On Saturday, my very good friend Jesseline and I, participated in the first annual Hamilton Hunt sponsored by Proud Hamilton and TwestOfTo. The object of the hunt was to solve clues related to locations and then find the spots scattered throughout Hamilton. It was a fun day even though both of us almost passed out from exhaustion. Seriously people, I thought I was going to die.

Check out the video below to see a multitude of horrible pics of me and Jesseline participating in the hunt.

Creative meetings happen on a regular basis here at the kitestring studio. Besides lunch, it’s my most favourite time of the day. Ideas are born. Ideas die. Sometimes we laugh. Actually, most times we laugh. Our team is truly one unit when creativity is fostered and everyone gets their say. We’re not always right on the money at first, but by the end we usually have a good grasp at where the project should be headed.

Today I filmed a meeting and sped it up for your viewing enjoyment. Please note that on most days we have more candy. Today all that was left was a hand full of gummi bears and a ring pop or two. Time to hit up the confection house.

Creativity happens when you allow it to.

Enjoy.

Mad Men is back and kitestring is tickled pink. Season 4 starts July 25th with Don Drapper taking the risk of opening a start up advertising agency based out of a hotel room.

Lets see how kitestring’s “office environment” measures up to the 1960’s advertising world of “rules” as prescribed by Mad Men creator, Matthew Weiner in the above preview of Season 4:

1. ” … When God closes a door, he opens a dress.”
Ok. So this is pretty sexist and taboo for 2010. However, the idea that limitations breed creativity still rings true. Breed. Get it? Not funny. Sorry.

2. “There’s a place to cry – Your apartment.”
Still true. Excuse me.

3. “Only boring people are bored.”
Anyone see our Cutest #BabyBeluga Contest on Tuesday?

4. “Put your nose down and pay attention to your work.”
Anyone see our Cutest #BabyBeluga Contest on Tuesday?

*Note: The preview mentions that the typical office environment needs to be shaken up and let loose a bit in order for the creative work to happen. That includes the occasional search for the cutest #BabyBeluga.

P.S. Here’s my pick. And since there was no official criteria or judge, I win:

Being the proud father of 9 month old twins, it’s becoming more and more apparent that babies are nothing more than really small zombies.

Let me count the ways:

1. They start out not really moving, or doing much, you think you’re safe, and like zombies, they really stink.

2. Slowly, they start to animate, becoming more and more mobile.

3. They develop a hunger for human flesh (teething process, and beyond).

4. When they chase you, they may not be fast, but they are persistent, and will catch you eventually.

5. They eat your brains. I haven’t been able to think straight for months. My brain is technically gone.

6. They turn you into one of them. I have a glazed over look, shuffle around like a zombie, and haven’t showered in days.

7. Like a typical zombie apocalypse, you are the only one left. All of your friends and family who used to visit seem to have disappeared, never to be seen again.

If anyone can recommend how I would fight the baby zombie apocalypse, I would be very grateful.

I was always a reader. I read everything I could get my hands on, from fiction, to non-fiction, to geek books (big surprise there!). However, in the past couple of years, my reading of conventional books has slowed down to nearly a stand-still. I read blogs, news feeds, Twitter, Facebook, and any other small, bite-size forms of media out there, but I haven’t sat down with a good book in a long time.

I blame technology.

I sit at my computer all day, working, and taking the odd break to take in some information. I have my Android phone in hand reading Engadget, The Onion, Digg, and my Google Reader feed. I have my T.V. which, depending on who has the remote, I’m either watching Dr. Who (me), or one of the sideshow freaks on T.L.C. (my wife).

Now, technology may not be all that bad. I bought my wife a Kobo e-reader for Mother’s day, and have already read most of a book on it, and I have to say, I really like it. It satisfies my need for gadgetry, yet still allows me to get some real reading in.

E-Readers aren’t new to the scene, but they are really starting to gain momentum in the book and publishing industry. Most use a technology called E Ink, which very closely resembles an actual printed page. It’s not back-lit, so for someone like me who spends almost 14 hours a day staring at a lit computer monitor, it comes as a very nice relief.

I have decided to get one of my own, so that started the extensive research. Here are the major contenders for me.

