culturefried: brunet-garcía's blend of wit and wisdom – the things we've learned and are still learning. we've mixed it all into a discourse meant to inform and educate. over 100 posts and counting.
Instagram is a free photo-sharing app where users apply film filters for stylish vintage effects with the much loved Polaroid or Kodak instamatic feel. Then with a single tap photos can be uploaded to various social networks, as well as on Instagram itself, which has quickly turned into a social network of its own. It’s simple, easy to use and produces a great photo.
With more than 15 million users, all kinds of companies have flocked to the app in hopes of establishing a following. Yes, another social network to cultivate, but I’ve found this is a fun (and moderately addictive) way to tell a story through creative photographs. Words alone fall short of giving a consumer the essence of a brand, so it seems natural for any business or organization to tell its story through photographs. Since the app launched in 2010, brands have been using the platform in innovative ways, testing the network’s ability to build an audience.
In my opinion, the most attractive companies on the app are those posting interesting lifestyle photos, trying to capture their piece of the world in unique ways. Even General Electric has a nice eye for turning combustion engines into works of art. On the other hand, Starbucks seems to be pushing product a little too hard but still has a huge following. NPR was one of the first media organizations to join the platform and has successfully created a personable and creative account where it informally engages with fans on a daily basis.
On my first day as an intern at Brunet-García, Kate mentioned the idea of writing a blog post about my first few days in the office. Later that evening, I scrolled through the day’s reel of images. How did it feel walking in? What was the energy? What moments stood out? As I began to compile a mental list of attributes, I found myself countering each adjective with an opposite. A little old and a little new, modern and homey, productive and relaxed, progressive and traditional, creative and structured, until I arrived at my “ah-ha!” impression of BG: Balanced.
Our culture seems to have adopted an all-or-nothing approach to life in recent years. This philosophy leaves little room for failure and creates too much of an emphasis on success. Life is too unpredictable to become reliant on a single concept or outcome, as it usually ends in disappointment.
During my first day at lunch, I unknowingly explained a “balance practice” of my own, describing myself as a “cheatin’ vegan.” I do not perceive occasionally indulging in pizza or chocolate as a failure, but as a contribution to a rich and happy life experience. Finding equilibrium between two extremes brings as much joy into my life as possible.
I can’t help but believe BG finds success through balance. My first few days in the office gave me a sense of ease and belonging. It seems like everyone here navigates through life’s duality actively seeking balance – “rolling with the punches“ if you will.
In a world of extremes where opposites permeate our lives in every aspect, remaining sensitive to your state of balance and finding a happy medium that feels right is important. And Brunet-García knows how to feel just right.
Resolutions of a small business owner upon the dawning of a brand new year:
1. At least once per week, sort through and organize the crap on my desk so I can see the surface. (Raking desk contents into the box behind my chair or neatly stacking it on the credenza does not count.)
Neatly stacked crap on credenza
2. Control my schedule instead of letting it control me.
3. Politely decline assignments that don’t either build value for our agency or allow us to flex our creative muscle. NO MATTER WHAT.
4. Lighten up! Bring the experience of a life-well-lived to the office to inspire and instigate work-worth-doing.
11. In this world of layered and complex communication, always say what you mean and mean what you say.
12. Contribute frequent observations to this blog about running a mid-sized ad agency in a beautiful river city by the sea. (So the staff can stop badgering you about it!)
Al Letson provided the brilliant words and performance, Paul Figura the beautiful cinematography, and MAD DADS the inspiration for the PIECE PEACE video you see above. PIECE PEACE is a campaign to end the gun violence that has been endemic to Jacksonville and other urban communities across the nation. Like many good causes it was inspired by something horrible.
