A new site for Blue 541

Our friends at Blue 541 in Coeur d'Alene have updated their agency website. It's a nice showcase of their previous work, as well as their interactive capabilities.

Oh yeah, and they've got a cat too.

Technorati tags: blue 541

Headline Roundup for December 30th

2009 Will Be Year Of Comfort Food, Cocktails - via MediaPost

Internet Tops Newspapers As News Source, Still Lags TV - via MediaPost

Why Local Sports May Pay Off for Marketers - via Ad Age

TV Retains Marketing Dollars in Hard Times - via The New York Times


Media Jobs? Depressing - via Ad Age

Technorati tags: mediapost, ad age, new york times

Broken Barker Bash

The Broken Barker Bash, which was originally scheduled back in November, has officially been rescheduled, and by all accounts is proceeding as planned.

From the organizers at Wirestone:

You're invited to a fantastic celebration of life!

Jeff Barker, a dear friend, gifted designer, and all-around great guy, was involved in a near-fatal motorcycle accident on October 2, 2008. Please join Wirestone and friends as we toast Jeff's new lease on life with a great night of music, a silent auction and tons of fun.

Details about the event are as follows:

Date: Friday, January 23rd, 2009
Time: 7:00 pm
Location: The Linen Building, 1402 W. Grove St, Boise, ID
Cost: $10

For tickets or more information, call Brie at Wirestone: 208-343-2868.

Tickets can also be ordered online.

The music begins at 8:00, featuring performances by:
Bill Coffey & Ned Evett
Travis Ward & Hillfolk Noir
Soft Gong
DJs from the Vinyl Preservation Society

All proceeds from the Broken Barker Bash and silent auction will help to pay Jeff's medical and recovery expenses.

Technorati tags: broken barker bash, wirestone, jeff barker, the linen building, bill coffey, ned evett, travis ward, hillfolk noir, soft gong, vinyl preservation society

Job Opening: Web Developer

Zeta Interactive in Boise has an opening for a Web Developer:

In this role you will:
Be hands-on developing and implementing web content and design
Work collaboratively with our creative department and the programming team and take ideas and creative designs to fully working HTML/CSS templates
Manage production and site maintenance
Build sites with CSS only layouts, semantic HTML as well as utilizing JavaScript and AJAX
Experience of SEO issues and CMS environments would be an advantage
Provide advice and guidance best practices in web technologies and emerging trends

Full details can be found here.
(Courtesy of craigslist)

Technorati tags: zeta interactive, web developer job opening, craigslist

Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone who reads the Idaho Ad Agencies blog from time to time. I hope you're able to enjoy a little time off during the holiday season.


In the mean time, here are a few holiday sites that have crossed my desk recently:

Blue 541

Davies Rourke

Drake Cooper

and, and oldie-but-a-goodie from our friends at Sullivan Higdon & Sink in Kansas City.

I'm sure there are others - feel free to add links to them in the comments.

Technorati tags: blue 541, davies rourke, drake cooper, sullivan higdon sink

Headline Roundup for December 22nd

IPG: Digital Will Impact 5 Key Areas Next Year - via MediaPost

Networks Brace For Tepid Scatter Market - via MediaPost

Small Businesses Intimidated by Search Marketing - via MarketingVOX

Ford Picks Up PR Points for Declining Auto Bailout - via Ad Age

Technorati tags: mediapost, search marketing, marketingvox, ford, ad age

DIRECTV Taking Shots at DISH Network

Yesterday the news broke that the contract between DISH Network and Fisher Communications expired at midnight on Wednesday the 17th, and no new agreement has been reached yet.

Today, DIRECTV was running radio spots playing off of the fact that DISH Network was no longer broadcasting the local CBS station (in this case KBCI), which meant no CSI, Survivor, NFL Sunday Football, etc. It wouldn't surprise me if similar spots are currently running in other markets where Fisher has stations, such as Lewiston, Idaho Falls, Portland, Seattle, Eugene, and others.

With the exception of Portland and Seattle (ABC), all of Fisher's television markets are CBS affiliates, which likely made production of two spots relatively easy -- the version I heard was generic enough that it could be used in all CBS-related markets.

So let's look at the situation:

1. You've got DISH subscribers, many of whom are upset about losing a local channel.
2. Those subscribers are accustomed to paying a monthly fee for the satellite television service, so no objections to overcome regarding the service or costs (assuming comparable cost).
3. To those customers (and others aware of the situation), DIRECTV offers what appears to be a viable alternative to appease those who are upset, and have moved quickly enough that they may be able to sway customers into a decision based, in part, on frustration and emotion.

Will be very interesting to see how this all plays out. Credit does have to go do DIRECTV for moving quickly and taking advantage of the situation/opportunity. Timely and effective, to say the least.

Technorati tags: directv, dish network, fisher communications, abc, cbs

Restore America Poster Design Competition

The American Civil Liberties Union is presenting the Restore America Poster Design Competition, which is open to all designers across the country:

The ACLU (National) is challenging designers to “design a poster that depicts the transformation of America into a country that holds its leaders accountable; that strives to restore eroded civil liberties; that works to change policies that are unconstitutional.”

The winner will receive a $500 cash prize, and will have their design featured as part of the ACLU’s national campaign. Additionally, the ACLU intends to hold an event in Washington DC in January featuring the top designs.

Entries are due by Sunday, January 4, 2009. Full details about the competition are available on the ACLU's Restore America website.

Technorati tags: american civil liberties union, restore america poster design competition, aclu

REMINDER: Coffee Morning

Just a reminder that the December Coffee Morning will be this Friday, December 19th at Java Downtown - 6th & Main in Boise.

Technorati tags: coffee morning, java

Headline Roundup for December 16th

SocNet Ads Less Effective than Others - via MarketingVOX

'Digital Influencers' Get Info from Magazines, TV First - via Ad Age

Context, not Content, Is King - via Adweek

Media and Marketing's Top Innovations of 2008 - via Mediaweek

The Big Squeeze: How agencies can fight back in the world of online media - via Adweek

Technorati tags: social network advertising, marketingvox, ad age, adweek, mediaweek