Hot off the press (The Pioneer Press that is)

The Pioneer Press gave us a big gift to welcome 2012

By: Joshua Fedie | Principal, The “Adholics”

The “Adholics” would like to extend a big thanks to the fine people at the Pioneer Press for yet another incredible article.

We were honored when they covered us around time of launch (click here to read original article) and were even more thrilled when they decided to revisit us and check in on business as we start 2012.

I am happy to report as you will read in the article that business is good. Very good.

Without the support of our incredible clients, or “Sponsors” as I like to call them, and the drive and hard work of the dedicated “Partners” in The “Adholics” we would not have made it past the first 6 months.

I thank everybody that helped make this possible.

So, as long as the link is live, here is a direct link to the Pioneer Press website where you can read the article online.

If you have stumbled across this blog post late, fear not, I have scanned the article in for you;) Just click on it to expand it in your browser.

As always, Thanks for reading.

If you are a business looking for a talented agency to assist with your next marketing or advertising objective, do not hesitate to contact us. We are always looking for new sponsors;)

Cheers,

Joshua Fedie

The “Adholics”

Getting the most out of your creative person

Getting the most from your creative person.

A much needed look into the creative mind.

Joshua Fedie | Principal, The “Adholics”

BNET recently published a study on Creative People and how to get the best out of them, you can read the article here: http://bit.ly/creativepeople

Here’s brief summary from the article about the study:

The experiment involved more than 500 computer programmers, each of whom had a TopCoder ranking. Each programmer was paired with the programmer closest to their ability level. In each pair, one person was asked how they preferred to work: Alone, competing against 19 other people, or as part of a five-person team. The programmers were split almost evenly in their preferences. The second programmer in that pair was given the same work environment as the first person. The result is two equally-talented groups of programmers. The only salient difference between them is that one group is working in an environment of their choice, while the other group has had their work environment decided for them. Some of the participants were eligible for cash prizes, while others were not.

What were the findings?

Teams vs. Individuals

The results underscore how important it is to let team players play on a team and to let loners alone:

• The programmers who got to choose how they worked produced algorithms that scored, on average, 83 percent higher than those who could not choose. That’s about the same improvement as the researchers got by offering a $1,000 cash prize.
• Programmers who got to choose their work environment worked harder. The researchers measured this by counting the number of algorithms the programmer submitted. Programmers often submit more than one version of an algorithm, since there is no cost to doing so and having each version ‘scored’ provides valuable feedback.
• Those who got to choose their work environment worked longer. Without a cash prize, those who got to choose their work environment spent about seven more hours working that those who did not get to choose. If there was a cash prize, those who were in the work environment of their choice put in almost 11 more hours than those who had the choice made for them. The fact that folks who got to choose how they worked put in more hours accounts for almost all of the difference in their performance compared to that of their peers.

My response: No S#!t!

The “Adholics”, having just reached the all-important 1-year milestone are a true testament to the fact that creative people need to be allowed to work when, how and where they want.

I’ve managed creatives at “Traditional” agencies for years where you put people valued for their creativity into boxes and expect them to be their best between the normal business hours of 8 to 5.

Does this work?

For some it can, I’m not saying you never get good creative from inside a cubicle….here comes the but:

But what I’ve found since launching a company that embraces a remote “work where you want” philosophy is that the creative is better more consistently. Furthermore, the people working on the assignments are generally happier to be doing so and have a more “get it done” attitude; many times working through the night to get something done knowing that the reward is a decompress day.

What’s a decompress day? You must work for the man:)

My message to the team of “Adholics” has always been I don’t care when you work on it or where as long as you stay in budget, on-time and produce something you are happy with.

Among other things not looked at in this study that I think worth mentioning is dress code.

Creatives don’t dress like bankers.

I can’t tell you how sad it makes me to see a designer huddled over a desk at 8am in a suit and tie under the fluorescent glow of the office lights in their little cubicle.  It’s akin to buying a minivan, it’s that much of a throwing-in-the-towel moment. No offense to any minivan owners, but you know what I mean right? It’s not the Porsche you dreamed of is it.

Allowing a creative mind to really produce takes embracing all the uniqueness of the individual.

Do you work best while listening to James Taylor or Tom Waits? Fine, do that.

Do you work best at 11am or 3am? Fine, do that.

Do you work best with me hovering over you watching your every move or staying out of the way until you’re ready to share? Fine, I’ll be over here when you want me.

