8:37 1st Meetings underway

Well, we made it! Our first set of meeting are currently underway! Everything got done without a panic (except for Derek’s encounter with the copy machine) including cleaning up the kitchen, studio and conference room all before anyone showed up.

Holy crap. It’s almost 7am.

If any of you decided to give up a lovely night’s sleep to keep track of us, sorry to disappoint. We can’t believe it’s almost 7 and we haven’t had time to blog. We’re fast approaching 24 hours on the job. Yep, we all worked straight through… still finishing up… the clients will start arriving in about an hour and a half. Yikes!

11:30pm the sweets have come out.

The sweets and caffiene are in full effect and we are all going strong from our energizing massages and acupuncture.

We are checking things off left and right and we may actually get to have a bit of a nap in tonight.

5 1/2 logos done

3 partial done websites

1/2 of a brochure designed

1 business card

1 envelope

1 letterhead

and a bunch of copy that keeps on coming.

Now off to find a font to go with our 1/2 logo!

jessica mahoney, production manager

If it’s 10pm, must be time for trifle.

From Jean Giguere, director of accounts, 10:53pm

A huge thank you to the Days, Jen’s mom & dad, for bringing by an unbelievable trifle (see below), protein-laden hummus and baba ganoush, and for introducing us to the marvelously tasty treat that is marinated cheese.

Okay, so tonight isn’t ALL about food. We are cranking on our projects… so far we have 3 logos designed, copy written for 3 brochures, 2 websites well under way, and well, a bunch of other stuff too.

heading into hour eight

from jenday, account coordinator, 7:50pm

I can’t believe how dark out it is and it’s not even 8 ‘o clock yet!
everyone is still going strong – and the acupuncturist & massage therapist from Body Wellness Center in Sturbridge have just arrived. Very cool of them to donate their services to us! I’m quite nervous to try acupuncture for the first time (so I made someone else go first as the guinea pig). But if it is going to help keep me going through the night I’m in.  I am hoping my latenights/allnighters in college have trained me enough to not have too much trouble surviving my first CreateAthon… but the night is.. young, so we shall see!
Okay, it’s my turn – wish me luck =]

More sustenance

From Jean Giguere, director of accounts, 7:13pm

The team just finished a delicious meal from Giovanello’s Italian Market. Yum.

We also got some comic inspiration from the amazing Tina Fey/Amy Poehler Palin/Clinton sketch. This year’s cowbell.

Thanks to all our generous pals!

From Chris Tieri, Creative Director

We wanted to thank all of our friends who have come in to help. We don’t have a picture of our friend Sally from Artisan Communications, but she is burning up the keyboards out in Portland, Oregon. Thanks Sally!

Mitch Cohen of Proactive Interactive on the keyboards!

Pete Grace from Hampden Savings takes on his first project.

Rebecca & Kim of Smith writing double team the InterLakes Senior Center project.

5:15pm and in full swing

Direction being executed

The Studio is Buzzing

posted by: Jessica Mahoney, Production Manager

Our cheery volunteers are rolling in and ready to work. We have 2 logos done, copy being worked on, websites starting, concepts and layouts being discussed.

Kitty & pizza

From Jean Giguere, director of accounts, 4:12pm:

Those of you who kept track of us last year know that we had a very special visitor. She has joined us again this year… and we all appreciate her calming presence! Meet Kitty, the 110-lb. dog.

And her mom — she’s the one in the back enjoying pizza.

the M&Ms are out and we are under way.

From Chris Tieri, Creative Director:

Along with the great staff volunteers from smith&jones (Derek, Jen, Jen, Jess, Bert, Kris, Jean and Chris), we’ve got Mitch Cohen in the house to help out with some of our web projects today. The whole event got kicked off at noon with a little help from a big pizza and a couple bags of M&Ms. We’ve got logos going, we’ve got websites going, we’ve got brochures being written and we’re all buzzing around like busy bees (fast forward 12 hours, and I think we’ll be humming around like sleepy bees).

Make sure to check in often to see what’s up!

The day has arrived!

From Jean Giguere, director of accounts, 10:14am:

Creative briefs have been written, snacks have been bought, jobs are lined up — we’re ready to go. We’ve had kick-off meetings and our talented team is hard at work already on the many projects we have on our slate this year. Let the games begin!

So, there is no sleep to be had.

From Chris Tieri, CD.

It’s that time of night when everyone who thought they might be going home, or even going to take a nap, realize that no one is going anywhere! While the projects are getting finished, there are still plenty more to go!

Dennis, still writing, editing and smiling.

Jen brought her pillow and actually thought she might catch some shut eye. HA! Must be her first year at CreateAthon.

Bert sports his favorite drink – Mountain Dew!

Kris & Jess know where to hang out.

Derek ain’t getting any sleep this year!