Working on a brand like Dos Equis is an amazing experience. We’ve all worked on countless projects that we wish were more interesting. More often, we’re driven crazy by the fact that our most interesting ideas are watered down or eliminated simply for being different. That all changes when you work on a brand that has the balls to define itself as “The Most Interesting in the World.”

I’m proud to be surrounded by a collection of fearless people and I’m incredibly fortunate to lead a small group of them. Collectively, we’ve managed to do some things that are pretty damn “interesting.”

Here’s a few of our latest campaigns…

Feast of the Brave Taco Truck - http://www.psfk.com/2011/05/dos-equis-bizarre-food-truck-hits-the-streets-of-nyc.html/

• We created a Cinco De Mayo spectacle by launching a food truck on the streets of NYC. The truck distributed free “interesting” tacos including, cricket, brain, ostrich, and cow tongue. Consumers kept up with the truck through the @FeastoftheBrave Twitter handle and Facebook tab providing them the chance to share the experience and invite others to join. Marketing metrics aside (they were good), easily the best part of the campaign was seeing the crowds form and excitement build as the truck pulled up to its location. The Word of Mouth generated was more gratifying and a better benchmark than any traditional marketing measurement.

The Most Interesting Toast in the World - http://staythirstymyfriends.com/

• Who doesn’t want to toast alongside “The Most Interesting Man in the World?” That’s what we thought when we developed the idea for the “Most Interesting Toast in the World.” The concept is simple - create an online, interactive, ongoing toast celebrating all that is worthy of being toasted. The site was just launched and we’re excited to see the momentum build in the coming weeks and months.

Was very excited this morning to see a Word of Mouth campaign I developed with the incredibly talented folks at Park&Co, featured on Andy Sernovitz’s, “Damn I Wish” blog.

I’ve always been a huge admirer of Andy and his passion for WOM so to be recognized on his own platform feels like quite an honor.

However, beyond any recognition what is most gratifying is the evidence that the campaign worked. As Andy states, “This simple, elegant, inexpensive campaign was so remarkable that I told everyone I saw, for weeks. I showed the box to everyone who came to my office.”

Truly gratifying and as he did with the box, I’ll tell people about this post for weeks to come.

We recently surpassed six months in New York City after relocating from Phoenix. It seems like just yesterday we stepped out of JFK with nothing but a few suit cases and no clue where we were going.

Since that time we’ve managed to find jobs, a place to live, a few friends, and something that sort of resembles a real life. But here’s the thing about this city… You’re never completely comfortable. Seven months ago we were in Phoenix surrounded by people and places we loved. We knew every inch of the city including the best places to eat, drink, learn and hang out. Now we’re constantly lost, forever lugging heavy shit for blocks down crowded streets, getting cold, and fighting for spots on stuffy subway trains. And you know what? It’s perfect.

Being slightly uncomfortable and confused leads to incredible bouts of appreciation and creativity. Like everyone else in this City we fight to earn our spot whether that’s on a train, in a tiny cubicle or a cramped apartment. But now, nearly seven months later, we have spaces to call our own in the biggest and best city in the world and we’re far better, more understanding, diverse, and appreciative for it.

Beyond that, I’d like to share a few observations about the one and only New York City:

• People love to work. Actually, they don’t really like to work they just like to act like they like to work. It’s almost as though residents of NYC believe that to live in such an amazing place they must first punish themselves before enjoying the fruits of their surroundings. This masochistic lifestyle means early mornings, late nights, no lunches, few words, constant typing.
• New York LOVES PowerPoint. It’s amazing. PP is the default communication device for literally everything from new business presentations to apartment welcome kits. It’s puzzling. This loathsome and horribly inefficient program is everywhere, like hot dogs.
• WIZ. Courtesy of my wife for this astute and true observation. Simply stated, assume everything wet on the ground is urine. Doesn’t matter where, how large, human or animal - if it’s wet, it’s wiz.
• People are ALWAYS on vacation. Thus far my one complaint about this city is that people are always fucking on vacation. ALWAYS. It used to be in Phoenix that when I went outside I could at least empathize with the other poor bastard walking around trying to get out of the office for a few spare moments. Now, more than half the people I see as I duck out of the office are tourists. There they are, happy as clams, heads and cameras titled up, getting in everyone’s way. You always hear New Yorker’s gripe about tourists and I finally learned that it’s not about them getting in the way or clogging up the streets. New Yorkers are pissed because they’re jealous. We’re constantly reminded about what we’re missing while in our offices by looking at the amazed faces of those constantly around us.
• It’s beautiful here. Concrete jungle my ass. This is the most awe strikingly beautiful place I’ve ever seen. From the architecture, to the landscapes, to the magic of Central Park, to the people and everything else that gives the city its makeup, it is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been. This coming from a guy born and raised in Orange County, CA and the deserts of Phoenix. It’s the thing I expected least but appreciate the most. Finding beauty in this city is as easy as yes, finding a hot dog (or a puddle of wiz).