It would be great if this article caused business owners employing creative people to take a step back and reexamine their own management style. But like a wise man once said, you can wish in one hand and crap in the other and see which gets filled first.

Until that day that may never come, The “Adholics” will be continuing to do what we love, where we want to, when we want to and we’ll still be doing it better.  Was that a bit arrogant?

Try us. We prove it every day.

Cheers,

Joshua Fedie

Principal | The “Adholics”

Does Corporate America Sponsor The “Adholics”?

Does Corporate America Sponsor The “Adholics”?

Written by: Anonymous

It’s been quite awhile since something came to my in-box that made me laugh like this has. With the request of the author I’ve been given consent to post this on our company blog. It’s an interesting observation for sure. Who knows; maybe Corporate America is an “Adholic”?

I wish I could give the author credit but it has been asked  for obvious reasons that they remain anonymous.

So thanks to you Anonymous blogger of the day for the chuckle, the insight and the kind words about our group.

Cheers to you my friend.

Joshua

Does Corporate America Sponsor the Adholics?

I’m a public relations guru, working directly for the man in Corporate America. I fight rush hour traffic in to and out of downtown Minneapolis daily for my 8:00 to 5:00 job, breaking the law en route by reading and emailing from my company-owned Blackberry while driving. The “perk” of my technology upgrade quickly turned into officially signing my life away to be “on call” 24-7, but unlike an Adholic, I still have to set foot in Cube Land on a daily basis. Speaking of, I’ve continued to show up to labyrinths of beige-colored half walls with faux oak chairs under the guise of “gainful employment” for going on 10 years now because… I have to… right?

The guy next to me comes in at 10:00. He leaves at 4:00. He’s here 3-4 days a week. He doesn’t document his off days. Doesn’t have weekly 1 on 1 “check in” meetings with bosses. Staff meetings are optional. He doesn’t wear a suit (ok, I wear a suit by choice… or did the “man” subconsciously make me think it was my choice?). Oh, and instead of working here today, he’s taking a longer weekend up at his cabin where he’ll work from his laptop by the fire a bit before going out snowshoeing.

How did I miss that boat?

Sure, I have stability the guy next to me lacks – a contractor hired on a three-month basis while a co-worker is on maternity leave. Or do I? Since joining my current Fortune 500 company I’ve reported to four bosses in three-and-one-half years. I’ve had 13 “dotted-line” relationships to bosses in other departments that I somehow report to sometime for somethings but not all the time for everything (try saying that five times in a row… yeah, that’s how I feel when trying to work effectively in this environment). My employer cuts people at will and hires sparingly. And each new micro-managing boss represents an “opportunity” for me to re-interview and re-prove my worth semi-annually for a raise and promotion that will never come. Some stability, eh?

A quick check of office floor shows that one and five cubes amongst the maze are occupied by a contractor. A small business owner, working in various marketing and communications-related roles on a part-time basis, making twice my salary, while us employees continue to brown nose for scraps that fall under the table.

Ah, so its true … even Corporate America sponsors The “Adholics”. Or is at the very least embracing adholicism.

My point is, take this shout out from a corporate insider… Adholics, your business model is working and is needed here. To you top-level free lancers, don’t work for the man, but come work with us – and enjoy the rest of your time working in your slippers. And to Corporate America who hasn’t embraced the trend – find an agency like The “Adholics” and hire their talent immediately. Creative contractors not only can help a conservative company like mine push forward in this ever-evolving social media environment but they possess the balls to present an objective view without being influenced that the man will fire them on Monday.

And if you’re in a position like me, get out before the next soothing ray of that buzzing, fluorescent light bulb above your head in Cube Land is medically proven to cause insanity.

NOTE TO SELF: Read this blog and follow your own advice before it’s too late. But excuse me first… I need to go buy a “Jeans Ok” sticker from my admin before the man sees me sporting these Levis.

Super Bowl ads are brain-dead

Super Bowl ads are brain-dead

By: Josh Anderson

Copywriter The “Adholics” | LiveWire Copy

I was one of the millions who wondered if Christina Aguilera made a prop bet on how long the National Anthem would last.

I was one of the millions hoping for a wardrobe malfunction during the Black Eyed Peas Half Time Show snoozer.

But I may be one of the few who think Super Bowl ads have gone way of the leather helmet.

They’re historic. But now the majority just look stupid and are no longer useful.

Viewing behaviors have changed
It’s true that nearly 2/3 of the U.S. population gathers around the television for this single football game, with beverage and deep-fried-anything in hand. But that doesn’t change the way we watch the boob-tube.

