Good clients and exciting projects can make just another day at work a wonderful day, indeed. Looking for more clients like these so we can continue having the best days at work!
Just Another Day at WORK
Richmond Show 2017
Last Friday we celebrated the Advertising Club of Richmond’s Ad Show. As always, we look forward to this night, not just for recognition for our hard work over the past year but to connect with other folks in the industry (many of whom helped us with these particular projects as freelancers and contractors). It’s also a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our good fortune when it comes to our fantastic clients and the privilege to do what we are passionate about for them.
You see, awards are wonderful, no doubt, but it’s that comradery between those contractors and the clients who trusted in us in the first place that make this night truly special.
Creative is a hard commodity to pay for. A client is dropping a good chunk of change on something they can’t really see yet. There’s a lot of trust that goes into that relationship as the payoff can take weeks or even years to reveal itself. In turn, teaming up with freelancers who go the distance with us, trusting our vision and giving us their best only comes from a relationship built on mutual respect and admiration. Receiving these accolades and positive feedback from our peers lets us know we were on the right track, and that our clients were justified in trusting us.
Many thanks to the Advertising Club of Richmond, the judges, our WORK Friends (Pete Humes, Adam Ewing, Steve Covert, Ty Williams, Rian Chandler-Dovis, Eric Boyd, Scott Wichmann to name a few), and our wonderful clients for making it possible for us to create work we love with people we like in a place we want to be!
Pitch Books - Self promotional - WORK - Gold
Photography - WORK Labs (What Scares You More)- Best In Show
Photography - Cobra USA - Gold
Photography - White Stone Oyster Company - Gold
Communication Design - VCU Brandcenter - Identity - Silver
Communication Design - 2017 Catalog - Cobra - Bronze
Promotional Design and Advertising - Cobra USA (Newspaper) - Gold
Promotional Design and Advertising - Cobra USA -Anniversary Mailer - Silver
Illustration - VCU Brandcenter - Bronze
VCU Brandcenter - Integrated Identity - Gold
Online Video and Film - VCU Brandcenter - Silver
Production - VCU Brandcenter -Hidden Agenda Documentary - Gold / Best In Show
Renovation WORK
WORK Labs has had a few different faces over the years. WORK, WORK Advertising, WORK Inc, WORK Brands, WORK Labs...and now? Well before we reveal our next incarnation, let’s talk about what won’t change.
WORK has always adhered to the platform of staying small in order to offer the best services at the best price for its clients. With larger agencies, the standard process is to charge a large, sometimes exorbitant amount for their services. Understandably so. That fee is used to help pay the extensive overhead, salaries, and expenses that a big agency can generate. Remaining small means fewer salaries, smaller overhead, and overall less expense, allowing WORK to only charge for the services necessary for the client.
Hiring out for those extra services only as they’re needed also means we have the freedom to hire only the best of the best i.e. the best photographer for the job, the best copywriter for this particular client, and so on. We build strong relationships this way. When we form those connections and create a mutual respect for others in the industry, we solidify an environment the breeds good creative. We create good karma if you will.
Our other mantra? Practice what you preach. If we can’t successfully bring our own products to market, why should we expect our clients to have faith in us to do the same for them? So our “facelift” will be far deeper than just an exterior change. We will be continuing to put our money where our mouth is as we strive to get WORK products out into the world.
So as we move forward, continuing to create strong relationships and walking our own products from concept to reality, we reinforce our brand beliefs with a new(ish) name and logo. But I’m afraid you’ll have to wait just a little while longer for the reveal.
Oh me, O'MY !
So excited to finally see this project come to fruition! One of our newest clients has such a fantastic product the assisting with the naming, branding, and design almost seemed like too easy a task. I mean, how can you call a gelato tasting for your morning meeting, “work”?
Allison Monet came to us with a dream of creating a non-dairy ice cream-like dessert for individuals who often miss out on the opportunity to indulge in a delicious, creamy dessert due to dietary restrictions. So with some investigation into the legal parameters for dessert packaging and labeling, many taste tests, and some concepting with WORK Labs, she ended up with, O’My Dairy Free Gelato.
We provided to Allison an accelerated exploratory, name direction, logo and packaging designs and a simple website. But because this project was just too much fun, we couldn’t stop there. We teamed up with writer and director, John Irwin (who helped put together the “What’s Next” promotional video for the VCU Brandcenter) to provide an announcement video for the gelato.
