Capabilities-wise, we’ve built some progressive digital and Web-based marketing programs around Search, Analytics, and Behavioral Targeting that we’re stoked about.
B team wins championship playoffs, A team upset in semifinals!
My “Chips” team won the Seattle B Spring League 2010 Darts Championship; this follows our Fall/Winter League Championship. It was a great match at Cooper’s Ale House. We were down 9-6 (first team to 11 wins) and ended up prevailing 11-9 over “Who Darted.” See our photos here. Individually, I ended the season ranked #14 of 31 players. Overall a great clutch team effort, led by captain Kirbie Predmore and fellow arrow slingers Russell Nash, Tim Hannon, Frank Martel, and Rob Schwenn.
Meanwhile, Gary Meyers’ A team, “Dartmatter” (Gary, Bill Baltra, Andy Baker, and Taylor Callaway) got whipped in the semi-finals by the “Roach Motels,” whom “Dartmatter” had handily beaten twice in the regular season. I asked Gary what happened, and he said, “Those Roaches kicked our butts.” Gary finished up at #9 of 46, individually.
In the world of business-to-business advertising, every so often client and creative planets align just right so as to produce a sterling piece of work—one that turns out exactly as it was drawn up. Such was the case when agency Hodgson/Meyers teamed up with client UC4 to produce a flash video as a showcase introduction to the latter’s website. Take a look for yourself: UC4 Rethinks Automation
With blue chip clients from Siemens, Shell and Suzuki to GE, Gucci and Goodrich, UC4 is a global leader in business automation software. For B2B Top 100 Agency Hodgson/Meyers the task was to develop a Web video that not only explained what UC4 did, but do so in an accessible and entertaining fashion.
As with similar success stories, this was most certainly a team effort. UC4 Chief Marketing Officer Fred Kahout and Director of eMarketing Paul Rosien provided company insight. H/M Director of Account Planning Jason Frummet and Project Manager Lea Loya gave strategic guidance, while partners Tim Hodgson and Gary Meyers offered brand direction. All that was left to do for graphic designer Charlie Worcester, Web master Craig Labenz and writer Gary Graf was translate those marketing thoughts into creative genius.
Key to the concept was the combination of rhythmic—dare we say, poetic—copy and imaginative—nay, truly inspired—design and flash animation that brought to life the difficult-to-convey concept of business automation.
(From top left, moving clockwise: The word “communicate” connects two animated servers; Servers rotate and mesh as if gears in operation; Camera pulls back from a line of servers to reveal a conductor’s baton as enterprises orchestrate; Black and white server squares make up a city skyline and cloud, showing that UC4 works on site, in the cloud and everywhere in between.)
Agency and client collaborated on the project through a sequence of storyboards, test footage and refinement. UC4’s graphic standards (developed by Charlie) provided the color palette for the animation. Mr. Rosien’s background as a drummer influenced the techno-percussive beat. And UC4 voice Kevin Crawford provided the narration.
The result? A lively, engaging animated story that visually reflects the power of UC4’s ability to integrate and orchestrate business processes, all to help automate and accelerate companies’ growth.
All in a day’s (well, several days’) work for the team at Hodgson/Meyers
Spike is the first bird to travel by BOAT! He visited Fort Lauderdale, Georgetown in Grand Cayman, Cozumel & Puerto Costa Maya in Mexico as well as Roatan, Honduras. He lived the life in the sun and enjoyed some drinks. He even went as far as to visit Hell in Grand Cayman. Don’t worry, Hell is just a washed up coral reef that has turned black in the sun!
Cruising
Grand Cayman Pirate
Having a Drink (it was non-alcoholic. . . . I swear)
Practicing Safe Sun-bathing
To see more images of Spike’s fun in the sun, go to our Flickr album. Cheers to a relaxing vacation!
The writer-art director team for the WatchGuard “Get Red” Campaign was Gary Meyers and Charlie Worcester. The writer-art director team for the CSG “K.O. Churn” campaign was Gary Graf and Charlie Worcestor.
The Communicator Awards is a leading international awards program honoring creative excellence for Communications Professionals and receives over 9,000 entries from companies and agencies of all sizes, making it one of the largest awards of its kind in the world.
