It was Snowmageddon in DC this weekend. (Or snowpocalypse, or my personal favorite Snowtorious BIG). And in case you missed out on it, we bring you all the fun of the DuPont Circle Snowball fight that happened right outside the CDG Interactive offices at Dupont Circle.

Our Creative Director, Matthew Snyder, was in attendance and reports, "At first it was strange to see everyone walking in the same direction, but there was a great energy. Everyone was having lots of fun, running and throwing snowballs."  Many attendees headed over to the Hotel Dupont's snow bar after the fight.

Get the t-shirt commemorating the Dupont Circle Snowball fight.

I just returned from two weeks out of the office, and like my fellow author Heidi, I went through a social media detox while I was away. However, while hers was voluntary, mine was more imposed – I was in the countryside of Egypt volunteering with Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village program.

While our first hotel in Cairo had a business center, the cost of Internet access prohibited more than a brief Facebook status update to let friends and family know that I was on the ground safely.

My cell phone plan doesn’t have international access (some others did), but everyone tried to avoid using them after the initial arrival messages were delivered. Particularly outside the main cities, everyone in Egypt carries cell phones as their main form of communication since home phones aren’t the norm. (Imagine stringing phone lines across the desert!)

Since I wouldn’t be able to upload my pictures during the trip, at the end of each day I reviewed the pictures I’d taken and  deleted any that didn’t make the cut since I didn’t want to find myself with a suddenly full memory card at the Pyramids or while taking my one and only camel ride.

About halfway through our trip, one of the group members asked, “How are we going to share pictures with each other?”

Immediately I suggested Flickr, saying that as long as we all used an agreed-upon tag, it would be very easy to find all the photos. The difference between me and some of my fellow volunteers quickly became apparent as I was immediately designated as being in charge of the photos, some even deciding it would be easier to send me their cameras. (I’m still hoping they were joking.)

It was a reminder that what’s become a matter of course for me, along with regularTwitter updates and automatically reaching for Google, IMDB or iTunes to answer a question isn’t everyone’s first reflex. And that's something we need to keep in mind every day  - where is our audience, and what's a normal place to find them? It might not always be a Facebook ad or a Twitter post - it could be that time, energy and money is better spent on a flyer campaign or perhaps an event sponsorship that's meaningful to your core audience.

On the other hand, Sharif, our local team leader, happily showed me pictures of his wedding and his six-month old son on his camera phone, so in some ways, it was just like home.

It's the day after the Memorial Day holiday here in the U.S. And that means it's a Tuesday that feels like a Monday. Meanwhile, our brains are still on vacation (sshhh! don't tell our boss!).

So instead of big brain thinking, how about something completely different?

Here are a few places that offer a break from analysis, news, or industry seriousness.

• '80s Drum Kit. Use your computer keyboard to unleash your inner synthesized drum god!
• Chuck Norris Google Search. What you might find when you try to search for Chuck.
• Instant Sound Effects. When you need to punctuate your conversation with a rimshot, or the laugh of Nelson the bully from "The Simpsons." (Ha ha!)
• Project Rungay. A few of us here at CDG happily confess to a "Project Runway" habit, and no blog does a better or snarkier job recapping episodes of this show -- and many others -- than Tom and Lorenzo of Rungay.
• Sarah Haskins and "Target Women." OK, so there's a little analysis in these blistering critiques of advertisements aimed -- nay, targeted -- at women, from Sarah Haskins of Current TV's "InfoMania."

What are your favorite online brain vacations?

Quite often the "big game" is a blow-out where the commercials turn into the highlight of the show. Not so this year - high drama on the field kept even the casual football watcher on the edge of their seats (and gave dedicated fans a blood pressure check more than once). But even still, everyone is abuzz over the commercials - were there any big hits, expensive misses? Or were the commercials the snoozefest that couldn't keep up with the game?

NBC never missed an opportunity for self-promotion of their own shows. They know they have a captive
audience who might not otherwise tune in. It was a little relentless by the end, but the best was John
Elway's appearance among the Heroes and hearing, "I knew he was one of us." We always did too... even before there was a show called Heroes.

Speaking of heroes, that little kid dressed as a super hero "calling to your inner hero" was a great set-up - too bad it turned out to be calling you to go to a theme park instead of do something great.

Dreaming of doing great things is what got Usama Young highlighted in the NFL's Is it Super? spot. I love the image of him selling snowcones in the stands and dreaming of being on the field as a player. Hopefully next year he'll be on the field in the Super Bowl - Go Saints!

I'm not sure about this new series of ads from Cheetos advocating vandalism - the use of their product's residue seems a particularly odd choice - for daily annoyances. What we need is more civility and less
"my priorities are more important than yours." Hey Cheetos: take a page from Coke and try promoting happiness.

