The first is from Print Magazine for their 31st Regional Design Annual Competition, honoring the best in graphic design throughout the US. They selected our beer-themed new business prospect poster as a winning entry in the Far West region, which delights us to no end because we not only loved putting this together, but it speaks true to who we are as an agency. Denver is home to the world’s largest single brewery, the nation’s largest brewpub, the highest number of home brewers…it just made perfect sense that we would create our promotional material around beer to highlight how much we love the frothy beverage as well as our pride in our home state!

The other award is from Graphis for their 100 Best in Advertising 2012. The Roam Free campaign we launched with the Wyoming Office of Tourism received a Gold stamp of approval, ranking among the nation’s most visually captivating posters for the best advertising of the year. Check them out here – they’re pretty swanky.

A huge congrats to the Barnhartians involved in making these concepts a reality: David Yost, Darren Brickel, Jim Blynn, Paolo Marchesi, Armando Martinez, Teresa Brown, Joel Hill, Jim Hargreaves and Tom Van Ness.

Our Writer should be stellar in both copywriting and concepting. He or she should
demonstrate work that spans television, print and outdoor, as well as interactive and
collateral. The individual should have at least three years experience at an agency. ‘Big
brand’ thinking and work is a definite plus, as is the ability to present and sell work.

The individual should be versatile. Our clients range from small start-ups to well-
recognized brands. They’re in various categories including travel/hospitality, technology/
aviation, restaurants, outdoor gear and non-profits.

Please send your resume and portfolio to Christine Strom, Barnhart Communications,
1732 Champa Street, Denver CO 80202 or info@barnhartusa.com

If you’re from Denver, and you work in advertising, you should be aware of the Denver Fifty (if you don’t know, you can get a free pass… this time anyway). They held their annual award show on Jan. 26, and our team showed up to celebrate the honors bestowed by some of the best creative minds in Denver, including yours truly. Check out the winning ideas online, including our work for Wyoming Tourism, History Colorado and Wyoming Department of Health Youth Suicide Prevention Program. Did we already mention we have the best clients?

Some of us even made it to the after party at Matchbox. But we don’t seem to have any pictures to share; we couldn’t seem to find our camera. But I’ll be searching and trying to hunt down some photos from the Denver Ad Club.

Here’s to hoping our 2012 is as a great a year as 2011!

As Barnhart’s new account executive Luu brings six years of experience to the firm and will service various Barnhart clients including: Wyoming Suicide Prevention, History Colorado and Wyoming Tourism. He most recently served as a Senior Accounts Manager at Moxie Sozo in Boulder, working with clients such as the Aspen Music Festival, Bonzini, CatEye Electronics, PROBAR and Colorado Ski Country USA. He also has extensive graphic design knowledge having taught visual communication at Arizona State University, and as the founder and head designer at Luu Fu Creative.

A gradate of Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz., Luu lives in Boulder, Colo.

13 Communication Tips to Help Survive Thanksgiving

I usually blog about business communication tips but since most of us won’t be working on Thanksgiving, we’ll have to communicate with relatives and/or friends. It may be easier to go to work!

Here are 13 quick communication tips to help make your day festive and enjoyable.

Bookmark this post, as it will come in handy for the entire holiday season!

1. Forget previous holidays, discussions, disagreements, and conversations. Go in with a clean slate and an open mind that you will have a fabulous and relaxing day.
2. Have a drink. I didn’t say get drunk, because things could turn ugly. One drink can help you relax and take the edge off.
3. Remember, not every comment or statement requires an answer. Silence and a smile can be very powerful. In other words, bite your tongue.
4. Use the phrase, ”Isn’t that interesting?” If Uncle Grouch starts in at the table with off-color remarks, recite these three magical words. ”Isn’t that interesting?” neutralizes virtually every situation. This phrase leads to a verbal dead-end. Then smile politely.
5. Mingle with the kids. This can bring levity to the day.
6. Take a walk. Invite someone special, or the entire group, to take a walk around the corner. The dynamics will shift, the conversations will lighten up, and the fresh air will be rejuvenating.
7. Keep a few friendly and neutral small-talk starters or stories in mind. Be ready to drop one in if things get awkward or tense.
8. Pass on being a “topper.” If Uncle Fred is bragging about his week in Florida, let him have his moment. Don’t chime in that you just returned from a free month in Bermuda because you were the No. 1 sales rep.
9. Be nice. Gossip often rules at family gatherings. Steer clear of pettiness. Don’t say anything behind someone’s back that you wouldn’t say to their face.
10. Avoid touchy subjects. There’s a lot of angst out there with unemployment, money, and everyday life. You don’t know everything that goes on in other homes, marriages, or relationships. Focus on positive topics and stay away from turning your feast into a “pity party.”
11. Cite three good qualities of someone who is with you that you dislike. Think of these qualities before you join the crowd so you can get rid of “old baggage.” Plan to relax and have a good day!
12. Offer to help. Some of the best conversations I’ve had with family and friends have taken place while we’re clearing dishes, taking out the garbage, or loading the dishwasher.
13. Communicate your gratitude. Regardless of how happy or unhappy you were during your visit, tell your host that you appreciate their efforts and invitation.

“We’re pleased to officially welcome Phil, Adam and Lynda to the team to help us meet growing client demands,” said Bill Schumacher, President and CEO of Barnhart. “Their collective talent and experience supports our mission to be the most vital marketing partner for our clients and to create great work that works.”