For years now, many of us have been conditioned by TiVo, Apple TV and/or Netflix. So you’re telling me that for one Sunday night, those habits are just going to magically disappear like the beer in my fridge? No way.

Even if fans say, “I can’t wait for the commercials.” What they’re really saying is, “I can’t wait for the commercials so I can load up on more wings and leave that pig Bill with the celery sticks.”

The thrill is gone
Not so long ago Super Bowl commercials were simply enjoyed. Viewers looked forward to the next Pepsi commercial like the next episode of “He-Man: Masters of the Universe.”

Now we stuff ourselves over-analyzing them.

We dissect them at the party. We discuss them on Facebook. We comment on them over Twitter. We no longer allow ourselves to be entertained.

Part of the problem is advertisers are chasing the thrill of cowboys herding cats, lizards talking with east coast accents and babies trading stocks. But instead of innovating, they’re regurgitating ideas. And paying more to do it.

Viewers aren’t helping. Now we expect the unexpected. It’s like we’re watching the fourth installment in a slasher movie franchise: Of course the girl who walks into a dark room without turning on a light is going to get butchered.

Move forward by looking back
What should be done? The answer might have been offered a few years ago when Go Daddy first started advertising during the Super Bowl.

Sure the commercials were raunchy (and still are). But they were perfectly targeted to the audience and the call to action was spot-on. In fact, their web site crashed as a result of the traffic generated from a single ad. A great return on investment for the fledgling company.

Today, companies need to reconsider the role Super Bowl commercials play in their overall strategy.

Is their commercial a single showcase of the company? If so, then it needs to be more than amusing. It must be groundbreaking. For many advertisers, that’s an impossible expectation.

But what if a Super Bowl ad was a vehicle designed specifically to send viewers somewhere else like a web site, Facebook page or other online location? Once there, they could be treated to something truly unique, entertaining, even innovative.

Helmets are still needed in football. But they were re-engineered when the game changed. It’s time for advertisers to stop banging their heads against a wall when it comes to Super Bowl commercials.

Josh Anderson is one the many partners that make up The “Adholics”, a full service marketing & advertising collaborative based in Minneapolis Minnesota.

Do you have a problem with your current marketing?

You’re not alone.

Let us be your designated advertiser in 2011. www.TheAdholics.com

Contact Joshua Fedie to start the process of recovery today.

I think we’ve become a trend.

david vs. fallon

Appeared in Metro Magazine’s February 2011 issue

Written by: Drew Wood

The following article was pulled out of Metro Magazines February 2011 issue.

Though The “Adholics” had no contribution to the content of the article, nor do we received any mention as one of the smaller agencies entering the Minneapolis space, I found it affirming that the concept we work within continues to gain validation as a structure that works.

If you read our pioneer press writeup last October you’ll notice some very consistent themes to handling creative execution in the current marketplace.

If I notice they include this article on their site, I will attach a link. For now I apologize, this scan is the best I can do.

Cheers.

Joshua Fedie

Principal | The “Adholics”

New Year. New Budgets. New Optimism?

New Year. New Budgets. New Optimism?

By Joshua Fedie

Principal | The “Adholics”

12/28/2010

I think 2010 was a great year.

Sure there was a lot of fear, budgets cuts, layoffs, questions without answers, anger, depression, uncertainty…alright maybe not a great year.

However what all this did cause was some business and personal examination for many, and what does that equal in the business world?

Innovation.

I have seen some incredibly innovative companies shoot-up out of this mess and I think it was good to have a little hustle mentality injected into America.

So far signs are looking good for companies responding to the needs of their customers in 2011. I know I’m hearing the word budget being used as a positive more lately.

Business as usual has become a thing of the past and creativity is king. The same principles applied to our grocery list has been pulled into our workspace and has forced us all to look at getting the most we can get for less than we had in the past. That is a good thing.

Can you imagine applying what you have learned with your current budget to your old budget, imagine how much more you could have done.

I don’t want this post to be a list of companies doing it right, what I want this post to be is a touch of inspiration for 2011.

To the company executive or marketing director that just might stumble upon this message, Be Optimistic. Challenge your staff to try new ways. Challenge your vendors to invest in you.

To the employee feeling like there are more barriers than doors, don’t be afraid to speak up in 2011. Many times the best ideas come from within the trenches; you might have the solution your company needs. Keep your mind alert and take ownership of your future in your current company.

