Duluth Festival Opera takes a fascinating visual approach to Augusts concert performance of Puccini's La Boheme

Our client, Duluth Festival Opera, is planning an innovative approach to their upcoming concert production of Puccini’s perennial favorite, La bohème. In an effort to remain cutting-edge, artistic director Craig Fields sought an innovative approach to this concert presentation, which is a departure from the full productions of the past three years. It was important to Fields that this concert-style production contain a beautiful visual component, since it would be staged without the sets and costuming that are used in fully-staged productions.

Fields began exploring ways to introduce dramatic visual excitement and along came a fortuitous discussion with talented illustrator, Mike Reed. A fascinating idea emerged: to have Reed draw the performers, their gestures and his impressions of their work during the performance. Seated on stage, calling on his quick eye and imaginative hand, Reed’s impressions of the artists would be projected onto a large screen, providing a visual commentary for the audience during the performance.

Fields believes that the effect of the changing visual images will reinforce the dramatic momentum of the music and that the loose style and sparsely detailed nature of quick sketches will give the audience a chance to compare their own impressions with those of the artist. The work of the musicians, the singers and the visual artist will all be channeled into the same time and space as each responds to the powerful music of Puccini’s score. It may even be an exciting new way to solve an age-old problem by creating ‘musically-inspired’ visuals for opera presented in concert.

For tickets or information call 1-800-628-8385 or 218-727-4344 or go to www.ticketmaster.com

BGRMODS- Bringing Mods Mainstream with IntensaFIRE

Stick this in your controller and smoke ‘em!

Duluth, MN (08/10/09) – Coy Christmas, President of BragGame Rights, Minnesota’s only licensed console gaming host location, has revealed a new company – BGRMODS, LLC, which will offer gamers the latest in mods. The first product to come out of BGRMODS is IntensaFIRE.

According to Christmas, “We saw a need in the gaming market. Console and accessory modification is a large part of the gaming world. The problem was that gamers buy mod kits for their controllers only to find out they were too complex to assemble themselves. So we partnered with an engineering team to get a product to the gamers that eliminates the technical curve, and offers more than the standard mod kit does.” The product is made and assembled in the USA, is lead-free and 100% recyclable, and retails for $29.99.

The IntensaFIRE modifies XBOX 360 wireless controllers (CG and Matrix), allowing them to control 5-mode sleeper settings, including a customizable user programmable mode. It uses the existing Sync button to toggle modes on and off. Advanced users have the option of adding a button to a prefabricated area on the IntensaFIRE.

Usable in all XBOX 360 games, including gamer favorites: Left 4 Dead, the Call of Duty series, the Halo series, the Gears of War series, and Street Fighter, and any future First Person Shooters or Fighter games, the IntensaFIRE promises to bring your play to a new level.

“4-mode sleeper mod kits exist. Dual rapid-fire mod kits exist. The IntensaFIRE mod kit has both. There are pre-fab controllers on the market, that do some of what the IntensaFIRE offers, each controller going for well over $100. We offer a 5-mode kit that is extremely simple to install, taking no more than 3 minutes with minimal tools, for about a quarter of the cost. Other mod kits require drilling, wiring, and deconstruction of your controllers. The IntensaFIRE only needs a few existing points of glue to connect the IntensaFIRE flex board to the controller and you're ready to go! You also get blue and red LED’s to identify which mode you’re in, at no extra cost,” says Christmas.

The product will be available at local independent dealers beginning September 7, 2009, but will premier at Penny Arcade Expo (PAX), in Seattle, WA September 4-6. For locations and more information visit BGRMODS.com.

Volunteering in the Northland

With the recent interest in volunteering surrounding Extreme Make Over visiting the Twin Ports, it's worth mentioning some of the other year-round volunteer based organizations. Keep the love coming! One organization in particular, Western Lake Superior Habitat for Humanity, could use your help. Recently, our own account manager, Meagan Campbell, volunteered with faculty, current students, fellow alumni, and friends of UW-Superior.