This is the second Gold award for the WatchGuard campaign.
The Fluke Corporation selected Hodgson/Meyers after an agency review to provide campaign strategy and creative for a significant, new, international (and, as of now – confidential) 2010 product launch. “We are particularly interested in exploring new creative and media opportunities to reach different channels and audiences around the world, and Hodgson/Meyers really wowed us with their approach and thinking,” said Senior Marketing Communications Manager, Barbara Hanson. “We’re excited to get moving on this product launch.”
Fluke Corporation is the world leader in the manufacture, distribution and service of electronic test tools and software. Since its founding in 1948, Fluke has achieved the number one or number two position in every market in which it competes.
A wholly owned subsidiary of Danaher Corporation, Fluke is a multi-national corporation headquartered in Everett, Washington, USA. Manufacturing centers are located in the USA, the UK, Asia and The Netherlands. Sales and service subsidiaries are located in Europe, North America, South America, Asia and Australia. Fluke Corporation has authorized distributor and manufacturer representative channels in more than 100 countries and employs approximately 2,400.
When Tim Hodgson and Gary Meyers formed their eponymous business-to-business advertising agency more than 16 years ago, they sought a Chairman of the Board who could represent. Someone who could reflect their views on creative marketing: that it should be big, effective and visually striking.
Quite naturally, they chose a pileated woodpecker. Working as true partners, Meyers suggested the pileated woody and Hodgson chose the spokesbird’s name—Spike, for his striking red crest. Spike’s loud hammering and colorful appearance inspired H/M’s rallying cry for its clients: Make noise. Get noticed.
Now, after adorning business cards, letterhead, company walls and more, Spike finally has his name up in lights. Well, his image and the agency’s name anyway. Recently, H/M hoisted a large sign to note its Kirkland, Washington headquarters. Agency e-pro master (and noted birdwatcher) Willem Buys braved rain, wind and cold to photographically document the event.
The result? 900 images condensed into a 21-second video complete with music showing the installation in all its (abbreviated) glory. Typically, the pileated woodpecker can be found in forested areas with deciduous trees. However, for one rockin’ bird, a brick façade will do just fine.
A palpable sadness crept into my being last Wednesday evening. I lost a good friend—someone who I never actually met, but who I’ve known for a long time and who had brought me great joy over the years. You see, on June 2, 2010, Ken Griffey, Junior retired from baseball.
Like hundreds of thousands of fans in Seattle, I followed the exploits of The Kid from his early years roaming center field in that concrete mausoleum known as The Kingdome to his prime time in Safeco Field, arguably the House the Junior built. I thrilled to many of his 417 big flies he walloped as a Seattle Mariner and sat in slack-jawed amazement at his countless acrobatic, gravity defying catches in the outfield.
On October 8, 1995 I was fortunate enough to be in the Kingdome when Griffey scored from second base on Edgar Martinez’s single to score the deciding run in 11th inning in the Mariners’ improbable playoff series win against The Evil Empire, aka the New York Yankees. Euphoria erupted. Those of us on hand poured out of The Kingdome into Pioneer Square as if liquid energy. Seeing as though the national pastime lost its luster due to the strike of 1994, many have credited the Mariner/Yankee series with nothing less than saving baseball.
However, as much as I will miss Number 24’s sweet swing and graceful defense, Griffey’s retirement represents a much more poignant loss—that of a part of my youth. True, I’m old enough to be Junior’s senior. But when George Kenneth Griffey, Jr. stepped between the foul lines, it was as if time stood still. As long as he wore the uniform I felt as young as when he first broke into The Show 22 years ago. Even his nicknames—Junior, The Kid—reflected the youngster in us all. Simply put, his love of the game reminded me of the joy of youth.
Yet, at the same time he has hung up glove and cleats, Ken Griffey has given me one last gift—not just the recollection of a glorious career, but a reminder that life is about change. Chapters end, new stories begin. Though I may grow old, I can still feel young at heart. And, maybe most importantly, embrace and appreciate life today so it will indeed be able to become a fond memory tomorrow.
