Archive for the ‘Fun Stuff’ Category

By now most of you would have received our ‘moving to the new office’ DM piece. It was a lot of fun ripping up the old cardboard boxes, setting the screen printing jig up, donning my fancy apron and getting messy!

As some of you might know, I’m a printmaker from way back. Back in the day when QCA was a college at Seven Hills, I spent three years being a slave to etching plates, lithography stones and all the tools of the screen printing trade.

In the final year of my degree (I have a BA in FA!…get it…), I was lucky enough to be given a solo show at the Museum of Contemporary Art and am so honoured to have a piece in the National Gallery. (You can even Google me to see it.)

Stay tuned for the next hand printed piece – it’s going to be a cracker.

Visit Decoder at: www.decoder.net.au

The newest four-legged member of the Decoder team came in for some work experience recently. Walter, a lovely little chocolate Labrador, spent a few days at Light Street familiarising himself with the ways of DM, and with one Decoderette’s leather goods. Walter’s kindly provided his thoughts on the experience.

So I had my first visit to Decoder today. It was heaven for a puppy like me – people everywhere to play with and heaps of cuddles. It wasn’t all play though. I learnt all about the world of direct marketing (in between long naps in front of the air-conditioner…it’s hot in this fur coat!).

Everyone was very friendly and I could tell that they’re all doggy people because I could smell lots and lots of other dogs – Whippets, Greyhounds, Staffies, a Schnauzer, a Border Collie, an Alsatian and even another Chocolate Lab!

I thought that I was pretty well behaved but Mum said I should apologise to some people for a few things, so….

Sorry about the puddle that I left in the middle of the Account Service area. WHOOPS! I’d just had a big bowl of water. (Ozzie, please don’t show anyone the photos that you took of me in action…so embarrassing).

Sorry Jasmine for getting caught under your feet every time you came upstairs.

Sorry Britt for chewing on your handbag. (Just so you know, it tastes pretty good).

Sorry Kylie for the scratch – I thought that we were playing! 

I can’t wait to get my first pay cheque from Decoder! Lisa, Mum’s going to give you my bank details.

See you all again soon, when I’ll probably be lots bigger.

Walter Greig

P.S. My mum was a bit disappointed that I wouldn’t perform my new trick, sitting. I really do know how to do it, I swear, so I’ll show you all next time.

Visit Decoder on: www.decoder.net.au

I was so excited! Tracey (TJ) and I were off to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) Conference in San Diego! Flights were booked. Sessions were planned. And we had tickets for some of the marketing world’s most exciting speakers. Why was it then that all I could think about was my visit to Sea World and the chance to see Shamu the Killer Whale? 

The Conference had been announced with the usual “ Roll up, roll up!” fanfare, but I was hoping that in among the hundreds of sessions, there would be a few that would deliver genuine insights on the latest DM technology, research and thinking – and take my mind off Shamu. Luckily, there were.

While Tracey sat through all the smart stuff, like data modelling and analytics, I got to hear Martha Stewart explain how DM helped create her empire. Yes, the Martha Stewart!

Scott Monty from Ford relived the “Fiesta movement” when Ford pre-launched their new model using only social media. And my all-time favourite DM legend, Stan Rapp, gave us his take on the “idirect” digital revolution.

While the talks were great, some of the work was pretty average. Having heard all about how creative is king, I was surprised at just how much American DM looked like junk mail! It all seemed to use the same standard font for a start (I think it was Courier). And no one gave paper stock or print quality a second thought. Now if only I had a ten million dollar budget!

So lots of valuable lessons learnt, and a very amusing talk about the greatest DM mistakes of all time – but no need for an inferiority complex just yet! Some of the stuff we do at Decoder leaves the US stuff for dead. Even if I do say so myself!

Keep an eye out for a special DMA Decoder presentation in the New Year. We’ll fill you in on all that we learnt – and all the best bits about Sea World too! Have a great Christmas!

Nick. 

Visit Decoder at:  www.decoder.net.au