Aside from the two animated Coke ads (and nice use of Peter and the Wolf), Coke Zero gave a nice nod to the classic Mean Joe Greene Super Bowl ad. I've heard mixed reactions, but the Steelers fans seem fond of it.

Updated classic themes just weren't in commercials - what's with Land of the Lost and Witch Mountain? Are there no new movies in Hollywood?

While it's interesting to see new trends (more commercials targeted toward women during major sporting events - yes, we watch), some things never change (GoDaddy's insistence on relying on sex to drive traffic to their website). On the other hand, GoDaddy apparently had the most-watched commercial, so using sex in advertising isn't going out of style.

But at least GoDaddy managed to handle their traffic. Of course, they are a hosting provider so it would be a poor reflection on their core service if they weren't prepared for the traffic generated by their Super Bowl ads. But I heard from several people that the websites of some other advertisers (I'm looking at you Doritos & Denny's) were non-responsive just moments after their commercials aired. You spent all that money on airtime and production - you didn't think anyone would go to your site?

Apparently Hulu was ready for their traffic as well - they're hosting the Super Bowl ads in case there are any you missed or want to see again. And they had probably the funniest spot of the Super Bowl. I love Alec Baldwin stepping into the Hollywood sign as he admitted that television doesn't rot your brain - it just makes it softer.

For anyone keeping score, humor was featured in 83% of Super Bowl ads while animals appeared in 43% and celebrities came in third at 32%. You can see how that compares to last year as well as a breakdown by industries in an interactive timeline from the New York Times.

All in all, I'd say the highlights came on the field this year and not from the commercials.

As 2008 winds down and we all get ready to reboot in the New Year, CDG invites our friends and clients to “Refresh” their holidays by unleashing their inner Lemonista.

We started by sending out custom CDG-branded boxes filled with fresh lemons and gourmet sparkling lemonade.

Now everyone can join in on the Refresh and become a Lemonista by going to http://www.cdginteractive.com/lemon08 and sharing their tart and tangy photos. We'll put them all together in a special set on Flickr.

How are you going to go lemon?

CDG held its inaugural Bowliday tournament on Friday at the AMF lanes in Annandale where 4 teams -- Rainbow Kittens, We've Got Balls, Hambone and Pinheads -- engaged in fierce combat while wearing rented shoes. The teams, who'd engaged in escalating trash-talking in the days leading up to the event, wore color-coded T-shirts designed by CDG Art Director Jeff Walter.

In the end, president Scott's team emerged victorious, due to his mad bowling skillz. CDG-ers want to know: where will he keep that big trophy?

In between games, we exchanged $20-limit Secret Santa gifts. Recipients got everything from a guide on how to Eat, Drink and Be Gorgeous (Heidi) to Japanese desk toys (Shuangshuang) to a USB Humping Dog (Scott; don't ask!).

Check out the Bowliday photos:

The thought of lying on a beach in Maui over vacation may make your skin crawl (scratchy sand!) and skin boil (stifling sun rays!) but it might be your best friend’s favorite vacation activity. Your dream anniversary trip could be a romantic trip to Italy to look at art and dine on local pasta, while your spouse envisions the two of you in an isolated cabin in Oregon splitting a can of Chef-Boyardee for dinner if fresh fish isn't available. No matter how beautiful or popular a destination is, it may not be the right place for you depending on what type of traveler you are. Take this quiz below to find your travel personality and pass it along to your friends to see if they can keep up (or rest up) with you while you’re on vacation. We'll also recommend a hotel client whose property you should vacation at.

1. Your favorite summer drink is:

1. Mojitos that you drink while dancing at a salsa club (2 points)
2. Fresh lemonade made with lemons from your backyard and sweetened with honey from the bee colony you maintain (4 points)
3. Honeydew-flavored bubble tea or mango-strawberry smoothies (1 point)
4. Gatorade because between airplane rides, sports leagues and trips to the beach, you’re often feeling dehydrated (3 points)

2. If you’re trying to lose a few pounds you would:

1. Tear up your subway pass and bike, walk or roller-blade around town (2 points)
2. Go on a raw-foods diet and crank up the juicing machine in order to have fresh-carrot juice for breakfast (4 points)
3. Book a two-week excursion to a spa and have a food and exercise plan custom made for you (1 point)
4. Sign up for a course on macrobiotic living and buy a big bag of brown rice ( 3 points)

3. For a potluck party, you’d bring:

1. Fruit, date and nut bars made from a concoction of items you picked up on your weekend hiking trip (4  points)
2. The best baklava in town, sold at a specialty Greek Deli where you have a standard corner table (2 points)
3. A date who would stand in line for you and prepare your plate at the party ( 1 point)
4. Homemade sushi featuring five different types of raw fish (3 points)

