If you have never been to EMG headquarters in Irvine you should stop by and visit us sometime. Our office is located in a building constructed in 1892 that was originally used as a lima bean warehouse. The building is listed on the National Registry of Historical Sites and contains original wood flooring, grain elevators, conveyer belts and other elements that kept lima beans flowing to California. How did the lima beans flow you ask? Well located behind our building are still operational train tracks where trains would pull up to load their cars and then be on their way. The tracks are still currently in use and if you are ever on a conference call with us you just might hear them rumbling in the background.

The building is stunning but you may find getting here a little daunting. The reason being is a little street called (insert dun, dun, dun sound effect here) Burt Road or as I like to call it The Bermuda Triangle. Everyone who works here should receive the shirt below on their first day.

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There are several features that contribute to EMG’s most favorable professional environment: beautiful business/pleasure balance, casual dress, cool-and-oddly-cozy-hundred-year-old-lima-bean-factory location, healthy snacks of plenty, monthly team building events, etc. But the defining aspect of EMG’s refreshing and charming atmosphere is the team and its diversity. Team EMG is made up of 31 very unique individuals from an array of diverse backgrounds. In our creative environment, individuality, originality and even eccentricity are not only permitted, but fully encouraged. As a marketing agency that prides itself in being innovative and cutting-edge, we’re well aware that molds and boundaries need their limitations. Within weeks of working here, every employee quickly finds that they are at liberty to truly be themselves, 100%. And in the presence of such openness to diversity, we all learn how to communicate with, understand and genuinely appreciate one another - which, in many ways, has very much made us (oh dear Lord, I’m going to say it) a family.

Mid April brought us the paragon event in which EMG’s rich diversity is both highlighted and celebrated - our annual Earth Day International Potluck. On top of promoting the implementation of everyday green initiatives (bringing in plants for the work area and reusable dishes in lieu of paper products), each team member brought in a homemade dish that reflected their cultural background. During the course of a 2 hour lunch break smack in the middle of our work day, we got to know one another a little better through great conversation and the enjoyment of a variety of appetizers, entrees and desserts that gave us a more personal perspective of our colleagues. Read the rest of this entry »

The era of the music video has been dead and a thing of the past for a while now. Networks like MTV and VH1 are riddled with reality TV. Who is to blame for the death of music videos? I think there are a few factors… one of them being that music just sucks now. Storytelling is dead (except for R. Kelly’s masterpiece “Trapped in the Closet” ). Reality TV, whether you love it or hate it, has taken over our lives! (”reality” is shaping reality). Another factor I believe killing music videos is the Internet. I think the big WWW has slowly chipped away the popularity of music video count downs and premier’s and will continue to chip away at television. Everything is about being on-demand… you no longer have to wait for the top 10 countdown to get to your favorite video. The proliferation of YouTube has enabled online users to instantly search for a video at their very own fingertips. Oh the wonders of YouTube, how I heart you so!

Enough rambling… I miss music videos (like this one) and wonder if they will ever make a come back. Recently I visited a sweet website that had an interactive music video clip that allows you to draw the music you’re listening to by using a brush that reacts to the music and lyrics. You can also play it back when its finished to watch your masterpiece. Here are some screen shots

Maybe this can be the future of music. An experience that is more engaging and interactive… allowing the user to become a part of the music and the artists’ message. Who knows? Check it out for yourself by clicking here. prollyROB OUT!