Darrell Whitelaw
Updates
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@jasonoke if you're using a blackberry you can't possibly have friends you want to keep tabs on. =)
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@dandelauro loving this hashtag.
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“@flytip: 7 signs that Android is faltering as iOS strengthens. http://t.co/mqHc5pgP” :: never even considered app costs as lock in. brillz.
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http://t.co/dBKgvVK7 :: Alcatel-Lucent How to build for mobile networks best practices white paper :: lightweight read on 4G optimization
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@ffangohr i think most small companies don;t think people will ever pay attention.
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@LCrampsie @rga @brianjeremy @bmorrissey yeah, that thing was inside me by the end of the night . . .
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@ffangohr oh I'm talking about pinterest. Path just did what many other apps did in their infancy as well.
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@ffangohr all good options, but affiliate data is so much easier to monetize. And you own it.
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@RGA @brianjeremy @lcrampsie fair point. I pretty much showed because @bmorrissey told me they would have 18 year for the panelists.
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@abfdc I love my lawyer too. cc: @kevinhandesq
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Wish I were out of town for social media week again this year.
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@btejada new email? Congrats on the move.
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@IanSohn meh... If you sign up for an "extra exclusive personal network" you should be expecting to be wide open. People overreacting.
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@fortheartofit @hampusbeus amazing what a Gillette razor can become.
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@IanSohn path isn't the first app to upload your contact details. they probably aren't the 12th either.
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“@slbedard: nice site for type nerds: http://t.co/rI0KVuLd”
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@Thomas_Wendt careful what you wish for.
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@ffangohr and how did people think pinterest was going to make money? Banner ads?
Posts
i taped a @thebeancast episode tonight with guests @malbonster, @jaffejuice, and @southsideadguy and when asked for our “topics to watch” i talked about my interest in the return to boutique shop models, and growing freelance by choice workforce culture we’re seeing come about. i wanted to take minute and talk more about it, and why i referred to it as a lot like the revolution summer that happened in the 80’s in the DC hardcore scene.
i’ve included the wikipedia entry (that has disappeared off wikipedia for some reason) if you want to read in full detail about exactly WHAT the revolution summer was, for now i’ll just summarize and draw comparisons.
in recent years we’ve seen people of all levels getting tired of an industry that just isn’t what they want anymore, much like the bands in DC that got tired of the element that their shows were attracting, we’ve seen people break off of the “agency culture” and start new studios, take up freelance as a lifestyle (not just something you do between Q3 and Q1 when holding companies start staffing FTE positions again) and generally begin doing things their own way.
it’s pretty awesome.
disclosure: after october of 2008 i had a really hard time getting a job, honestly i would have killed your enemies for a job anywhere at that time. so i turned to freelance work, and eventually that snowballed into that little company called MIR. so i won’t try to pretend that i’ve ever been part of a movement i’m having more and more respect for everyday. i’m just happy to have done something that coincidentally happened around the same time.
the past year has been crazy watching places like @co, @socialisticny, @bfg9000ny, and more get started by LONG time industry veterans, as well as amazing places like @breakfastny and many more boutique shops opening their doors from equally talented but less “seasoned” ad folk.
not to mention people going off to create new startups and products like @percolate, @bondsy, @shesays, etc. and the countless friends i’ve had this summer who have decided that working a corporate job isn’t for them and have voluntarily left their agency gigs for “full time freelance”
even the co-working environment has gotten a shot in the arm, with great spaces like @grindspaces, @studiomatesnyc, and @meetnyc (excuse my lack of knowledge about co-working spaces outside NY as i’m sure there are solid ones everywhere). as well as the general open arm philosophy of the digital world in general, @deepfocus started as a desk inside @bigspaceship, @MIRnewyork began as a desk in @fplusp. it’s never been easier to get out there and do your thing.
the future is unclear, but what is clear is that RIGHT NOW all these people were unhappy with the environment they were in and decided to do something about it, much like the DC hardcore scene in the mid 80’s, they took it upon themselves to MAKE change, create something they wanted to be a part of, and anyone who didn’t would stay away from.
i think it’s pretty amazing, and i’m really excited to see where this “revolution summer” of the ad world goes.
basecamp, dropbox, and a dream.