4. On a trip away from home, you’d feel completely lost without:

1. A sundry kit containing three types of moisturizer, toner and seasonally rotating perfume ( 1  point )
2. Teva sports sandals (4 points)
3. A compass ( 3  points)
4. VIP passes to the best nightclub in town ( 2 points)

5. To unwind after a long day at work you:

1. Hang out in the garage putting the finishing touches on the boat you’re building
   (4 points)
2. Attend a fundraiser for the latest gallery opening in your area (2 points)
3. Go to the park and strike up a two-hour conversation with whoever sits next to you on the park bench (3 points)
4. Go home, order take-out gourmet food and watch DVDs from your canopy bed(1 point)

Tally up your score and find out if you’re a ;

Pampered Prince(ss) – (0-7 points) : Your dream vacationing involves dreaming, sleeping and lounging. Go to Hotel Maison de Ville and the Audubon Cottages in New Orleans where you’ll be served breakfast in bed and during the days you can sit by the pool or go to the Botanical Garden for Twilight Concerts. Or, if your partner is also pampered, the two of you should book the Suite Chicago Package at Chicago Hotel and Suites and you’ll enjoy a one-bedroom suite with a separate parlor room, champagne, strawberries and room service for two

City Conqueror – (8- 12 points): Everything you want can be found in urban areas and you enjoy exploring small shops and having peace of mind by knowing you can get what ever you need at top restaurants or stores. Book the Spring Break Tulip Excursion Package at Chicago Hotel and Suites and walk along Magnificent Mile, which will be decorated with hundreds of flowers. Or go to the Hilton Washington Embassy Row and stay in the midst of Dupont Circle. Come Memorial Day Weekend, when loads of concerts and activities will be taking place, along with the opening of the Hilton's rooftop pool.

Up for Anything Explorer – ( 13 -16 points) : An easy-going adventurer, you’re an ideal trip companion and since you’re open to new things, you take advantage of hotel specials. Visit Quartz Mountain Resort for the weekend for Prime Time Buffet night at Sundance Cafe and attend an Oklahoma centennial celebration or town-wide flea market. Or visit the Churchill Hotel in Washington, D.C. and be part of the city’s excitement and book a Memorial Day or Fourth of July Package.

Outdoor Adventurer – (17- 20 points): You like exploring and braving the elements as long as you’re not cooped up inside during your trip. A dream vacation for you might be at Quartz Mountain Resort where the woodsy architecture is in tune with nature. Recreational activities include mountain climbing, horseback riding and animal tracking classes. Or, though a vacation in the middle of the Washington, D.C. might seem like an odd choice, you can vacation at the Hilton Washington Embassy Row and take a monuments tour by foot, explore the U.S. Botanical Gardens or go to the National Mall and play soccer, baseball and Frisbee.

Moo is huge.  Moo is fun.  Moo is more interesting than the Moo crew ever imagined. 

What's Moo?  It's all Greek to you?

Moo, is a company that prints 1/2 sized business cards as personal calling cards.  The gimmick is that you can pull pictures from your Flickr account and crop them to size in the Moo interface and then type a personal message on the back.  Moo called them "calling cards," but like so many user-generated content ideas -- the users had ideas of their own.

Yes, many people just make their own little calling cards, but have you ever coveted someone's calling card?  There are now groups on Flickr dedciated to showing off your new Moo cards and groups where you can swap cards with other people.  Artists are using them as calling cards and in works of art. 

The greatest uses I've seen so far is a Moo scavenger hunt and a psychic Valentine.  For the scavenger hunt, a DC Moo-ite has left his little cards on the escalators of Metro stations around the city.  Needless to say, I'll be on the hunt!

How do you Moo?

Tags:moo, flickr, design, fun, technology, web2.0

CDG celebrated the holiday of Festivus today with the traditional airing of grievances and feats of strength.  The primary grievance being that Dave, our fabulous HTML/CSS coder of many years is leaving us to travel the world.  No -- really -- that's why he's leaving.  It was so much fun, Scott turned into a dancing elf.

There was food and drink and merriment had by all.  The feats of strength involved many rounds of boxing on the office Wii.  Trust me, if you've never played a game on a Wii -- it's exhausting.  It was designer against designer, programmers against programmers, project managers against project managers, and Scott versus everyone.

Happy Festivus.
Happy Hanukkah
Happy Solstice
Blessed Eid
Joyus Yule
Merry Christmas

(did I miss anyone?)

Tags: elf yourself, festivus, cdg, holidays

Working with the American Foundation for the Blind has made me very aware of new innovations in products and technology for the visually impaired. That's why when I saw this chess set designed for the blind, it caught my attention.

Continue reading "Chess for the Blind" »