Looking at the packaging of a number of ice creams in the market, there were few that left us impressed. This made us all the more excited to get to work on Allison’s product. Frank Anderson (a talented and former WORKer) did a beautiful job with the designs for the packaging for the multiple flavors, highlighting the natural ingredients Allison so carefully chose for her product.
So take a look below at some samples of our designs, and keep an eye out for O’MY in your local grocery stores, coming soon!
Coffee with Cabell
Had just enough time for a couple more questions with Cabell before he headed off for more client meetings. So take a few moments of your coffee break and have a look-see. Let us know if you have any questions for Cabell.
How do advertising agencies and design firms differ from one another?
It’s really just which door you enter. Each says they provide both services but rarely do they do both truly well. Advertising and design have distinctly different aesthetics and training, so clients can have their products hit by two very different points of view that unfortunately may not mesh well together. Having a solid foundation to your brand can help to prevent a breakdown between design and future advertising.
So what does building a brand mean exactly?
You don’t ever stop. It’s like building a house; foundation first, and then keep moving upwards with it. It’s not just throwing a logo on everything. Everything the brand touches, every piece of communication should be reinforcing the brand point of view. It works internally and externally. Corporate behaviors internally represent the brand just as much as external communications.
The Beauty of Collaboration
When your coworkers are lucky enough to collaborate outside of work, beautiful things can happen. WORK Labs’ Chris Harris and Nathan Covert, for example, found that their after-work hobbies worked well together with Chris testing out his new laser cutter by using one of Nathan’s graphic designs.
Nathan posts his work about 3 times a week on Instagram. Usually, it’s just a logo that he knocks out for fun. It pays to practice your skills for your own interest rather than just at a client’s request.
Recently, he showed Chris how he had been experimenting with linocut illustrations. This inspired Chris to try using his new laser cutter to bring the design to life.
@glowforge started a campaign years ago on Kickstarter to fund an economical laser cutter/engraver and Chris couldn’t resist pre-ordering it. Back in college, he ran a more industrial laser cutter for the Art Department and missed having access to that level of technology.
So what are their thoughts on their first collaboration together?
Chris: Tools like this can really help to bring your ideas to life. Whether your prototyping a product or adding fine detail to a piece of art. I’m really excited to see what’s going to come out of the laser next.
Nathan: The reaction on Instagram has been awesome. I think people appreciate seeing things made in real life and rather than just pixels.
Coffee with Cabell
Had a quiet moment in the office (okay not necessarily quiet but Cabell was stuck working at his table and couldn't run from me) so I took the opportunity to ask him some more industry questions to get his perspective.
- What do you look for in a client?
A partner. Plain and simple. I don’t want to be a vendor to a client. I want to be a partner in the branding of their product. I look for someone who is smart. Someone who is passionate about their brand. Someone I can find a relationship of mutual respect. It’s fairly safe to assume, whatever product that client is looking to sell, they know that product forwards and backwards. We trust that knowledge. We know branding forwards and backward. It makes a world of difference if the client can trust our knowledge. But we’re not here to dish out ideas and commands. We want a partnership form the very start.
2) What is image advertising vs. product advertising?
Product advertising is highlighting a product’s benefit and point of difference in the category. This is advertising that has a more strategic and factual based focus. What do you have that your competitor does not? What separates your brand from others in that same category?
Image advertising highlights the feeling and personality of the product. It communicates to a different piece of your brain. What does the audience feel when they think of your brand? Image Advertising is useful with parity products. If, for example, you can not quickly identify some characteristic that helps your product stand out above all the others then you need to lean towards Image. Cola or beer is a great example here.
3) How have the agencies you’ve worked for differed from one another?
They have far more similarities than differences. That seems to be the overwhelming case even now. The most creative agencies share a creative principle that has done good work or is doing good work. This affects leadership and output for the better.
You can, unfortunately, be at the most creative agency and find a lot of crappy work and in turn, can be at a mediocre agency but find brilliant work that just doesn’t get to see the light of day due to a lack of strong leadership or a strong voice that can push that work through.
Most agencies today are over processed and will, unfortunately, stay that way as long as they have clients who are willing to pay for that kind of set up. And just as their set up becomes formulaic, unfortunately, so does their creative.
Until next time i.e. Cabell gets stuck having to answer my questions...
Ode to the Unsung Heroes of the WORKplace
Today is a sad day at WORK Labs as we've had to say goodbye to one of our four-legged partners, Dudley. While Dudley is the Harris family's pet, he, like their other pets, has become a vital partner in our everyday work-life.
