FreeThink: Hey, Genius

FreeThink: a blog published by Maxwell PR

Hey, Genius

Laura: Hey Erica, that Portland Advertising Federation lunch today with the Wexley School for Girls was pretty cool. What did you think of it?

Erica: The pudding? It was good.

L: No, I meant the presentation. Although, yes. The pudding from the fine chefs at The Nines' Urban Farmer was pretty much the best thing ever.

E: Right, ok. Well, I kind of had high hopes for this afternoon because I know that Wexley is doing totally wacked out, super creative work and I just wanted to get totally fired up and inspired... it was about 80 percent of what I expected.

One of the best parts was just seeing pictures of their space up in Seattle... the all-white modern/Victorian/fancy/swank conference room versus the full on mini-golf course with a giant wood carved bear where the creative crew sits... perfect juxtaposition. It was exactly what I imagined an "office" would look like where videos like "The Love Cat Meets Space Llama" are hatched. What'd you think?

L: I agree completely. The work itself was awesome, but for a seminar entitled "What Drives Inspiration," I was hoping to hear more about their process. It was validating though to see an accomplished, creative firm like Wexley talk about ideas similar to ones the Maxwell team has come up with for our clients. It proved to me that even though we don't have a talking statue at our front door, we're a pretty creative bunch.

E: Yeah, maybe that's part of it... they definitely do some things we don't, like make commercials... but in all I was kind of having the "dude, we have ideas like that" feeling too.

BUT! How inadequate did it make you feel when he talked about the Microsoft "Hey, Genius" recruiting campaign where they full-on courted top students at top universities?! I was like, nobody ever stood outside my classroom wearing a sandwich board begging me to hop a flight to Seattle for a job interview... maybe that's because I was IN Seattle? Mm-hmm.

Yeah, probably had nothing to do with the fact that I don't even know where the UW Computer Science building is. Did anybody ever invite you into the JOBcuzzi?!? You're a genius.

L: Umm, obviously! I totally got invited to the JOBcuzzi all the time -- pretty much every day before I graduated. Regardless, I thought Wexley seemed like a cool agency with a similar affinity for creativity. Plus, their mission is to laugh every day. I think everyone could benefit from that.

E: Ah ha ha ha ha ha. Yes.

-Laura Herbert & Erica Erland

posted on November 06, 2008

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	This spirited, open forum by Maxwell PR staff members, studio mates and colleagues features people who are, in our opinion, doing the right things to get people talking. You'll see us rave about organizations building communities and rant about those who are missing obvious opportunities. We sprinkle in a little marketing and PR rhetoric from time to time for extra vigor and enthusiasm, and will share observations and insight based on our own experience honing our craft every day.

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