@darrellwhitelaw
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Revolution Summer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This article or section has multiple issues. Please help improve the article or discuss these issues on the talk page.
It does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve it by citing reliable sources. Tagged since October 2008.
It may require general cleanup to meet Wikipedia’s quality standards. Tagged since August 2008.
Revolution Summer refers to the metamorphosis of the punk rock community of Washington, DC in the summer of 1985. The most notable and memorable of the Revolution Summer bands are Rites of Spring, Moss Icon and Embrace, though other bands such as Gray Matter, Fire Party, and Beefeater were involved and vital.
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Background
The DC punk rock and Hardcore punk scene of the late 1970s/early 1980s spawned dozens of fast and aggressive bands such as Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Government Issue, and Faith. These bands and their numerous counterparts, many of whose recordings were documented on Dischord Records, helped to shape the very definition of punk rock and hardcore, and lend influence and inspiration to this day. However, the fast and aggressive music they produced at the time was attracting an element of violence and intolerance to the venues these bands would play. White power skinhead groups were largely responsible for the unrest at DC punk venues. At one DC (WUST Radio Hall) Dead Kennedy’s show in 1985, a DK crew member was hit by a bottle thrown by a skinhead and later in the show Jello Biafra jumped out into the crowd and brawled with a skin that was causing trouble. Not coincidentally, the first song in their set was Nazi Punks Fuck Off.
In an effort to end the violence and take back the community that they had worked to create, the idea was launched to start bands that played a more melodic and mid-tempo type of music, and to focus on more introspective and emotional issues. In theory, this type of music would keep away the violent crowd and allow a more inclusive, artistic, and creative community to flourish. Thus, Revolution Summer was born.
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Influence
Revolution Summer, though short lived, helped redirect the energy of the DC scene and give it a sound to build on. In the years following, bands such as Fugazi, Soulside, Jawbox, and Shudder to Think would arise from this change of direction and expand upon its ideas.
It bears mentioning that the Revolution Summer bands are widely credited with starting the sub-genre of punk rock known as emo, by the time known as “emotional hardcore”. Certainly, this is a label that has been applied to these bands in retrospect and not something that they called themselves at the time or would likely associate themselves with presently.
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References in popular culture
There is a brief account of Revolution Summer in Michael Azerrad’s book Our Band Could Be Your Life (2001). The movement is also well documented in Dance Of Days by Mark Andersen and Mark Jenkins (2001). The significance of Revolution Summer is disputed — others beyond Andersen/Jenkins regarded it at the time as a small, cliquish, and incessantly self-promotional affair, and far from representative of a diverse and vibrant punk scene that went far beyond Dischord-centric hardcore.
Categories: Punk | Emo | Culture of Washington, D.C.
today we closed MIR. it was a great two years, but sometimes you just need to move onto the next adventure.
currently my top priority is making sure the incredibly talented staff i’ve had the pleasure to work with and build amazing things beside are transitioned into rewarding and challenging jobs. if you are hiring and want to bring on members of the team that helped make MIR what it was please email me at darrell.whitelaw@mir.mx and i can connect you with people in strategy, creative, and production.
We are hiring. We are always hiring. I thought i would take a moment and outline the real cost of adding employees at MIR, because i didn’t even believe it myself at first. Before we even deal with a dollar of payroll, overhead for space, desk, and even expenses related to business or the gadgets we have to regularly buy for the entire office (do you know how much handsets cost off contract?), there’s still a standard to be met to make sure that everyone is able to not only do their job, but do it well and comfortably.
15″ Macbook Pro – $2499.0024″ Apple Cinema Display – $899.00
27″ Apple Cinema Display – $999.00
Incase Sleeve – $49.99
Griffin Elevator – $39.99
Apple Magic Mouse – $69.99
Apple Bluetooth Keyboard – $69.99
Aeron Chair – $879.00
we bargain shop to the best of our abilities, but this is the reality of upfront costs. $4,706.00 before someone even sets foot in the door.
crazy.
this was the presentation brian jeremy and i gave to the class there. we followed torrence boone, he had so much great data and insight into all the tools that google gives advertisers that we may have been a bit underwhelming. felt like everyone had a good time though.
from my #btvsmb presentation.
