Showing posts with label advertising. Show all posts
Showing posts with label advertising. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

McCann Spills


Global advertising agency McCann Erickson has done it again. For years they've been creating groundbreaking advertisements and making consumers and corporations look at each other in new ways. Now they are turning the creative gun on themselves and their employees with Spill. Spill isn't your 1990s intranet. For one it's a mega blog made up of more than 700 writers and it's more than a source for mining numbers and best practices.

Recently, I spoke with what I'll call a "Spill Insider" about the creation of the program and how it's impacting the organization. Also, a few lucky spillers were able to get their hands on iPads to help them with day to day blogging; wherever and whenever.

What is Spill and how did it come to be?
Spill is a blog. You basically "spill" about anything from specific topics to random banter. It's the new internal communications platform for McCann NY. It's where all employees share info and content with each other. It came about as a way to have a "flatter, faster, more open and integrated culture." It's the companies way to build digital into our daily lives so we get in the habit of integrating it into the strategy of our clients. They introduced the iPad as a tool to drive us to a more digital, open and shared work environment.

How are your colleagues responding to your spills?
I have responses from pure laughter to some of them letting me know they feel the same way. For instance, I spilled about a popular reality show character and a recent natural phenomenon. A lot of my colleagues were fully engaged about the two topics. They commented and added relevant links.


How do you think this exchange of information will impact McCann Erickson?

I think it will encourage dialogue between colleagues across all departments not just creative which I believe was part of the goal.


Even creative organizations are seeing the value of employees that don't come equipped with an English or art degree. No doubt McCann is getting insight into whom they should be courting as clients and in turn; how their clients should interact with consumers.
Faster and open is the way to go -- perhaps your company will follow suit before they get left in the dust.

We'd love to tell you more but it's a bit of a secret. And no, the "Spill Insider" is not a LLady.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Members of the Month - March 2009

Amy Butterworth | New York

By day Amy is nose-deep in Actionscript at Walrus, a boutique creative shop where she specializes in flash development. She's thrilled to find her place as a full -time interactive geek after working primarily in print design at some of New York's best ad agencies (Wieden & Kennedy, MadDogs & Englishmen) since graduating from Pratt, with honors in 2001.

Amy is an avid biker, cook (she holds the first prize from the first annual New York City Casserole competition) and she makes many of her own clothes. In addition, Amy has co-hosted -- along with fellow Ladies Lotto member Leslie Hermelin -- the fabulously successful annual Clothing Swaptacular for the past four years.

If ODB were alive today, he'd give Amy props because she's for the children. Besides juggling an active work and social life, she mentored middle and high school students. Amy taught youths to express themselves via electronic media at the Digital Clubhouse program.

She currently lives in Williamsburg with her husband Doug and two very lucky street cats. Her side project of the month is the piano bar act, "Chi-Chi LeBoom at the Starlite." They play lounge covers of mid-nineties novelty songs and aim to play outside of the apartment soon. In addition to being awesome overall, Amy has the distinction of having been present at the very first Ladies Lotto meeting.


Angela Gusman | Chicago

With her affinity for all things creative, Angela Gusman graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a BA in Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management. Currently, Angela works as a Marketing Specialist at a Fortune 100 company. Angela envisions herself to be a renaissance woman, owning her own marketing and media company.

Don’t let the corporate pedigree fool you; Angela can bust a move. You can find her driving around Chicago with a bumper sticker that reads “I’d rather be dancing…” She’s a dance and yoga guru and is always encouraging her peers to join her in a class.

When it’s not freezing cold you can catch “Ang” and her yorkie, Tuffy (aka Tough Guy off the Streets) shopping for stylish bargains around Chicago. Besides shopping; Angela enjoys photography, DJing, and checking out live music acts in her spare time.




Erika Sunmark | Seattle

As Senior Video Producer of Frause Visual, Erika works with clients in the corporate, advertising and non-profit industries. A Chicago-native, Erika has ten years of experience in video production from scheduling manager and production coordinator; to puppet wrangler. Her outgoing personality and multi-tasking ability makes her the ideal producer.

Outside of the office, Erika has co-produced a number of short films through the 48Hr Film Festival. In May 2008, her team screened at the Cannes Film Festival. There she perfected her French accent and wine tasting prowess.

Ever the film buff; she is the proud mother of two little killers named Chewbacca and Indiana Jones. It's one if by land and two if by sea for this lady. In the summer you'll find her sailing around on a boat and she tears up the slopes in the winter.