Frank Advice

Start the New Year Off with a Bang!

2012-01-04T15:51:00.000-08:00

Why act like an overfed zombie when you can take aim at one instead?

This year, Frank blew off some Holiday steam and prepared for a zombie apocalypse at the perfect venue - The Place to Shoot. While most of the crew was a little timid at first, we were all slinging lead in no time. From .22 revolvers to .45 semi-autos, we trained our sights on the ghoulish targets. The zombies never stood a chance.

Who needs fireworks and champagne to ring in the New Year when you have handguns that shoot fire out of the barrel and leave your ears ringing!

Happy New Year!

Small Deeds Open Big Doors

2011-12-22T11:34:00.000-08:00

The latest part of our Right 2 Dream Too campaign is all about opening doors. For $100, you can purchase one of 70+ doors that make up the exterior walls of the R2DToo community camp at the corner of NW 4th Avenue and W Burnside. You can decorate your door however you see fit (adhering to community standards, of course). And if you’re not the artistic type, you can donate an extra $100 and we’ll get a local street artist to decorate it for you.

Big thanks to West Coast Paper and Printing Today for donating the paper and printing services for our postcard campaign. Frank's proud to work with partners like this in everything we do (besides being philanthropically inclined, they do awesome work that helps make us, and our clients, look good!).

Happy holidays everyone! And don't forget to channel your inner artist and get your R2DToo door!

Giving Everyone the Right 2 Dream

2011-12-14T15:34:00.000-08:00

Right 2 Dream Too is a new local non-profit committed to waking people up to the importance of sound sleep and breaking the cycle of homelessness. R2DToo provides members a refuge, community structure, and a safe place to sleep in order to get the kind of rest we all require to be our best every day. You might have seen the doors* that surround their encampment at the corner of Northwest 4th Avenue and West Burnside. Actually, you can't miss them.

Frank is teaming up with R2DToo by providing design, copy, and production services for a new outreach campaign. Our series of postcards helps explain R2DToo's mission and outlines many of the items they desperately need for their members. Our goal is to help clarify their message, get the word out, and enable greater giving. We're also working to bring other local vendors along through small contributions that can have a big effect on fulfilling R2DToo's mission. Next up, a website overhaul. We'll keep you posted as partners come on board!

Visit right2dreamtoo.wordpress.com for more information on their mission and learn how you can help. You can also visit them at the corner of Northwest 4th Avenue and West Burnside.

*You can 'sponsor' your own door with a $100 donation. Your contribution lets you design/paint your door however you see fit, as well giving R2DToo much needed cash to meet the needs of their members. It's a fun way to do some good!

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When you're a Friend of Trees, leaves just come with the territory.

2011-11-01T18:57:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year when the foliage falls and the leaves pile high. So instead of letting this raking rite of passage get under the skin of our fellow Portlanders, Frank teamed up with Friend of Trees to create a one-stop-resource for information about leaf removal in the City. The Portland Leaf Harvest is a microsite dedicated to connecting people with the right government agencies and information on the different ways to dispose of leaves. You'll learn how and where to bag'em, mulch'em, and compost'em - everything you'll need to make a like a tree. And don't forget to join the Harvest on Nov. 10-13. Check out portlandleafharvest.com for more information.

Going Gospel

2011-10-21T17:52:00.000-07:00

When your gospel music group is asked to sing for Maya Angelou, you start singing. When Maya Angelou inspires you enough to write a song for her, you start writing. And when that gospel music group needs help visualizing that particular song, you start designing.

Frank Creative and Stump’d Design gave The Brown Sisters the creative help they needed with custom album art for their new release Rainbow in the Clouds – an original song written for Maya Angelou.

They recently presented this new album with custom cover to their lifelong inspiration. And as always, Frank was proud to be part of the project.

Frank promotes peace by turning axes into trees.

2011-10-14T17:17:00.000-07:00

For our latest Friends of Trees billboard campaign, we looked to an unlikely source: Timbers' fans wielding axes. You know what we mean if you've been to Portland in the last year. We are Friends of Trees features the work of local artist Amy Ruppel to mimic the iconic portraits of Timbers' Army fans- only in the same illustrative style as the ongoing Plant it Portland campaign, also by Amy. They're a fun way for Friends of Trees to acknowledge their partnership with the Portland Timbers and the fact they share many of the same, passionate fans. See, we can all get along. The campaign breaks Oct. 17. Oh, and remember you can give, plant, or volunteer at friendsoftrees.org.

Good Creative Knows Good Creative

2011-09-26T16:19:00.000-07:00

We stumbled upon this sweet Cave Singers poster in last month’s Communication Arts. A couple of our creatives have been digging the band for the last two months now, so we really wanted to get our hands on this unique wild posting.

We found out the artwork was designed by Invisible Creature for The Bonfire Sessions sponsored by Jansport, so we emailed the Seattle agency and asked for a copy. Luckily, they had one left, stowed away in their basement.

Once we told them about how the Cave Singers and Red Bull got us through a myriad of late night pushes, they decided the poster should be ours.

Good Karma. Good Creative. Thanks Creature.

Heart, Dedication, Ambition - It takes the right tools to Build an Empire.

2011-08-26T16:57:00.000-07:00

While the NBA season might be stuck in neutral, Frank is helping AND 1 and Monta Ellis Build their Empire by moving full steam ahead with the new Monta Ellis Signature Shoe, the ME8 Empire Mid. The Build Your Empire campaign features a Facebook-driven sweepstakes that encourages fans to 'build their empires' in order to win cool stuff. The campaign kicks off with a 4-page ad in Slam magazine and integrates in-store merchandising, digital, and social media channels. It just shows there's always work to be done.