In August, a multiple shooting in Jacksonville’s Brooklyn neighborhood left 11 people injured. Efforts to investigate the shooting were hampered by the culture of silence and fear that often permeates communities where guns, drugs and hopelessness are rampant. In the immediate aftermath of the crime, it was impossible not to notice the presence of members of a group called MAD DADS canvasing the area where the shooting occurred. MAD DADS of Jacksonville is a local chapter of a national organization that promotes safe neighborhoods, community engagement and the protection of youth and families. There they were in the Brooklyn neighborhood, boots on the ground, demanding answers and accountability for a crime that had shocked us all. This holiday season we decided we wanted to help MAD DADS and spread a message to put down the PIECE and spread PEACE.
After meeting with MAD DADS Jacksonville Chapter President Elder Donald Foy, we were more inspired than ever to help create a unified community voice for victims of gun violence and their families. We decided this PSA was the perfect place to start, a jump off point for spreading a message of community, caring, vigilance and visibility. We enlisted the help of actor, State of the Reunion radio host, poet, and playwright Al Letson, along with photographer and filmmaker Paul Figura, who collaborated with us in 2010 on an award-winning PSA for Jacksonville’s Sulzbacher Center. We are very proud of the resulting video, and we encourage everyone to check out and “like” the PIECE PEACE Facebook page at www.facebook.com/piecepeacejax. You can also contact MAD DADS of Jacksonville directly at jax@maddads.com or at 904-781-0905. Join the movement to be the force behind the change, PIECE to PEACE.
Oh, and in case we don’t put another blog up before SOMEONE’S big birthday, Brunet-García wishes you and yours a peaceful holiday season!
Christopher Hitchens was an asshole, an atheist, and a man who articulated – with an eloquence, wit, and courage I can only dream of – big ideas about religion, war, politics, celebrity, and ultimately death. Hitchens’ own death, from complications brought about by esophageal cancer, came yesterday at age 62. It was a death Hitchens wrote about often from the time he was first diagnosed with the cancer in 2010. This is a repost of a blog I wrote in August of that year:
There’s an old saying that there are no atheists in foxholes. Author, journalist, provocateur and atheist Christopher Hitchens seems determined to disprove that notion. Hitchens was recently diagnosed with esophageal cancer, a rare and highly fatal form of the disease. If you know anything about Hitchens, the cancer diagnosis isn’t exactly a shock. Hitchens has never seen a brown liquor that wasn’t his friend. In fact, he’s said his daily intake of alcohol was enough “to kill or stun the average mule.” The guy also happens to smoke like a chimney; in short, he’s burned the candle pretty hard on both ends.
But, Hitchens isn’t just a throwback when it comes to his vices. Like Mailer and Hemingway before him, he’s not afraid to mix it up. He backs up all his bullshit and bravado with some incredible writing and some incredible risk, such as the time he underwent a waterboarding session.
Hitchens was able to call off the dogs during that experience, but now he’s facing a more pernicious beast. Like most patients with esophageal cancer, Hitchens was diagnosed after the disease had spread through his body. The death rate associated with this particular form of cancer is high. Fewer than 5% of people survive more than 5 years. The leading risk factors for the cancer? You guessed it: cigarettes and alcohol.
Because of his grim circumstances, many have wondered whether Hitchens would have a change of heart when it comes to his stance on religion. He’s a militant atheist; so much so that he wrote a best-seller making his case against religions of all sort. So, now that he is in a face off with death, has Hitchens had a “come into the light” epiphany? Is he ready to soften his stance on believers and actually, well, you know, pray?
Not surprisingly, Hitchens says his answer to all those questions is “no.” He remains steadfast in his atheism and says if he ever did join a religion, it would be an effect of the cancer and the treatment, and that by that point he would no longer be himself. Love him or hate him, you have to respect the intellectual honesty of the guy. His convictions are being put to the ultimate test and he’s refusing to place odds on Pascal’s Wager. It’s a stance that has made me think long and hard about how I would deal with the imminent prospect of shedding this mortal coil. By the way, Hitchens says feel free to pray for him, but a wish of good luck will suffice. Here he is describing his battle with cancer in typically brilliant fashion.
