Here are some samples of our prayer cards from our FOMA event. To view full set of cards, go here http://americanbiblesociety.smugmug.com/DMR/Staff.
Here are some samples of our prayer cards from our FOMA event. To view full set of cards, go here http://americanbiblesociety.smugmug.com/DMR/Staff.
This past Wednesday, we enjoyed an entire day sharing ideas, insights, questions and laughs together with our internal partners. The Forum of Marketing Associates was a fantastic time to align how we talk, think and work, and step forward in sync together in 2012.
We deeply value the work we do with our partners, and feel honored to see so much of the breadth of the work across ABS.
Whether or not you were able to spend the day at FOMA, we always encourage regular and open feedback so we can continue to improve the service we provide.
For those that did attend - thank you again.
We hope you found it fun and inFOMAtive.
You can download the FOMA slide deck here:
https://www.yousendit.com/download/M3BrclVDeFVrUm40WjhUQw
Question of the Week: Did you draw any great doodles, or color a superhero? Share your creations with us!
We are proud to welcome the newest member of our team, Michael Gibeault. Although he may not be new to ABS, Michael’s new position as Marketing Content Specialist will allow ABS corporate brand to stay current and fresh. He is responsible for updating the corporate website and interfacing with digital ministries on other ABS properties such as Uncover. Michael started at ABS in 2010 working in development.
As you can see, he fits right in!
During our staff meeting last week, we asked folks to send us photos that represent listening. We got a great response! Click here to view all the photos that we received, along with the captions.
Don’t even get me started on the inside of the magazine. That’s a monumental effort carried out mostly between Caleb and Maria, but with the help of many others on our team.
But the cover is a nice, small example of how a design can progress from draft #1 to the final thing. This cover was designed by TJ Walsh, with some finishing touches from Caleb. Every page in the magazine goes through a similar process that includes comments like, “Could you add some color here?” and “What if we moved that over there?” and “It still doesn’t look quite right yet.” and finally, “That’s it!”
Original Photo
Draft #1
Draft #2
Draft #3
Final
We just installed a “video wall” on the front of our building at 1865 Broadway, NYC. Here’s a video that shows some clips from the media wall, along with some clips of it in action!
When the Sister team asked us to create a video that would encourage cycling enthusiasts to sign up to ride their bikes across the country, we thought, “What would speak to someone who’s passionate about biking?” Here’s the answer:
This week we will go to our respected families and enjoy our time together in celebration of Jesus’ birth.
Despite our love for our families at home, our ABS team has developed a real sense of “family” with one another. We are thankful that God has used each of us to not only support one another, but also to support the mission of ABS.
These holiday photos represent our work family and the fun that we have together.
Since it’s the season for giving, we thought that it would be appropriate to extend our thanks to Global Scripture Ministries for their faithful efforts around the world. It is because of the service of these men and women on the “frontlines” that we at ABS continue to grow, and are able to carry out our mission. ABS strives to make the bible available to every person in every language. Without the amazing work of GSM, this would not be possible.
In particular, the She’s My Sister Initiative has responded to God’s call to serve women in Democratic Republic of the Congo who are left traumatized as a result of war and vicious acts. We really enjoy working with such a fun, compassionate team. Although they recognized us for our “Cooperation, Teamwork, and Expertise” on behalf of the She’s My Sister Initiative, we would like to recognize them for their dedication to helping the women in Congo.
We are called to serve and support the mission and ministry of ABS. We’re thankful to work with such a great team and happy to assist others along the way!
Question of the Week:
Who would you like to thank and why?
The success of an idea is determined by familiarity.
Some of the best and most creative solutions come from the merging of two unrelated words, images, or ideas together to form one design. The goal is to make connections between seemingly incompatible elements.
Frans Johansson, Author of The Medici Effect, explores this idea of combining unrelated elements to create innovative solutions. According to Johansson, “Groundbreaking ideas come when we combine very different ideas. At the intersection of different fields, disciplines and cultures, there’s an abundance of extraordinary new ideas to be explored.”
Recently, our team heard Frans speak at the 2011 Chick-fil-A Leadercast conference. During his speech he fleshed out his ideas regarding the “combination of very different ideas.” Here is one of the examples he gave:
One man wanted to turn Sweden into a tourist spot, but the challenge was to figure out how to sell winter. After several failed attempts he stumbled upon genius, combining the ideas ice and hotel. The result? The Ice Hotel, which was named one of the top ten coolest hotels in the world. No pun intended.
In Marketing, we are always looking for fresh inspiration to grow and stay relevant. We routinely look to others to learn and see things from a different perspective. Here are some examples of design that incorporates this ‘two-in-one’ technique.
Here are some of our humble examples:
Question of the Week
What are some other examples of products or designs that can be perceived multiple ways?
Some helpful resources:
A photo from The Art of Looking Sideways, by Alan Fletcher
In light of the Thanksgiving holiday, we thought that it would interesting to express our thanks in a unique way. One of our designers, Rob Giorgio, read this thought-provoking book, The Art of Looking Sideways, in college and was fascinated by how everyday items could be used to create.
“At first glance is a hanging lump of forks and knives, but when you shine a light on it the shadow creates a motorcycle. Very cool.” -Rob.
It was through this book that he was encouraged to think outside the box and embrace his talents. Alan Fletcher was also a graphic designer, which inspired Rob to do go down the same career path.
*In addition, we at ABS would as like to thank our clients for trusting us to deliver on every project and supporting our organization. We are truly grateful!
Lunch celebration to hear back from folks about how God touched each of us through the Uncover Summit.
Ben learns his favorite dance move, The Dougie. What can I say, it’s the end of a long week.
This week we stumbled across a BusinessWeek article that we found applicable to our department.
According to the article, the single most important quality that CEOs feel lead to success in business–and in ministry for that matter–is creativity. Although very interesting, what captured our attention was that problem-solving is a trait that accompanies creative minds. “Successful creatives don’t see problems as problems at all – they see them as opportunities.”
Of course, designing and creating materials are necessary, but problem solving is ultimately what we are doing when we design and create. Each ministry that works with us needs some type of product and/or brand strategy, and we strive to provide the solution to that need.
Creativity is about more than envisioning good designs.
It’s about creating good solutions.
How do you approach problem-solving in your everyday role?
