I was born on Halloween and I’ve always been a bit of a prankster. I like the trick more than the treat. So, I started this week thinking of clever ways to spook coworkers, friends, family members, and even CQLfootball officials. Last Saturday, during the Alberta Sharks last game of the season, I figured we had nothing to lose. Sitting 0-7 and about to fall to 0-8, I informed the referee that we would be running a “trick play.” Apparently my acting was so good, when I asked the quarterback to hand me the ball, the Ref blew his whistle and thought it was an “equipment time out”. We fooled the other team. We fooled the crowd. We fooled the other coaches. But the “fool” who was refereeing the game forgot… and ruined the play. Trust me, it would’ve been a YouTube sensation.
And this happened: My creative team turned me into a life-size zombie, a ‘Walking Dave’ – if you will – and I managed to scare the crap out of “Cowgirl” Caty, our intern from VCU.
My doppelganger, Walking Dave, scares Cowgirl Caty.
I recorded Monday Night Football and the only thing that makes me happier than a Redskins OT victory over the Cowboys is seeing my client, Vera’s Fine Jewelers’ TV spot during the game. Click here to see the spot or keep watching football this weekend.
In the afternoon, Lindsey locked me in the office and forced me to work on RFPs. But, I managed to fake her out and play around on Facebook for half an hour, where I saw First Bank CEO Scott Harvard and COO Dennis Dysart shave their heads for the United Way, making good on a bet that raised over $30,000 for a worthwhile cause. Simply put, we love those guys. Check out the video here.
Thursday, October 30th – On Thursday morning we reconvened the creative team to concept client Christmas gifts. This is the 4th time we’ve met and it’s starting to get a wee bit frustrating. Each year, we give out creative and memorable gift to friends, clients, and partners. It’s getting harder each year. Just when I think I have a great idea, someone – usually Molly – gives me a couple of very good reasons why I can’t. For example, I wanted to send everyone a kitten for Christmas this year. Apparently, it’s against the law to mail a cat. Oh well, back to the drawing board.
Thursday afternoon we hosted several of our partners here at the corner of 1st and Cary, so we could rehearse our big new business “pitch.” These are normally time-consuming and tedious, but our team worked well together and well into the night, but when you surround yourself with good people, it doesn’t feel like work at all.
Friday, October 31st – The “Big Pitch” – which we’ve been working on for months – went off without a hitch. And after we got the important work out of the way this morning, I returned to the office and found out I was the one getting pranked. While I was away, the kids at Madison+Main were hard at work “foiling my plans” of getting work done today. Literally, they put tin foil on everything in my office. Everything.
“The future is so bright, I gotta wear shades.”
Everyone in the office dressed up for Halloween, and I got cupcakes. It’s been a good day.
“We work hard so you don’t have to.”
— Reynolds Wrap
Dave Saunders