I think it's safe to say, there are very few places of work where a dog (or cat, for that matter) does not improve the environment. The dogs of WORK Labs have provided every kind of service from models for photographs, product testing, lunch break partners, holiday and social media promos, to resident diplomat for fellow designers and clients alike. Dudley put up with us placing every kind of prop you can think of on him, and positioning him in whatever kind of spot tickled our fancy. Patience was definitely something he had in masses, as is required for most shop dogs.
As we sadly bid farewell to our sweet bud, we look back at all his efforts as partner and mascot to WORK Labs. If you don't have a shop pet gracing your office with their presence, we highly recommend you get one. Thanks for being ours, Dudley!
Cabell Harris Grades the Super Bowl Ads
The Richmond Ad Club hosts an annual event called AdBowl to view and discuss ads released for the Super Bowl. So, to prepare, Cabell ordered the staff a pizza and we hunkered down and watched as many commercials as we could to help him prepare his critiques. Sadly, there were few on the list he thought were deserving of an A.
Here’s why. Regardless how good the acting, writing, production, etc. may be, if in the end, it does not effectively communicate anything worthwhile for the brand, well then what’s the point?
These are Super Bowl ads. Companies are paying 5 million dollars for a 30-second ad. That’s not including production, celebrities, fees for the ad agency creating the commercial in the first place. Five MILLION dollars just for the ad time! The bar for a good commercial set in this time slot has to be higher. And as a viewer, you have to be more critical of what you are seeing.
Whether the concepts are dictated by the client and there is little room for the creative team to maneuver is uncertain, but unfortunately, it seems most of the commercials from the 2018 Super Bowl suffered from the beginning stages of concepting.
Some commercials were trying to be funny but just seemed to miss the mark i.e. Febreze ‘Bleep don’t Stink’. While others seemed to have a good concept but dragged on too long or simply failed in the execution, such as E*TRADE’s ‘This Is Getting Old’.
But some of the biggest misses were the commercials trying to tug on our heartstrings with something that is in no way related to their products. It began to fill a bit insulting. I’m all for members of 4 different religions getting along but what in God’s name does that have to do with a pickup truck?! And while I’m certainly thankful the poor family was rescued from that terrifying flood, it has WHAT to do with Verizon?!
And the good deed commercials? I’m thrilled that Stela Artois is helping to promote the water.org organization and Budweiser donated cans of clean water to people in need but was it necessary to spend 5 million dollars (or more, really) to tell us that?
So what was good? Well, we’re certainly not disagreeing with the majority of the viewers. The commercials we liked, were liked by pretty much everyone.
#3 Doritos Blaze vs Mountain Dew Ice
What’s not to like? Good actors, good music (great cameo from the original artists, Missy
Elliot and Busta Rhymes), good production (without a million camera cuts) and ultimately
communicates the brands well.
#2 Alexa Loses Her Voice
Simple, yet witty premise, good writing, and great production. And of course great
celebrities.
And the number one commercial from Super Bowl 2018?
#1 Tide - It’s a Tide Ad
Well duh! It was genius! Reminiscent of the Energizer Bunny ads (remember that bunny
busting his way into other commercials?), The ‘It’s a Tide Ad’ commercial is fun, humorous,
has good production quality, editing, and storytelling. This is a campaign you can see going
forward and growing. It’s got longevity and growth potential. Something you want for a $5
million investment!
Flash Back Friday - Richmond Show
As we work furiously to finish up our digital entries for the 2017 Richmond Show for the Richmond Ad Club, it got us thinking about our past entries. Whether they won awards or not, we are still quite proud of the work we accomplished and honored to have been chosen by those clients to help move their brand forward.
The best part of these projects is the joy of seeing collaboration with others come to such beautiful fruition. We worked hard on these concepts but we didn't work alone. From the clients to photographers to models and a multitude of vendors, these ideas became reality thanks to not just their assistance but their belief in our vision.
So have a look-see at some of our past entries. Let us know what you think!
WORK Labs' Newest WORKer - Employee #0271
A very warm welcome to our new Studio Designer, Nathan Covert. Today is Nathan’ first day, and he is already up and running!
As a Creative Advertising graduate of VCU, Nathan has provided everything from motion graphics and video to branding and print design for companies like UZURV, Glynn Devins, and Silver Ridge Productions, as well as VCU’s own Technology Services. His personal claim to fame is having worked once with RiFF RAFF.
While Nate has a lot to learn (like how to speak “Cabell”, and how to dog-proof his workstation) one look at his work and you’ll understand why he is certain to be a good fit!
Welcome, Nathan!
