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We’re guilty. In the past, sometimes, our big promotional ideas got the best of us. But, honestly, those big, creative ideas are a key reason clients come to the agency. They’re tired of endless press releases, low-performing social media contests and boring groundbreakings. But big ideas can also lead to a big bust. In this 19–minute episode, we chat with our guest, Isaac, who was a customer (or maybe a victim?) of one of our great promotional ideas gone bad! It’s a tragically fun story, but it has a happy ending - and it also raises an important question: Do you really need a big, crazy idea to achieve campaign success? Or can you do without?

It’s National Pride Month where all of us, every single one of us, can celebrate the impact that LGBTQ+ people have made and continue to make in this world. I encourage you to take time to educate yourself and others about the seemingly eternal struggles that our community has endured to get here –– and there’s so much more work to be done. But I could never begin to tell that story. This is, after all, a business/lifestyle podcast all about creatives, marketing, branding etcetera. So let’s talk about the business of drag. And yes, it’s booming. Drag culture is dominating TV ratings, topping music charts, selling out shows and bringing together a wider community more than ever before. In this just-for-fun, 18-minute episode, my co-pilot, Chianne and I chat about how drag culture is transcending beyond our community and even moving past mainstream to drive a growing industry on its own. How does an artist get their start when the increasing competition can be, well –– fierce? Follow Chianne and her Best Friends Club Official: @Chianne @BestFriendsClubOfficial Chianne’s quick shoutouts for queens that have made it big: @TheJinkx @trixiemattel @spiciestmeatball @severleymame   More information about RuPaul's DragCon: https://rupaulsdragcon.com More information about DragQueenMerch.com: https://www.dragqueenmerch.com

An incident earlier this week prompted this thought: When business is booming, does great design even matter? In this episode (19 mins), we talk about a fellow design colleague who posted a passionate video rant over a very successful restaurant’s brand, publicly shaming it –– and then tagged them in it. The post stirred cheers and scorn within the design and business community, plus it racked up thousands of views on social media. But, it also stirred some conversation in our office. If people love a business so much that it quickly grows to 24 locations, honestly, how much does investing in a good or bad design even matter? We don’t take sides in the viral(ish) video’s intense critique, but listen and hear as our guest and agency designer Shelby Rinke and I explore the 3 ways that businesses succeed without great design.

According to CareerCast.com, a public relations executive is one of the top "10 Most Stressful Jobs in 2019". But, what is public relations itself and why is it so stressful? Why is it one of the most mysterious mediums in the marketing world? Do you need PR? If so, when? How does it work? Can you do it on your own? What does a successful PR campaign even look like? When done right, public relations can get your target audience to read, hear, watch and ultimately understand your message and engage with your brand via outlets including news TV segments, newspaper article, magazine stories, online publications, industry newsletters, radio programs –– really anywhere your audience goes for information or entertainment. In this 23 minute episode, public relations pro Cody Larkin joins to help answer baseline questions in an introduction to the purpose of PR, and what it can (and can’t) do for you. Listen and hear how a seasonal pumpkin PR campaign helped a church’s mission to bring neighbors together.

So you might have a great big idea and you’re confident that it’s the right answer to a problem or an assignment . . . but how many times do those ideas get blocked by a key decision maker? The idea might be a brand name, the next big campaign idea or a stunning logo. But before it ever gets off the ground and out to the public, how do you help the decision maker to understand it? Or in our case, we’re talking about the client. In this episode, our guest, designer Scott Biersack and I share a handful of our coaching tips on how to prepare for clients when it’s time to make a big decision. Scott talks about the experience of pitching concepts to other agencies, plus brands like Target, Netflix and others. Think of it this way: You have a realtor to help navigate a complicated home buying process. You’ve got a lawyer to advise you throughout a lawsuit. A doctor helps you choose your treatment options. Everyone needs a reliable coach when it comes to making a big decision. Listen and hear how to be a great coach and a better decision maker. ––––––––––––––––– About the Guest: Scott Biersack is an independent artist and designer based in Arizona with projects seen all around the globe. He partners with both clients and agencies on projects ranging from logotype design, illustration, custom lettering, branding large-scale graphics and more. “I have obsessions with smoothies, biking and recycling,” says Scott via his website. “In that order.” Discover more about Scott’s superpowers via his website, http://youbringfire.com. And join his Instagram fan club (44K and growing) at @youbringfire.

Reality check –– everything you know about ownership over creative work is probably dead wrong. Who owns a photo? The client or the photographer? Who owns the original files of a brochure created by a contractor? Every day, there are tragic examples of a cease and desist issued to a brand for infringement, causing all kinds of massive legal and rebranding fees. “How do I trademark my name? Do I need a patent? How do I make sure my name and brand aren't already being used and protected?” –– these are the questions you should be asking yourself. In this episode of SRSLY NOW, we talk with a partner at one of the most trusted law firms in the western states. At the agency, we trust her with the well being of so many of our brands and clients. She and her team help clients navigate the impossibly tricky world of intellectual property –– and they advise and protect countless brands across the globe. Flavia shares stories about brands sued for millions of dollars, why the cannabis business still can’t get trademarks like other industries and how a CEO was sued by a photographer for extended usage. Oh and that time she was policing a client’s brand and stumbled onto a porn site. Listen and hear how much you don’t know about clearing your business’ name, registering the brand and continually protecting it. You’ll be glad you did. ––––––––––––––––– About the Guest: Flavia Campbell is a partner at Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie, working in the firm’s Intellectual Property and Technology Practice Group. Prior to joining, Flavia was a trademark attorney with Clarke, Modet & Co. in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Flavia focuses her practice primarily in the areas of trademarks and copyrights. She has assisted clients with the selection, clearance and prosecution of trademarks in the United States and abroad. She also negotiates and drafts license agreements, helps clients with registration, trademark policing efforts and counsels clients on IP validity, infringement and enforcement. In addition, she assists her clients with domain name disputes, plus drafting and reviewing privacy policy statements and terms of use for web.

Before you dive into the official Ep. 001, take a quick listen to the podcast foreward here and unpack more about how SRSLY NOW got started, what is a creative agency and who is Ty James Largo. Or, feel free to skip right to Ep. 001. In short, SRSLY, NOW is the podcast where you get a real-life, insiders look into the creative agency lifestyle at Awe Collective. Listen along and hear what it takes to bring great ideas to life, or watch them die in the presentation room. We’re sharing real stories. The hard fails and the true wins. And of course, you’ll score some bankable secrets. Enjoy the stories . . . (at our expense!)