A couple weeks ago I was randomly inspired to do something kind for my fellow colleagues. Not having any actual hypothesis in mind, I referred to it as a “social experiment”, hoping it would yield some sort of result or impact – and that it did.

I filled a small white bowl from our kitchen with jujubes and placed it at the end of my desk. I felt good about it. As people started coming into my office, they would notice the candy, be pleasantly surprised and indulge.  Making them happy, made me even happier and gave me incentive to continue to fill up my bowl (at this point, the bowl was being emptied after about 5 – 6 hours).

People were showing up in my office for no apparent reason, making up all kinds of excuses to be there, all the while, feeding like vultures from the bowl.  In true Pavlovian fashion, the mere sound of a bag opening or treats filling up the bowl, would create a response from the team (at this point the bowl was being emptied after about 2 – 3 hours).

The happier people were, the more excited I was to go out of my way to get more rubbery-textured confectioneries into that bowl the next day. Every day I would fill the bowl with something different – jujubes, pistachios, Clodhoppers, chocolate covered almonds, swedish berries, M&M’s (by the time the M&M’s hit the bowl, it took 20 minutes to empty).

Then, somewhere between the chocolate covered almonds and swedish berries, something started to happen. People started verbalizing preferences and complaining. Several “facts” about free candy and nuts began to emerge; apparently pistachios are “too much work” and chocolate covered almonds are “boring”. The more complaints I received, the less incentive I felt to fill up that stupid little white bowl.

As I stopped filling it up, the expectation for the candy became apparent. People were actually getting upset that there wasn’t anything in the bowl.

“Oh, the bowl is empty again?”
“Where the f&*% is the candy??”
“I’m not very happy about this empty candy bowl situation.”

In hopes of cutting down on the comments, I ended up taking the bowl out of my office altogether.

So, my theory is this – the candy bowl is just like life:

Unexpected pleasantries = satisfaction
Expected pleasantries = dissatisfaction

So the next time life hands you a gummie bear, just eat the friggin’ thing and be happy!

Have you ever wondered what 76design would do if there were no rules? no boundaries? Nothing in the way? What would we come up with? Would it be capable of flying? Would the result rival silly putty on the coolness scale? or perhaps pogs?

Well we wondered. We decided to take the first step towards answering that question with the first ever 76design Aural Design Poster showdown.

here is a snippet of the original project brief

“Take a Song, Listen to it, Design!…” “…Pitcher of booze for non-delivery is standard penalty.”

But where to begin? What song would provide suitable poster fodder? Well, according to one Steve Lounsbury, Brain of J by Pearl Jam would do the trick. And by golly – I dare say he was right. Well done Steve old chum.

Sure, its a “design” project…but this project was not meant for designers alone. No, this project was for all. Designers, developers, account managers, and project managers alike. With only a few abstaining from participation (and 1 poor sap that failed to meet the 2 week deadline) it was a full team endeavour. Fun? Probably. The results? You be the judge.

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And 2 of our developers took the opportunity to create their submissions in processing – 1 of whom also decided to give us a glimpse at “the making of”. Enjoy.

Conair Consumer Products Inc. (with our assistance) has recently released its newest product with a contest micro-site, driving its line of hair related products to a whole new level.

Conair, Helps You Tame The Beast

For all you lovely ladies out there who can’t seem to take control of that beast we all call “hair”, I introduce to you the Infiniti Nano Silver by Conair. Simply put, it is the #1 most effective hair straightener on the market. The person who thought of adding steam to a hair straightener is an absolute genius. Not only does it make your hair look vibrant and lustrous, removes all frizz and protects it from the humidity, it takes no time at all. Take my words and check out the website to see what other features and benefits this product has to offer, www.conairsteamstraight.com.

Aside from my obsession with this fabulous “life-saver”, you deserve a little S.O.S. too. The “Tame the Beast” website, was a concept conceived by Conair and 76design/Thornley Fallis. It is your gateway to owning one of these magnificent hair straighteners along with other Conair and John Frieda hair related products. The contest closes on December 17th so don’t wait too long, visit the site, watch some videos, enter the contest and most important…don’t forget to tell your friends. The secret needs to be unleashed so go spread the word.

ENJOY!

I am very excited to announce that the 76design and Thornley Fallis family has grown…yet again! Emmitt Franklin Tackaberry will be leading our new infant/toddler/youth division. His arrival on October 27, 2008 at 5:15 pm made it a little late in the day for his employee orientation, however we expect young Emmitt to be put to work in the very near future.

Father Brett, and mother Anne are in fine form and deeply proud that their little bundle will be an instant contributor at the office — once he is completely adjusted from his first 9 months of living in a sac of fluid and amino acids.

Well done Brett, Anne and Emmitt, y’all done good.

It is widely known that across the universe, the unofficial 5^th season is Construction Season. Which beat out Wabbit Season about 12 years ago.

Currently, when downtown you couldn’t spit without hitting a labourer or an asphalt roller. Summer construction may mean many things to different people. To some it may say that there’s growth and expansion happening. Others may connect it with an outdated infrastructure that badly needs revitalization. Regardless, we thought why not bring the experience in full “Imax-esque” glory right up into our collective grills.

Our office construction season kick-offed this past Tuesday, and it is scheduled to run to the end of the month. That means wall to wall action of drywall and reciprocating saws in HD! The image attached gives you a small glimpse of the added space coming our way. What you don’t see, is that there’s a mass of 20 people working diligently behind the camera trying their darnedest to ignore the cacophony of power tools behind those flimsy plastic drop sheets.

Personally, my annoyance has been slightly subsided since it gave me an opportunity to use the most awesome animated gif up top. Look at those little dudes diggin’ away.

To our clients, I say this to you: Service will not be interrupted throughout the entire reno process. That’s our 76satisfaction guarantee.

Interesting fun fact: alcohol consumption rose 30% in the past 2 days.

OK-OK, I hear you loud and clear blogoshpere. It has been 2(+) weeks since the inaugural post for the much celebrated, the much vaunted 76 Top Five, and the response has been boggling to the mind.

Let’s keep this congo line going, I give you…El videos de musica!

**Please note the low turnout this week, I am looking at you southern-end of the office.**

John:

1. Bjork – “Cocoon”
2. Bjork – “Pagan Poetry”
3. Martha and the Muffins – “Echo Beach”
4. Bran Van 3000 – “Astounded”
5. Johnny Cash – “Hurt”

Steve Bennett:

1. Unkle – “Rabbits inYour Headlights”
2. Radiohead – “Just”
3. Tool – “Aenima”
4. Squarepusher – “Come on my Selector”
5. Michael Jackson – “Thriller”

Julie:

1. Radiohead – “Just”
2. Björk – “All is Full of Love”
3. Pet Shop Boys – “Being Boring”
4. Røyksopp – “Remind Me”
5. Men Without Hats – “Safety Dance”

Rob:

1. The White Stripes – “Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground”
2. Beck – “Sexx Laws”
3. Radiohead – “Paranoid Android”
4. New Pornographers – “My Slow Descent Into”
5. Tool – “Sober”

Travis:

1. Tool – “Prison Sex”
2. Death Cab for Cutie – “Title and Registration”
3. Foo Fighters – “Everlong”
4. Metallica – “One”
5. Queens of the Stone Age – “Go with the Flow”

Dom:

1. Billy Ocean – “Loverboy”
2. Beastie Boys – “Sabotage”
3. Radiohead – “Like Spinning Plates”
4. Justice – “D.A.N.C.E.”
5. Røyksopp – “Poor Leno”