Be sure to check out more of his work at http://nathancovert.com or on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/covert_design/?hl=en
What's Next - VCU Brandcenter
Check out a video we did for the VCU Brandcenter. Many thanks to John Irwin http://www.john-irwin.com/ for his beautiful work!
Highlight - WORK Labs' Intern, Danny Askins
While it's a rarity that we actually take on an intern, we never seem to be disappointed when we do. So I Thought we'd take a moment to shine the spotlight on our newest, Danny Askins. Danny's been here just over four weeks but within the first two, we were egging him on to forgo school and come work here with us full-time. What do you need an education for?!?!
That "school" we're so eager to have him leave has its own impressive reputation. Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia where Danny will be graduating with a degree in Graphic Design in June. Talented, personable, and eager to find design solutions for whichever client we are working with, Danny's designs are clean and elegant. And while I'd love to show you the remarkable work he's been doing for us, I'm afraid that will have to wait until after final production for our clients.
So for now, take a look at some of his previous work, and if you're in the area, stop in and say "hi" to Danny before we have to bid a fond farewell come January 5th.
Don't go!!! :(
Digital Identity
I'm going to come clean and say that we here at WORK Labs stayed up way too late last night attending holiday parties and the premiere of the latest Star Wars movie. So, instead of a lengthy blog (I can't think of words today), let's just get to the good part, pictures.
Below is a link to a collection of our Identity work. We hope you enjoy...
https://worklabs.github.io/identity-2017/
Food for Thought - The Infamous "Charles Schulz Philosophy"
Okay, so according to Snopes, this is not, in fact, the philosophy of Charles Schulz, the creator of the “Peanuts” comic strip. But it does make a very good point about the people in our lives, and their importance. So, to whoever did write this, thank you!
You don’t have to answer the questions. Just read the email straight through, and you’ll get the point.
- Name the wealthiest five people in the world.
- Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
- Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant.
- Name 10 people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
- Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
- Name the last decade’s worth of World Series winners.
How did you do?
The point is, none of us remember the headlines of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.
Here’s another quiz. See how you do on this one.
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
Easier?
The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.
Okay, this one IS Charles Schulz-
“Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today…It’s already tomorrow in Australia.”
Coffee with Cabell - Fill In the Blanks
I’m at my best when…
There is mutual respect and there is adequate time and budget.
I’m at my worst when…
I am forced to play a role I am not comfortable in and wearing too many hats that don’t fit.I also have a hard time with presentations, when I have not been invited and then forced to present something.
I always look to do…for my client.
I always look to do smart, unique, and effective work for my client.
If I could tell the world one thing about me, I would tell them…
I’m a rare breed that combines strategic and creative thinking that would bring valuable thinking to any product or service.
A problem is just…
A problem is just an opportunity waiting to be recognized. It is pieces of a puzzle waiting to be put together.
Communication is…
Providing relevant information that makes a connection with an audience.
The purpose of an agency is to…
Solve a client’s problem. Find opportunities that the client hasn’t thought about yet. Continue to evolve and connect all the pieces of the brand.
But most agencies tend to…when they should be…
Most agencies think only about the paid media when they should be thinking about the what ifs.
I love my job because…
I love creating, taking a blank piece of paper and giving birth to something that has not existed before.
Something to Ponder...
As we approach Thanksgiving, a day of thanks and frankly, gluttony, we leave you with some food for thought. Check out "Alike", a beautifully animated short film about creativity versus conformity.
From Barcelona comes "Alike," a short animated film by Daniel Martínez Lara and Rafa Cano Méndez. Made with Blender, an open-source 3D rendering program, "Alike" has won a heap of awards and clocked an impressive 10 million views on Youtube and Vimeo. A labor of love made over four years, the film revolves around this question: "In a busy life, Copi is a father who tries to teach the right way to his son, Paste. But ... What is the correct path?" To find the answer, they have to let a drama play out. Which will prevail? Creativity? Or conformity? It's an internal conflict we're all familiar with.
Watch the film when you're not in a rush, when you have seven unburdened minutes to take it in. "Alike" will be added to our list of Free Animations, a subset of our collection, 1,150 Free Movies Online: Great Classics, Indies, Noir, Westerns, etc..
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WORK Folks - Tiffany Budzisz
Tiffany Budzisz is an artist, freelance illustrator, and graphic designer in Front Royal, Virginia. Along with her husband, Mike (an amazingly talented artist in his own right), Tiffany is working on opening an art studio and gallery called Art In the Valley. There you will find works from local artists, scheduled classes, and even her own beautiful works on display.
