MadMonk Interactive

MadMonk Interactive in 157 seconds

admin — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:26:23 +0000

We’re often asked, what do we do? Sure, we can talk for a while about things (websites, database driven applications, branding, motion graphics, video, etc.) or business aspects (content marketing, search marketing, digital branding, etc.) – or even processes for right brain thinking, left brain thinking (or both). But as it’s been said millions of times, a picture (can be) worth a thousand words. Lay them over 157 seconds of musical fun and the some of our pictures can’t help but dance. Enjoy!

MadMonk Window: Clouds Time Lapse

admin — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 18:10:38 +0000

We love our space on South Elm Street in Downtown Greensboro – great energy all around plus fun views from our front windows. This time lapse captures some nice cloud movement.

Washington Post Impulsive Traveler in Greensboro

admin — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 21:49:47 +0000

Greensboro got a great review! According to the writer William Powell (author of Twelve by Twelve) our fair city is a hidden gem, revealing itself as the green centerpiece of North Carolina. In his article written for the Washington Post, he describes the time he spent visiting the UNCG Campus, doing a reading of his book, visiting the Elsewhere Collaborative and enjoying our downtown scene. Greensboro’s sustainability efforts have not gone unnoticed, Powell comments on the Proximity Hotel’s LEED Certification, our biodiesel fueled garbage trucks, and Greensboro’s Downtown Greenway efforts to build the first urban greenway loop complete with public art. Seeing Greensboro through this fresh perspective really brings out some of the amazing amenities and practices we get to live with everyday. Go Green Greensboro!

(Read the Washington Post article)

Ping & Georgia: The Office K9 Unit

admin — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 02:53:36 +0000

MadMonk teammates have diverse and deeply talented skill sets that we put to good use. From visual design to extreme coding to content development, MadMonk employees are an extremely kinetic group – but two of our workers have “playing” and “keeping up morale” in their job descriptions. Yep, it’s Georgia and Ping, our own canine unit and special secret agents for good!
Recently, we read a Humane Society study affirming the benefits of dogs in the workplace. The research stated that “when dogs were present in a group, employees were more likely to trust each other and collaborate more effectively in the office.” Of course, this article made us smile since we can first-hand testify to how our office has grown even more positive when the dogs are hanging out and keeping us in high spirits. You should check it out.

Dreaming of typography and warm colors

Ping prefers Mac

Ping, our Cocker Spaniel is definitely not a camera shy doggy (as seen above). He’ll greet you at the door, stare when you come back with lunch (thinking it’s all for him of course), chase the tennis ball as long as you’re willing to bounce it through the office, and sleep at our feet while we collaborate and click away. Georgia, our mix of “a whole lot o’ stuff’, is the MadMonk resident body-guard. Once you clear security protocol, expect sniffs and hand wrestling as she persistently seeks pats on the head or a short walk around the block.

These guys help keep us all smiling and at times, sane.

Preservation Greensboro – Architectural Salvage of Greensboro

admin — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 03:30:19 +0000

Architectural Salvage of Greensboro (ASG) is a non-profit volunteer project in Greensboro, North Carolina that rescues and recycles materials from historic structures and houses before they are remodeled or demolished. This work is made possible by a group of volunteers that the ASG fondly calls S.W.A.T. (Saving Worn Architectural Treasures) teams that carefully collect these materials to be sold in a retail store in Downtown Greensboro where customers can purchase materials not usually found in chain hardware stores. ASG also provides grants for owners of historic homes who can use additional funding in completing appropriate restorations.

Creating this video with ASG was great fun. The house salvage filmed took place days before a scheduled demolition. The house, near the University of North Carolina at Greensboro campus, was a neglected fraternity house with many great items to salvage, including window frames, stair posts, medicine cabinets, doors and the most impressive thing, pine floors where the SWAT team methodically extracted it in very effective ways. If you have an historic home needing some replacement parts or renovations, visit the ASG store at 300 Bellemeade Street (the intersection of Commerce & Bellemeade streets). For more information call 336-389-9118 or visit the ASG website.