To the job seekers, don’t stop looking, we want you back in the workforce and we are getting there. Don’t be too proud to beg, don’t lose sight of your goals and don’t be afraid to let a little hustle in.

Lets start the year with the confidence we had just 5 years ago and really show what we are made of.

It’s time to take back a little ownership, lose the negativity and become inspired.

I can’t wait for the ball to fall.

I look forward to meeting my new clients of 2011 and continuing my relationships with the great clients I had in 2010. This last 6 months has been quite the rush for me and The “Adholics”, I had no idea how much fun this group would be.

With the most sincerity, I want to wish everyone a happy New-Year and a great journey back to a better time and place.

Cheers,

Joshua Fedie

Principal | The “Adholics”

I’m Humbled.

The Pioneer Press gave us a whole page in Sunday’s business section.

By Joshua Fedie | Principal, The “Adholics”

10/18/2010

When I started courting the staff of the Pioneer Press in St. Paul MN about running an article on The “Adholics” I thought I’d eventually receive a business card sized blip about our launch.

I never imagined that we would be granted an entire back page spread.

They even sent one of their staff photographers to our A.A. Meeting to snap pictures for the article.

I am humbled by the generosity of the Pioneer Press and thrilled to share this great article with anyone willing to read.

Below is the text of the story, you may also read the article on the Pioneer Press website if you prefer.

Open for Business: Adholics

Owner: Joshua Fedie

The Changing Agency

The Changing Agency

By Joshua Fedie | Principal, The “Adholics”

Do you want to see what we have done, or what we are positioned to do for you today?

In prospecting for my new collaborative agency I have not heard many obstacles in making inroads to new clients. Most companies are really getting the concept of reduced overhead, bigger talent.

It’s a pretty easy sell.

But the one fear I have come across is how new we are as an agency. “We are looking for an agency with more experience” is something I have heard a couple of times now and I thought it was about time to respond to this objective.

Yes, The “Adholics” are a new agency this is true; but we are anything but unproven.

Does this “Work” section look unproven?

Do these “Partners” with collectively over 200 years of real-world experience in the marketing and advertising game look unproven?

In this economy it is important to look past the flashy presentations of larger agencies and instead look inside at the talent sitting in the desks (or in our case home offices).

Layoffs and unemployment have not escaped the creative community. In fact, we have been one of the hardest hit.

When you are searching for a new agency keep this in mind. In many cases the creative guru that designed the flashy work you are reviewing is no longer employed at said company. Many highly paid designers have been replaced by cheaper recent grads at agencies where the thought is still more is better.

So why are they showing this work?

The agency still has a right to place these works into a capabilities presentation. They were handled at the agency.

But do they have the goods to deliver again with their new recent grad staff?

Next time you review a new agencies portfolio don’t be afraid to ask “so who handled this piece, are they still with your agency?” you might be surprised by the answer.

So what are you paying for?

Having 100+ employees sure looks great from the lobby seats, but will it still look that good when you see your first concepts on your new rebranding campaign?

I decided long ago I would rather have an agency small in size but big on talent. I thought future clients would appreciate lower costs in a recession. I still think that the “Big Agency” is a dinosaur and I am happy to be in a position to compete.

The “Adholics” may not have an espresso machine (yet) or a company BMW (I prefer SAAB), but we have talent.

I handpicked each of my 17 partners for being both the kind of people I wanted to sell and the people I would want working on my projects.

I can charge you more if you want, just ask. I’m happy to accommodate any request. I’d rather give you killer creative within your budget.

Cheers,

Joshua Fedie | Principal, The “Adholics”

Old Spice is new again

Old Spice is new again

By Josh Anderson

Copywriter, The “Adholics”

My grandpa was an Old Spice guy, my dad is too. And if you listened to my new BlackBerry ringtone, you’d think I was a third-generation Old Spicer.

Well, I’m not – yet. But that hasn’t kept me from appreciating the recent branding effort of this 70-year-old hygiene product. It still smells musty, yet there’s something refreshing in the air for Old Spice.

It all started one fateful day in February

Say what you will about Super Bowl TV ads and the ridiculous cost for one :30 second spot (over $3.5 million at last check). But when done right, they can offer significant impact.

Remember the first year GoDaddy ran a spot during the NFL’s championship game? The number of viewers scrambling to visit the company online caused a bigger crash than Danica Patrick at Daytona. And GoDaddy is a web hosting company.

