Weirdos, Freaks, Zombies Roam Downtown Streets
Halloween looks like any other day in Portland
Now that summer has released its chokehold on our little piece of paradise, the mercury has fallen and we’re back into Autumn’s rainy clutches. Marking the onset of Oregon’s wet cycle is what is perhaps Portland’s most apropos holiday: Halloween.
In most cities, All Hallow’s Eve is the one day that people dress up in outlandish costumes and parade around the streets with abandon. In Portland, that's every day. It is not unlikely that on any given afternoon downtown, the casual pedestrian will witness zombies, tweakers, hobos, glam rockers, trustafarians, screamers, and vegan strippers–making Halloween in Portland, well, just another day. Happy Wierdoween from Magneto!
Chown, Updated
135-year-old hardware business gets a facelift!
Magneto worked with Chown Hardware to create the company’s new logo and brand identity to embody 135 years of business, five generations and two locations in the Pacific Northwest. The final design is at the same time modern and classic, reflecting Chown’s history while looking to the hardware giant’s future. Reminiscent of a vintage tradesman’s mark, the logo works for the design/homeowner side of the business as well as Chown’s commercial division. The new identity will eventually grace the company’s vehicles, website and other marketing materials.
Litigation Firm Now Easier To Say, Better Looking
Shortens name, gets new logo.
Magneto client Markowitz, Herbold, Glade and Mehlhaf has shortened its name to Markowitz Herbold. With a successful Magneto-created ad campaign currently running for the respected litigation firm, Markowitz Herbold trusted us to develop its new brand identity. In the redesign, we combined a restrained color pallete with subtle letterforms to reflect Markowitz Herbold’s expertise, as well as the firm’s uniquely whimsical atmosphere. To announce the rebrand, we created a couple of fun launch ads as well.
M Financial Gets Far Out
Futuristic annual report, ad campaign
Our ideas for M Financial haven’t run low after six straight years. We had a lot of fun creating the 2013 annual report and advertising campaign incorporating themes like nanotechnology and the Internet of Things. These concepts relate to M Financial’s thought leadership and cutting edge product innovation as a catalyst for growth in a fast paced financial landscape. More than just an annual report, the ads that help make up the book are used as M Financial’s year-long print campaign in selected financial magazines.
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PaintCare’s TV spot solves age-old question: How much paint do I need?Client PaintCare is about recycling paint and so much more–like reusing leftover paint and knowing how much to buy in the first place. We focused on buying the right amount of paint in our first TV commercial for PaintCare. The spot follows a couple, who, like the rest of us, forgot that things like primer and wall texture can affect how much paint each project will take. |
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Pristine ads for Western Rivers ConservancyLongtime client Western Rivers Conservancy recently had us embark on a refresh of their ongoing ad campaign. With the refresh, they will be addressing existing audiences with a passel of additional ads and introducing themselves to new audiences with the successful existing ads. The campaign serves to increase awareness and attract donors in support of Western Rivers’ work to save pristine rivers of the West by buying up adjacent lands along them. |
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Put some bees in it!A Magneto original showed up at WeMake’s annual birdhouse auction. As a part of Design Week Portland, Magneto principal Craig Opfer made the Ambassador Bee & Bee, Portland’s premier (and only) bee hotel. The Ambassador sold in a silent auction, which went straight to arts and music education efforts throughout Portland. Great show, wonderful entries, a worthwhile cause. |
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People are “Liking” Facebook for PaintcareHow do you employ social media to reach Oregonians about recycling paint? Magneto was assigned the project to create an Oregon specific Facebook page for client PaintCare, Inc. Prior to launching the page we developed a social media plan designed to develop an online following. We also create and post content 2–3 times a week to encourage engagement and “likes”. The page has gained 1,600+ followers and growing. Head to the PaintCare Oregon Facebook page to learn more about the program and pick up a painting tip or two! |
You know what sucks more than political ads? Nothing. Thank God we are nearly finished with this season’s batch of backbiting, mudslinging and mis- truth in advertising. Every time I turn on the tube I see another ad that stretches the truth or omits a detail, merely to gain a leg up on a political opponent. And as usual, Oregon’s election is packed with controversial measures backed on several sides by deep-pocketed out-of-towners. To believe that anyone is telling the truth in a given campaign is like doing that falling-backwards-while-blindfolded thing with a bunch of stoners. Not sure if that metaphor works or not, but I digress. Look, I’m pretty apolitical but It chaps my hide to be repeatedly lied to. And from the political ads that are running right now, I really dont know what to believe or who to vote for. What I do know is if an advertiser pulled this kind of crap for cereal, diapers or tires, consumer groups and attorney generals would eat them alive. Hmmm. That gives me an idea. Why don’t we punish the liars. Every time an inaccurate ad comes on, we fine the makers of that ad $10,000 and give the proceeds to charity. And every time a politician stretches the truth we wash his or her mouth out with soap on live TV. That would garner some serious pay-per-view and possibly straighten out some of distortion. Want to see how truly inaccurate some of this year's politics are? Go to politifact.com/oregon and wake me when it’s over.
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