BlackDog Advertising was recently honored with five prestigious W3 Awards, including three Gold Awards for work for the University of Miami, Fury Water Adventures, and Cuban Coffee Queen. In addition, we were honored with two Silver Awards recognizing our work for the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum and Miami Veterinary Specialists.

Our three gold and two silver awards were in good company – winning alongside well-known brands like Microsoft, Ben & Jerry’s and Pepsi to name a few.

The W3 Awards recognizes creative excellence on the web—it’s the first major web competition that welcomes work from the biggest, smallest and every-sized agency in between. Entries are received from creative and marketing professionals around the globe. We’re delighted to earn such outstanding recognition for the work we love to do everyday.

View our W3 Award Winning Work

2012 Gold Award University of Miami | MALS-Branding & Website

2012 Gold Award Fury Water Adventures Mobile Website Design

2012 Gold Award Cuban Coffee Queen Website

2012 Silver Award Miami Veterinary Specialists Website

2012 Silver Award Boston Tea Party Museum “Making of…” Documentary

From a possible field of over 19,000 brochures, representing the collective client base of the Association membership, nominees were narrowed down to a list of just 68. Criteria for this honor included: Headline quality, construction, content and overall appeal. The judges were industry professionals representing brochure distribution and display companies from across the U.S, Mexico, Canada and Europe.

Psy Halloween Gangnam Style

This past weekend was an active time for kids, parents, college students, and young adults who took to the streets across the country in search of Halloween fun. I got dressed up and participated in the festivities on Saturday. One of my friends had a gathering at his house with about 40 people. Everyone was dressed up in creative costumes and having a great time. Some of the costumes included:

• A hoarder (she had everything you could want in her purse)
• Where’s Waldo
• Korean-YouTube sensation Psy
• (who has 591 million views with Gangnam Style, and no one in America really knows about it!)
• Alice in Wonderland
• Al Capone
• Jack Daniels
• Borat

And many more…

The purpose of this post is not to tell you how much fun Halloween was, but to paint a picture of a unique scenario that I encountered while searching for a taxi late in the evening. As I walked down some very busy streets every corner had many people trying to call a taxi and every taxi was full. So after about 20 minutes of walking, I decided to camp out on the corner of a busy intersection.  There were other Halloween goers already camped out on the other side of the intersection. To my surprise in under 5 minutes a taxi pulled over directly in front of me and invited me in.

The interesting thing about this taxi was that he passed up a guy about 50 feet ahead of me and decided to stop and pick me up instead. When I got into the taxi I asked the driver why he declined to pick up the guy in front of me. He stated that on the weekends all the taxi drivers profile their potential passengers before stopping to pick them up. When taxis are in such high demand, we have no reason to pick up people that look crazy, drunk, or just plain odd. “The guy I passed up looked very drunk.” he said.

I hate to think that people who are too drunk to drive are getting passed up by taxis when they choose to do the right thing by not driving drunk. As unfortunate as it is, making certain assumptions based on first impressions is human nature.  It could be 12pm or 12am, anywhere in America, dealing with normal life, and the way you present your personal brand and advertise your features can have a drastic effect on how quickly someone decides to “buy” what you’re selling.

That got me to thinking that highway I was on was not much different that the “information super highway”. In the digital marketing age, you only have about 7 seconds to make a first impression when selling products online and maybe even less when someone is using a mobile device. More than ever it is extremely important to frontload your company’s best products and accolades in prime real estate on the homepage. In addition, mobile website designs are even more important for creating lasting first impressions because of the following reasons:

1. Mobile websites give the user a great first impression, shows that your company invests in customer service, and cares about how it looks.
2. Standard websites on mobile devices may take more than 7 seconds to load therefore ruining your time allotment for a first impression.
3. When mobile users have to keep pinching their phone screens to zoom to your website the user thinks about zooming more than buying your product.
4. Most of the time people use their mobile devices to start researching about a product or service and come back to that website when they are at the desktop to make a purchase.
5. Mobile Internet usage is booming, so why wouldn’t you stay ahead or on par with your competition?

