How long do you think you would last before paying Google to remove the ads on this display? 2.9 seconds, then back to the wicked cool technology it is.

We are happy to welcome Igor Mishkin, Quality Assurance Engineer, to Modern Climate. Igor will lead the agency QA practice across all digital font-end and back-end projects. Originally from Belarus, Igor has been in the US for nearly 5 months. Welcome to Minneapolis and welcome to the agency!

At this price point, it certainly has a lot of potential.

For more info, check out this review on Eurogamer.net, or take a look at the project’s website.

This year our agency entered a handful of works into Minneapolis’ premiere Ad show, aptly titled ‘The Show’. It’s a great venue to celebrate the ad community and the creative minds behind the city’s most compelling advertising. For the agency it was a successful year in terms of winning entries, but what was even more satisfying was the attention that one piece of work received.

“2 Million Hearts” is the title of a documentary-style video that celebrates the success of the cardiac surgery profession which culminated in the 2-millionth implant of the St Jude Medical mechanical heart valve earlier this year. And while this piece was created to tell the story of the St Jude valve, it has quickly become much more than that. It has done what good advertising should do, it has become emotional and personal. At The Show, the video was given a ‘Judges Choice’ award, as well as placing second in the ‘People’s Choice’ category. It also collected a Bronze Pin award. Not bad for a medical device message in the sea of competition from other, more sexier topics and products. And perhaps even greater than the accolades from The Show, were the personal messages we received from others who were moved by the piece. That’s what should be celebrated.

Thank you St Jude Medical. And more importantly, thank you to the doctors and the patients who lives have been forever changed.

So, in keeping with Google’s model, let’s talk +1. And -1, as the case may be.

Interactivity

Navigation (+1)
The less often-used elements have become subtler or appropriately been obscured by navigation elements. Big ups for finally figuring out what users use–and thus want to access–most. The manic former interface looked like free-for-all UI vomited a broken typewriter onto my screen.

For the most common functions, icons have replaced words. Love it. My affinity for this is partially just learned behavior after years of smartphone use. Nonetheless, I think it works. The icons are standardized: trash can for Delete, circle and arrow for Refresh. The overwhelming majority will get it immediately. For the rest, that’s what hover + tool tips are for.

Dynamic Elements (+1)
This is quite possibly my favorite enhancement. Options to archive, report spam, delete, move, label and the oh-so-descriptive “More” appear only when relevant. (Relevant in this case means there’s something selected that each of those actions could actually affect.) The rest of the time, a little “if / then” logic turns 10 buttons into three, and viola! the header–and the user!–suddenly has room to breathe.

Email detail views (a big fat -1)
Why, oh why is the most recent message in a thread still at the bottom of the screen? This ain’t yo mama’s stationary! We are not actually bound by the chronological constraints of letter writing anymore. This is the typewritten representation of a living, ongoing conversation. I don’t care what I said to initiate the thread, I care about the most recent reply. Aw, Google, you’re killin’ me.

Design

Legibility (0)
It’s a little hard to read sidebar items when you’ve assigned a variegated theme. The inbox itself is slightly translucent, which could also be a problem, but to a lesser extent. Emails themselves are perfectly legible, and I like the updated treatment (matches Google Plus, of which I’m a big fan). So overall, I give it a neutral score.

Ads (-1)
Still fugly and intrusive. Can’t do much about the intrusive part, as it’s the foundation of the business model. But the fugly…

Overall Look and Feel (+1)
Google seems to be going for an airier, more dynamic feel, and overall I think they pull it off. Scrolling is evident without being obvious. Inactive elements (checkboxes before they’re checked, for example) are pleasantly subtle.

Grand Total

So what does that bring us to? Good navigation + Dynamic elements – Email order – Fugly Ads + Improved look-and-feel = Mostly Better.

Overall, good job, Google. Now let’s work on that pesky email order situation…

I think, to a certain extent, folks in advertising are an empathetic bunch. While I can’t speak for the industry, I do think that empathy plays an important role in the creative process.

Recently, I felt some empathy for some college kids who were protesting at an NYC Citibank branch about their personal debt situations http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TH3kiaJ1-c8 Part of this event was grossly misunderstood, but I digress…

My point is, that while I appreciate the mission of the “99%” and understand the message of OWS, I find myself a little perplexed by the organization behind the movement. While they are against corporate disinformation and on the surface appear to be anti-advertising, they seem to rely on the use of modern media techniques and advertising to make their point.  http://www.adbusters.org/campaigns

The moral of the story? No moral really… I just wonder how many people have passionately supported OWS through action or speech without either knowing about or at least thinking about who’s behind the movement.

Just thought you’d want to know before you let your empathy get the best of you.

Good luck to Modern Climate in tonight’s Agency Soccer Tournament. We may not be the most talented group, but we aim to look damn good.

UPDATE …
Here is how we finished:
1. Olson
2. Periscope
3. Modern Climate
4. Martin Williams
5. Colle + McVoy
6. Carmichael Lynch