A few months ago I relocated to New York City from Phoenix. Of course, to make that happen I needed to find a job. But this was an adventure that required much more than “a job.” I’m a passionate guy that was hell-bent on finding an opportunity that meshed with that passion. This was incredibly hard work.

Each night I would return home from working a full day and get right to work making contacts and connections in New York. Very little of my time was actually spent on job boards. I was committed to only reaching out to organizations that share my passions and have developed the kind of culture I’m looking for, even if they weren’t hiring. It was like attending school after work, only worse. It was often frustrating, rarely gratifying, and always exhausting.

Throughout the process I received a lot of advice, much of it insightful and helpful, some not. One thing that’s regularly discussed is creating your own “brand.” Something that gives an organization a glimpse into your background, experience and outlook beyond the traditional materials. It’s something I’ve worked hard to craft. But throughout the process I was reminded that even as the job seeker, the power of brands works both ways.

In my search I looked at every nuance, read every article, and explored every department. In essence, I explored their brand the same way they would mine. Yet just as something can instantly disqualify me, it did for them too.

For example, while still in Phoenix I had an interview scheduled with a prominent NYC marketing company. It was an introductory interview with an HR representative simply to get to know each other rather than to discuss a specific opening. Becoming familiar with the organiztion was as important to me as them.

The call was to happen at an agreed upon time where I would call. So I called. No answer. I waited a few minutes, called again, left a message and waited for a response. Nothing. No big deal. Surely something came up that was far more important than my introductory interview. So I sent an email expressing those sentiments. Nothing. A week later I emailed and called a couple more times, reached out on Twitter (which is active by the way) and still no response. Nothing. Not even a “leave us alone we’re no longer interested.” So what does that say about your brand?

What it says to me, the hungry yet strategic (and valuable) job hunter, is that your company is no longer a place I’d like to work. That’s not how I do business and if that’s how you do business than we’re not the match I thought. Is this actually what the company is all about? Probably not. But it goes to show the power one person can have on your brand.

The worst part is that great organizations who treat people this way are probably missing out on great talent. There’s no sour grapes here - I’m fine and have since found a perfect situation. But this, like everything else in this journey, has been a powerful lesson that I’ll take with me the rest of my life.

It’s Social Media Day today! A day for marketers everywhere to revel in the industry that made us all experts. I’m so excited that I’m going to carve out an extra hour to read through the same article written a hundred different ways. Can somebody point to the best “Top Ten Ways to Celebrate Social Media Day” post?

Picking up the sarcasm? I hope so because the last thing this industry needs is another reason to celebrate itself. It’s what we do better than any group outside of politicians or NBA free agents.

Unfortunately, this day will be spent by the social media crowd pimping things as opposed to working together to better the industry. A quick search of the Twitter hashtag “#smday” proves this point.

My wish for “Social Media Day?” Instead of individually and organizationally celebrating our excellence, we collectively gather to admit how little we actually understand about the “social” part of our jobs.

All of us in this industry have proven how hard we’re willing to work to carve our niche. If we worked that hard to actually be social in our efforts we’d accomplish incredible things that better the marketing experience from client to organization to consumer.

Mashable defines “Social Media Day” as “a day to celebrate the revolution of media becoming social.” Next year, to make good on that definition, “Social Media Day” should be about celebrating specific campaigns or efforts that demonstrate their social success. Instead of today which is just another opportunity for us to claim our expertise. We have enough of that already. 365 days in fact.