I was introduced to AL CADATA as a19-year-old sophomore in college. A lot has happened since then – I went to work in the agency business, got married, had kids, etc. Living the dream. Over the years, I’ve been asked this question more than once, “so what is the secret to dealing with all the shite that this industry dishes out on a daily basis?” I usually wave it off and respond with some smart-ass comment, but in the back of my mind I’m thinking…AL CADATA.

In an unfortunate turn of events, April Fools happened to fall on a Sunday this year. What is usually a day filled with zero productivity at work came and went as most of us were doing normal Sunday things like family dinners or watching television (ahem, Game of Thrones). In an effort to help you catch up on what you may have missed, we’ve complied a list of some of our favorite online pranks pulled by brands and websites during yesterday’s mayhem.

I wouldn’t hesitate to argue that the travel and hospitality industries are at the forefront of social media adoption in everything they do (this is the part where I plug a recent Social Media in Travel presentation I gave). These businesses thrive off customer service…it’s their bread and butter. Couple that with the viral, word-of-mouth lifestyle social media has given us and it’s practically a gold mine for customer outreach and retention. I’m baffled when I still see stories of brands trying to figure out how best to use social media; only to then immediately see a story about Southwest Airlines, Hilton hotels, or KLM weaving it into every fiber of how they do business.

Looking at the airline industry in particular, brand loyalty is leading the charge in transforming the traditional frequent flier programs into something more social. This infographic, with … Read More »

Ember: Hey Jason, I was just coming by to check real quick how you’re doing.

Jason: Yeah, I’m doing pretty good. I should be able to send it to you by Wednesday.

Ember: Wednesday?

Jason: Yes, Wednesday.

Ember: Oh, OK, but you already said you’d send it to me this morning. And now it’s 4:30. And well, I told you about it three days ago.

Think about the last time you had to give directions to someone. Granted, I hope their phone was dead at the time because I don’t feel sorry for anyone who gets lost in the age of the smart phone. That’s besides the point though.

When you gave directions, did you use the metric system and find which direction North was from your current location? Hell no. You used phrases like “Turn right at the McDonalds.” and “Once you pass the sixth Starbucks, you’ll hang a left.” We’ve become a landmark-based society. At any given time, the description of our current location is relevant to the companies and brands that surround us.

If Christmas came twice a year, for tech geeks, then SXSWi would be that second helping. I mean, who needs gifts from Santa when you have Gary Vaynerchuk’s #Secret_Wine_Party? Switch is sending its EgoBust crew to Austin to take in all the knowledge and networking SXSW is going to throw our way. Expect recaps, photos, and videos of all the mayhem we’ll be getting into. Want to say hi? Maybe grab a beer? Hit us up on the Twitters.

Let me preface by saying that I don’t, by any means, consider myself a photographer. I take pictures for work. Lots of them. A lot of them end up on the Internet even, but that’s neither here nor there.

The rise of the “fauxtographer” movement has been one that I just haven’t been able to grasp since I heard about it a year or so ago. It seems as though the massive penetration (yes, I just said that) of the smart phone market has equipped us with all the essentials we need to be the next Ansel Adams. We have endless filters and easy-to-use photo editors at our fingertips. There are apps that will do everything but actually take the  picture for us.

So now every a-hole with a cat and an iPhone thinks they’re recreating the Mona Lisa each time they update … Read More »

Ad agencies are 75% confusion and 15% mark-up.

That’s not mine.  It’s a tweet I ripped off the Interwebs from a fellow agency malcontent probably short on caffeine or other performance enhancing drugs.

The Seinfeld-esque nod to the inter-workings of how agencies create & deliver their work strikes a cord with all of us who spend our days digging ditches and evenings applying liquid bandages to our wounds.

Fact is, there are traffic jams in Bangladesh less jacked up than an agency in the heat of battle.

This is a subject that regularly gums up my grey matter, and this particular notion got me thinking:  if the creative “process” is an unreachable goal everywhere, how do we embrace the chaos, focusing less on the journey and more on the destination?

I was lucky enough to hear the great Hal Riney speak before he died.  Standing … Read More »

Good type is hard. Proper usage and manipulation requires knowledge, reverence and relentless attention to detail. It also requires that you start with a well-made typeface. In the nearly 600 years since the invention of the printing press, human culture has been awash in typefaces – both standardized by foundries and counterfeited by rogues. Today, these rogues not only distribute copies of legitimate typefaces, but also vomit forth poorly-designed fonts for the general public. Sifting through all the junk is tedious, but sometimes necessary. There are thousands of freelance designers and students out there who can’t afford the hefty cost associated with legally purchasing a typeface. Even some midsize companies have trouble rationalizing dropping hundreds of dollars on a font that the client hasn’t yet approved.

Fear not, though, you freelancers, Art Directors, hobbyists and art students – there’s hope. Over the past few … Read More »

In what can only have been some sort of desperate attempt to get a Valentine’s Day special out the door, Pizza Hut seemed to go with a Hail Mary pass of a promo. Touted as “Tie the Knot with the $10 Dinner Box,” the Pizza Hut engagement package was an extravagant $10,010 (yes that number is correct) purchase that included the following:

- A red ruby engagement ring
- Limo service to Pizza Hut
- Flowers for the special lady
- A personal fireworks display
- Professional photographer and videographer to capture the event
- Pizza Hut’s new $10 Dinner Box (includes one topping rectangular pizza, five breadsticks, and 10 cinnamon sticks)

I have this mental image of a boardroom full of mid-40′s business men signing off on this one. The kind who’ve been married for 15 years with three kids and have completely lost any inkling as to what is … Read More »

So it appears as though last week was the week everyone who’s not in the tech community discovered Pinterest.

It’s a “thing” now. All of us early adopter nerds can’t help but cringe as the onslaught of empty boards and branded product pushers work their way into our precious social network. It’s no longer out little secret. #wompwomp

So, you’re a noob. Grats! Welcome to 4 months ago.

Uncle Ben was right. With great power, comes great responsibility. Here are a few tips for making sure you don’t go all sucktastic on Pinterest.

1) Follow All vs Follow Board

Before you click the Follow All button next that gigantic list of Facebook friends, you should realize one thing. Your feed will become a melting pot of God knows what. Take me for example. I’m a guy. I could care less about fancy finger nail … Read More »