The Dark Side of Chocolate / Schmutzige Schokolade from We Know Music on Vimeo.

At T2 + Back Alley Films our love for documentaries and the people who produce them is endless. The Dark Side of Chocolate is no exception. It’s a compelling piece, expertly executed and, most importantly, inspires thought and conversation.

This was the first time that Pepsi and Doritos partnered for an event and Crash the Super Bowl was a huge success. Not only did the contest garner a record number of fan submissions, it also generated an unprecedented number of consumer votes. Just goes to show the power of the consumer and how the creative landscape has changed. Not only do consumers want to watch great spots, they want to be a part of the process of not only creating them, but also selecting the winners.

Brad Bosley, a 28 year-old Leawood, Kansas native is the creative talent behind Pepsi MAX’s “Love Hurts” Super Bowl spot. He wrote and directed the spot for about $800 and took home 5th place in the competition. That was no small feat, considering there were more than 5,600 entrants, representing the most ever in a single year of competition.

The winning ads (in alphabetical order) were:

• “First Date” (Pepsi MAX) by Nick Simotas
• “House Sitting” (Doritos) by Tynesha Williams
• “Love Hurts” (Pepsi MAX) by Brad Bosley
• “Pug Attack” (Doritos) by JR Burningham
• “The Best Part” (Doritos) by Tyler Dixon
• “Torpedo Cooler” (Pepsi MAX) by Brendan Hayward

It’s also no small feat that out of the top 5 most popular ads identified by USA Today’s AdMeter, that two were spots created by consumers.

It was great to hear Brad interviewed on KCTV5 this morning and share that the inspiration for his spot was his grandparents. He said that his grandmother had always been somewhat aggressive with his grandfather, and known to kick him under the table if he tried to eat something that wasn’t good for him. I’d say Brad figured out a great way to not only honor and memorialize his grandparents, but to make one heck of an impression in front of millions of viewers the world over.

Here are the ads ranked in the Top 10 by USA Today’s AdMeter and the full list is available here.

The presentation was grand. It spanned the entire length of the interior wall of the Grand Ballroom of the Kansas City Convention Center. We used six different projectors to project the images onto the wall and the combined final image was visually stunning – 300 feet long and over 30 feet tall.

We worked with Vista Productions as our live event partner; and Wheeler Audio for sound design; and Noel Selders, who created the original score.

KCADC Projection Wall from T2 + Back Alley Films on Vimeo.

Reading a blog post on Mashable about innovative ways for realtors to broaden their customer bases and integrate social media more effectively into their business prospecting efforts lead us to Occipital’s iPhone app, 360 Panoramic.

The images you can get using 360 Panoramic are stitched together in real time without any effort from you (bonus!) and can be a quick and easy way to add dimension to a website, landing page or some other customer experience that you want to make more impactful and interactive. This app doesn’t replace the need for web video, but definitely has a wide range of applications. And the DIY factor is huge.

Here’s a video showing how it works:

Now, go experiment. And if you do, let us know how you like it!

And please don’t make the mistake of thinking that just because we’re located in the Midwest that amazing design doesn’t happen here. It does – and we can prove it. Enough said.

Our specialties include 2D and 3D motion graphics design, editorial, experiential design, augmented reality, mobile app design and other forms of new media design. Additionally, through Back Alley Films, we produce digital content across all media platforms, including original films and documentaries. We like to get our hands in every detail of the storytelling process and are not afraid of pushing the envelope. Every aspect of our business is about creativity and we believe collaboration is the formula for success for any company today.

We’re looking for a truly passionate leader to inspire and guide our group of young and talented designers. Someone who totally gets how critical creative storytelling is — to us and to our clients. And understands how to translate that story into design. And, of course, you need to be able to pitch creative to internal and external business partners and be a part of the process of continually building and growing the business.

