Organic Toronto's Bake Sale for Haiti Raised $ 406.59

Great news everyone!  

We just picked up 12 Webawards, including Best of Show for Bank of America - Morris on Campus!

Everything we entered picked up an award. Not only that, we picked these up from some pretty good company WPP, JWT, Tribal DDB, Digitas, Firstborn, TBWA, Euro RSCG, Whittmanhart Interactive, Siegel+Gale, Razorfish, Arnold, Agency.com.

The winners are below. Congrats to all of those involved in the work. This is pretty impressive.

Hats off!
--Conor Brady

Organic Inc. 
Advocacy Standard of Excellence 
National MS Society 
Da Vinci Awards website 
http://www.webaward.org/winner.asp?eid=13698 

Organic, Inc. 
Automobile Standard of Excellence, Mobile Standard of Excellence 
Chrysler LLC, Jeep  
http://www.webaward.org/winner.asp?eid=13707 

 

Ever since I can remember, Bagel Wednesday mornings have come with containers of cream cheese, plus a tray of cheddar-type cheese. However, on said tray, there is also one ball of cheese that looks like cream cheese, but no one knows for sure. (See attached.)

And often as I leave in the evening and pass the detritus of said bagel breakfast on the trays, there sits that lonely cheese ball, untouched. The cheese ball stands alone.

This morning I asked around, and as I realized no one actually knew, I booked some Admin time in ChangePoint (Aaron, it's notated with "cheese research" FYI) to solve the mystery.

 

Using strict scientific methodology, ie a cream cheese control sample, I did a side by side test (Again see attached) and can conclusively state: it's goat cheese, or "chevre" as it's called by people who live in France or The Beaches.

Breath easy. Happy Wednesday!

--Elliott Smith

ORGANIC AT INDUSTRY EVENTS:

 

·         OMMA Social 6/23, New York: Anna Banks rocked the "Choosing the Right Social Monitoring Tool: How to Find the Right Fit" panel http://www.mediapost.com/events/?/showID/OMMASocial.06-23-09

·         Cannes Lions 6/21-6/27: Conor, Shane Ginsberg and Jonathon Cohen lead a successful "What you see is not all you get" http://www.canneslions.com/

 

·         IAB Marketplace, Mobile 7/13, New York: Chad to moderate "Planet of Apps: Is This the Future of Mobile Advertising?" panel http://www.iab.net/events_training/mobile2009/agenda

 

·         OMMA AdNets, 7/28, Los Angeles: Steve Kerho on "The Buyers' Market: Vetting the Nets" panel http://www.mediapost.com/events/?/showID/OMMAAdNets.07-28-09/type/Agenda/itemID/433/OMMAAdNets-Agenda.html

 

·         Flash on the Beach, 9/20-9/23, Brighton: Hugh Elliott presenting "The 10 Best Excuses to NOT do Amazing Work" www.flashonthebeach.com

 

·         Design Thinkers 11/3-11/4, Toronto, Conor Brady is presenting twice: "Platforms not Sites" and "Consumer Empathy." http://www.designthinkers.com/index_2008.html

--Tracy Cote

Namaste

It's Tuesday around noon and a group of Toronto Organic employees are gathered in a nice quiet space getting ready for a little Bliss.

With the sunshine beaming through the surrounding glass windows, Yoga mats lined up, the subtle music starts and the group gets ready to begin their first on-site lunch time Yoga class.

For the next 60 minutes we will be taken away to another place, stretching, posing, breathing and just simply relaxing.

What better way to spend your lunch break? Can't wait for next week's class.

OM

--Diane P.

About three years ago, a couple people in our Toronto office shared their cravings for roti. Little did they know it would drive new traditions -- or enlighten those of us who had never heard of the addictive bread. It started as a communal gathering that spawned the need for online ordering (known around the office as Rotitron 3000). The ordering system provides weekly stats on the number of rotis ordered, the type ordered, strength of roti and more. Since November 10, 2006, Organics have spent $9,703 on roti lunches.



Today, we've launched the iPhone app "Rotitron Mobile." No more missed rotis if you can't get to your computer before the Thursday deadline.

Thanks to David Feldt in Toronto for the scoop.

Sarah Jo Sautter

We'll be getting some various reports from Vegas via staff and participants in Camp Organic 15. We begin with a preview of what she's expecting from Detroit's own Sarah Jo Sautter, master of the private social network and all-around rock star. -- Ed.

People are telling me you don't sleep. That got me thinking maybe should I stockpile some for reserves. I tried to go to bed earlier last night, but got sucked in by the Oscars. And tonight there is no reprieve either. We have a live chat inside the Customer Advisory Board with Stephen Bartoli, Chrysler's VP of Regulatory Affairs and Product Strategy. I won't be out of here until 11 or later. Then, I'll go home and lament about what to pack in the morning. Throw in an early morning natural alarm clock (read: toddler) and I'll be lucky to get 5 or 6 hours in the bank. Maybe this will be like that first week home with the newborn all over again.

--Sarah Jo Sautter

In the next few months, we'll have some sweet ways of showing you exactly how much "green" biz is going on around Organic. But in the meantime, check out this graph showing what we've got goin' on for Good Ol' Mother Earth.

So that's why we ate buffet style at Camp O...aha!

SAN FRANCISCO

PERLMAN, MA LED QUARTET REPLAY POSSIBLE THANKS TO YOUTUBE

I thought the inauguration ceremony was beautifully organized and Obama's speech very uplifting but my favorite part was actually "Air and Simple Gifts", the music composed by John Williams and performed by Yo-Yo Ma (cello), Gabriela Montero (piano), Itzhak Perlman (violin) and  Anthony McGill (clarinet). The same evening I went on YouTube to listen to it again: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02Ao9jyq5Vk.  I thought it was a beautiful piece.