Frank & CEWO help Oregonians set their homes for energize!

2011-08-19T16:26:00.001-07:00

Frank and Clean Energy Works Oregon have partnered to get the word out about the non-profit's goal of improving the energy efficiency of Oregon's homes. It's a complex issue with a simple purpose. Working alongside (the amazing!) Fashion Buddha, and featuring the voice talents of former NPR great (and Portland's own) Ketzel Levine, we've created a short animated video to help explain how CEWO makes home energy efficiency affordable and easy. And why you should Join the Future.

If you're a bitch, you can't have one...

2011-08-13T23:45:00.001-07:00

That's how sculptor Micki greeted her patrons at a recent art fair in Bend, Oregon. That alone was enough to grab our attention, but when we saw her sculptures, we were sold! Each shoe was more amazing than the the next. But after much deliberation, we finally settled on this one- barbed and beautiful! If fashion is to truly be fierce, it should have to look like this!

From the Hi-Tec Hook & Bullet Lounge...

2011-08-04T08:37:00.000-07:00

Industry insiders often have to sit through countless product demonstration videos that all sound the same. Why? Because for some reason companies don't mind being boring. But at the Hi-Tec Hook & Bullet Lounge, we offer you a less boring alternative to all things product driven.

Make sure you visit the Hi-Tec booth at Outdoor Retailer this week (August 4-7) to check out the first three installments of the Hook & Bullet Lounge Hi-TecKnowledgy Series. Because you have the right to know about the sciencey stuff in your shoes.

And while you're in town, hang out with the Frank and Hi-Tec team during the Hook & Bullet Lounge Beer and Gear Event. As we all know, if you're going to raise money and give away gear, you might as well be drinking a beer.

If you can't make it to Salt Lake for Outdoor Retailer, here's a Hi-TecKnowledgy Series sneak peek. Enjoy.

Dawg Terrace Gets Some Bite

2011-07-26T12:47:00.000-07:00

There's standing out and then there's making sure you get noticed. Story House Properties wanted to make sure their new dog-centric apartment building didn't get lost in the guerrilla marketing shuffle. So Frank designed aggressively-bold postcards that are sure to catch your eye.

The truth is out there...

2011-07-20T14:52:00.000-07:00

It took a little digging, but Frank discovered the truth behind the HI-TEC Liquid Mountaineering video, and it all revolves around ion-mask. This archived footage reveals the waterproof technology like you've never seen it before. And we're delivering it to you because everyone has the right to know about the sciencey stuff in their shoes.

Portland Farmers Market Continues to Grow

2011-06-24T16:23:00.000-07:00

Portland Farmers Market celebrated 20 years of business by declaring June Farmers’ Market Month in Portland. Frank designed PFM’s new logo, which was unveiled during Saturday’s festivities. Congressman Earl Blumenhauer, Mayor Sam Adams and Commissioner Nick Fish all joined in PFM’s community birthday bash.

Frank Orbits Laughing Planet (good work discovered)

2011-06-14T17:18:00.000-07:00

Laughing Planet, Portland's eclectic Cafe of Goodness, is opening yet another incredible location in Corvallis.

To announce the new store, LP collaborated with Frank Creative on a fun new campaign called, Right Around Here. The ads reinforce LP's commitment to keeping things as locally sourced as it gets! Further proof that good work and good food can go hand and... mouth.

Be on the lookout for the new Laughing Planet at PSU- and new creative! You can bet the fresh ingredients and inspired menu will be popular there, too.

Hello from a Distance!

2011-04-22T10:57:00.000-07:00

The Hello Foundation wanted to introduce its Distance Service to potential clients. So Frank created a fun and engaging video that brings The Hello Foundation website to life while demonstrating the unique teaching model.

CEWO: Join the Future

2011-04-01T17:46:00.000-07:00

Frank Creative gave Clean Energy Works Oregon the energetic vibe it needed to inspire homeowners to Join the Future. CEWO is a new non-profit founded to help bring energy efficiency upgrades to Oregonians across the state.

The program partners homeowners, utility companies, financial lenders, and local governments to make upgrading your home easy and affordable. And while it might be hard to get excited over tankless water heaters, it’s impossible to deny coolness of Setting Your Home for Energize!

Frank enlisted Stump’d Design and Blue Mouse Monkey to help launch CEWO’s new website on March 15, 2011. Within the first week of the launch, the website received over 350 applications into the program.

To Join the Future log on to CEWO.org and see if your home is eligible.

AND 1 All-Star Weekend Banners

2011-02-24T15:42:00.001-08:00

AND 1 partnered with Mercedes Benz of Laguna Niguel for some All-Star weekend events. Frank used the connection between cars and ball to create the concept Only the Driven Change the Game.

AND 1 SLAM Ads

2011-02-24T15:08:00.000-08:00

Blowing Off Some Steam

2011-01-16T10:40:00.000-08:00

The Frank team decided to blow off some steam by blowing some glass at Elements Glass in NW Portland. The Elements crew walked us through the basics and did most of the heavy lifting while we created our one-of-a-kind Christmas ornaments.

Some Things Just Go Together

2010-12-24T06:21:00.000-08:00

This is the only time of year you can get away with combining a drinking game and a children's game under the guise of good times. So have a Happy Holiday and cheers.

