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Decisions are what it’s all about at STAPLEGUN. All day, every day, the people around me are making decisions based on their best judgment as writers, designers, coders, proofreaders, account managers, etc. Unlike design school, these decisions have real consequences and payoffs.

While in school I spent a lot of time dreading the real world. For whatever reason, I thought that working an office job was going to be a not-so-enjoyable experience. Instead, right after college I decided to take a job as a canoeing guide in Ontario, Canada. I successfully delayed the real world and I thought I was living the dream. I don’t know if it was the bald-eagle filled Canadian skies, the Northern Pike which we caught every cast, or the endless stars which made you realize what infinity really was, but being out there made me miss home. I had a decision to make.

After three months of wilderness heaven, I decided it was time to try out the real world. I began looking for a position in my field as a graphic designer. After weighing my options, I once again had another decision; to work somewhere I thought I’d enjoy as an intern, or work somewhere I thought I might not enjoy as a full-time, hired employee.

While many of my friends and colleagues do have better jobs in some aspects, I know for a fact that I enjoy going into work more than most of them. My decision to be an intern for STAPLEGUN is without a doubt a decision that has greatly paid off.

Working alongside such an amazingly talented group of individuals is helping me not only become a better graphic designer but also teaching me a tremendous amount about business structure and dynamics.

So why was I so scared about joining the real world? Is it the wonderful people I work with? Is it the laid-back company culture? Perhaps it’s the endless free coffee? While I sit here and reflect on my time as an intern at STAPLEGUN, I realize that the real world is way better than I could have ever known. I am thankful for the decisions I have made and feel very fortunate to be here, I NEVER would have guessed six months ago.

In the past several weeks, I have had the opportunity to design posters, logos, and illustrations for a handful of important clients. Having this experience has already made me realize new potentials in myself as a contributing member of STAPLEGUN. In reality, design is only a very small part of what it is to be a graphic designer. Knowing how to communicate with people, work well with others, and solve problems… these are things that make you a valuable employee.

My experience here at STAPLEGUN has been fantastic. It is a perfect supplement to design school, and I am learning more here than I ever have before.

Nick Richardson
10/23/2011

If you didn’t know already, STAPLEGUN has relocated downtown to City Place Tower. We’re still in the buildout process for our new space, so these offices are temporary. This means that, in addition to being on “the floor with the bathroom,” we have had to adapt to less square footage. We don’t have anywhere to put anything!
But, in one instance, this lack of space resulted in an agency-wide game. We have one-foot-tall stainless steel letters that spell “STAPLEGUN” and nowhere to put them. Well our clever little crew decided that we should just anagram other words out of them in front of the reception desk. The results have been entertaining.

It started with a battle of literal and ironic interpretations:

• ‘NEAT’ with the ‘A’ tilted to make it messy
• ‘SNUG’ with all the letters overlapping each other
• ‘SPUN’ with all the letters turned upside down

But now the game is entirely different (click the graphic).

Have a good Wednesday,

Agent Plus

Look out you rock ‘n’ rollers. Today is team STAPLEGUN’s last day on Classen. Starting Monday, we will be gracing City Place with our presence. We are going to miss our corrugated steel walls, windowless offices and big abstract red statues, but we look forward to what downtown has to offer.

Additionally, Kyle has decided to sacrifice time that he could be spending on a longboard this weekend to marry his longtime girlfriend, Kristen. They will be wed on Sunday and much merriment will ensue.

Congratualtions Kyle – see you at City Place after your honeymoon.

Frisco is a guinea pig (Cavia porcellus). Guinea pigs are poorly named rodents from the Andes mountains. Frisco belongs to Mr. Corey Lucero, who, along with Miss Christa May and Mr. Chris Williams, was recently brought on here at STAPLEGUN. Welcome!

Back to guinea pigs. Guinea pigs make a wide variety of sounds with entertaining names, such as “wheeking,” “bubbling” and “chutting.” Frisco has mostly been quiet, but he did buck with excitement when Sara was holding him. Sara is such a show-off.

It is well known that guinea pigs are popular as pets and test subjects, but did you know that people also eat guinea pigs?! It’s true. In fact, people might have never domesticated these cute little guys if they weren’t just so darn tasty.

I don’t think I’ll be eating at Corey’s anytime soon.

Relevant

SG

Were looking to hire an detail-oriented and organized proofreader – If you think your the man or woman for the job then please get in contact with us asap to set up an interview please.

If the mistakes in this post are driving you crazy, you’ll be perfect. Call and ask for Sara Joyce, or shoot her an email.

405.810.2987
sara@staplegun.us

SG

In addition to hard drives, laptops and piles of paperwork, one thing I frequently see on desks around the office are books. Lots of people take up reading during the summer months, while for others the hardback fiction clutched in their hands during their lunch break is a continuation of a lifelong habit.
A few girls at the ‘Gun have formed a book club to socialize and share the enjoyment of reading. Six people joined in the first meeting Monday night at the Bakers’, where the readers enjoyed good conversation, cookies, crackers and wine (what a mix!)
“A few of us at the office starting talking about the idea of a book club at the Redhawks game last month,” Andrea told me. “I don’t always have the time, but I love to read. A few of the girls read several books a month.”
At the first meeting, after a blind drawing of book suggestions that included Tina Fey’s “Bossypants” and Kathryn Stockett’s “The Help,” the group settled on the club’s first book selection, the suspense novel “Before I Go to Sleep,” by S.J. Watson.
“A book club just gives us an opportunity to talk about something we enjoy,” Monica said. “We get to talk about what this character did, or what happened to that character that week. I used to be an avid reader when I was younger – that’s why I joined. Back in middle school and high school, I read a lot of stuff like Black Stallion and books by Douglas Coupland. I probably wouldn’t read as much Coupland today – I’d find it a little angsty.”
The club’s next meeting is on for August 1, at the Iguana Mexican Grill here in OKC.
MC….

