MacLaren McCann

John Alabaszowski

VP Group Creative Director

MacLaren McCann
Offices in Toronto and Vancouver with 500 people

John has worked at all sizes of agencies, from small, medium to large. He has also freelanced— so he has tried it all and has much to share with our post grad class at Sheridan.

He currently works at MacLaren McCann and has moved from Senior Director to VP Group Creative Director. John has been with MacLaren McCann 7 years now which is a rarity in the creative industry, so must mean he has found a great place to work and thrive creatively. MacLaren McCann has a great client roster. John has worked with such as GM and their vehicle brands, RBC, Argos, Goodwrench, and of course there are many more.

John shared some
Some cool sh*t

• Social & Mobile and Tablets have turned website design upside down
• Managing relationships with clients and their consumers is key
• Surfing in front of computer at a desk gone—we are constantly interacting now at all levels ie Mobile space, tablets, iphone
• example of mobile site at GM check it out
• Build social media into campaigns —so many more different channels 

Among the different projects for GM were:

• Chevy VOLT web site
  • Built my google maps
  • Electric car and plotting route 360 views
  • More of an experiential view— to take time and interact
  
  
• Chevy SONIC
  • Choose interiors and music–custom mix and configure your vehicle
  • Works on facebook too
  • This is a different approach
  • Less about driving people to a site but hanging out where people are
  • Manage and maintain the digital ecosystem where people are “living”
  • Dialogue with your customer  
  
  
• Chevy Orlando
  • Soccer mom audience
  • Relied on other peoples opinions to market product
  • Utilizing google maps and popular online destinations
  • Self contained ie. Sonic
  • Orlando—social media (moms biggest user)
  
  
• Mastercard Canada
  • “Interns Wanted” campaign
  • Instead of a poster —
    used social media as a platform to apply for internship
  • The challenge
    MC wanted to find digital savy students to fill summer positions
  • The process
    Online adds, hashtages QR images – linked to twitter, youtube, facebook had full details, lined in – photo and resume, coverletter
  • Follow on twitter to see if they made short list
  • Lots of tweets — Watched everything unfold online
  • Invited small teams on a one day workshop
  • Innovation, creativity and experience of a lifetime!
  • The results
    Over 500 exceptional applicants — 400 % fan increase
  • a new way to connect into talent
  • will be used as a best practice now for MC
  • sometimes client does not know what they need
  • no website
  • keywords google
  • facebook and twitter and youtube
   
• Gears of War game
  • Clues on Craigs list—locust alphabet clues
  • Audio clips morse code
  • Film clips
  • Twitter online conversation and prize of locust meat at real butcher shops in Toronto ad Vancouver included an admit one ticket to exclusive game launch 

How to do some cool sh*t

• Experience small shops —
  you will be jack of all trades but exposed to a lot
• Your portfolio —have it online
• BEST work
• Put strengths up front
• Have good layout skills, clever, passion
• Have it organized

Your interview

• Be organized
• Pitch yourself and how you come across
• Try to stand out
• Don’t be drunk!
• Ask for advice—listen

Your job

• Volunteer for stuff—Internal stuff is noticed
• Be seen
• don’t be drunker than your boss !
• work hard
• don’t take it personally— nature of business
  collaborative— everyone has a voice in this business—
  help your brain and ego....go in like a ninja!!
   

contact at twitter

@johnala

maclaren.com

john.alabaszowski@maclaren.com   

THE TAXI: Its how we get there

Stephen Coomber — Interactive Designer at TAXI 

stephen@coomberville.com

Stephen Coomber 

from Taxi walked in our classroom at Sheridan in hoodie + jeans and seemed like anyone of us in the class that morning. But behind his laid back look — his design experience is anything but. Stephen has a wealth of experience and many creative campaigns behind him. He was generous enough to share his knowledge of the interactive world with the Sheridan post grad students.

Stephen graduated from the web design program at Sheridan and then started his career at Organic —a web-based company here in Toronto. He then moved to Y & R in Toronto a corporate giant and business driven agency. It was 9-5 but not as much creativity given to the designer. With already much experience, Stephen wanted a position that he could use his creativity and Taxi was definitely this—with many awards on their shelves for successful creative campaigns. However, with creativity comes rewards but also entails long hours. Stephen then proceeded to give us a presentation “A Day at Taxi – Enjoy the Ride!”

Stephen’s overview of Taxi gave us a glimpse on a everyday projects and environment. Cool projects like travelling to NYC staying in the Tribeca Grand (my personal favourite when I visit - personal white noise in your room to a great "perfect 10 martini" down at the bar ...ok I had to add that in!) Stephen did a video shoot in NYC among other projects using green screens, actors throwing lightning bolts and video editing—all very cool—to working on a top secret House makeover site for Canadian Tire here in Scarborough.

Taxi has a creative environment—but it is not open concept. There are open spaces but many designers have their own small offices with walls—which Stephen prefers—so he can "hunker down and work". The teams do meet together in open spaces in the office with information architects, web developers, designers with a plethora of Timmy's coffee and donuts to get the creative juices flowing. However, after all the meetings and briefings, Stephen only starts to work on the mac around 4:00pm so you can imagine there are many late nights.

Stephen shared that as many of us know there is many social events and networking is key to meeting peers in your field. He also gave us some invaluable and straight forward advice.

FIND A MENTOR

They know your new job better than you.

And you will want to return the favour and pay forward.

NEVER TAKE A SHOTGUN

Always sit in the drivers seat and take control of your career.

LEARN & NETWORK

Go to seminars and learn the latest....

and meet industry people (sometimes this may be after hours in a bar singing karaoke)

TWEET

Let them tell you
@mashable, @theNextWeb, @taxiCanada

DRINK BEER

The creative industry is very much a social scene...
connections often happen after hours.

I appreciated this advice –– but since I am not a beer drinker—I personally will substitute a martini or on the healthy side of things a coconut water... 

“Don’t take yourself too seriously — Be passionate and have fun”
Stephen Coomber       

Taxi is renowned for winning award after award for brilliant creative and won Agency of the Decade in Canada. As a creative, it sounds like the place to be.