Blog Archive
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Enter Your Sunday Best!
May 20, 2019
Awards season is underway at IHAF and our in-house community is buzzing as they thoughtfully consider the work they’ve produced over the past year, choosing the best of the best to enter into our 2019 In-House Creativity Awards.
In fact, members tell us year after year that there’s no better way …
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Get the Gold, Get the Glory
June 11, 2018
As one of the most celebrated competitions in the industry, there’s no better way to gain recognition for the outstanding work your internal agency produces than by entering the IHAF Awards—recognizing creative excellence among in-house teams across 30+ print and digital categories.
Over 90 …
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Want Bragging Rights? Enter the 2017 IHAF Awards!
May 01, 2017
What better way to gain recognition for the outstanding work your internal agency produces than to be heralded among your peers? IHAF’s annual creativity awards recognize art and copy excellence among in-house teams across 30+ print and digital categories.
Over 90 winners emerge from the IHAF …
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Stimulating Creativity
July 06, 2015
I was approached to write this blog on stimulating creativity from the point of view of an external agency creative director “out in the field.” Like anyone else confronted with this sort of challenge, I immediately Googled “stimulating creativity.” That brought up a treasure-trove of writing on …
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Idea-Generating Techniques for the Desperate
June 22, 2015
Here’s a general rule of thumb regarding idea-generation techniques: they’re clunky, dorky and time-consuming. Oh, and they don’t work. You reluctantly resort to one when you're under the gun for an idea, then end up wasting valuable time that leaves you even more frustrated and desperate and …
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The Crystal-Clear Winner
June 15, 2015
Each year, numerous winners leave the IHAF Awards Show with accolades in hand. Only one team, however, walks away with the coveted, crystal Best of Show trophy—the clear stand-out among all of the work submitted that year.
The Best of Show winner is chosen at the end of a day-long process where …
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Building a Creative Environment
June 08, 2015
When I was in third grade, my mom and I ran into my teacher (a grim, severe drill sergeant) in the cereal aisle of the grocery store. I still remember how long it took my brain to recognize Mrs. Strictman. Her face was familiar, but foreign in that environment.
The grocery store was all joy and …
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Why Awards Matter (Even When They Don’t)
June 04, 2014
In the external agency world, awards are everything. A creative director early in my career once told me to give the client Headline A (the better headline), even though I told him they would probably reject it. I knew that Headline B was also effective and was probably the one they’d want because …
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Changing Your Relationship Status
June 02, 2014
As the service-minded design group that once was blossoms into a strategic superpower within your organization, you’ll find your team’s credibility growing—and your responsibilities tripling. What do you mean you can’t design an award-winning logo, lead an international conference call, present …
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Creative Respect: Earn It, Don't Expect It
May 26, 2014
Over my career, I’ve had many conversations with in-house creative colleagues related to getting respect from clients. Actually, I had one last week. Common refrains include, “They just don’t get it” or “They don’t understand design” and my personal favorite, “They’re art directing me!” So, how do …
