piece of cake
Hi! It’s me, Miranda…the “newbie.” I’ve been at Prototype for almost 5 months now – time certainly does fly! When I took on the job in October (my first REAL job mind you) I knew there would be benefits, but I had no clue they would include cake! That’s right. And not just ANY cake…some of the BEST cake I’ve ever had. How is this possible you ask?
Well, part of the PT experience is working on, in and around all of our business partners – Prototype:Media, the publishing arm of PT, now produces both the Central Virginia Bridal Guide and Central Virginia Family Guide. And ever since they merged, not only did I acquire a new “cube neighbor” (Andrea Webb you rock!) but I was also exposed to a slew of annual events, including the Bridal Luncheon that took place two weekends ago.
For the majority, the most anticipated event at the Bridal Luncheon is the naming of Central Virginia’s Bride-of-the-Year, but for me…I was most excited to try the cake. Every attendee got to try 4 slices of cake from local cake bakers – a blackberry wine variation from Billie’s, pound cake with layers of raspberry and lemon curd from Magnolia Foods, butter pecan from La Bella Torta, and an almond cake with raspberry buttercream from Coffey Cakes. My favorite? I don’t know if I’m at liberty to say, but just know that this generous baker allowed me to take home the leftover sheet cake, which I immediately froze (after eating a few more slices) and continued to enjoy over the days following the Luncheon. Sometimes you CAN have your cake and eat it too!
Here is a picture Crystal George (a great local photographer) took of the cake slices…
The Happs on the Apps
We are sorry. If you have clicked “subscibe” you have been terribly mislead. We have not posted in a hot minute. Truth is we have been slammed. But if your interested here is whats been going down:
-Sole Collector / Scion app has had over 40,000 downloads and we just completed a 2-page spread to promote the puppy.
-We are designing 2 more apps currently – both involve shoes.
-Klint is finishing the world’s largest website for Centra
-The Todds have been shooting video in Chicago and training at Martinville Speedway for video controls.
-We are working on ads in Arabic (the answer is no…I do not speak a word)
-Josh/Miranda have been developing and launching social media campaigns for about ten clients including BMW of Sterling
-David is getting Bandals off to a great start in 2010.
-Derek is currently launching 3 websites at once – with his eyes closed and one hand behind his back.
-Johanna and the MEDIA team have finished Lynchburg Living’s HITCHED issue, Lynchburg Life and Lynchburg Business thanks mostly to Keith!
-Andrea Webb along with Cheryl, Andrea and the help of Marvelous Mary put on a fantastic Bride of the Year Luncheon despite the reschedule.
-Oh, and somewhere in there we found time to put on EFC6 in Richmond.
Needless to say its been a great month – Just not for this guy.
Just for kicks…
A while back out buddy Steve from Sole Collector sent us a pair of Nike Zoom Kobe IVs to get some video of with the new 5D Mark II to test its capability for future video work. This 30 second clip really launched us into using our DSLR as a video camera. Since this practice run we have used it for multiple commercials and videos. The quality is amazing and with interchangeable lenses it give you the look of BIG money film cameras all the while producing HD video on the same gear we use for photography. It does have it’s limits. Audio is the big one. We bough a Beachmark bolt-on with XLR audio plug-ins for mics but we have not perfected it just yet. For most audio related issues we still use our Sony HD cams or have the VO work done in our studio.
Our first iPhone App
After a long awaited development process and approvals, our first iPhone application just made it to the iPhone App store this past week! Over the past four months we have worked with Sole Collector and Scion to create and develop a completely custom application for sneaker heads that would allow them to see the latest releases and sneaker news. In the days following the launch the SC server had a hiccup and went down for two days. Needless to say it was a stressful time, but now everything is up and running and the app is working smooth. You can read more and download the app at the Apple app store – Check it out!
Red Alert: Blido’s Got Some New Cooking Competition
She’s a confectionary baker, a social media guru and an veritable idea factory all rolled into one. Yep, little Miranda Canady is good at many of the big things in life that make us happy here at Prototype. See, we are simple creatures. Just feed us sugar then Tweet about it and we are tickled pink.
If Carboholics Anonymous ever shows up at our door, we will hide Miranda from site, but until then her bright smile, hair and ideas will keep her safe from harm. In fact, the only harm in having her here will be to our waistlines. Welcome Miranda!
You can always learn something from kids.
We live on a quiet culdesac. The perfect street for kids. The perfect street for kids to start their own business.