This is a Creative Director position and reports directly to the CEO. If you’re interested in the position, we would love to hear from you. We think that some of the things you need to be adept at (that aren’t specifically mentioned above) include:

• At least 10 years of relevant experience in motion design
• Bachelor’s Degree or higher in Fine Arts, Film, Graphic Design, or Digital Media Design
• Extensive understanding of interactive and moving media
• Proven hands-on knowledge of AfterEffects, Photoshop, Illustrator, Maya / Cinema 4D and Flash
• Ability to solve problems quickly, collaboratively and intuitively
• Experience in strategic planning and execution
• Strong people management to provide clear creative direction and to motivate and inspire the creative team

Submit your resume to trogers at t2.tv and include a link to your online motion design reel. Please make sure your experience is appropriate to the position. We can’t wait to hear from you!

eMarketer reported today that iPad sales are expected to more than double in the coming year. With some 8.5 million of the devices sold in the U.S. in 2010, that gives Apple a sweet 88% of total U.S. tablet sales. And, while the devices are big in the U.S., total global sales of all tablets are reported by Gartner at 19.5 million for the year — and that’s not shabby either. No wonder other brands are scurrying to develop their own tablets and trying to swipe some market share from Apple. eMarketer predicts iPad sales to be in the neighborhood of 20 million for 2011 and reaching 30 million by 2012. Those are some massively impressive numbers.

At T2 + Back Alley, we’re finding more uses for the iPad on a daily basis, both internally and as solutions and innovative marketing tools for our clients. Apps are touted as the websites of the future and our creative team is digging app design, creating other mobile marketing solutions and doing tons of experience design.

Our favorite use of the iPad this past year might have been the way the fashion industry embraced new media and started creating content for use on tablets and other mediums. This moved designers into the realm of not only designing and creating beautiful clothing, but designing and creating content to showcase the fruits of their labor as well. We predict there will be more and more unique and innovative ways that brands use tablets like the iPad and that we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg so far. And with Wired reporting that Apple’s version 2.0 of the iPad is rumored to be delivered in April 2011 (along with some intel about some spiffy new cases that are in the works), we’d recommend postponing a holiday purchase and waiting for the new, improved model.

What about you — any innovative uses of the iPad that have been your particular favorites?

Designing mobile marketing solutions for our clients is an integral part of our business plan. If you’re reading this blog, I’m probably not telling you anything you don’t already know. We are a mobile society and carry our mobile devices with us everywhere. If we leave the house without them, we turn back and get them — the thought of getting through a day without connectivity in the palm of our hands is untenable.

A billion people accessed the mobile Internet worldwide in 2009 and Gartner forecasts call for expect usage to double within five years as mobile overtakes the PC as the most popular way to get on the Web. Additionally, according to MarketingProfs’ mobile devices are the most personal method of reaching people and messages are more likely to be read on the small screen than they are on the big.

According to an Outsell study, consumers who have a smartphone spent an average of more than 25% of their waking hours interacting with their device. That same research shows that by 2014, more than half of web browsing will be done from mobile devices.

Despite this clear trend, 56% of marketers are currently doing no mobile or browser advertising. With devices such as the iPad, Android and iPhone becoming capturing increasingly more marketshare, marketers could be missing out on big rewards.

Mobile advertising is still in its early days but this space represents huge opportunities for marketers across B2B, B2C, E-commerce and non-profit organizations. Gartner predicts that by the end of 2010, 1.2 billion people will carry handsets capable of rich, mobile commerce and that that will be the preferential way of reaching consumers.
This is exactly why my company is designing for the mobile space. It’s not going away — and according to the stats above, helping clients develop mobile marketing solutions should be a growing business segment for T2+Back Alley Films.

I had a bad day. It was one of those that pretty much sucked all the way around. It happens – we all have them. And it was one of those overwhelming kind of days. At the end of it all, I felt as if I’d pretty much let just about everyone who was counting on me down. You know – you’ve had them. Just had a bad day. Blah.

As I was driving home, the only thought in my head was “I gotta get home and relax. Forget this crappy day! Chill.”

I walked in, ate dinner and tried to decide what movie I was going to watch. TV therapy is what I needed. Something to soothe my soul, make me feel better and get me out of my head. I needed to quit reflecting on the chaos that had defined my day

I bent down to go thru my DVDs and was looking for Knocked Up. It’s my fave. It makes me laugh and transports me to a happy place. Always. Not to mention, I have a crush on Seth Rogen and I want to BE Katherine Heigl in another life. As I thumbed through the DVDs, I happened upon Shut Up and Sing, the Dixie Chicks’ documentary. And, it turns out, it was just what I needed.

Here’s why.