Consciously Social

2010-11-19T14:55:00.000-08:00

AllFacebook.com recognized AND 1's Facebook page as one of the most explosive pages on the social network this week. All Facebook may consider itself the unofficial Facebook resource, but we consider it officially awesome for appreciating our hard work.

That's a Wrap!

2010-11-12T16:14:00.000-08:00

Frank helped Friends of Trees take their message on the road with a custom car wrap. Now they can Plant it Portland, Plant it Vancouver, and Plant it everywhere in-between.

Philosophically Faster

2010-09-24T09:37:00.000-07:00

When a technology goes beyond materials it becomes something more. The ME8 Sovereign Mid features And1's L2G (Low to the Ground) Philosophy. When you reduce the distance between your foot and the floor, you can react quicker, cut faster, and let instincts takes over.

Train like a Baller

2010-09-15T14:27:00.000-07:00

We upped our game to show the training side of the And1 Downtime. Kamp Grizzly killed the graphics while UFC Fighter Nate “Rock” Quarry showed Lamar, our baller, how quick feet go beyond the court.

Goodness, Wellness, and Flying Cats

2010-09-01T12:34:00.000-07:00

Frank teamed up with our local friends Flying Cat Coffee Co. and Sol Pops to spread love and wellness at the hippest hangout this side of the river. We created a fun door hanger that lets local neighbors go on in and enjoy 2 for 1 Organic Drip Coffee and Sol Pops organic fruit popsicles. The Flying Cat is the only place in SE you can pick up a Sol Pop. We always knew this cat was cool.

Strength in Numbers

2010-08-19T15:16:00.000-07:00

Coming up with an idea is just the beginning. Moving forward requires a strong team that offers support through the entire process. The Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition is a non-profit association that helps women involved in outdoor industries become successful through networking, mentoring, and educational programs.

Frank Creative’s founder, Sue Parker, was asked to be part of a dynamic group of panelists that discussed making business decisions and upward management at a recent OIWC event.

The panel brought real-world insights to the social and environmental issues that local women will face in the outdoor industry. The discussions ranged from individual accountability effecting group success to creating a better work environment through positive actions.

To learn more about the OIWC check out www.oiwc.org.

Masala NW

2010-07-20T17:35:00.000-07:00

By blending the natural ingredients of Oregon, Masala NW brings a unique take to traditional Indian cooking. Our new website weaves the visual aesthetics of the two cultures into an expression of Masala itself – a blend of the culture and cuisine.

In India, elephants symbolize power, patience, wisdom, success, prosperity, and benevolence. To the Northwest, salmon symbolize wisdom, growth, power, and venerability. Together they create a new creature native to the Northwest, the Salephant. Check it out at www.masalanw.com!

Friends of Trees Gets Friendlier

2010-07-19T11:38:00.000-07:00

With the neighborhood planting season right around the corner, Friends of Trees was looking for a fresh, new way to talk about trees. So we brought the fun. We engaged local illustrator Amy Ruppel to create some great art for our campaign. She’s one of a handful of local artists gaining national recognition and putting Portland on the map. Now she’s using her friendly characters to put smiles on trees.

Yard Sign (front and back)

Door Hanger (front and back)

So come on, Plant it Portland! Let’s all discover the good things that grow on trees!

Be Lo-Qi

2010-07-15T12:18:00.000-07:00

Frank teamed up with Kamp Grizzly to create this 45-second spot for And1's new off-court collection.

And1's Steve Blake is a Laker

2010-07-09T18:43:00.000-07:00

That's right, our athlete literally changes the look of an entire franchise. Let's see you do that LeBron.

AND1.COM Gets a New Grill

2010-07-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

Frank Creative gave And1.com a face lift and a new platform to add and display its products online. Dynamic homepage CTAs suck you in while sleek product pages make you drool. It's just another step towards awesomeness for the re-emerging shoe brand.

SLP Service becomes The Hello Foundation

2010-05-21T16:53:00.000-07:00

SLP Service needed a fresh website to stand out among its competition. We threw in a new name and a story to go along with it. Now The Hello Foundation's website is more than a resource. It's an introduction to the world.

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A fully editable CMS allows the folks at The Hello Foundation to add new content daily. There's no limit to the good they can do now. Check 'em out.

Girls Inc.

2010-05-03T15:49:00.001-07:00

Frank donated it's time to Girls Inc.'s Power of the Purse charity auction event. We created the event program and helped out with powerpoint presentation in both copy writing and design.

Affinity Property Management

2010-05-02T15:42:00.000-07:00

A few spreads from a brochure for Affinity Property Management group. One of my favorite layout projects to work on.

IF Look Book

2010-04-27T17:10:00.000-07:00

A menu of custom bikes for Independent Fabrication!

Allykats Cosmetics

2010-04-26T17:15:00.000-07:00

Re-brand and packaging design for AllyKats cosmetics (cosmetic products for tweens). More products coming soon!

Tai Chi Tribute Box & Packaging

2010-04-02T12:45:00.000-07:00

The Tai Chi Tribute honors the ten-year anniversary of the original Tai Chi Mid and the Chen-style Tai Chi martial art form that inspired the shoe. With only 212 pairs produced, the packaging had to be both elegant enough to symbolize its limited status, and strong enough to reinforce its place as performance footwear.