Comparing Mobile to Non-Mobile Websites

In 2012, consumers have become very selective on the product or service that they choose, because the choices are plentiful (or in the case of a taxi driver, they’re very careful about who they let in the car). Just one slight mistake could be the difference between making or breaking the sale. Who knows what the taxi driver saw in me; was it the way I signaled for him, the outfit I wore, my demeanor, or something else? In the business world today, your potential clients aren’t going to tell you why they decided to choose someone else, so it’s up to you to brand every touch point effectively. Your online reputation needs to be consistent across all mediums otherwise you might be stuck on the corner at 2am, in the freezing cold, waiting for a taxi.

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the Google Engage for Agencies Seminar Presented by Dale Carnegie. The program hosted a large group Internet Marketing Managers at the Google Offices in downtown Chicago. This experience was a refreshing break from the monotony of today’s “digital training” atmosphere where everyone is taught a one size fits all method through conference calls, webinars, white paper PDF’s, and YouTube videos. I think the most eye-opening revelation that occurred to me during the entire program was this:

Here I am at Google Chicago, one of the largest branches of one of the largest technology companies in the world and we are handwriting notes, interacting with peers, collaborating, and helping each other to learn new materials out of a printed workbook. No PowerPoint slides, iPads, laptops, or real hint of technology. Google has created a highly successful and interactive experience to train internet marketing managers without the use of digital technologies.

In my opinion, the ability to interact with peers, bounce ideas off each other, and practice verbal presentations is the best way to learn. What Google is doing with the “Engage for Agencies” program is one part training, one part experiential marketing, and maybe a dash of subliminal messaging mixed into a neatly organized package.

The training program presented by Dale Carnegie was broken down into a few main sections: Establishing Rapport & Credibility, Interpreting Data, Reporting ROI, and Cross Selling. Dale Carnegie is celebrating its centennial anniversary this year and I can understand why they have been in business for 100 years. The program was tailored to the Google community and was spot-on with insightful information about how to improve your client’s marketing campaigns. Most of the program was customized to the topics we wanted to discuss as a community and then the presenter offered great advice with real-world examples to back it up.

In the end, everyone who attended left with a clear understanding of what it will take to improve his or her agency sales strategy and client’s marketing campaigns. I know that our Miami Marketing Company will be able to provide clients with better recommendations and ROI statistics after attending this training program. The reason everyone left with a customized game plan is because the program was structured around the participants. Quality learning experiences require participants to “Engage” in the curriculum and take ownership in their work. Google understands the importance of creating lasting impressions on their most valuable advocates and this type of investment will pay off ten-fold for all parties involved. Cheers to Google for making an educational investment towards the future of digital advertising!

The 1960’s in America were a period of social revolution, protest and nonconformity. Where the youth’s ideals and indulgences were peace, love, music and mysticism. The “Sixties” were a time where the youth culture emphasized change and experimentation. This philosophy shared by the American youth lead to the emergence of the hippie subculture in San Francisco’s Haight Ashbury district.

The term “hippie” comes from the word hipster, and was first used to describe beatniks. They created their own communities, embraced the sexual revolution, and explored the altered states of consciousness by using psychoactive drugs. This is where the term “psychedelic” was born and began to influence fashion, music, art and graphic design.

The term “psychedelic” related directly to psychedelic drugs that were popular among the youth of the time, especially at rock concerts. Poster artists and designers tried to capture visually the feeling of “tripping out” by creating surreal illustrations and stencils, with bold color and flowing organic type. One of my favorite poster artists from this era was American artist Stanley Mouse.

I first became interested in the works of Stanley Mouse when I was studying at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. I was listening to music at a vintage record shop and noticed a bright orange poster that jumped off the wall. It looked like a surreal painting with mushroom type forming rolling organic shapes. The detailed hand-drawn elements and chunky stenciled type fit together tightly, forming a dreamlike setting. It was a concert poster from the 1960′s at the legendary San Francisco music venue the Fillmore West, signed by Stanley Mouse. The intricate details and shading of the elements gave it a 3D quality, and bold primary colors made it pop off the wall. I became fascinated with this design and began to explore more of Stanley’s work.

Stanley George Miller, better known as Stanley Mouse, was most known for his psychedelic rock concert poster designs and Grateful Dead album cover art.