The Kobo - This is a Chapters/Indigo initiative. It comes with a bunch of free books, and is very simple to use. It basically has one button to navigate the pages and books, a few menu buttons, and a power button. It’s a no-frills, clean and simple e-reader. Cost: $149 CAD. You can also use any format you want on this reader. This is a very good choice for someone who wants an inexpensive, easy to use reader without too many distracting settings and features. http://www.koboereader.com/

The Kindle - Amazon has hundreds of thousands of books available for this reader. Another great thing is that you can buy books directly to the device over 3G, from anywhere a cell signal is available! The downside to this reader is that it uses a proprietary, rights-managed format for the e-books. Which means that you are limited to buying books from Amazon, and nowhere else. Cost: $189 USD. I have never used one of these, but I hear pretty good things about it. http://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Reading-Display-International-Generation/dp/B0015T963C

Sony – The Sony e-readers have been around for a while, and come in two options, Pocket, and Touch. The touch screen one has a larger screen, and has quite a few more options, but the price tag matches that. The Pocket version costs around $189 CAD, the Touch version I have seen for $279. This reader supports almost any format. http://www.sonystyle.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?categoryId=1000623&storeId=20153&langId=200&catalogId=100803&N=4294959113

Nook – Barnes and Noble – This is my choice, and I’m getting Jenn to get me one in the US this weekend! The benefit of this is that they have two options, WiFi + 3G ($199 USD), or WiFi Only ($149 USD). The Nook also has a colour touch screen below the E Ink screen that can be used for navigation, picking and purchasing a book, typing, and it even comes with Sudoku and Chess games. It’s a bit more of a geek’s e-reader, but is also open to any format of eBook, including PDF, ePub, PDF, Images, and also plays MP3 files. It also has a very basic web browser, so you can check your e-mail, read blogs, and view basic websites. The huge downfall of this e-reader is that you can’t actually buy one in a country other than the US! http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/index.asp

After a few weeks of asking around, Jenn told me she was going to the US, so I’m one step closer to relaxing with a good book and a beer.

Does anyone else find that technology keeps them away from books?

It’s no secret the each of us at kitestring truly loves coming to work each day. We continually meet new folks that present new challenges to our team. Whether it being launching a new company, product or campaign – we’re always excited to take on the challenge presented and develop the ideas to bring it to life in the most intelligent, strategic and creative way possible.

Intelligent. Strategic. Creative . Wow, big words, aren’t they? It’s hard to appreciate just how big these words appear when the team sits down to brainstorm ideas for a new project and face a blank white board.

Sometimes, it’s just not easy to come up with ideas on demand. Sometimes, it’s hard to be creative on the spot. And, sometimes, you just need to accept just that “now’s just not the time” and  be okay with walking away and trying again…and again…and again.

Our best ideas rarely surface during the first brainstorming session. It often comes from a random piece of an idea that hits one of us in the strangest of places – the shower, in the car, the waking thought that drags us out of bed to jot down a few notes.

You always know it’s going to be a good day when someone comes flying in, excited to share the thought that hit them.  That’s when magic starts to happen. Energy rises, momentum builds and soon, the ideas are endless and we end with something that’s Intelligent, Strategic and Creative.

It’s always really exciting the share a new creative concept with our client. It’s a lot of fun to infuse the idea into different pieces of collateral and see it enter the marketplace.

It’s always the point when we discuss adding our ‘latest and greatest’ to our portfolio that we sit back as a team and reminisce about the day the idea was born. It almost seems to be a shame to only be able to showcase the finished product – after all, it’s the process of developing the idea that always proves to be the most challenging and rewarding part of what we do.

If an idea is what you need, kitestring is where you’ll find it. I can’t guarantee that it’ll be served up immediately but, I can ensure you that when it’s ready it’ll be Intelligent, Strategic and Creative – and, we’ll have a lot of fun getting there!

kitestring’s studio was featured on Beaux Mondes this week looking chic, clean and creative.

The blog illustrates a lucid world of people, places and things, cultivated by two intelligent gamines with a penchant for discovering all that charms. Luckily, a lot of what’s featured on Beaux Mondes can be found by stepping outside of our studio door.

Photos courtesy of Beaux Mondes 2010

Our good friend Mabel has a new look! You can check here out on the new Mabel’s Labels webiste.

With a new hair-doo and website comes a facbook page design that kitestring has been working on to help launch their new brand. If you’re not a fan of Mabel’s Labels, head on over to facebook and click on the “like” button. We “like” them, and I think you will too.

If you want to find out more about Social Media branding, give us a shout. It’s one of our most favourite topics!

Chris

Even though it rained (hard) this past Wednesday afternoon and soaked through some t-shirts, Hamilton’s young creative professionals and entrepreneurs got together at the Bad Dog Cafe on Locke Street. Most of us had the right idea and found a dry way of transporting themselves over, but some of us (myself, Jenn and Chris) marched under the storm cloud with umbrellas in hand. I think I can say on behalf of everyone who came out, it was a goooood time! Delicious food, savory Caesars, smiling faces – you get the idea. If you have never attended a HYPE event, get your social on at our next meet in the Fall. See you then!

It’s hot. Or is it? We took that question to the streets to find out. Check it out below.

Thanks to Go Green Deli on James for the egg.