins. I don't know whether these pirates found any of us ready for their brand of plundering, or if they plan to feed us to the sharks for entertainment of the captain.

At any rate, I've signed the ship's manifest and will set sail May 1st. This will serve as the official log of my travels. Should I go missing over the course of my voyage, perhaps my entries will provide clues to my whereabouts.

Affectionately,

XXX