Born in California on October 10, 1940, Mouse grew up in Detroit, Michigan. His father was an animator with Disney Studios who worked on Snow White. Always quiet and drawing in class, Stanley earned his pen name Mouse, in the seventh grade. He completed his formal education at the Detroit’s Society of Arts and crafts.

In1965, Stanley traveled to San Francisco, and met self-taught artist Alton Kelley. Upon arriving in San Francisco, Kelley and other members of the gang renamed themselves The Family Dog, and began producing psychedelic rock events. In 1966, when Chet Helms became leader of the group, they began promoting the events at the Avalon Ballroom. It was at this time when Mouse and Kelley began working together to produce posters for the events. Later, the two also produced posters for legendary rock promoter Bill Graham.

In 1967, Mouse began collaborating with artists Kelley, Rick Griffin, Victor Moscoso and Wes Wilson to create the Bonaparte Distribution Agency.

The posters that Mouse and Kelley produced were heavily influenced by Art Nouveau graphics, particularly the works of Alphonse Mucha and Edmund Joseph Sullivan. This influence was evident in their illustration style and type treatment. The two produced posters for such musical groups as Big Brother and the Holding Company, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Grateful Dead and Cream. For the Cream posters Stanley Mouse made an interesting choice of printing the black and teal artwork, against a cream-colored background, reinforcing the name of the band with color.

In 1968, Helms and Graham began using other artists for their poster work, and Mouse’s career began to decline. After brief periods living abroad, he returned to California in 1971 and resumed his partnership with Kelley, producing commercial artwork for the Grateful Dead and later Journey. The pair are credited for creating the skeleton and roses image that became the famous icon of the Grateful Dead. Their designs for Steve Millers album Book of Dreams won a Grammy Award in 1977. Mouse and Kelley continued to work on rock memorabilia until 1980 when the two went their separate ways.

Stanley Mouse currently lives in Sonoma County, California where he continues to pursue his career as an artist. His work is featured in the Rockin’ Roses Gallery in Healdsburg, California along with other artists such as Grace Slick, Mickey Hart, Jerry Garcia, Bill and Adrianna Weber. A recent show at the Marin Museum of Art featured Stanley’s work in a full-circle format making clear the extent and genius of his work.

I first became interested in art and design around the age of 11, in the early 1980’s. It was around this time when the underground skateboarding scene emerged from Southern California.

I was fascinated with the artwork on the skateboard decks, from companies like Vision, Powell Peralta and Santa Cruz. The graphics were bold and bright and had a pop-like look and feel. There were a variety of different styles and artists that captivated me, but I was especially drawn to the skateboard deck designs that were produced by Santa Cruz Skateboard artist Jim Phillips.

Jim Phillips was the art director for Santa Cruz Skateboards starting in 1974, where he created thousands of skateboard deck, t-shirt and sticker designs. Born in San Jose in 1944, he has lived most of his life in Santa Cruz, California. Jim began his career around 1967, designing rock posters for a studio at the Crosstown Bus in Boston. His second poster was for the first East coast appearance of The Doors. Jim has published several books of his artwork and continues to design for Santa Cruz/NHS creating special edition decks and many new products worldwide.

I first became interested in the work of Jim Phillips after seeing a logo he designed called “The Screaming Hand” on the wall at a skateboard shop.

The Screaming Hand is a pop-like design depicting a severed arm flying through the air, with a screaming mouth in the palm of the hand. It’s bold bright colors and unique mix of pop and horror fascinated and inspired me. The idea of mixing different elements that do not belong together in a drawing or design interested me and was something I began to explore.

I began putting my own original artwork on skateboard decks using spray paint, stencils and paint pens. And as I continued applying my designs on more skateboard decks, my technique became more polished.

After discovering my passion for painting and design, my mom purchased an easel and acrylic paints, and encouraged me to put my ideas and designs on canvas. This is when art and design became an important and constant role in my life.

The colorful pop-surreal skateboard deck designs of Jim Phillips were my introduction to the world of art and design, and still continue to influence the work I produce today.