It’s those beautiful works, posted on her Instagram page, that first caught my attention. When I read about her and her husband’s intention to open the gallery, I knew I needed to include her in the WORK Folks’ group. Tiffany is the latest individual to demonstrate the beautiful combination of raw talent, hard work, and diligence that helps transform a passion into an honest day’s work. I’m so fortunate that she was kind enough to answer a few questions for WORK Folks.
1 - How long you've been doing this particular work?
I started working professionally in the art and design field in 2000, right after graduating from VCU’s Communication Arts & Design program. 17 years! My first job was as a graphic artist for Richmond Magazine, I did a lot of illustrations for them as well.
2 - How did you got started/interested in this field?
I’ve always loved art. I started early in life. At age 2 I was painting ceramics in my mom’s paint-your-own ceramics studio. My mom always encouraged me with my art. (Thanks Mom!) When I was in elementary school, my uncle and I started painting along with Bob Ross on PBS. I had a set of Bob Ross brand oil paints and brushes. I went to VCU for college and had many wonderful professors. In one of Chuck Scalin’s illustration classes, we worked on dimensional illustration projects and that’s how I was introduced to paper sculpture. (Thanks Prof. Scalin!)
3 - Are there any particular tools/ inspiration that help you continue to do this to the high standards/quality you insist upon?
I use archival quality materials in all of my paper sculptures. I particularly love Canson Mi-Tientes and Fabriano papers, as they are acid-free, come in a wide range of colors, and hold their shape well once curved and “sculpted.” I also use an archival bookbinding glue and acid-free foam core to create the layers and dimension you see in my work. I prefer X-Acto brand blades for cutting. They are more expensive, but I’ve found that the generic brands don’t have a super sharp point and don’t cut as well. I go through a lot of blades.
4 - Is there someone in particular that inspires you now or inspired you when you started?
There have been many inspirational people in my life. All of my amazing professors at VCU, creative directors that supported me as a designer and illustrator, and colleagues who worked long hours with me when deadlines were looming. Most of all though, while growing up my Mom inspired me. She worked hard to support me, she always encouraged me to do well in school and continue studying art. And today, my two young daughters inspire me, to be the best person I can be, as a role model for them, and to support them on their journey in life.
5 - Can you describe your work ethic? Short-cuts you will not take, things you won't give in on, even if it meant more business, money, etc.?
I work very hard, I’m kind of a perfectionist about my art and I’m always trying to push myself further with each new piece I create. I will work late hours, missing a deadline is not an option unless it’s an emergency situation. I’ve had to turn down freelance work at times when I’m too busy. I don’t want to take too many jobs, rush them, and put low-quality work out there. That doesn’t benefit me or the client.
6 - Any advice to individuals starting out in a similar field?
Work on your art, sketch, daydream, read good fiction. Get on social media and share your work, follow other artists who inspire you and network with them, ask a lot of questions. Get used to receiving critiques of your work, learn to compromise based on your client’s needs. Working for an agency is a great way to get started and meet good creative mentors. Take some business classes, or read business books, if you want to start your own art or illustration business in the future.
Check out some of her beautiful work below. You can follow Tiffany on social media: Instagram @tbudzi and Facebook @tiffanysatelier, or follow the art gallery She and Mike are opening soon: @artvalleyva on Instagram and @ArtintheValleyVA on Facebook.
https://artvalleyva.com/
WORK Folks - Traci Morris
If you have the good fortune of knowing Traci Morris, then chances are she has at some point in time sent you a beautifully handcrafted birthday card, holiday card, get well card or even a postcard just letting you know she's thinking of you. That act alone is a perfect analogy for her personality. She’s thoughtful, polite, has impeccable taste, and ample talent. It’s also quite unexpected from a woman who was originally pre-med in college. She is the perfect mixture of beauty, grace, intelligence, and humor – characteristics that shine through in her beautiful watercolor illustrations.
I remember the day Traci told me of her decision to leave the corporate world and the safety net of a regular paycheck to go out on her own. She was equal parts giddy and terrified and I was equal parts proud and envious. I coveted that level of talent, perseverance, and bravery one needs to take that kind of leap.
There was no doubt in my mind she would do well. The rewards of taking a chance and letting her work stand on its own seemed to far outweigh the risks. My confidence in her did not just stem from her talent alone, but her organized and strategic approach. A calling like that does not stay quiet for long. If you are to find success in that calling, you must answer it with a realistic and determined mindset.
