Chit Chat
Today, I had the wonderful pleasure of meeting with the creative manager (Lexi Vanni) and an art director (Alyssa Georg) at SS+K. I don’t remember how we started the conversation or all of the details of what we had talked about, which, in my opinion, was perfect. We all were so engaged in what each other were saying, that our ideas and thoughts were spilling out. It was all so…fluid. I didn’t want to leave. I didn’t want to stop the conversation. And I still don’t know what SS+K stands for.
-Devyn Holbrook
Found My (Sparks &) Honey
Culture & trends, signals & insights, data & analytics, all Sparks & Honey. A place where walls act as road maps, trends become macro and micro, and cultural intelligence leads to insight. I left Sparks & Honey feeling enlightened and inspired. First, it was sitting at the front table during the cultural briefing, feeling the curiosity and drive radiating off every person around me. Then it was the popcorn style discussion that followed per introduction of a new topic that clearly displayed the open-minded and respectful work place. And finally, it was the moment the cultural briefing ended, I found myself eagerly wishing to hear more. This was it. I found it. I found a place that entices my curiosity with every new topic, that picks apart the smallest of trends to arrive at impactful insights, and that makes connections that will result in innovation and transformation. I never thought it would happen, but I found my dream job. While I left New York with more insight than I could have ever hoped for, the ultimate gift was finding a job to strive for, a workplace to look for, and a dream to work toward.
Natalie Wapniarski
Sparks
At the Sparks & Honey agency visit, we were able to sit through their daily cultural briefings. Netflix was brought up and I start writing down an idea that’s essentially a feature that would be cool if Netflix implemented it within its platform. People love watching shows with other people and my roommates and I tend to do that in our living room. But with our busy schedules and us personally wanting to continue the show we all end up on different episodes. What if there was a way where you can invite other people on a screening date in which you + multiple Netflix account users can accept an invitation on a time and date and you can all watch it together wherever you are and if you select this particular show you must watch it together and you can’t skip ahead. This will also tackle the issue of extreme binge watching and enabling users to literally do stuff with their life and enjoy and explore other shows. I was also thinking it would be cool if there was a chat feature as well where you and your friends can live message about what’s happening and have an online conversation about the show content.
Idk just a thought haha.
Best, Tylynn Burns.
The geography of intrinsic motivation
I’ve always been the person to ask why. Why is it that way? Why are we doing this? Why can’t it be both ways? Occasionally this has caused friction and problems as I delve too far into topics that others would rather leave be. But for me it’s always been necessary to get at the heart and reason of the world around me.
As I sat thousands of feet in the air on my way back to Oregon, I felt like I had the answer to why I was on the NYC trip. In a moment of clarity, I could see how all the things that motivate me and the things I would define as passions intersect. I drew this sort of map that plotted out all of these interests and connected them based on how they inform or relate to each other. When I finished I sat back in relief. I now had the why for my career and had an understanding of my motivations to direct me on the right path.
Jesse Summers 5.17.2017
Time well spent
164 hours. The amount of time I got to spend on this adventure we call the NYC trip. It was incredible and exhausting and inspiring and many other adjectives that I don’t have time to list here.
As we went through the trip, I kept track of my time. You can see above a tally mark for every hour I spent on the trip. Reading from left to right, top to bottom, you can go through the entire trip hour by hour. Below is a key to interpret each hour.
I chose to illustrate the trip through tally marks because I liked the linear aspect of the marks. It connects to the linear quality of time. There is no going back or jumping forward or pausing. Time is constant and precious. We only get one chance to use the time we are given and this trip has inspired me to use my time working as hard as I can and doing what I love.
Brown- traveling
Orange- getting ready
Blue- doing homework/projects/email/etc
Violet- agency visits
Apple green- riding the subway
Red- eating
Forrest green- exploring/adventuring
Jesse Summers 5.17.2017
Rokkan
Digital Agency, Partners for Brave Change & Work hard, Play Hard Mentality
Takeaways:
- If you don’t believe what you are saying, no one will.
- Don’t limit yourself to a job description. Be useful in any way you can.
- Learn to articulate.
- Relentless optimism is always key.
- Be comfortable with uncertainty. It’s what creates change.
- Embrace the “Mcdonalds theory.”
- Find people who will champion you.
“You can only push so much to try and change the world.”
Hailey Geller
5.16.17
Returning from wonderland
A few days have passed since our airplanes flew from one coast to another. We don’t have metro passes in our pockets or hotel keys in our wallets. We aren’t getting lost in the concrete jungle in between agency visits and we won’t stop at the seemingly endless amount of hot dog stands. We aren’t sitting in the mezzanine of the hotel with jazz music softly playing in the background. We have reached our top and we’re waiting for the subway doors to open.
We are the end of the journey.
Or are we?
As the doors slide open and we flood our into the streets, we are off for bigger and better adventures. Some will go to internships, others will prep for another year or school, and others don’t know what the future will hold.
Regardless of where our path leads, the city with the bright lights and the infinite creative buzz has left a mark on all of us.
Amelia Inouye /// 5/16/17
City inspiration
From the Frida Kahlo paintings to the continuous buzz of noise that follows you everywhere in the city.
From the street art that you find in the littlest nooks and crannies to the creativity found in every street and every corner –
Thanks for inspiring me now and forever. Thanks for showing me that this trip was so much deeper than I thought it would be. Thanks.
Amelia Inouye // 5/16/17
5 lingering lessons
1. Outwork and you will outlast (Deutsch)
2. You will fail and disappoint. Use that to fuel your future success (Chiat)
3. You can be successful and kind. You should be (Boxed)
4. You can change the world so use what you’re passionate about in powerful advertising (JWT)
5. Be simple, straightforward, yet well-thought out in your presentation (R/GA)
Amelia Inouye // 5/16/17
Experience is king.
At one of my favorite agencies on this trip, Sparks & Honey, I heard that exact line. As a millennial and a lover of experiences that involve doing interesting things and making human connections, I really took this to heart. Experience can bridge the gaps within culture, within yourself. Experience is something you can’t take back, you can only gain. Experiences build you up. Experiences are one of a kind because no one else has the same, exact one. Experiences are purely unique. Isn’t that cool? Isn’t that what we want to have and to share with others? So go share!
-Meg Winters 05.16.17