Field Notes Inside an Integrated Communications Agency

Our environment creates a culture of winning team spirit fun.I say we have a Capstrat Peep Joust on March 20th.Here's a poster.

While riding home from work last week, I received a call from my mom. She had startling news. She had (gasp) turned on a computer for the first time and (double gasp) had no idea what to do next.

For the next two hours, I explained to her over the phone how to: open, create and populate a spreadsheet document in excel, how to save and then attach it in a new email message to send off. During this conversation I also had time to: drive to taco bell, sit in the car and eat my crunch wrap supreme, get gas, drive home, put my laundry in the dryer and paint my toenails.

After receiving an estatic email from my mom yesterday (yes, she actually emails now!) thanking me for my patience in teaching her these basic functions we all take for granted, my brief moments of internal exasperation were completely worth it.

It reminded me of how fortunate I am to work at a place that not only chooses to focus everyday on client work that matters but on the smaller things in life. So thanks guys, for creating a culture where it's common to throw foam darts at/with coworkers (depending on the situation) and to find a unicorn stuffed animal on your desk for no good reason.  

 

We, the Capstrat Web Producers, were greeted with a delightful surprise this morning.

The Capstrat Developers hosted us our own 'producer party' complete with a thoughtful (though quirky and some might say inappropriate) card, two bigger-than-life balloons, a cuddly, stuffed animal unicorn, a fist-sized Hershey Kiss and three dozen red roses. And these were not just any balloons - they were sparkly, shiny unicorn and dragonfly balloons!

All of this to show their love. And we try to do the same for them, by showering them with lunches and snacks and goodies. When the hours get long (as they have been lately), it's nice to know that the respect and adoration we have for the developers is mutual.

Thanks, guys, for being totally awesome!

The OGG hit us with Neologism. That's a new fangled word constructed from the mash up of two words. For instance internet etiquette turns into "netiquette." Ronald Reagan's economic policy became "Reaganomics." You get the idea.

Neologisms occur more often in cultures where language rapidly changes and pop culture thrives. I illustrated slack academics to yield "slackademics." Hey, I went to art school. I get this meaning.