--Laure G.

"THIS AGGRESSION WILL NOT STAND, MAN"...CHENEY REPRISES LEBOWSKI?



My favorite part was watching Cheney come out looking like exactly like David Huddleston in the Big Lebowski.  I couldn't get over that.

--Tyler Griffis

(Eds note: This is done with full sympathy for the former vice president, as getting injured moving is something I have personal experience with. Stupid awkward stairs. But seriously...he's a dead ringer for this cult classic star! "MY WIFE IS NOT THE ISSUE HERE!")


CHIA OBAMA: YES WE CAN...HAPPY POSE OR DETERMINED?



My favorite inauguration item:
http://www.chiaobama.com/

--Adrienne LaBonte

DETROIT

PIZZA AND PLUCKINESS LETS NATE, COWORKERS WATCH IN COMFORT

The Detroit office had a pizza party for the inauguration in our auditorium downstairs. It was pretty cool of them to do this, considering that most companies wouldn't dare attempt something that could be taken as pushing political viewpoints on their employees. Not satisfied to sit downstairs, some of us in the creative department set up the flat-screen TV in our area to show the streaming webcast. We grabbed a pizza from downstairs and sat around eating it while watching the ceremonies and making playing commentator. After "the big moment" passed and Obama was sworn in, we returned to our desks but kept the feed going for the rest of the day. It was a pretty good way to ease into the week, and I'm glad we didn't have to miss a very significant historic event due to work -- or have to be sneaky and watch the feed on our individual computers.

--Nate Rogers

NEW YORK

ORGANIC TRAVELS...WITHOUT CAMERA?

I was not in the office, I had a ticket and was in DC.

No, not any of the good tickets, but a tix to 'sit' in the back. Left the camera at home! WT(heck) I know!

--Anna S.

TORONTO

A STEP AWAY FROM PLAGUE OF RACISM FOR THE  ENTIRE WORLD

As an Asian-Canadian, I have experienced racism throughout my life.  I've gotten past all that negativity and learned how to deal with all of this.  Seeing the inauguration yesterday gave me hope that this world can and will change for the better.  My parents are proud that their descendants can now live a place that promotes equality, regardless of race or sex.  Life is changing for the better, and I am glad I could say that I have witnessed this milestone in my lifetime.  Yet, as it was implied during the inauguration, we all must change ourselves to make Obama's and Martin Luther King's dream into a reality.  The most we can do as individuals is be less negative and more supportive of our peers.  Although it won't happen instantly, we must not lose hope that one day the global community will become safer and more unified for our unborn children.

--Peter B.

Rug Cutting Ceremony: Some SF Office Favs Hypnotize Us With Moves (From the Shadows)


$800 Raised for Bay Area Food Bank from Candygram Sales



SAN FRANCISCO -- Sort of like elementary school all over again, but
with a twist: Last week, the SF office had people send candy canes to
one another as "candy grams" (anonymously or otherwise), for a donation
of one dollar. We figured we might raise a couple of hundred dollars,
and we planned to donate the money to a local charity.

Dawn did a great job marketing the sweet initiative internally. I know I
had way too much fun doing this; I think I sent over 40 anonymous
candygrams to unsuspecting coworkers! Apparently I wasn't the only one
who got into the spirit: As a result of this effort, we have netted
close to $800 and counting!  All proceeds will go to the SF Food Bank to
help feed those in need.

Going to do this again next year, for sure!

Tis the season,
-Tracy

Steven Stamkos is an 18-year-old hockey phenom from Markham who was the
first overall pick in this year¹s NHL Entry Draft, by the Tampa Bay
Lightning.

Organic wrote and created this piece, designed to launch just as Stamkos
came back to Toronto for his first game at the ACC the other night. And best of
all, he also picked up his first NHL point in that game with an assist in a
3-2 win over the Leafs.

--Elliott Smith

It's a busy day.  You're tired.  You've got a ton do to, and then a ton to do after that.  Wouldn't it be great if you could just take a 20 minute break and get a relaxing, energizing massage before you jump back into it?

Well, you can!  Every other Wednesday, the on-site massage therapist is in the building to help you get for the day.  For only $10 (normally $20, but Organic covers half for full-time employees!), you can get a fantastic massage that will get the blood flowing and add some much-needed energy to your day.

Sign up now - you'll be glad you did!

-Daryl B.

Most everyone here is familiar with Organic Eats, a lunch and learn session
held every Monday at lunch to showcase one person's ideas and teach
coworkers useful tidbits of knowledge.  The sessions have been quite
successful and have been going on for some time now.
This week was a touch different.
Instead of learning, I decided to hold my session as a lunch and paint.
Painting monsters in particular.

Sometimes as a digital workforce we need to step aside and do something more
tactile and different to give us a few extra creative sparks.
From writers to engineers to designers, we all got together on our lunch
hour and painted 5x7 monsters.

Thanks to everyone who participated it was buckets of fun!
There will be more!

(One painter had to leave early and wasn't available for the photoshoot)

- Phil

TORONTO -- As the year is starting to wrap up and we celebrate our achievements in 2007, the Talent Acquisition team is busier than ever.  We hosted the 3rd  of our 14th Birthday Celebrations in Toronto at Brassaii.  The evening hosted great talent from around the area, energetic Organics, along with great music, food and drinks.  The quality of guests was high and we feel confident that this event will lead to some new faces in the Toronto office.

Cheers to a great 14th year-  get ready for 2008!!!

--Diane