Account Director Phil Metz also serves as Barnhart’s Director of Digital Services with more than 10 years of experience creating and managing innovative marketing campaigns in the real estate, resort, hospitality and marine industries. He recently returned to Denver after spending six and a half years in Tampa, Fla. as Vice President and Interactive Department Manager at United Landmark Associates.

Adam Nelson is an award-winning art director who also returned to his native home of Colorado after spending six years at GSD&M in Austin, Texas; David and Goliath in El Segundo, Calif.; and Abend and Moore in Atlanta, Ga. His credits include work for AARP, Ace Hardware, Horseshoe Casino, Kia Motors, Mammoth Mountain and Zales, among others.

Lynda Pfaff brings more than 25 years of experience in marketing and media to Barnhart, having most recently led marketing efforts for Papa Murphy’s central region, spanning 360 stores across 23 markets. Prior to Papa Murphy’s, she held media director positions at Modern Media, Inline Media and Kelley/Dexter Advertising & Marketing. Over the years, she has been responsible for media planning for ski resorts, homebuilders, restaurants, banks and HMOs, among many more agency accounts.

It is my second major, history, that launched me into the world of public relations. I applied for an internship at History Colorado last summer in their PR department, thinking I could mesh my two majors into one.

I haven’t looked back.

After several months there I was introduced to Barnhart, and accepted as an intern. Here I have been assigned to work with (yes, you guessed it) History Colorado! With a newly built museum scheduled to open in Spring 2012, and as a place close to my heart, I am excited to promote the story to local and national news outlets, and even more excited to learn about the process.

Barnhart has taught me a lot of new skills; I have a very different perspective to bring to the table, but also a lot to learn about the public relations world. One instance is the QR Code trend happening in PR and marketing right now. QR codes allow businesses to send consumers directly to a URL, potentially increasing sales, increasing awareness of a product, or even offering special promotions.

And those are just the basic ideas. Can you imagine what a little creativity could do for such a new idea?

And I think it is my history major that makes me look around at the office with glee. Barhnart’s office is located in an old bank building. The space is open, artsy, and has charms only old banks could offer including beautiful railing on the second floor, spacious view to the area below, and a bank vault.

Great work atmosphere, great people and a great learning experience- this is Barnhart to me.

-Ashley Lauwereins

This being my first internship at an agency, I do not have any specific expectations in regards to events or activities I think will happen. I am at a bit of a loss as to what to expect. I have a huge learning curve as this internship is unlike any other I have ever had; all I know is that I just want to learn as much as I can as fast as I can. The great thing about Barnhart is not only do they specialize in advertising but also in marketing as well as public relations and social media. This provides tons of opportunities for knowledge expansion as an intern – I can’t even imagine all of the learning potential there is.

Have I mentioned the location yet? Denver, Colorado! I may be a bit biased being a long-term Colorado resident myself but I love everything that is Colorado. Also, Denver itself is such a beautiful and vibrant city – I am glad to have an excuse to come into the city multiple times a week. Barnhart’s location, which is less than two blocks from 16th Street Mall, is phenomenal. Barnhart’s office is practically at the center of everything in Denver; who could ask for more?

I have also just been assigned a travel and tourism project I hope to learn a lot from. It involves researching industry statistics in regards to travel and comparing that to current clients. Then I will take that research one step further and research more about the “best” advertising practices in the industry. I hope this project will allow me to learn more about the travel and tourism industry as well as various advertising practices within this industry. I am curious to see what else I may stumble upon throughout the project.

Even though it is only my second week as a Barnhart intern, I am so thrilled to have this opportunity. I hope by the end of the term that I have learned what it’s like to be a part of an agency as well as various aspects of marketing, advertising and public relations. I hope I will understand how these three strategies work together to create dynamic campaigns and how to be a viable agency professional in this industry.

– Liana Ruiz

My co-worker walked in this morning talking about her new workout regimen, and I about my re-focused eating habits. Everyone probably has personal goals that sometimes need to be dusted off and renewed. But what about professional goals? I’m officially declaring mine here, in public view on the Barnhart blog, to put that extra kick in me to remain accountable.

1. For each goal, make a plan with measureable objectives. Everything I do during my workday should help me achieve at least one of the agency’s or my clients’ goals. If it doesn’t, then it’s a waste of time. A crucial aspect of a plan is ensuring that you know when you’ve found success, or when you need to adjust your tactics. This requires measureable objectives.

2. Make time for things that should be a priority. It’s all too easy to let things slip to the backburner because other important tasks need to be completed. No one (be it a potential client, co-worker, current client) will be impressed with so-so.

3. Share awesome. This is especially true for social media marketing, but is applicable to just about any and all messaging.

Now let’s see how I can walk the walk, too.

Note: I also attribute this inspiration to attending Explore & Engage with Jason Falls and Brian Solis last week. I highly recommend these two influencers and future Social:IRL events.

I find myself working on more and more interactive/digital projects and leaving my print roots behind. While many of the skills I honed over the years in print management are applicable (in terms of project and staffing management for example), I keep wondering, how can I learn all of this? And aside from bugging my coworkers on a daily basis, where can I go for answers to the many technical questions I have?

Last year I discovered Print Production Professionals Group. It is one of the top 500 SuperGroups on LinkedIn. This group doesn’t allow free form soliciting, and only relevant topics are permitted on the discussion board.

I am finding this group a great source of combined information and wisdom. Check ‘em out.