I refuse to rehash the Dixie Chicks vs. George Bush drama. The subject is kind of polarizing, I know. BUT, it’s old as hell and I’m over it. For anyone not living on this planet in 2003, it happened when Natalie Maines, lead singer of The Dixie Chicks, proclaimed that they were “ashamed President Bush was from Texas.” I have my own political ideas and beliefs and so does everyone else. No need to go over all of that again.

But this documentary is really nothing short of amazing. Every time I watch it, I take a few minutes to look at myself and wonder. I ask myself hard questions, like “what do I stand for?” And I wonder whether I have the balls to really put myself out there and say what I mean, and mean what I say, at any cost. It’s fascinating to me to even consider it. The documentary details the Chicks’ career from 2003 (when all hell broke loose) until 2006, when they released their next CD, “Taking the Long Way” –mind you, a multi-Grammy Award winning CD at that. Like any band, their storyline has trials and tribulations, but it’s the political overtones that make the film so compelling. The documentary takes the audience through the process of those artists being forced to reexamine and redefine themselves, in the face of much adversity and under pretty much constant public scrutiny. I found it inspiring. A breath of fresh air. Chicken soup for my soul.

Here’s the deal. I realized that I was compelled to watch the documentary tonight because I needed to feel like myself again. I got lost today. Yes, I had a bad day, but watching the film made me realize that I can really relate to the three strong women in the documentary, making their way through day-to-day battles. The Chicks’ battles were a little more public than the ones I had to deal with, but the message was clear.  Sometimes you win. Sometimes you don’t. And sometimes things are just gonna SUCK. For a little while, anyway. But, you find a way to make it right for yourself….and my way happened to be a little dusty DVD on my shelf.

What about you? Have you seen this film? Or another that really resonated with you the way this one resonated with me? I’d love to hear about it.

Gasland was directed by Josh Fox and it was the Winner of the Special Jury Prize – Best US Documentary Feature at Sundance in 2010 and it also screened recently at Cannes. Fracking is not only happening all across rural areas in America, it’s spreading to Europe and Africa, too.  Property owners are tempted by very lucrative offers from big energy companies and, given today’s economy, it’s not surprising that some opt to take the money and run.

I think this is a huge deal – and I agree with Josh that this is a situation that deserves a big spotlight aimed right at it – and this documentary definitely does that. If the trailer intrigued you at all, and you want to do more, visit the Gasland website. Request a screening in your city. Make a donation. If we all just did a little, we could make a huge impact.

And that, my friends, is why I LOVE documentaries. I love watching them. I love making them. I love their inherent power to make a difference.

We’ve all heard the saying that “winning isn’t everything,” but let me ask those of you who’ve ever won anything in your life – how did it feel?  Did you get an emotional high? Feel that overwhelming sense of pride and/or teamwork? Did it spur your competitive nature even more? Chances are, however you expressed yourself, it was an experience you’re bound to remember. I know it was for me.

A few weeks ago we were notified that T2 + Back Alley Films won a National Addy and we were invited to Orlando to attend the ceremony and accept our award. Guess who got to attend on behalf of T2? Yeah — it was me!! I’ve been a member of our local AAF chapter for over two years and this was my first national event. To say that I was psyched is an understatement.

Fast forward to the event itself, which took place this last Saturday. I arrived at the event venue and chatted my way through a crowded cocktail party filled with people who make their living in the ad business and, well, other winners, waiting for the ceremony to start. We exchanged names, companies, laughs, all eager for the big show to start. Then, promptly at 7pm, the doors opened and we were ushered into the ballroom. The stage was lit, the hosts were poised; it was game on.

As the first reel of Gold Addy winners started to play, I could feel the anticipation begin to build. Every time I saw an agency from the Midwest I felt a sense of pride, a small win for the “Fly-Over” states. Suddenly, I hear it, the announcement of T2….and here I go up on the stage to accept that beautiful award on behalf of my entire team. The walk. The congratulations. The handshake. The photo. Hearing the applause of our peers. The walk back to my seat. A quiet and proud sigh followed by a big satisfied smile.

That’s what winning feels like. It’s wonderful to be recognized for hard work. I smiled on behalf of my entire T2 + Back Alley Family –- we all won. Two Gold Awards for the T2 website design and a self-promotional, experiential design piece, the “T2 Massacre.”

What an amazing experience – and certainly one I will never forget. And I couldn’t be more proud of the team of amazing people that I’m lucky enough to work with on a daily basis. And, maybe winning isn’t everything, but it sure feels good.