Here at JHI we are big believers in supporting locally-owned businesses, which is one of the many reasons we are proud to have Ukrop’s as a long time client (since 1999). Interesting fact: Ukrop’s is the area’s largest retailer of locally grown produce. Local Route is a campaign we designed for Ukrop’s about two years ago, and it’s still going strong (in fact, a grocery chain in the Midwest liked it so much they asked if they could use it). On June 29, we’ll be reprising Local Route for a five week run of :10 TV and online ads that change weekly to feature local farmers and the summer produce item that’s at its peak.
I recently came across a tweet the other day in which the person said “This link has brought out the inner 8-year-old in me and I can’t stop laughing.” The link on his post was www.whopooped.org. Not sure what possessed me to click it, as I was sure it was going to be something seriously inappropriate (for those who know me, you know that I blush talking about this stuff!). Lucky for me, I was pleasantly surprised at the online genius I found - no need to blush!
Whopooped.org is a microsite for the Minnesota Zoo to promote visits for their Africa! exhibit. The site features an interactive quiz that shows insight into the lives of animals based on scientists studying - yup, you guessed it, their poop! The site does a great job of appealing to their target audience - kids, both young and old! Here in the office, we had to test our knowlege (and the site, for research, of course). I scored 2/3 correct, but everyone else in the office scored a 100%!
All microsites should aim to combine entertainment and information in such a compelling and appropriate way, even if it is without potty humor!
These mugs are basically a comic strip with the superpower of containing my morning beverage of choice. The mug in the top row is an historical artifact at my J H I desk, having been with me through various office configurations and my transition from multiple cups of coffee daily to the occasional half-caff or Earl Grey.
The pair were part of a thank-you gift from ceramicist Adams Puryear, for putting he and a friend up on my futon as they passed through RVA a few years ago. They serve as daily reminders of two important life lessons:
Remember to appreciate silliness.
Tofu always wins.
I really think I got the better end of the deal.
(Click the photo to view it larger and “read” the comic.)
For a moment, I thought I was dreaming on the 2.5 hour car ride from Austin airport to Waldemar ranch. The desert was expansive and the landscape idyllic even if it was composed of mainly dirt, rocks, and cacti. I appreciated the calming effect it had on me, in a way foreshadowing what would be a relaxed and rustic experience during the next 4 days. continue reading
I can’t wait until summer. Festivals, swimming, and sunshine all make this my favorite season. This summer, there’s something else to look forward to! At the end of May, a new store will be opening in Mathews, Virginia. Real Goods will focus on small batch Virginia products, promising “exceptional foods from local sources.” The owners, Rosemary Griffith and Rob Acosta-Lewis, have traveled all over the state looking for growers and artisans whose wares (and stories) remind us how diverse Virginia is. Everything from fresh flowers, to microbrews, from bread to soaps and lotions will be sold in the sunny yellow shop on Main Street. I can’t wait to stop in this summer!
Recently J H I designed not one, but TWO (dare we say gorgeous) new websites for Better Housing Coalition. To make it easier for different users to find the information they need, we split the vast amount of content that was previously on one site into two: betterhousingcoalition.org (above) and bhchomes.org (below). The first site will tell you everything you want to know about Better Housing Coalition, an award-winning non-profit organization that changes lives and transforms communities through high quality affordable housing. (Please consider making a donation while you’re on their site.) The second is where to go for details on buying or renting one of their beautiful, eco-friendly apartments and homes.
BHC is remarkable, smart and really good at what they do, and it’s been an honor to work with them and to make our own small contribution to improving affordable housing right here in RVA.
Here at JHI, we are big fans of billboards: they are quick to the point and they reach your customers where they are - being in their car and seeing billboards about cars is not lost on me in this instance! We’ve done quite a few in our time for clients, and although we’d like to take the credit for this one by a BMW dealer - this stroke of genius is entirely theirs. Not only does it directly respond to a competitor in a tongue-in-cheek way, it has also caught the attention of the blogosphere and the twitterverse - thanks to a blog post on the BMWBlog. Interestingly enough, BMWBlog isn’t owned by BMW AG, and I would bet their marketing and PR people are having a good day given all of the positive goodwill spreading around the net since the post on Monday. Well played indeed.
At the recent biennial Richmond AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) design awards ceremony known as GRADE 5, Carter took first place in a category very important to us: Collateral Materials.
Our hard-working project for the Visual Arts Center does it again! “The Richmond Show“, the annual Richmond Ad Club awards ceremony, bestowed a Silver Award for the piece. That brochure is now demanding its own drawer in the sample cabinet…jeeeesh! Congratulations again Carter.