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The Box includes a white outer sleeve die cut pattern that reveals a black inner drawer embossed with white foil accents and UV gloss pattern for added depth and interest. The white/black contrast corresponds with the shoe's similar yin/yang duality. Materials of the shoe are also mimicked by the satin finish of the outer sleeve as it contrasts with the shine of the gloss.

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Each of the 212 individual shoeboxes contain an original hand-drawn authenticity card of an individual Chen-style Tai Chi movement, signed by the artist. Each card is ghost pressed for added texture and tactile interaction and sealed by wax in its own envelope.

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The hand-drawn illustrations were also printed onto the shoe insoles to add another layer of interest.

PLAY ON - And1's Advance Mid

2010-03-03T17:58:00.000-08:00

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Print Ad running in April's SLAM Magazine. Also, check out the Advance Mid at Foot Locked Unlocked.

Happy Birthday Rhinoceros!!!!

2010-02-04T16:38:00.000-08:00

Rhino emerges from the darkness to consume his bday treat...

(doggy safe) cupcake for the birthday boy!

He's a bit of a piggy.

Rhino, Frank's #1 troublemaker, turns 1 today. People say when he hits 3 years old - he'll calm down. Only another 2 to go. To make up for all his "mistakes" Rhino bought his co-workers (and himself) some delicious miniature cupcakes from cupcake jones.

Tai Chi Launch Kit

2010-01-04T17:00:00.001-08:00

Tai Chi Launch Kit - closed

Wrapping which housed cards explaining the Launch of the Tai Chi

Custom cut foam to hold the giveaways for each store's employees

Poster that was inside Launch Kit

The Frank Holiday Chain Letter!

2009-12-23T11:50:00.000-08:00

(Click the image to read the Frank Holiday Chain Letter)

Here at Frank Creative we wanted to wish everyone on Earth a Happy Holiday Season. Unfortunately, we don't know everyone on Earth. But we wouldn't let a silly thing like that stop us from trying. So don't break the chain...or else! Happy Holidays to all.

The Outcome...

2009-12-04T13:08:00.001-08:00

The Civil War

2009-12-03T10:39:00.000-08:00

11.12.09: Tai Chi's Launch at Foot Locker

2009-11-12T10:12:00.000-08:00

And1 Tai Chi's Launch at Champs! Go to And1.com to find a retailer near you!

AND1 Tai Chi Brand Ad

2009-11-11T14:26:00.000-08:00

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11.11.09: Tai Chi's Launch at Champs!

2009-11-11T10:04:00.000-08:00

And1 Tai Chi's Launch at Champs! Go to And1.com to find a retailer near you!

And1.com Gets Flashy

2009-10-28T12:06:00.000-07:00

The new And1.com combines old school wisdom with new school fresh. Frank created a layered homepage that invites you into the world of the Tai Chi Prophet, a new character that interacts with consumers and spreads the wisdom of ball.

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You can discover the Tai Chi Mid, find a retail location, or follow the Prophet on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. At the very least, the Prophet allows you send smack talk messages or inspirational proverbs to your friends right from the site. Listen to his words and your game will follow.

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My client's athlete can beat up your client's athlete...

2009-10-05T16:38:00.000-07:00

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Nate Quarry came into the office last week to pick up a framed canvas piece that depicted his recent AND1 Street 2 Elite ad, which ran in SLAM magazine. The artwork chronicles Nate’s journey from blue-collar worker to UFC ass-whooper.

Fresh off of the beat down he put on fellow UFC fighter Tim Credeur on September 16; Nate’s face was a testament to what success in MMA looks like – bruised. It was a fitting tribute to the truth behind his ad.

Ryka - Kelly Ripa "Take Shape"

2009-09-15T15:05:00.000-07:00

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We just launched the Ryka - Kelly Ripa "Take Shape" Campaign in this month's Elle and WWD which is a rallying cry for women who workout to look good, feel good and get fabulous!

Thanks to Kelly and David Sacks who provided immense inspiration and made a 2-day shoot really super fun and exciting.

Namaste,

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Spyder

2009-09-14T16:17:00.000-07:00

(click to enlarge) Photograph by: Tommy Whitcomb

A: Freeryde Summer Look Book (Photographed by Chris O'Connell)
B: Freeryde Summer Trade Teaser Cards
C: Freeryde Winter Advertising Campaign (Freeskier Magazine) (Photographed by Jeff Nass)
D: Freeryde Summer Look Book Insertion (Freeskier Magazine) (Photographed by Chris O'Connell)

Frank's Photo Intern

2009-09-14T15:54:00.000-07:00

(Photograph by: Tommy Whitcomb)

Recently, Frank had a photography intern, Tommy Whitcomb. We put Tommy to work photographing everything from UFC fighters to portfolio studio shots - and everything in between. Be sure to check out his work around our blog (note the photo credits) and on his site www.whitcombphoto.com

AND1 Teaser Ad

2009-09-11T12:26:00.000-07:00

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The Tai Chi Teaser Ad is running. Pick up a copy of SLAM, DIME
or EXPN to check it out.

Sometimes #2 feels better than #1

2009-09-11T11:29:00.000-07:00

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After coming up a little short in a recent soccer pitch, Frank is packing away the voodoo dolls and pouring out the holy water. We’re not sore losers here. We don’t need to cast spells or wish ill will on the winners…Right?

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We can forget about the multiple late night refinements that led to the early morning printing and binding session. We can laugh off the hours spent on three unique graphic executions and fully flushed out 18-month marketing plan. And we’ll simply digest the countless pots of coffee that kept the creative juices flowing because this is the life we chose.