The group spent a Saturday helping with a variety of projects at a current Habitat for Humanity site in Cloquet, Minnesota. Daryl Yankee, Director of the Western Lake Superior Habitat for Humanity, worked with the UWS group and taught them a thing or two about building homes. He is a firm believer in Habitat’s mission and demonstrated his commitment by digging the trenches alongside the volunteers. Check out the website to find ways to be involved.

https://www.habitat.org/cd/frame/frameset.aspx?url=www.habitatduluth.org

Cheryl & Audrey on Fox21

Senior Account Manager, Cheryl Zupec, and her daughter Audrey were featured in a segment on Fox 21 news at 9. The story focused on Chery'ls kid-centric yoga class that spawned from her days doing yoga with her infant children at her side.

Audrey does a fantastic job showing how she helps her mom's class out in the segment, and almost steals the show from Cheryl.

The clip and corresponding article can be found here:

Welcome Ted Koszuta

Blogs, Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, Wikipedia, Linkedin, newsvine, and hundreds more, as the list of social networking sites continues to grow at amazing speeds. Not only are consumers curious about which one to ‘join’, but business owners are seemingly overwhelmed as well.

Nelson & Company, a locally owned advertising agency, has hired a Social Media Manager, Ted Koszuta to provide clients with experienced advice, rounding out their marketing plans.

After earning his BFA in technical communication at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Ted went on to pursue Information Architecture and Knowledge Management at the certificate level. His expertise is lengthy and includes having worked for clients such as T-Mobile, Google, Jim Beam, Wrigley, Bayer, and Orbit.

Prescribing to the theory that all media is inherently social, Ted delivers big thinking and smart execution to all current and future clients. Ted has spoken at various conferences and seminars including: What teens want: Marketing to teens.
Creative Case Study: T-Mobile & Publicis in the West Present "Tony's World".

Join us on Twitter!

Technologically Impaired Design.

There are countless reasons to be upset about the constantly evolving technology. Your hardware is outclassed and unsupported mere moments after your 90 day warranty is up. You need a broadband connection to update your daiquiri blender before you can use it. Or how the latest technology is so tiny you've lost it in your couch with countless Skittles and pet hamsters before you can sync it to include the latest Hannah Montana album you secretly adore.

I'm personally glad we've just stepped out of an era of technologically impaired design. Blu-Ray cover art. It has happened before, DVD cover art fell victim to technologic impairment as well. And I was too young, but I'm sure the VHS v. Beta Battle fell victim as well.

What am I going on about? Look at any Blu-Ray case from the previous 2 years. You may notice that the front is littered with swooping banners and invasive stickers selling the technology more than the star of the movie is selling the flick (the star is the person peeking out from behind the "1080p Brilliant image!" sticker). Turn to the back and there is, literally, a 2 sentence synopsis of the movie.



I'm not one to purchase a movie without having seen, and enjoyed it first. But if I were one of the millions of consumers who keep egging Ashton Kutcher on to "hone his craft" by buying his movies, sight unseen, off the WalMart racks; I really doubt 2 lines help anyone decide to spend the $30 they ask for Blu-Ray movie.

One company that does it right (full disclosure, I'm typing this up on my iMac) is Apple. Even though they crank out innovative technology besting themselves year after year (and causing a number of the problems I mentioned in the first paragraph) they never fall victim to Technological Impairment. Their packaging is always very minimalist, and they sell like hotcakes (provided hotcakes start making 100 Apps. a day for free download)

I'm just glad I didn't have to design any of these covers. With everything but the kitchen sink being included (and NONE of it has anything to do about the movie or it's plot) I would have lost my mind. Instead I sit, mind intact, noticing every bit of stubble on Seth Rogen's mug. Thank you technology.

Winning Ideas

Nelson & Company team members and UWS seniors, Meagan Campbell and Kaitlyn Barnard, are one of two, first-place scholarship winners in the Duluth/Superior Advertising Federation’s annual Scholarship competition.

The Advertising Federation Scholarship requires participants to submit an Advertising Creative Strategy, Project Summary, and to design two public service announcements for the campaign. Participants must also submit a copy of their employment, volunteer, and/or community service experience.

Ad Fed selects a non-profit each year to partner with. Heading Home Minnesota – St. Louis County, a non-profit organization, was chosen for 2008/2009. The winning campaign had a simple message: “Choose to See it,” which highlights the lack of awareness of homelessness in St. Louis County. The team designed a billboard, print ad, and wrote and recorded a :30 second radio spot. The Heading Home Minnesota organization contacted the winning UWS team about using their outdoor design for 2009.

Barnard and Campbell will both graduate with honors from UW-Superior this May. Yeah, that’s right…HONORS!