Traci was kind enough to answer some of my standard-issue WORK Folks questions. I hope through this you will find some sound advice and inspiration for your own calling.
1- What you do? (I know, I already know this.)
Illustrator + Artist
2 - How long you've been doing this particular work?
Professionally, a little over a year.
3 - How did you get started in this field? Also, can you give a little insight with regards to the risk you took getting started in this business? What made you take this risk and what did/do you tell yourself when that uncertainty of success creeps in and not just with regards to your own creative spirit, but the practicality of making enough money to live?
Oh, this is such a good question. For years I worked in various creative roles in fashion but never actually did any illustrations outside of work. During this time I committed to a class each semester to stay creative: Boot Design + Construction, Jewelry Design, etc. It was an evening watercolor class at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) that started it all (ironically, the teacher was hesitant to let me take the class because I’d had no prior art education). I didn’t do much with it until three years ago when I started to casually document my travels via Instagram. At the time it was just a hobby and I found that I loved illustrating more and more, so I began to practice daily. Two years ago I resigned from my stable job and took the plunge. It was scary then; it still is now. I took the risk because I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t. As cliché as it sounds, it was a total leap of faith.
4 - What are the particular tools and inspiration that help you continue to do this to the high standards you insist upon?
For inspiration, museums and travel are a must for me. Even if it’s locally to the farmer’s market or the botanical garden here in Brooklyn. I’m still learning. So it’s really about exploring the unknown and challenging myself to try new mediums and techniques even though I may not know how it will turn out. I’m obsessed with process and craftsmanship. A dish from a restaurant can inspire me as much as the facade of a building or a work of art. I try to translate that into whatever project I’m working on. My style is still evolving. I’m just rolling with it.
5 - Is there someone in particular that inspires you or inspired you when you started?
The desire to do something truly creative and personal inspired me to pursue a career in illustration but I think it’s been slowly bubbling up to the surface since I was a child (my grandmother will proudly show you every piece of art I’ve made; it’s all on display in her china cabinet). It’s been a cumulative process. My mom and grandmother both being very headstrong taught me independence, my dad for his measure-twice-cut-once mentality, and artists and craftsmen of every medium. I worked at Tiffany & Co doing product development for Elsa Peretti for nearly six years and she’s been a huge source of inspiration: her attention to detail, dedication, perfectionism. She’s had a fascinating career that’s spanned over four decades and is still going.
6 - Our brand (WORK Labs) focuses a lot on work ethic. Can you describe your work ethic? Short-cuts you will not take, things you won't give in on, even if it meant more business, money, etc.?
In the beginning, I was up with the sun sketching and painting and I sometimes worked well into the night. I’ve put in really long days, but once I decided this is what I wanted to do, I knew I’d have to work hard and hustle. I’ll never settle for less than what I think I can do and occasionally that means trying two or three times before I nail it. Which also means a lot of ripped up paper on my floor.
7 - Any advice to individuals starting out in a similar field?
Just do it.
Finding a mentor never hurts. Tough skin helps. A lot. You’ll make mistakes. Learn from them. Most importantly, keep your head down and do the work. It’s my new(est) mantra. It can be incredibly intimidating and crippling to compare yourself to others, especially in the art field. All in due time.
This quote from Steve Jobs is pretty perfect: “You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever.”
You can check out more of Traci's beautiful work at @pagetracicreative or www.pagetraci.com
Coffee with Cabell - Is it Easier to Do Good Work at a Small Agency or a Larger One?
As far as Cabell is concerned, there are pros and cons to both. The trick is making the situation you’re in work for you.
A smaller agency can offer great perks with regards to producing good work. With advantages like less overhead and more personal control over a project, one can stretch their creative muscles a bit without having too many opportunities for the work to be stalled, watered down, or completely thrown out.
And while in a small agency, you will have a much harder time riding the coattails of others, this smaller environment can help you to stand out and make more of a name for yourself. While you can certainly do this at a large agency, there is a greater possibility of disappearing into the background, leaving little for your portfolio.
On the other hand, there can be very little wiggle room in a small agency due to hampered budgets. This can impact not just the ability to execute an idea but also the eventual visibility of that execution through media. Small budget means small media spending. Larger offices allow you to work with a larger budget which, in turn, allows you the possibility of working with higher quality resources as well as greater support once those projects are greenlit.
At the end of the day, with large or small agencies, what matters is this; talent, hard work, and luck. Add to that the ability to forecast a bit into the future on possible accounts and opportunities with your current agency, and always be aware of the risks and rewards that may lay before you.
