We want to thank everyone who donated to the clothing drive for Jeunesse au Soleil, as you can see, the turn out was impressive. We got everything from snow suits and warm boots to sweaters and scarves- each and every item is appreciated. Have a great week everyone!
Meet Max! from CloudRaker on Vimeo.
Anyone who’s come to visit us at our office knows that we love our pets. There’s always a dog or two running around the office, and we happen to think it brightens up the place. Last week we had one of our CloudCamps which we like to do to finish up each month – there’s pizza, and two or three mini presentations by our very own Rakers talking about anything and everything that inspires them. Friday proved to be particularly special- Robert brought in his darling adopted Greyhound, Max, and gave a presentation leaving everyone ready to call their local SPCA. Max was rescued thanks to Robert and the kind people at Greyhound Rescue Quebec and has proven to be a great companion, but there are thousands of other retired race dogs just like him who haven’t been as lucky.
Robert compiled his slideshow into a short video capturing the life of a race dog and some other tidbits of information. Take a look.
Post by Aleksandra Wnuk, Feb 5th
Sun Youth has asked Montrealers to look through their closets for warm clothes they no longer need for those arriving from Haiti to our chilly city. If it is too far or out of the way for anyone to get to Sun Youth, CloudRaker will be doing a drop off! We welcome you to bring your warm clothes here if it is more convenient for you. So friends and family, ad folks, production folks, folks who read our blog, do stop in, drop off some warm garments and grab a cup of coffee and poke around our office if you’d like. We will be doing the drop off early next week!
We are located at 1435 Saint Alexandre (suite 700)
Post by Christina Brown, Jan 25th
Here at the CloudRaker office, there’s been much talk about haircuts among the men. Our technical director Fred had let his grow particularly wild at one point and just recently had it trimmed down. He and several of our male compadres go to the little barber shop around our corner. A few years ago, my finicky self would’ve thought they were crazy, but paying $10-15 at a barber shop versus $60-80 at the hairdresser is starting to make a lot more sense.
It’s important to note that many guys have never had trouble with the no-frills treatment at barber shops, but many like me, have been more comfortable with hairdressers. It’s not necessarily from a desire to be fashionable, but from a general fear of barber shops. My fear started at 14 years old. It was the mid 90’s and I was trying to grow my hair like Kurt Cobain. Because it was getting a little mulletesque in the back, I asked my mom to take me to that $5 place my family goes to in Chinatown for a trim. I left with one of those early 90’s skater cuts with it long and even on top and totally shaved underneath..
In the last year or so, I’ve noticed a gradual change of heart among men, partially fueled by trendsetters like the Sartorialist. Maybe it’s the economic crisis forcing us to question frivolities like $60 haircuts, or just a general back-to-basics attitude but many have gone back to the way of barber shops. During the Christmas holidays, I went to Salon Caldense on Duluth, paid $15 and got a pretty decent haircut!
photo from Flick creative commons.
Post by Edmund Lam, Jan 19thWhen we hire at Cloud, one of our criteria is that folks bring with them interests, passions and talents that go beyond fulfilling a given role at the agency. We think that those qualities enrich each and everyone of us and the product we put out. Edmund is a great example of that. As we’ve mentioned before he is one half of the electric pop duo Hexes and Ohs, he creates wonderful illustrations and is an art director here (not to mention an all round great guy). We thought it would be fun to chat with him about a campaign he created this fall as an excuse for you to get to know him better.
We’ll be introducing you to team members in this fashion every month or so because, we think each and every person here is a rock star in their own way. Edmund just happens to be one for real.
(PS: Thanks for fancy camera work Joe and for coordinating all this Aleks!)
Post by Christina Brown, Jan 8thLes bulles de champagne à peine évaporées que l’on se demande déjà de quoi sera fait 2010. Les prévisions fusionnent:
Les points de vue divergent, personne n’aura raison car comme chaque année ce sont les usagers qui vont nous surprendre et faire naître de nouveaux usages, de nouvelles tendances. Tendances et usages qu’il sera de notre devoir de comprendre, écouter, analyser et intégrer à nos tactiques de marketing interactif afin d’être toujours le plus pertinent et efficace possible.
Je me lance pour un aperçu des tendances auxquelles je crois pour 2010.
Fonctionnalités et usages du web ?
Stratégies de marque ?
L’esprit, l’humeur des consommateurs ?