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Besides, we watched “The Bachelor” last season. We know what happens to #1s and #2s. You see, Melissa was picked #1 and offered a proposal while Molly was rejected and left asking “why?” on national TV. Of course a couple months later, #2 Molly was asked back and #1 Melissa was dumped, making her the actual #2 and Molly the new #1. And when “Dancing with the Stars” heard about the now #2 Melissa, they asked her to be on their #1 hit show where she made bank. And the first #2, who eventually became #1, is still in love, which is worth more than money - kind of like ideas. You can’t put a price on good one.

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So sometimes #2 feels better than #1. And at the very least, 2 is twice as many as 1, which seems like a step up if you’re still doing the math. You know what I mean?

Happy Birthday Carter!

2009-05-06T11:58:00.000-07:00

Everyone is dressed up for the party.

FFT Round 3

2009-04-30T10:57:00.000-07:00

The 3rd Official FFT took place at Ready, Paint, Fire! Each Frankster chose a ceramic piece of their choice and took to painting and glazing. Here are a few pics, courtesy of Steve:

The team painting away

The creatives trying to decide what color combos are most excellent

Keo and Lucas hard at work...

Tyler painting his guacamole bowl...

Post glazing, we headed over to PGE park where we enjoyed box seats and the action of Portland's minor league soccer team, the Timbers. Overall, it was an excellent FFT.

Rhino

2009-04-15T10:39:00.001-07:00

Frank's Newest Designer

2009-03-31T14:17:00.001-07:00

Meet Rhino. The newest addition to the Frank Creative team.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEVE!!!

2009-03-19T10:14:00.000-07:00

How awesome would it be to share your birthday with the kickoff of march madness? Pretty freak'n awesome. Lucky for Steve, Hbar and I are on top of the details, and we managed to tie together treats and hoops in this awesomely crafted (but poorly photographed) display.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEVE!!!

Steve Blake S2E on And1.com

2009-03-13T14:46:00.000-07:00

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Steve Blake S2E collage is up on And1's website. It is my personal favorite of the series so far. Once again, major thanks to Alex Turvey for the fantastic collage work.

Green Frank

2009-03-12T11:11:00.000-07:00

In a continuing effort to improve the sustainable business practices at Frank Creative we partnered with the Zero Waste Alliance to build out our new office space in Portland. Throughout the process we recycled over 50% of our demo materials, applied low VOC paint to the walls, utilized rapidly renewable resources, and improved our office recycling policies. Other small steps include:

1) Tyler now takes mass transit due to his fear of traffic jams after living in L.A. for 5 years.

2) Keo cut his daily commute drastically by moving from Corvallis. The smell in Albany was just too much.

3) Carter has upgraded his 1992 Bridgestone bike to withstand monsoon season in Portland.

4) Sue now receives a light slap on the wrist every time she throws out a piece of paper instead of recycling it.

5) Lisa and Heather car pool together because living and working together just wasn't enough.

6) Dave drinks his daily cup of coffee from a porcelain replica of a take out cup. It's like a fake cigarette except he is not trying to quit.

7) Lucas rehashes and reuses any and all ideas and copy whenever possible.

8) Steve has lead the charge in purchasing recycled office paper. The math was too much for anyone else to handle.

9) Denis met his wife at Burning Man. Enough said.

In recognition of all these efforts we have received an award from the City of Portland Office of Sustainable Development for having a High Performance Green Workspace.

Oscar sporting his new bling

*Please note all copy for this post was dictated to Lisa by Carter.

Nothin' but Net!

2009-03-02T15:13:00.000-08:00

A few weeks have gone by since the NERF hoop was installed at FRANK. The idea to make the addition came during a late night game of Moon Ball played between press checks on the AND1 footwear catalog. Initially, the hoop was used for Moon Ballesque friendly displays of trickeration Think MJ v. LB McDonald's commercial from the early 90's. This quickly evolved into a series of down-to-the-wire PIG games.

It comes with great pleasure to announce that today, Monday, March 2, 2009 Lucas Burt became the last co-worker to win his first official outright game of PIG.

Congratulations, and may your first also be your last.

S2E In April09's SLAM

2009-02-24T14:30:00.000-08:00

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Check it out. The work of our favorite collage artist, Alex Turvey collaborating with Frank = sweet ad for April's SLAM. More ads to come in this killer style by Alex, so be on the lookout.

Thanks for all your hardwork Alex, you rock!

FFT Kick Off!

2009-02-24T11:28:00.000-08:00

Team Frank on our first FFT in Portland

The Frank Field Trips of the 2009 season have officially kicked off. For our first outing we attended Grand Central Bowl. We played a few games, the first being Marketing vs. Creative, the second Oregon schools vs. Non-Oregon schools. Overall it was a very successful field trip. Can't wait to see what March brings! Images to follow shortly...

Heather, Denis, Dave- part of the creative team

Lucas in action

Steve sporting the entire bowling ensemble

Group shot

Marketing vs. Creative rivalry heats up: Parker vs. Karstad

Indy Fab Site Goes Live

2009-02-24T11:05:00.000-08:00

The new Independent Fabrication website launched last week, and it's already receiving some great fanfare on custom bike forums.

14 Dimes!

2009-02-22T15:38:00.000-08:00

Our boy, Steve Blake, dropped 14 dimes during the first quarter against the L.A. Clippers. Not only did Blake break a Portland Trail Blazer's franchise record held by Terry Porter (1o assists in one quarter), he also tied an NBA record for assists in the first quarter. Not bad Mr. Blake. Not bad at all.

