We met Randal years ago. He was still a student at A&M. His uncle Creed Ford asked us to work with him while we were creating a pile of work for Rudy’s BBQ. He had a very nice student portfolio and an even better attitude. Randal was the first photographer we had ever worked with who shot exclusively digital. It was an ‘aha’ experience for us. Nothing was lost with a properly exposed digital image and the instant gratification was a powerful tonic. We’ve remained close with Randal through his career and we continue to collaborate with him – like on the rattle snake piece we art directed with him last year (seen in gallery above).

He asked us to design a logo for him 3 years ago, and we just cleaned it up and reissued it to him for his website and this beautiful new paper system.

We believe in a Smoke Free Texas. Second hand smoke is a public health hazard linked to death, cancer, heart disease and respiratory illness in non-smokers. Our work with LEGACY this year has convicted us of these truths.

Last year the team at Smoke Free Texas did not reach their goal of a statewide smoking ban in public places. We believe that their communications can be more pointed and more memorable this year. It’s time to shake up the willing. We offer this redesign of their logo as a donation to this effort. Special thanks to our partner Brett Stiles for his generous donation of time and talent.

If you are interested in helping Texas become smoke free please download a petition or become a fan on Facebook.

Campaign is just getting rolling. I expect there to be much more hilarity ensuing as the kiosk goes out after dark. The brilliance is, once you record a rap about designating a driver it would be pretty stupid to drive drunk. You don’t want to make that other movie. The one they shoot through the windshield of the police cruiser…

We didn’t know we were making “brand films” then. We were collapsing the strategic planning discipline with the creative development discipline out of necessity. We had just formed our shop and the budgets were small. It was just Marty and I, a Canon GL2, a 35mm still camera, going crazy on a road trip. We put the money into original music and post. In the end, we discovered a method of working that is very hands on and frankly we’ve never walked away from. We just gave it a name – Brand Film.

So what is a Brand Film?

It’s a strategic, stylized documentary about your brand. The story is authentic and compelling because you, your product and or service is authentic and compelling. You do your part. The film does its part. Your narrative already exists. The emotion is there. It is all waiting to be captured by us in high definition. We use our deep understanding of messaging to outline the films potential plot, cast real people and draft the questions we will ask the cast. We scout the locations. Then it’s the discipline of production and the skill of film making. In the end, you receive much more than a strategic 3-5 minute film that deftly communications your value to the world. You also have content that can live:

• Online (your home site, promotional micro-sites, blogs, podcasts, e-mail, social networking sites, affiliate sites)

• On air (TV spot, infomercial base content, radio spot from audio, press outreach, EPK, and b-roll for news media)

• On the road (sales kits, investor relations materials, trade show presence)

Today we are an ad agency and production company under one roof. We’ve refined our process. We added partners across the production spectrum. Five years ago we met and began working with Jeff Nichols, one of the most talented young directors in America. His first feature length film, Shotgun Stories, made Roger Ebert’s list of the top films of 2008 and earned him accolades around the world in film festivals. Bringing a filmmaker into an ad agency is a revolutionary thing to do. Our Brand Films benefit greatly from the world class film talent Austin hosts.

We would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on what we are producing. We have a LinkedIn group for this express purpose. We believe that now, more than ever, Brand Films are a brilliant marketing investment. Please challenge or support this notion with your experience…

The first conference call is almost over but the project is just getting started. Brian Gourley (executive producer and passion player) + The Butler Bros. + Jeff Nichols + Scott Bomar + some of the most amazing musicians on the planet are getting together to make a movie. The piece will help tell the story of the Ponderosa Stomp before it’s too late…

Thanks to Jacob Blickenstaff for the shot.

In the United States and most Western countries, diet-related chronic diseases represent the single largest cause of morbidity and mortality. These diseases are epidemic in contemporary Westernized populations and typically afflict 50-65% of the adult population, yet they are rare or nonexistent in hunter-gatherers and other less Westernized people. Although both scientists and lay people alike may frequently identify a single dietary element as the cause of chronic disease (eg, saturated fat causes heart disease and salt causes high blood pressure), evidence gleaned over the past 3 decades now indicates that virtually all so-called diseases of civilization have multifactorial dietary elements that underlie their etiology, along with other environmental agents and genetic susceptibility.

- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Rip is officing in our space as we prepare to help him launch a marketing website that will support sales of his new book, The Engine 2 Diet. It advocates eating a plant-strong diet full of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. The diet has been medically proven to cause dramatic reductions in LDL cholesterol (that’s the bad one) levels in as little as two weeks. Weight loss is another, more visible, and perhaps more motivating benefit.

When we look at the issues facing our country and world The Engine 2 Diet rises to the challenge in so many ways. We are proud of Rip for making the telling of this story such a huge part of his life. The book hits stores on the 25 of February. The site we are creating will launch January 1st. Keep an eye on your news stand for major stories about this book in early 2009.

“We are not part of the beauty business,” she says. “Skin care is not about beauty, nor is it about pampering, luxury or glamour. Taking care of your skin is like taking care of your teeth. It is a health necessity! And yes, you will look better as a result of doing it. But that’s secondary. You take care of your health as part of overall wellness and well-being, and as part of your responsibility and good stewardship of yourself.”

The print campaign we are developing with Lars Frazer for the brand nails the transformative moment between a person, the product, and the skin therapist applying it. A moment in which there is both an experience of results and a feeling of balance restored amidst the hustle and bustle of the world. The physical and the metaphysical colliding. Jane wouldn’t have it any other way. Stay tuned for the work…

MSG – GONE. Trans Fat – GONE. High Fructose Corn Syrup – GONE!

The viral announcement video we produced to amplify their PR efforts features Rusty Coco, co-owner and Executive Vice President. It helped Jason’s announcement get picked up in The USA Today, The Washington Post, and countless blogs. Peep the Jason’s Deli home page to see the video for yourself. Congrats to Jason’s for well deserved coverage on a ground breaking initiative. Clean up the food system!