For some clients, we do everything and anything. The Brick Companies is one of those clients. We weren’t surprised when they called us and asked us to design a poster for placement at their golf courses, marinas and headquarters location advertising their Easter Egg Hunt event.

I think the concept came out really nicely, and for some reason every time I look at it, I crack up.

Garret Ohm
www.orange-element.com

Are you ready for it? Can you handle it? I’m sitting here getting ready to sign off for the weekend and I’ve been thinking. Lately I’ve been frustrated because I’m a huge fan of keeping up with people in the marketing, design and advertising world as well as my personal life through blogs–And it seems like more and more of them are sitting dormant for weeks at a time if not months. Therefore, my thought of the day is this:

I think it is worse to keep a blog and not update it than to not have one at all. Both are kind of a shame, don’t you think? Do they really think people are ever going to visit them more than once if users always come back to see the same old post from 7 weeks ago? Not me, I just get bored and boot you off of my Google Reader.

Happy weekend.

Garret Ohm
www.orange-element.com

EJ was just uploading some photographs of our winning Addy entries for the Addy program book and uncovered a gem of a picture I had to share with you. It’s the only photograph that was on Beth’s camera from Orange Element Fun Day. It figures it was of me and Aaron stuffing our faces. That chili was amazing. And notice the sweet product placement for both Orange Element (hat), Gatorade and Aquafina! Apologies to my brother in law who works for Coca-Cola. I promise they were just there for show and sponsorship dollars…

Garret Ohm
www.orange-element.com

You might remember one of Orange Element’s newest designers, EJ Hall. Aside from being an amazing designer with skills well beyond her years, you should know that EJ is also actively involved in the sustainability space. She is the one that we’ve tasked with leading our efforts to be as eco-friendly as possible in all aspects of our work.

She has already begun to implement a number of suggestions she received from industry consultant Derek Smith and the folks over at Eason Associates. We’re excited about these changes for the better and hope to bring those to light through this blog at a later time.

I thought it might be worthwhile to post a link to her own personal Web site where she discusses the role that designers can play in creating positive environmental change. Here’s the link - We really think it’s worth the read: http://www.gdbyej.com/html/dp/dp_site.html

Garret Ohm
www.orange-element.com

It’s official, I’ve caught the bug. The more our firm gets immersed in the sustainability space the more I learn about the interesting technologies that are bubbling to the surface in this area. The technology that has caught my eye and left me reeling lately is the emergence of EVs or electric vehicles.

Electric vehicles have been gaining momentum lately because unlike traditional fossil-fuel powered vehicles, they emit almost no air pollutants. That only begins to tap the surface of why these vehicles are superior to those powered by an internal combustion engine. They are also more efficient, have less vibration and have the ability to generate additional power through regenerative braking. A few companies like Fisker Automotive are even experimenting with solar roof panels to regenerate energy.

One of my favorite manufacturers that it taking a lot of the spotlight (even though GMs PR machine is also commanding much of the attention) is a company out of California called Tesla Motors. Tesla Motors is an amazing little company with a product that I believe will truly put EVs within reach to the average American consumer. It hasn’t happened yet, but I think we’re on the cusp.

The Tesla Roadster is a spectacular little sports car. While the aesthetics of the car might lead you to think it was designed with the Lotus Elise in mind, Darryl Siry the company’s VP of Marketing and Sales, will assure you that it actually shares only a very select few innovations with the Lotus. Even still, the looks of the car (like the Lotus Elise) are stunning.

And then there’s performance. In a world where thoughts of electric vehicles conjure up images of the pedestrian Toyota Prius, the Tesla Roadster’s performance numbers are shocking. This vehicle is capable of going from 0-60mph in under 4 seconds. If you’re counting, that’s about the same as a Porsche 911 Turbo, which as you’ll recall is one of my favorite cars EVER. And it does that while earning the equivalent of 135 miles per gallon. Ridiculous!

Here’s a pretty cool promotional video I found:

The Tesla Roadster is on sale now, and can be had for around $100,000. It might sound like a lot, but when you consider that you’re buying a vehicle with incredible technological advancements, insane performance and a tiny little carbon footprint, it just might be worth it. Stay tuned for a new sedan coming out soon from Tesla as well.

In the mean time, check out their “Think, Feel, Touch, Hear” blogs at www.teslamotors.com/blogs.php

Garret Ohm
www.orange-element.com

Today is a very special day–it’s Aaron Moore’s birthday. I won’t say how old he is, but really he’s not that old. He doesn’t look a day over 20, really (you’re welcome). We hope he’s enjoying himself today. As is customary here at Orange Element, anytime a birthday falls on a weekday, that person gets to take the day off. Last we heard, Aaron was going to sleep in late (yeah, right, he has two kids!) and then go play some golf later this afternoon at The Golf Club at South River down in Edgewater. I’ll be honest, I’m downright JEALOUS.

We’ll be thinking about you, Aaron, as we slave away! Perhaps when you come back, we will have “decorated” your desk again, like the girls did a week or so ago. Here’s a picture to refresh your memory. For those that weren’t here, yes those are plastic balls on his desk/hanging from streamers and that IS bubble wrap around his phone and keyboard. The best part was his computer mouse laying on top of a mouse trap–Poetic!

Garret Ohm
www.orange-element.com