Pugsta is BORN!

2009-02-04T10:04:00.000-08:00

Frank's newest mascot, Rhino the pug, was born on Feb. 4th, 2009. Technically, Rhino belongs to me, but the Franksters will be seeing him around quite a bit, as I hope he will be hanging in the office. Check out the cuteness!

ALMOST Dave's Birthday

2009-02-04T10:03:00.000-08:00

Dave's Birthday is Tomorrow. He won't be here though, so we are celebrating today. Steve suggested (last year) that I just throw a bunch of candy on top of a cake for Dave. This year, Hbar and I took that concept, and applied it to tennis, Dave's favorite sport to play (we think). It's a work in progress, each cupcake is covered with a different random candy topping...but I think that serving them on the rackets (thanks Lucas and Carter!) really helped the concept...

HAPPY ALMOST BIRTHDAY DAVE!!!

Pug Pup Update

2009-01-29T11:02:00.001-08:00

The pup isn't born yet...but Carter has now officially won (seeing as how he picked the latest date).
Along with garnering the "godfather" status to the unborn Pup...an un-named/undecided prize will still be his...

Project OR

2009-01-26T12:04:00.000-08:00

This weekend at Outdoor Retailer in Salt Lake City, PANiQ continued to get great press when design student Ronald Rod won the Project OR design competition by creating a jacket using the integrated smart fabric button technology that has made PANiQ the world leader in wearable electronics.

PANIQ SITE LAUNCHES!

2009-01-21T15:46:00.001-08:00

www.paniqzone.com

Pug Pupdate

2009-01-21T15:36:00.000-08:00

For all of you who don't know, I am getting a Pug. That's right. Pint sized perfection will soon be mine. I'm impatiently waiting for the 'lil guy to be born so that I can name her, and more importantly, so I can declare the winner of the "Frank Pug Poll" (a poll predicting the birthday of my soon-to-be Pug-ette). So far, 3 people have been eliminated: Steve (1.14), Keo (1.19), and Dave (1.20--the pugsta and I woulda shared the same bday! a terrific theory!).

Still in the running are:
Tyler: 1.23
Lisa: 1.25
Heather: 1.27
Carter: 1.28

The suspense continues!!!

HAPPY MLK DAY!

2009-01-19T09:09:00.000-08:00

(click to enlarge)

Today we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as well as the release of AND1's inaugural Tribute shoe, the ME8 Tribute. This Limited Edition version of Monta Ellis' first signature shoe pays homage to Dr. King and marks the launch of AND1's Tribute site.

A lot of hard work by a number of people went into this project, which included packaging, print ads (SLAM and Complex magazine), posters, billboards, banners and other point of sale displays, on-court signage, web banners and the previously mentioned microsite (special thanks to the guys over at Dangerr Creative and CelSol). All in all, very exciting to be a part of.

Separating Fighters from Octagon Girls

2009-01-15T21:39:00.000-08:00

UFC fighter (and AND1's newest endorsed athlete) Nate 'Rock' Quarry stop by our office today. When we got to talking about specific take down techniques, I was quick to volunteer Lucas as the subject. Check out this video of Nate showing us how he uses a Triangle Choke to force someone into submission.

If you listen closely you might hear the following:

Dave: AND1 - that's it - end of story!
Lucas: yeah, that's good

Perfect Season

2009-01-11T22:41:00.000-08:00

I’m sad to say that the 2008-2009 NCAA football season officially came to a close. Although Florida will retain the #1 spot until the pre season polls begin to service this summer, something truly magical happened this season. Of course, I am talking about the perfect bowl record executed by the Conference of Champions and an impressive 5-2 record* for the in house Frank crew.

It all started off when the, unlikely, Arizona Wildcats put a double-digit dent in the BYU Cougars’ post season at the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl. I’ll be honest, I’m not a big ZONA fan, nor have I ever been a big supporter of the Stoops family. PAC 10: 1-0 / FRANK: 0:0

Next the California Golden Bears secure a win over the ‘Canes in what could be considered a home game at the Emerald Bowl at AT&T Park. A bittersweet win for the Duck fans in the office, as Coach Tedford was a tough loss. PAC 10: 2-0 / FRANK: 0:0

Then it was the Duck’s turn. A civil war match up at the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl between U of O and OSU… no, not that OSU…not that one either…that’s right Oklahoma State. The Civil War of Donors. Phil Knight 42, T. Boone Pickens 31. PAC 10: 3-0 / FRANK: 3:0

To finish off 2008, I present to you the Brut ‘disappointment’ Sun Bowl. Beav’s thought they smelled roses, and viewers expected more than 3 points. Would this be the last team from PA to lose to a PAC10 team? PAC 10: 4-0 / FRANK: 4:0

Nope. The Granddaddy of ‘em All. Joe Paterno vs. Pete Carroll. The 95th annual Rose Bowl Presented by Citi Bank. A new year, and the largest margin of victory (2 TD’s) by a PAC 10 bowl team this season. Fight On! PAC 10: 5:0 / FRANK: 5:2

I guess its safe to say that the best thing that comes out of the end of football season is the full coverage of basketball season.

* It should be noted that a win for Oregon was counted 3 times, once for every alumni in the office and that the 2 losses came from a very heated in house rivalry between two tradition programs.

The Storm of the Century...