Fast-forward to Super Bowl XLIII. GoDaddy broadcast the Most Watched Super Bowl commercial of 2009, according to TiVo. Still, one of the most talked about commercials featured an unforgettable shirtless character riding in on a white horse to save a brand in trouble.

“Hello ladies.”

At that moment, the Old Spice Guy deep-sixed any memory of the poor 1960s-70s boat captain spokes-model.

More significantly, Old Spice has enjoyed improved sales overall. According to Advertising Age, the Proctor & Gamble Co. brand has been consistently gaining market share, enough to erase a deficit built up over the past.

And though it’s hard to measure the hard dollar sales results of Old Spice Guy, one cannot ignore his impact.

Sweet smell of success

This is especially true online, where the campaign has gone viral.

Unless you’ve unplugged yourself from the digital world, you’ve probably heard about the Old Spice Guy’s 186 highly publicized videos released in early July. These videos, developed in response to people who sent in requests through Twitter, generated more than 34 million aggregate views and a billion PR impressions in a week, according to P&G.

In the six days following the start of Old Spice Guy’s personalized videos, he reached more than 100 million followers. And as of July 18, Old Spice had become the No. 1 all-time-most-viewed sponsored channel on YouTube.

Old Spice’s Twitter account @OldSpice has blown up to include more than 80,000 followers. And its Facebook fan base has grown to 630,000, with fan interaction jumping 800% since the launch of the personalized videos.

Even OldSpice.com has seen its traffic levels spike by 300%, though I’m not sure who else besides me has downloaded the free ringtone.

So what can we learn from an Old Spice Guy?

“Social media for the moment isn’t really about traditional metrics; those are on the way, no doubt, but right now it’s more about customer engagement and awareness – the opportunity for consumers to talk directly to the Old Spice Guy, and have him talk directly to them,” says Renay San Miguel of TechNewsWorld.

I agree. Old Spice is a great example of an established brand boldly going into unchartered waters to reinvent its image.

They understand that social media is changing the world of advertising as many of us know it. No longer do companies control the discussion. More and more consumers want to be entertained. And they want to interact.

To take advantage of this burgeoning two-way communication, companies must get beyond the confines of ROI. New media has blurred the direct connection between marketing and sales. And though companies still need to sell stuff in order to remain in business, they must find ways to do so while developing relationships with their customers along the way.

Looking for a refreshing approach to your marketing? The “Adholics” can provide a number of traditional and new media solutions that meet your needs.

Step 1.

Step 1.

(Our first piece of press)

Today is an exciting day for The “Adholics” because today we received our first piece of press. Upon landing our first account (to be more formally announced at launch) I was contacted by Dan Haugen at The Line Magazine www.thelinemedia.com who asked if he could interview me for an article for the online publication. Being a subscriber myself to The Line, of course I was thrilled at the chance. Below is the text from the article, but feel free to read on The Line as well here: bit.ly/9ixA5p

Innovation + Job News

The Adholics freelance collective admits that it has its first client

The Adholics have taken a step toward proving their business model.

The freelance advertising collaborative last week signed up its first client, a local web startup company, which they don’t plan to name for at least a couple more months.

The Adholics is the brainchild of Josh Fedie, a new business and account manager for various small and mid-sized agencies over the past decade.

The advertising industry is increasingly relying on freelancers. What’s bothered Fedie in recent years is the lack of transparency around that trend. Clients are paying top dollar for an agency’s work and often don’t realize the work is being farmed out to the least expensive freelancers on the market, he says.

“That’s not what’s being sold to the client,” Fedie says.

About six months ago, Fedie started scouting for freelance professionals to join a virtual agency. The result is a 17-member, full-service advertising and marketing shop. Its members’ expertise covers most of the major disciplines, from web and graphic design to copywriting and social media strategy.

What separates The Adholics from other collaboratives, Fedie says, is its transparency. All of its partners are listed on its website. It has a photography studio and one partner has donated office space, but the model eliminates most of the overhead associated with running a conventional agency.

Fedie believes the model will allow The Adholics to compete with any agency in town. He says the goal is to win business that would be out of reach for a solo freelancer:

“That’s the number-one goal: to go after dream accounts,” says Fedie. “We want to work for enthusiast brands. We want to go after those accounts that all of us have always wanted to work for and it’s been hard to get to on our own, but I think with a group like this it’s definitely in reach, and definitely within our capabilities.”

Source: Josh Fedie, The “Adholics”
Writer: Dan Haugen