It could have just been another task on a lengthy to-do list:
Figure out how to maximize space in the office building of a company that, well, attaches sentimental value to inanimate objects (read: we hold on to a lot of our work).
Being a custom media company – one that produces magazines, marketing collateral, and everything in between – space is at a premium.
And having rebranded recently (changing our name from The Magazine Group to TMG), there was a need to be out with the old and in with the new.
We needed to clean house.
This could have been boring. This could have been monotonous.
But creative people don’t let that happen.
Creative people have fun with their jobs.
Email 1
Subject Line: The Magazine Group boxes FREE THIS WEEK ONLY!
From: Tommy D.
To: TMG Staff
Message: I’m here with this special offer. I’m giving away these nifty “The Magazine Group” media kit boxes this week on the 8th floor. (See attached picture! [above]) They’re sleek, stylish, versatile and make great father’s day gifts! You can put files in them, you can put magazines in them, you can pot plants in them for all I care. Get them this week only outside the storage room on the 8th floor, they will be recycled Friday!
They can’t help it. It’s in their genes. “Ordinary” doesn’t exist for creative people unless it has “extra” at the beginning.
Email 2
Subject Line: Red box behavioral issues remedied, last day to get them TODAY!
From: Tommy D.
To: TMG Staff
Message: Some of you have expressed concern with receiving ill-tempered red boxes. I have since taken care of these issues, as the pictures show. There are still a few boxes to be adopted, waiting patiently on the 8th floor outside the storage room between the kitchen and the media room. Be sure to rescue them and take them home to your family… Or put faces on them and make them speak with accents! All unadopted boxes will be sentenced to recycling at the end of the day TODAY.
They do work with style. They do it with flair. And they make people smile along the way.
Oh yeah, and they still get the job done.
They just didn’t make it seem like work.
UPDATE: All the red boxes have been adopted.
If you liked this, try:
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
This made me laugh out loud – love the changing faces. I want to add that this kind of email is also bred out of a good work culture… I love that you put creativity first.
Marketing genius. Somebody give this kid a job.
Oh, you already did? Good thinking.
Hilarious! Those boxes deserve raises for being so funny. That guy deserves a demotion for box cruelty.
It’s official. I want to work at Tmg.
This reminds me of the story of Tom Sawyer painting the fence (i think that’s what I’m thinking of). He made it into this “fun” thing that all the neighborhood kids wanted to do. He made them all want to take the paintbrush and paint a fence and they ended up doing the work for him.
You are too cool even for yourself
Way to keep those boxes in check!
T
What about the time it took to get this done?
That’s funny and all, but how did you get that halo to hover so proper like that?
J.—All on my own time, and Rachel—I used floral wire to hold it there for the picture, then I Photoshopped it out.
@Krystle: You bring up a good point: the environment in which you work can make or break this approach. I guess it’s all about context of the situation. In some work cultures this might not have worked. But I’d argue that those types of cultures don’t attract creative people. Do you agree?
@Cagey B: Seat’s taken.
@Sucktackular: On the contrary: he brought out the inner performing artist in each of them. They owe him royalty payments on future show business earnings.
@bill: We’ll, we’re hiring. < / shameless plug>
@Beta Male: Nice pull. You’re definitely right. Is this what you’re talking about?
@Trish: It’s a tough job, right? But somebody has to do it!
This is so you it is frightening. Never did I expect anything less!
I knew I had a gene or two missing. Bless you, Tiny Tim!
Hey, I remember those boxes! (former TMG’er here.) Super duper inventive, and resourceful, with a huge dose of cleverness thrown in. I’d expect nothing less from you guys…