2009-01-05T10:42:00.000-08:00

Okay, so it might not have been the storm of the century, but it was enough to shut down Portland, Ore. for an entire week. Sure, the 8-12 inches of snow that covered the city streets paled in comparison to the 30+ inches my hometown in Montana received over the same time period, but when the Metro area is only used to 1-2 inches, that extra white stuff causes quite a ruckus. That’s right, I just said “ruckus.”

Streets shut down, cars were snowed in, and businesses stayed closed. Schools started their winter vacations early forcing many parents to work from home. It was Frank’s first serious taste of what the Northwest is capable of. And even though winter storms of this magnitude don’t hit the city that often, when they do, they do so with tenacity.

(A table for two?)

Thank you for reading the thoughts of Lucas.

Ryka Photo Shoot

2008-12-22T13:38:00.000-08:00

Steve, Dave and I ventured to NYC for 4 days to shoot Ryka spokeswoman, Kelly Ripa in action. We had an excellent time, and a great shoot thanks to David Sacks, the NYC photographer that Dave had found. Check out more of David Sacks work at: http://www.davidsacks.com/.

String Wall Kicks Off!

2008-12-08T18:06:00.000-08:00

It's official, the string wall is now underway! Maggie and her assistant, Heather stopped in today and have begun to set up what is sure to be an awesome piece of art. I plan on trying to shoot their progress in the early morning when the lighting is better.

2008-12-04T09:17:00.000-08:00

It’s Official

Okay, we can no longer ignore the economy. In fact, I just read that we are officially in a recession according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. The National what? Yeah, don’t worry. I’ve never heard of them before either. But apparently they get to make the call. I’m just glad they figured it out. Rumor has it that this recession thing has been going on since December of 2007. Of course, now that it has officially been labeled, we can all put our ears to the tracks and listen for the collective exclamation of “oh no” that will be heard across the nation.

In all seriousness, a lot of companies will have the same knee-jerk reaction of cutting advertising budgets here and promoting low prices there. Sounds like a good short term fix, but what is it they’re really fixing? It’s important to remember that you’ve worked hard to earn a certain amount of goodwill towards your brand – goodwill that isn’t lost simply because the National Billibee Boo says that we’re now in a recession.

The key to keeping a cool head is to remember that even during a recession companies will continue to do business and consumers will continue to consume – both will be just a little wiser about how they do it. You may be able to even use this time to your advantage. Without getting all “look at how big my brain is” on you, let’s just assume that some of your competitors cut their advertising budgets due to the recession. Just because they start limiting their advertising doesn’t mean customers quit listening. They are simply listening for a more convincing reason to part with their hard-earned dollars.

So instead of cutting off the dialogue you’re having with your consumers, you might want to consider digging deeper into your brand strategy and shining a brighter light on its benefits. Your diligence may not only keep your company comfortably afloat during the recession, but it can also pay off huge when people start throwing their money around again.

Thank you for reading the thoughts of Lucas.

String Wall Project Underway

2008-11-26T15:37:00.000-08:00

Here at Frank we are excited to announce that our "string wall" is officially underway. Due to the diligent research of our intern (Jessica) we found a local string artist named Maggie Casey. Dave and I met with Maggie initially in October and she presented us sketched designs in early November. Since then the string has been ordered and construction has begun (in Maggie's studio). She is hoping to install before she heads back east for the Holidays, so check back for pictures of Frank's first (of many I hope) in-studio commissioned art!

Till then, check out some of Maggie's creations at: www.maggiecasey.com

2008-10-24T14:05:00.000-07:00

Tug-O-War

The Microsoft/Apple advertising tug-o-war continues. Oddly enough, Microsoft is only slightly tugging, and Apple is warring.

In recent ad campaigns, Microsoft has tried to connect to its consumers on a more emotional level. Their first attempt included several ads featuring Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld. After the ads fell short, they were replaced with a series of spots that try to show consumers that PC users encompass all professions – most of which aren’t boring. You know the ads “I’m a PC, and I’ve been made into a stereotype.”

It’s nice to see Microsoft trying to build their brand beyond the corporate juggernaut that they are. For so long, they have been thought of as a greedy, numbers and figures company. And after the recent success of Apple’s “I’m a Mac” campaign, they are finally starting to realize that there is something to this whole branding thing. Your product doesn’t simply live on 6-square-feet of shelf space in Wal-Mart.

What I find interesting is Apple’s rebuttal campaign. Perhaps it’s because we’re in the middle of the political season, but Apple is using their recent ads to attack Microsoft’s tactics rather than promote themselves. Even if what they are saying is true, it still comes across as being on the defensive, which I find interesting.

I’m not advocating PCs over Macs, but I am intrigued with the ideology behind the recent change in tone of the Apple ads. Most of their previous spots included some sort of comparison where the Mac always came across as being hipper and more user friendly. Their last two spots, however, leave the direct comparisons on the cutting room floor. Instead, Apple is simply pointing out the flaws in Microsoft’s thinking. So let the politickin’ begin.

Thank you for reading the thoughts of Lucas.

AND1 - The Changing of the Guard

2008-10-17T10:20:00.000-07:00

We have been working with AND1 for a couple of months now and I am excited to announce that we have four web banners from our Holiday 2008 ad campaign on Complex's website and the main artwork can be seen on AND1's home page.

You will also be able to see our work in SLAM and Complex magazines as early as November. So head to your local news stands and check it out!

The shoe in the ad is Monta's signature shoe, the ME8, which will be available in January.