Last night, we arrived home late and through darkness of the foyer picked up the day’s mail. Lumped in with the bills, coupons and direct mail was a brochure from the newest entrepreneurs on my block – Connor and Emory’s Dog Walking Compuny. I was impressed! There was much to learn from their from their marketing materials. Let’s review:
1. Who – Name of the Company clearly identified
2. What they offer is visually identified – Great use of illustration. Note – The dog has 5 legs. That is not a mistake.
3. When they will be offering the service
4. How much it will cost – $2 dollers and where to contact. I mean the guys even used an area code.
What did we learn? Connor and Emory have a better understanding than 63% of adults of what to place in an ad and they are willing to work for their money.
They have earned my business. They will be walking our female Labrador this weekend, but nowhere near that five legged beast pictured.
Where the Wild Things Grow
Keith conquers them by staring into their orange eyes without blinking once.
DARE to say no to… IE6!
If you frequent the Prototype Advertising office, you may have been unlucky enough to witness the raw, savage rage of one of our web developers as they attempt to get their finely crafted website working in Internet Explorer 6. They’ve even been known to revert to primal tendencies (see the photo for proof!).
Much like our friends in college football, we each wear one IE6 patch on our coat sleeve for each website that we have successfully styled in IE6 without major modification to the layout. Let me tell you, it’s embarrassing too but fortunately people don’t expect developers to be very stylish. This January though we’ll be hanging up those war torn coats up for good.
Starting January 1, 2010 Prototype Advertising will no longer offer IE6 coding as part of our standard web development package. We will still offer IE6 compatibility coding as an additional service upon specific request (for an additional fee).
The final release of Internet Explorer 6 was in 2001 and the final security update was released in in 2008 with Windows XP SP3. Microsoft has acknowledged that they will likely cease supporting IE6 in 2014. With it’s dated architecture and code handling (even admitted by Microsoft), IE6 really leaves a lot to be desired from a design and development standpoint. Things that are simple in newer browsers are often difficult if not impossible to achieve in IE6. Since Prototype Advertising always strives to be creative and unique with our designs and layouts, often times we find ourselves painted into the proverbial corner when at project completion we view our once beautiful website in Internet Explorer 6 only to realize our fine art now looks mangled and unsightly. IE6 costs our development team hundreds of hours a year that we could be using to create more features on your website, make your site more search engine friendly, add additional support and detail graphics or just to put that final touch of creativity into the artwork of your website design. We choose to move forward!
We’ve teamed up with a growing group of companies that are putting Internet Explorer 6 in the bag (and then tying that bag – duct taping it – kicking it a couple times – locking it in a chest – and throwing that chest in the sea). You can visit www.ie6nomore.com for more information about the movement by developers to get users up to date on their internet browsers.
So, as a current or potential future client of Prototype’s, you may be asking yourself… so what will happen if someone comes to my website with Internet Explorer 6? Will they just see nothing? Absolutely not! It is still in our very best interest to make sure that your website viewers are taken care of. They will still be able to access the website (although it may not look it’s best) and will be presented with this banner at the top of their browser window which includes easy to use links where they can upgrade their current browser.
So long IE6… time to move to Florida, buy an RV and live out the rest of your days on the golf course good friend. (that is, if you can get out of that bag we stuck you in)
Best “Quote” Ever
We recently spent several days and nights working on an internal video project for Will Smith, SVP of Marketing and Terence Reilly, VP of Marketing at Famous Footwear. We had great direction, but little time. Fortunately, God gave us the strength of body (no pig flu) and the blessing of no power surges – however, as things go Adobe AfterEffects acted the fool several times ( I personally believe its because the hardware has an apple on the back : 0 ). The end result was a product that was the finishing touch to what Will’s team had worked long and hard to present to several hundred footwear industry “who’s who” folks…This what what was in our inbox the next day:
“[Prototype] The blueprint for agency effectiveness”
-Will Smith, SVP of Marketing, Famous Footwear
Martinsville Speedway – Tums500
We love the smell of gasoline mixed with burning rubber. To put it simply put, our friends at Martinsville Speedway know how to put on a show. Clay Campbell, Karen Parker, Mike Smith and Tracie Powell led us through our first BIG weekend of NASCAR – track side with only a chain linked fence separating us and a herd of metal monsters capable of 200mph. It was a true thrill and we can’t wait to do it again. The track has recently been described as the “Fenway Park” of NASCAR and after Sunday it’s easy to see why…We Experienced Tradition. We Experienced Martinsville. Up close and personal!