synerG YP Sports: Fun networking in Greensboro

admin — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 05:15:24 +0000

YP Sports, an initiative of Action Greensboro’s synerG, offers opportunities for young professionals to get together for networking and recreation activities. From dodge ball to basketball to bowling and others, YP Sports invites all young professionals ages 21-39 to be a part of this all inclusive and diverse atmosphere. Who knew adults could play in a kickball league?
We had a great time working with Action Greensboro. We interviewed engaged young professionals with interesting careers and community service projects. Learn more on the synerG website.

iPad Vs Kindle commercials

admin — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 15:33:03 +0000

We’ve used both, and both campaigns have their accurate points. For straightforward book reading, the Kindle is lightweight, competitively less expensive and effective for sure. Let’s face this as well – the iPhone is a pocket computer that includes a phone and to that effect, the iPad is a smaller compact computer for apps and eBooks. We’ve read proponents fighting for one or the other…or owning both and can see their points. The ads have ranged from the Power to Explore to just downright combative.

First up, Amazon’s Kindle.

Surreal, fun, emotional, non-combative.

Kindle, less than a pair of sunglasses. Straight combat – reading in the sunlight.

For the iPad, Apple keeps consistent with their overall brand aesthetics and sensibilities, walking that fine branding line between how great Apple is and how much enriched one’s life can be. The iPad is not just an eBook reader and this past year, be it apps, streaming media or finding ways our clients may use it to advance their brand experiences on the ground, we surely will look back at Apple again as defining evolutionary steps in personal technology.

iPad – “The best way to experience the web, email, photos”

iPad Delicious (says and shows it all)

After using and liking both, we can see why Kindle needs to compare in a competitive marketplace. The Kindle is great for what it is. The iPad brings to mind the past arguments for and against technological convergence but that’s just it. It’s not like the iPad was trying to replace my super-maxed laptop and tout a new way to converge different gadgets, rather to make a product focused on the more personal and social aspects to computing. A long time ago (in internet years) we recall one of our “old-school” typography teachers defiantly claiming in a loud voice that the computer will be nothing more than a glorified type setter…wonder which one of these he prefers nowadays.

Wired chief claims “the web is dead.”

admin — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 02:18:25 +0000

Chris Anderson, editor-in-chief of Wired Magazine, believes that the world wide web will not be the main force of the internet for much longer, “dead in the sense that the child is dead when they become an adult.” Now with everyone using their mobile devices, all we need is an app to get where we want to go on the internet. Whether it’s a Skype call or downloading movies through Netflix, we are using applications to get there. Most of these applications use the internet and not the web. The web in fact is one of these applications. Listen to Mr. Anderson’s NPR interview.

Did the bong kill The Last Advertising Agency on Earth?

admin — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 02:05:17 +0000

Produced by Saatchi & Saatchi Canada, Tool, Pirate, Rooster and Lunch, this short film about The Last Advertising Agency on Earth is a satirical look at advertising agency legend. This film promotes FITC, formerly Flash In The Can which has grown well beyond it’s origins as a Flash-centered mindshare festival. Although satirical looks at itself has been done repeatedly over the years, when done well, it’s always a fund trip and reminder to take our work seriously, but ourselves not so much. Watching season 4 of Mad Men is giving many clues of where and when some of these satirized stereotypes had their origins. When watching, just remember that “bad ads make kittens cry.”

Which body wash blocks B.O.? This one does dummy!

admin — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 02:48:02 +0000

At MadMonk Interactive we appreciate humor – the more the better. We say sometimes you have to laugh or cry – more fun to laugh through it. Humor definitely fuels a lot of creativity around here as well. Recently reminded about Old Spice’s fun dual campaigns, we had to revisit them for some creative nostalgia. Their new, newer, and newerest campaigns are excellent examples of how humor and clever creative collaboration in advertising can pay off in re-making a brand once viewed as “your dad’s deodorant.”

Which of these are your favorite?

Terry Crews Old Spice Commercials are simply put – over the top fun, hitting the male sports fan in a fresh way, remaking an old school brand with an in-your-face boldness.

Should your man smell like an Old Spice man?
Hitting both females and males, clever and memorable – makes us want to bake our wives a cake!

Even the Baltimore Ravens’ Ray Lewis has gotten into the Old Spice humor act, pyrotechnics included.