Thanks to AND1 for being such a great brand, Lisa for some sweet design work, and Monta (Mon - Tay) for the killer moves.

Working with AND1 has been a blast so far and there's a lot of great stuff in the works. More to come as the basketball season gets underway!

Happy Boss' Day

2008-10-16T09:09:00.000-07:00

The overall spread:

Close up on the mini cupcakes:

Gratitude Beer and Chocolate (and Gummi Bears)

Dave Interviews Monta

2008-10-14T12:29:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday Dave got to chat it up with Golden State Warrior's Monta Ellis (pretty sweet job he's got). Stay tuned for the killer collateral that will come as a result of this interview.

Bonfire Launches!

2008-10-10T11:12:00.000-07:00

After much hard work, FRANK is happy to announce that www.bonfiresnow.com is now live! Major thanks goes out to the Programmers of Cascade Web Development and of course, Frank's Project Manager, Carter Kirkpatrick, who managed to balance myself, Cascade, Bonfire and several freelancers to get this site up and running!

KEO JOINS FRANK!

2008-09-15T09:22:00.000-07:00

Keo Farm, A OSU grad, and excellent designer, has joined the Frank Team. I do not have a photo of Keo yet, but I can tell you the following about him:

1. He eats almost as many times a day as me
2. He is super cool
3. He has a twin brother
4. His football team lost to my football team...(sorry Keo)

Shortly, I will inform Keo about the existence of this blog so that he can defend his team and post some of his most recent work.

HAPPY 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO MEEEEE!

2008-07-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

(me on my first Frank field trip to Portland)

Wohoo! I have been at Frank for a year (according to Steve, who is very good at numbers)! I swear I just drove across the country in less than a week and went from living in NYC to living in LA and now Portland! Anyway, Happy One Year to me (and T.Storie, 'cuz I know he started around the same time as I).

AIGA Breakfast Series

2008-05-09T11:12:00.001-07:00

This upcoming Tuesday, Jill and I are going to the Elephants Delicatessan.
The AIGA of Portland is sponsoring a breakfast event there with a focus on
social networking sites (blogs, facebook, myspace, linkedin, flickr,etc) and how
they can help your business. I am very excited, and will report back! Also, who
knew that the VP of Portland's AIGA is a Penn State Grad :)

johnzanezappas.com

2008-05-07T10:51:00.000-07:00

My site is up and running. Yay, I did it!

johnzanezappas.com

Love,

John

Venticinco de Carter (the day after Cinco de Mayo)

2008-05-06T10:57:00.000-07:00

Despite being down a few employees due to travel and lunch breaks, Jill, Tyler, Carter and I held down the bday bash and decorated more cookies than are acceptable for four humans to consume in one day...unless of course it's your birthday. Happy Birthday Carter!

Coffee Break with Susan Parker

2008-04-15T15:52:00.000-07:00

Coffee break

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Brent Hunsberger of the Oregonian talked with our own Susan Parker about her background, Frank's relocation to Portland and "what's next" in his weekly column titled Coffee Break.

Here's a little something-something from the article.

Why move? Portland is the epicenter of the outdoor, athletic and sustainability industry, and the outdoor segment is poised for explosive growth, like athletic wear was in the '80s and action sports in the '90s. "The game is just actually starting in outdoor," she said. "We don't know who the big players are going to be. It's just starting to bubble up. That's why I'm here.

"Outdoor brands are either going to get their marketing act together and take advantage of it . . . or they're going to allow others to take over."

Oregonian - April 8, 2008. Read more here.

Jill's Birthday!

2008-04-14T13:44:00.000-07:00

I know, I know...we haven't posted in a LOOONG while. But c'mon...we did just move up the coast, unpack our entire office, and of course actually had to do a LOT of work... I promise a big update soon, but till then...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JILL!

(Cupcake decorations courtesy of T. Storie)

Congrats On The Move!!

2008-03-10T15:23:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone is settling in well and it's not too soggy up there in Portland.

Here is a woodblock print I made to demonstrate my plans for the future inspired by an office doodle I showed Lisa way back when.

Frank Takes Portland.

2008-03-03T15:16:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Dave!

2008-02-05T09:28:00.000-08:00

Government Warning:
(1) According to Duff Man, Women should not drink alcoholic beverages
outside of Moe's Tavern. (2) Consumption of alcoholic beverages increases
your ability to have a rockin' good time.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVE!

2008-02-05T00:44:00.000-08:00

I hope you like chocolate...
(and eat up Frank-sters, it's FAT Tuesday...)

New Things

2008-02-04T13:07:00.000-08:00

Today I posted my very first website to the world wide interweb.
It's merely an under construction page and it takes a while to load
because I have no idea how to web programme.

johnzanezappas.com

In other news, the first music video for my musical project,
Triceratron, was recently finished.

Progress on Frank's New Office

2008-01-28T13:54:00.001-08:00

With 5 weeks to go we are getting the first coat of paint on the walls.
It is all starting to come together. Exciting!!

Mardi Gras at the Boogaloo

2008-01-23T10:11:00.000-08:00

Come celebrate Mardi Gras 2008 on February 5th - Fat Tuesday

Poster designed by Eric Pieper. Will be sold at the Boogaloo.

Frank's New Home

2008-01-21T12:29:00.000-08:00

Here is proof we are making the move!! click here.

As the article says we will be packing up and shipping out. The construction will be done and the dust settled so we can unload and upload with computers fully functioning. Check out the exciting progress on our new building.