Ad concepting is just one part of what Staplegun does as a creative agency, but an important part – as such it’s deserving of at least a line or two.
Folks passing through my office (alright it’s the room where the printer is kept) may have noticed one book commonly in my hands, “The Advertising Concept Book,” by Pete Barry. Barry is a creative lead at Wunderman and a former professor of advertising design at Syracuse University. His book is an instructional manual which offers advice on advertising concepting – how to create print ads, tag lines, television commercials, ambient ads, etc.
What’s interesting about this book, which features over 400 examples of intelligently executed advertising for products including Volkswagen, Volvo and others, is that it invites copywriters and designers to focus on strategy first, then execution. Without a well-defined strategic plan on which to base an idea and then the execution in the form of the ad itself, an idea will fail in its purpose of enticing people to buy a product, if the designer can even produce a idea at all.
What’s particularly attractive about this book is Barry’s emphasis on literal vs. lateral concepting. Don’t reveal what the product does, imply. Also, showing how a product works is more interesting than telling. I’ll be back with more on how lateral concepting works, but for now it’s enough to say that Barry’s book is an excellent introduction to the craft of advertising.

A week into my gig here at the ‘Gun, taking a moment from brand concepting, I caught up with fellow intern and graphic design artisan Christa May with a view to getting to know of the people with whom I’m sharing this intern experience and finding out what makes a budding designer tick:
MICHAEL: How old are you? What college did you attend? And what was your major?
CHRISTA: I’m 24. I graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2009 with a BFA in Visual Communications & Art History.
MICHAEL: Describe in 8 words or less what you do at Staplegun.
CHRISTA: Jane of all trades in design and laying out older projects in new way for print.
MICHAEL: That’s actually more than 8 words. But what do you hope to gain from interning?
CHRISTA: Exposure to the inner workings of a creative company. The opportunity to use and hone my skills for the benefit of Staplegun and myself.
MICHAEL: Where do you see yourself in five years?
CHRISTA: In five years I see myself working at an ad or creative company. In ten years, hopefully having my own.
MICHAEL: Why do you want to be a graphic designer?
CHRISTA: I thought I was/am! I love design because it takes my love of creating visual work and puts it in a public forum where it can function and inform. Although I do have difficulty labeling myself as a ‘graphic designer’ just because I try to make myself feel like I am always in a state of ‘becoming,’ so my visual solutions aren’t static or expected.
MICHAEL: If you could live and work anywhere, where would it be and why?
CHRISTA: My favorite cities are New York and San Francisco, but for me the best place to work is wherever there is engaging work and creative people.
MICHAEL: The most rewarding part of being at Staplegun?
CHRISTA: The most rewarding part of Staplegun is being involved in the collaborative creative spirit with a dedication to deadlines.
MICHAEL: Favorite color? (I had to ask an easy question at some point.)
CHRISTA: Ha! I like different colors in different contexts and environments…but I’m pretty partial to navy, chartreuse and coral.
MICHAEL: When did you first think design would be for you as a career path?
CHRISTA: When I realized everything around my is designed. So I guess the desire to create my own reality and enhance others’.
MICHAEL: How does interning at Staplegun allow you to express your passion?
CHRISTA: At Staplegun I am afforded the chance to have a hand in the visual material that is in my community. I love Oklahoma City and I love making stuff.
MICHAEL: What is your biggest personal ambition?
CHRISTA: To be able to sustain myself by developing my aptitudes…so basically not to starve being an artist!

Just a glimpse into the talent and drive Staplegun has on its intern roster this year. Back later…MC…

The ‘Gun blog returns, this time with a twist. As has been mentioned, this summer Staplegun has recruited a new batch of eager interns to learn what it’s like to work in a creative agency. Not only that, but we’ve compounded the mistake by given them the chance to blog their experiences about life and work as trainees in the knowledge industry. Buckle up!
Just before I received word that I would have my own opportunity to join Staplegun as a copywriting intern, I got in touch with a professional copywriter to get some advice on what to expect:
“Getting an internship is tough. Especially if you live in a town where there aren’t that many creative companies. But if you do, you’ll have an actual agency and job experience on your resume. And more than just the work you’ll produce, you’ll be able to build your networking base. Just don’t get too good, because I still need to eat.”
Back in a bit…MC

As you may or may not have noticed, the blog updates have been M.I.A. for awhile. Here are some things you may have missed while we were gone:

- Andrea Inda, Monica Helms, and Koty Yell have all recently come aboard.
- We won a few ADDYs. Even managed to nab a national one. (Represent, y’all.)
- We celebrated 10 years in the biz.
- We shared residence with a cricket.
- We seriously considered organizing a search and destroy effort against a cricket.
- We celebrated birthdays at VZD’s and McNellie’s.
- Monica changed her ringtone to something less embarrassing than, “I AM OPTIMUS PRIME.” (If you don’t know, don’t ask.)
- Philip finally quit his moonlighting gig as a rodeo clown. It was an emotional departure, to say the least.
- Also, it turns out Philip is the most notorious pen thief this side of the Red River. We are considering offering a monetary reward for his successful capture.
- Ray continued to like Diet Coke. I guess that’s not exactly a secret.
- This year’s batch of summer interns are starting to make their way in.
- Cameron has recently become the bronze envy of we fair complected ladies, who simply burn instead of tan.
- Actually, come to think of it, there are three women working here now. THREE!
- The women’s bathroom is still cold enough to hide a beer stash in.

Thinking that about covers it. We’ll keep you informed.

SG