By Lane Casteix
Okay, it’s now mid-January and no pics of the new office yet! So, you expected everything to go as planned? – Like I did? We are almost there! Some stuff was damaged in shipping and some stuff is back-ordered. Soon! -I hope!
By Lane Casteix
Have I shown you a picture of my granddaughter? Here she is! Haley Winters Casteix, born 10 Jan 07, 6lbs 8ozs, 18.75 inches. Son Ryan, daughter-in-law Cherie, and Haley are doing well. This grandfather stuff is sooo cool!
By Lane Casteix
The year 2006 will go down in our history and our memory. Yes, 2005 was a big deal because of Katrina but 2006 will be remembered in a big way.
In January we got back into our renovated offices, albeit we used folding tables and cheap office chairs, in which the foam quickly collapsed into nothingness, leaving sore backsides at the end of the day. We kind of got used to the openness of the gutted office, and the new furniture and panel walls delivered in late December almost seemed to close the place in.
Business was brisk last year! That is a very good thing! We started with average sales, but it picked up quickly and never let up. We ended the year with our gross sales nearly double that of 2005. True, 2005 with Katrina was a bad year for sales, but even with that baseline, to nearly double it...?! I'm impressed with what the team did with such minimum resources! (They did so well, I considered keeping the folding tables so as not to break the "spell.")
The successful year and the new furniture coming at the end kind of capped off everything and helped build morale. The two coming together said with finality that SPAR was still very much alive and would remain a viable entity for years to come. That was reassuring, considering only sixteen months before with flooded offices and disrupted business, things weren't so certain.
We are ready for another fifty years now!
By Lane Casteix
One thing we learned from the Katrina experience is we had to get all important files off site, preferably out of Louisiana. The solution ended up being an online service.
We created Project Center and put all our active job files on a secure server online, which allowed us to move our job traffic system outside the flood zone. And since it is accessible using a simple web browser, all we need are our computers and web access to get into the system and go to work. That means just about anywhere!
Each SPARtian has a portable computer and his/her own evacuation kit with a list of what must go with them. We all have little portable offices in a plastic tub with a lid. "Don't leave home without them!" If we ever have to leave this place in a hurry again (God forbid!), it doesn't matter where we end up; just set up the computer, get online, login, and go back to work.
And for those clients who want it, they can also have secure access to their own projects. Once inside SPAR's Project Center they can monitor progress of the job and communicate with the SPAR team assigned to the job. They can even create tasks for themselves or other team members or upload/download important job related files. Everything entered there, be it note, file, creative brief, etc., becomes permanently attached to the project for future reference.
And it is easy to access. All you have to do is land on the SPAR web site and click on the "Project Center" link found on every page. (There is a link on the lower left hand side of this page.) Those links open the login window that takes you directly into the online system. You must have an assigned username and a password to get in. If you want to participate in the system just speak to me or your account executive about access privileges.
Welcome to the New SPAR!
by Keith C. Maresma
The infamous date of August 29, 2005 changed so many lives in the city of New Orleans. Thousands of individuals, businesses, and teams were affected. Although many people were affected by the devastation, most had a different story to tell. But, there were some stories that were eerily similar…
On that fateful day, SPAR’s offices were destroyed when 12 inches of Katrina floodwater ravaged through, and then rested in our building for over a week.
That same Katrina floodwater damaged the Louisiana Superdome, as well as The New Orleans Saints practice facility.
Employees of SPAR fled to various parts of the U.S.. We worked from those distant cities for a month, finally returning home and working from our new “Home-Satellite” offices.
At the same time, with the Louisiana Superdome under construction, the vagabond New Orleans Saints moved their organization temporarily to Texas, and played their “home” games on the road.
Right after the storm, SPAR, Inc. lost some business from a few long-time clients.
The Saints complained about conditions in Texas and completed a depressing 3 win, 13 loss season.
In the beginning of 2006, we moved back into our repaired office building without the luxury of furniture. We kept pushing our new business efforts forward and landed a few promising new clients who immediately injected a newfound enthusiasm, as well as needed business, into the organization. At the end of 2006, SPAR had increased its business to well above pre-Katrina numbers marking one of the biggest turnarounds in company history.
At the same time, the Saints hired promising new head coach Sean Payton, who made one of the biggest off-season free agent acquisitions in franchise history (see: Drew Brees). Couple that with a fruitful draft (translation: Reggie Bush, and others), and the organization was also injected with a newfound enthusiasm. This newly inspired team steamrolled throughout the 2006 season finishing with a 10 – 6 record, and tops of their division. They set a record for the biggest franchise turnaround in NFL history.
The beginning of 2007 saw the continued success of SPAR, as the steady stream of business continued to flow through the shop.
The Saints continued their success by defeating the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the playoffs. Though they lost the NFC Championship game, there is still a renewed confidence heading into spring training and continuing into the 2007 season. For the first time in franchise history, there is a waiting list for season tickets.
Both organizations had very similar stories since Hurrican Katrina hit. And, it seems as though SPAR, as well as the Saints, are riding a wonderful wave of success. Both are looking forward to riding that success through 2007 and beyond.
We’re confident that SPAR will do its part. Let’s hope that the Saints can keep up!
by Keith C. Maresma
A current trend in advertising has been to let the consumer film the company’s TV spot. Some companies have taken it a bit further: they are letting their consumers film their Super Bowl spot.
And then there’s JP.
JP just wanted to propose to his girlfriend. On national TV. During the Super Bowl.
Easier said than done. Not only would JP (the alias he must go by until February 4th) have to raise money to produce the spot, but he would also have to raise the $2.5 million to run the spot during the big game.
So, he did what any person would do: he started a website in hopes to tell his story and raise money to buy a :30 spot. The website generated some buzz, which in turn lead to a small start-up production company offering their services for free in hopes that this buzz would translate into recognition of their new business.
Not only has JP generated buzz on his website, but he has completed several radio interviews, and has even appeared on Entertainment Tonight.
So far, the spot has been produced and $85,000 has been raised toward buying the airtime. Unfortunately for JP, all of the Super Bowl airtime has been purchased. JP then made a commitment to donate all of the funds to the Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital.
JP has not given up his dream, and is still holding out hope that one of the big companies who have Super Bowl airtime will donate their time and sponsor his proposal.
All of this seems like a long-shot, but JP is determined to make it happen. With all of the efforts from family, friends, and sponsors, JP better hope that his girlfriend says “yes.”