MIR is staffing up for it’s second location right now. A few people have asked why at 10 people in NYC we are taking the risk on another location, so i figured i would make a bit of a statement about it even though it’s completely unnatural for me to talk about what we do at MIR.
1. this is about talent
we’re doubling our development workload monthly at this point, and to be honest, we’re just not finding the talent we need in NYC. don’t get me wrong, there are brilliant developers here and we’re hiring them when we can, but the reality is that the greater pool of talent is in northern california. we need a hub there to further recruit and grow our abilities as a top notch development shop. my logic is if you’re going to poach, poach from the people who invent the platforms you service.
2. this is about clients
we’re servicing more clients in san francisco, chicago, etc. these days and we need a stronger presence in these markets. i feel very strongly that the key to MIR operating as well as we do is the close proximity to our client agencies. some of us have keycards to the front doors of several of our agency partners (though we still can’t get on most of their WIFI’s). we want to make sure that we can service their needs to the best of our abilities, and that is done by having small localized units who can give that extra bit of attention to make sure the work comes out awesome.
3. this isn’t about relocation
MIR will always be HQ’d in NYC. we love it here, our core clients are here, and Adam Wohl loves the humidity. we plan to run all creative and strategy out of new york and make the focus of san francisco mobile development. we will still have front end mobile web, android, and iOS development in NYC, but plan to have SF put our nerd merit to shame.
i hope this answers even a few questions from people, you can follow @MIRsanfrancisco on twitter for hirings, announcements, and general awesomeness.
thanks for caring,
D.
a lot of people ask what exactly it is we do at MIR, especially because when people ask what i do i tend to tell them i’m unemployed. the truth is that even though we love our niche as a mobile and emerging platforms shop, we do a whole lot more. we’re responsible for a lot of strategic thinking for our clients (and have been since our third month in business) as well as overall creative for far more than just applications.
i’m talking about this right now because i’m finding myself doing lots of things i never imagined nor desired to do, and i’m finding myself liking doing them. these days i get to play in everything from overarching brand creative, to broadcast, to experiential pieces. it’s really making me broaden my horizons from the hardline digital creative i have always pegged myself as. i always had a mentality of do one thing and do it really well, your skillset is representative of you, but i’m finding more reasons to dabble in a few different areas.
the past year has seen me get the chance to really explore new areas, i hope the coming years let me keep doing that as well. if not there’s always a life blending scotch in the mountains waiting for me
i got this email a little over a year ago from someone who’s made great moves in their career and i have a personal respect for. it’s been sitting all this time so i figured i would share. it’s helped me make my way through the past year of running a small shop.
Stage 1. I have to figure out what is going on and learn from everybody I can.
Stage 2. I know as much about this shit as anybody else. They’re all making it up so I’m going to make my own shit up.
Stage 3. I don’t know anything either. But I know that I don’t know and that means I can always find my way.
there’s a stage 4 too, i think he may be on his way to finding it right now.
Posts
w/ steamed greens, stuffing, and cranberry. @sarahwhitelaw made the tofurky from scratch. a little powdered wheat gluten goes a long way.
Still not seeing how this is easier than sending an email.
And a #9.
Sent from my iPhone4. In the year 2012. [Please excuse any typos.]
Red peppers, fresh lobster, light mayo, hot sauce.
Splenda and skim.
Sent from my iPhone4. In the year 2012. [Please excuse any typos.]
Tofurkey empanadas w/ long grain rice stuffing and blue moon simmered carrots & apples.
Honey glazed.
With vegan whole wheat biscuits, and sucatash. All American dinner
An @chadxmerch favorite. Make sure to refrigerate the dough to get the best cookies out of it.
Baked polenta with baby bok choy, avocado, and a three pepper / pineapple / strawberry curry prepared with rice milk.
so i thought this would be a good use of the space. when i make something tasty, i'll share.
Gluten free / casein free cookies. I made carob chip and peanut butter that night. It was my first attempt baking GFCF, not sold 100% on brown rice flour, exploring other options next.
Pan fried tofu with brown rice, baby bok choy, and avocado. (Tapatio is a given)
Grilled ahi skewers with summer squash and yellow pepper topped with a habanero sauce. grilling, brussel sprouts, slaw and warm polenta courtesy of @philmang.