Dans un monde idéal, je rêve d’un web dans lequel les barrières de langues seraient supprimées, pour 2015 peut-être ? Imaginez, l’ensemble du web serait navigable dans la langue de son choix peu importe la langue de création du contenu original.
Le rêve, non ?
Post by Isabelle Quevilly, Jan 7th
2010 is upon us and we thought we’d help ring in the new year by looking at what lays ahead for the year in trends, technology and goodies and gadgets that we at Cloud are crushing on (read: want for our birthdays). Our top ten:
10. Livescribe. While this computer in an ink pen has been on the market for a while now, we thing it’s glory days lie ahead. This pen can actually create interactivity using ink and a sheet of paper. Here’s the demo.
9. QR Code: To say this code which can be read by mobile devices and contain any content you chose is a game-changer for retailers, advertisers, transit systems and beyond, is grossly understating things.
8. La-di-da
Last year Apple bought lala.com and we think that in 2010 we’ll see the-ahem-fruits of the purchase. Streaming through iTunes.? We likie.
7. Square Space
Somewhere between a custom built CMS and Wordpress lies Square Space a website building tool for those without any website building know-how. It’s the CMS equivalent of modular pre-fab homes. Now we can all unleash our inner architect.
6. OLED TV
These TVs do not use a backlight, instead each pixel is lit. ‘So what?’ you say… Well, that means that when the data on the screen is dark so is the space around it. Now imagine you are watching Evil Dead when that dude is being chased through the woods by the spirit (I actually have no idea what happened in the movie, my eyes were shut the whole time) and your den is as dark as night….
5. 3D TV
‘member what I was saying about being chased in the forest by the mean spirit?
4. Vroom, vroom.
Electric cars are cool. Really, really cool.
3. The pocket projector.
Is that a projector in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? Heh heh.
2. Warm white LEDs
Have you ever mistakenly referred to your living room as ‘aisle 9’? Do you sit in your dining room and have flashbacks of your root canal? Or do you live in not-so-secret shame and use the baddie bulbs in your home? (I do.) Well, for the de-saturated and delinquents among us, a proper warm white LED light bulb is finally here!
1. iTablet
We, like the rest of world, are spazing out about the iTablet, even though nary a one of us can articulate what about makes it so special…is it a small computer sans-server or is it a giant iPhone? We dunno, but we want it anyway.
While we are thrilled with the way things are advancing around us, we do have a few gripes.
Below, the things that we think should totally exist by now, but don’t.
1. The Jet Pack
2. The Orgasmatron
3. The Lightsaber
4. Exoskeletons
5. Hoverboards
6. Conveyor belt alarm clock/showerer/dresser/breakfast maker.
Post by Christina Brown, Jan 5thToday marks our first day back at the office- and though some of us may be a bit sleepy, or still full from the copious amounts of holiday baked goods, we’re ready to get a jump start 2010. And not just by sticking to our New Years resolutions, but by promising everyone a fantastic year filled with a whole lot of, what we like to call, ‘a metric assload of awesome’.
And the first delivery on that promise: the CloudKitchen online book. You’ve seen the timelapse video of the entire evening, we’ve posted the pictures on facebook along with the entire iTunes playlist, now it’s time to witness the results.
Happy New Year and Rake On!
Post by Aleksandra Wnuk, Jan 4thOur very kind office coordinator brought us some nice coffee and cookies, we didn’t even need to ask.
And as I’m looking for excuses to use our camera, here’s a picture of it!
This cloudkitchen event/talent show/cookbook/holiday card/fun fest/thing that we are all constantly talking about (okay, I am constantly talking about) is the gift that just keeps on giving. During the party, crafty Miss Davina our photographer/eater/karaoke-er/buddy for the evening placed a camera beneath the projection screen that took pictures every minute, all night long. Most didn’t know it was there, but those who did, kind of forgot it was (apparently that happens to reality TV contestants too). Here we all, in all our glory, rockin’ out.
Post by Christina Brown, Dec 17thCloudRaker is a digital branding agency based in the creative wilds of Montreal. We believe that ideas are more powerful than noise. But not just any old idea, ones that are unique and useful. Ideas grounded sky high.
We love Joe! CloudRaker has been chosen to be the Social Media Agency for Joe Fresh Québec. The Rakers = very happy people. Feb 3rd
Lancôme's Gold Fascination page now live on Facebook! Click here to check it out. Feb 1st
CloudRaker also won bronze for enRoute at the DMA's! Nov 19th
CloudRaker won Gold at last night's Digital Marketing Awards! Nov 12th