We were pleased to receive nine 2012 Communicator Awards, including two Gold Awards of Excellence for our work on the Flagler Centennial Website and the ViraShield Video. In addition, we were honored with 7 Silver Awards of Distinction recognizing our work for Fury,  Old Town Trolley, Boston Tea Party, Key West Aquarium, Frame Art, and Virwall, as well as our own BlackDog Holiday Video.

The Communicator Awards is the leading international awards program recognizing big ideas in marketing and communications. Founded nearly two decades ago, The Communicator Awards receives over 6,000 entries from companies and agencies of all sizes, making it one of the largest awards of its kind in the world.

We are honored to have been selected among this year’s recipients for these prestigious awards.

View our Communicator Award Winning Work

2012 Gold Award of Excellence: Flagler Centennial Website

2012 Gold Award of Excellence: ViraShield Video

2012 Silver Award of Distinction: Old Town Trolley Mobile

2012 Silver Award of Distinction: Boston Tea Party Website

2012 Silver Award of Distinction: Key West Aquarium Website

2012 Silver Award of Distinction: Frame Art Website

2012 Silver Award of Distinction: Virwall Systems Website

2012 Silver Award of Distinction: BlackDog Holiday Video

2012 Silver Award of Distinction: Fury Stay & Play Video

Summer is almost upon us. And along with the arrival of mosquitoes, rising thermometers and tropical storms comes those ambitious college kids who have sobered up long enough to hold a summer job. In addition to bringing us our coffee, our new batch of interns are getting lots of professional experience. Read on to find out about the few…the proud…the BlackDog Summer Interns.

Aly Perez
Aly Perez is currently a senior advertising student at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications with an outside concentration in art and art history. She was born and raised in Miami, Florida and attended the Honors College at Miami Dade College for the first two years before transferring to the University of Florida. Aly hopes to spend the next couple of years learning as much as she can about the advertising business and gaining enough experience to one day open her own agency.

At the University of Florida, when she’s not excelling in her studies, she can be found entertaining the crowds at football games as her alter ego—Alberta Gator, the official mascot for the University of Florida. Aly enjoys reading, drawing, scuba diving, and pretty much anything that has to do with computers.

Max Flugrath
Max Flugrath is a junior at Florida State University where he is majoring in Studio Art with a focus on Digital Media. Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Max was an art student in a magnet program for both middle and high school. He began painting in his early teens and had his work hanging in Miami art galleries at the age of 15. When he was 16, he sold his first painting at the famous Coconut Grove Art Show in Miami, Florida.

During junior year in high school, Max was a member of the varsity basketball team that went on to win the state championship. He was also recognized for his artistic talents and awarded several scholarships, as well as a showing in the well-known gallery walk in Mayfair, Coconut Grove, Florida. As part of his concentration work in his junior year, Max combined his love of basketball, basketball sneakers and abstract art to create abstract designs. It was these paintings that lead him to found his own small online business featuring his artwork on t-shirts and prints.

We were honored to receive three Telly Awards for our work on Fury Water Adventures’ “Pack Light” TV commercial and the “Stay & Play” online video as well as Virwall’s “ViraShield” online video.

The Telly Awards is the leading award honoring the best in film and video production, web commercials, and phenomenal local TV commercials and programs. The Telly Awards annually showcases the best work of the most respected advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable operators, and corporate video departments in the world. This year, there were over 11,000 entries from all 50 states and 5 continents.

We would like to give a special thanks to our friends at Digital Island Media for their help with the Fury commercials.

View our Telly Award Winning Videos

Fury Water Adventures – “Pack Light” – TV Commercial

Fury Water Adventures – “Stay & Play” – Internet Online Video

Virwall Systems – ViraShield Video – Internet Online Video

BlackDog Advertising received three ADDY awards for the AutoNation Campaign! The whole team was in attendance to celebrate on March 8, 2012 at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami.

The ADDYs are one of the advertising industry’s most respected awards, saluting the year’s most innovative creative in a wide range of categories. This year, thousands of entries were reviewed by 6 distinguished judges from New York and Atlanta. Awards went out to 29 agencies in total and we were very honored to have our work selected along with some of South Florida’s top agencies.

View our ADDY Award Winning Designs