Profile
Summary
As Technology Experience Lead at co:collective, Darrell focuses on brand story and product development through a technical lens. This expertise is also applied to his work with Hyper Island as an educator with their executive education and long-term programs.
Prior to joining Co:, Darrell was the founding partner of MIR, a mobile and emerging platforms creative shop with studios in New York City and San Francisco, where he led creative on a variety of original mobile and social engagements for Fortune 100 brands before being acquired by LBi in 2011.
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clients: American Express, Microsoft, Bonnier, Cartier,Chase, Citi, Coca Cola Companies, Dannon, General Motors, Soyjoy, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Kraft Foods, Lexus, LG, Mattel, MLB, Nissan, Radio Shack, Sharp, Disney, Unilever, Time Warner, Playboy, VNS, Comcast, IASC, Al Foah Foods/UAE, Qwest.
agencies i've worked with: Ogilvy, BBDO, Razorfish, JWT, TBWA, DraftFCB, Publicis, Team One, Co:, AKQA, IMC2, RAPP, SS+K, MCD, Mr. Youth, Vitro, Y&R, Porter Novelli, Edelman.
Experience
- Aug 2011 - PresentTechnology Experience Lead / co:designing systems and experiences at the story-led innovation collective for the 21st century c-suite where my primary focus is brand story and product innovation.
- Jan 2011 - PresentEEP/LTP / Hyper Islandhelping professionals augment their skill sets globally to adapt and thrive in the changing times with the executive education program, while doing my best to be a resource for information and help with awesomeness to the long term program students in karlskrona and stockholm.
- Nov 2010 - Jul 2011Instructor / Miami Ad Schooli teach mobile concepting for 7th and 8th semester students, they learn about the tools at their disposal in the mobile space and the way to best use them to engage consumers and create products.
then i help them create awesome campaign pieces for their portfolios so they can get jobs that they won't hate. - Jun 2009 - Jul 2011Creative Director / MIRi was managing partner and creative director at MIR, a mobile and emerging platforms R&D house with offices in NYC and SF. my role was bridging the gaps between strategy, creative, and development in the mobile space for the advertising industry.
in my 26 months with MIR i was solely responsible for business development and overseeing technical creative output. successfully building a multi-million dollar business from scratch and expanding operations to both coasts before being acquired by LBi in 2011. - 2009 - 2009Senior Art Director / Interim Creative Director - Microsoft / Deep FocusHelped assemble the Microsoft Social Media team, led concepting and oversaw creation of next level engagement products that will help make a more social Microsoft.
- 1999 - 2003Art+Code / Freelance
Education
- Essex College
Additional Information
Posts
“therefore the only course left was revolution”
stop caring. space out for a few minutes.
hatebreed really is the wrong stuff to be playing at the office.
two for tuesday. or something.
in a suburban town with nothing to do, patiently waiting for something to happen.
speaking of smiths covers …
it was this or august in bethany … or zao.
Been on a KTD kick lately.
deadguy covering black flag? epic audio win.
“i’m done helping you apologize.”
Another record that is approaching old status.
Audio
Photos
Latest checkin
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@511 E20th Street @ PCV (511 E20th street)2 days ago in NY, NY
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Checkin history
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@511 E20th Street @ PCV (511 E20th street)2 days ago
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@Super Swarm Sunday (Where The Party's At)3 days ago
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@West Side Rifle & Pistol Range (20 West 20th St.)5 days ago
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@Rosa Mexicano (9 E 18th St)5 days ago
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@Rolex Watch USA Inc. (665 Fifth Ave)5 days ago
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@John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) (Van Wyck Expy. & JFK Expy.)9 days ago
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@Orlando International Airport (MCO) (1 Jeff Fuqua Boulevard)9 days ago
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@Walt Disney World Swan Resort (1200 Epcot Resorts Blvd)12 days ago
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@Orlando International Airport (MCO) (1 Jeff Fuqua Boulevard)12 days ago
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@John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) (Van Wyck Expy. & JFK Expy.)13 days ago
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@IAB Ad Lab #IABAdLab (116 E. 27th St.)2 weeks ago