Author Archives: MortarMark
December 3rd, 2008

M4W: “Single, Successful Italian Seeks Princess; Loves Mushrooms, Adventure…”

17000-Pushpin-Super-Mario

Remember about two posts ago when we were talking about allowing consumers to participate in your brand?

The other day, we were walking through Montgomery station, and there was a little jazz trio there, and we started humming along with the music, thinking to ourselves: “What is this song? Is it from a TV show? A movie? No..it’s the Super Mario Brothers Theme!” Similarities between a MUNI ride and chasing an ungrateful princess through fields of homicidal mushrooms notwithstanding, we were intrigued. Turns out, our buds at VH1’s Best Week Ever are calling it “our generation’s Dark Side of the Moon.” While that may be hyperbole, the devotion of Mario fans is undeniable. The picture above shows a 17,000-pushpin student tribute to Mario. And the video below? An actual love song about the brand.


Imagine how freaking cool it would be if Nintendo made this a spot!

AgencySpy, you advance to the next level.

Posted by MortarMark in Branding
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December 1st, 2008

No Cats Were Harmed In The Making Of This Post.

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Well, we're back. Rarin' to go. Really. Hey, at least we're more motivated than John Scalzi, who has reinvented the art of procrastination by taping bacon to his cat. Hasn't he ever heard of Bacon Salt?

Posted by MortarMark in Deep Thoughts
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November 26th, 2008

Getting Naked With Katie Couric.

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"Vikki, I'm very disappointed. I thought this was between us."

You guys know Vikki has seen Katie Couric naked, right? Well, she has. But, what made us think of this was actually this article in Penthouse The New York Times about reaching an audience that doesn't sit obediently before a single screen, waiting to be spoon-fed the news, but gets a lot of different news, at different times, in front of a lot of different screens. Our favorite bit:

"What Katie Couric is not giving us, as a mainstream evening-news
anchor, is an invitation to participate. So what if we changed the format of
her show? Every day she gives us a sneak preview of whom she will interview
over the next week. And you can go online and post your own questions. Maybe
two or three user questions end up on the evening news, and you’re like
a big star if she uses your question. She says your name: “This is Robert
Rasmussen’s question.” You’re totally psyched. You feel awesome."

Yep – that "invitation to participate" is pretty important stuff. Some brands offer it. Others don't. How does the difference affect you? What does it make you think about the brand that doesn't? To us, it makes the brand that wants to hear from you seem brave, experimental, willing to fail. And the non-participatory brand? Technically clueless at best, just-plain-clueless at worst.

You'll be hearing a lot about the participatory experience from us in the coming year. Naturally, we'd love to hear what you think.

Posted by MortarMark in Deep Thoughts
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November 14th, 2008

Lead On.

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There's nothing we love more than seeing our clients in the spotlight (especially if that spotlight includes the CEOs of GE, Levi's, Ikea, and SK Telecom.) 

Mortar client BSR pulled in more than 1,400 attendees from across 50 countries for their annual sustainability conference in New York City, and featured keynote addresses by a few revolutionary sustainability evangelists.

We are proud to support an organization who is able to bring together the most powerful companies across the globe to work on making their business… The Business of a Better World  (Hey, that would make a great tagline…) 

Like the identity work? Send flowers, bags of Cornnuts and carpal tunnel wrist supports to:  Mortar, c/o Sophie Preap.

Posted by MortarMark in Mortar's Work
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November 13th, 2008

For Those About To Slack.

AC/DC brings us the world's first SFW music video – presented entirely in Microsoft Excel. Enjoy, but then you have to promise to stop watching those damn puppies and get back to work.

Frederik Samuel, we salute you.

Posted by MortarMark in Deep Thoughts
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