One of my favorite things about getting a day off is spending more time with Nicolas. Djoahn had work today so it was more father-son time for us. This has to be one of my most memorable one’s yet. He’s almost two so he can’t quite speak full words but this is an indication he’s getting there. We were eating snacks at my old college “dining table” and I caught him doing this: I was dying because he was cracking himself up. Even funnier, I’ve been told I tend to laugh at my own corny jokes. I guess the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.

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Hey Mikey Show crew,

I enjoy your show so much everyday I feel like I owe you. The best I can offer as a creative in advertising are some possible logos, a tagline for the nation and one of many fun shirt designs to come. I had nothing but fun putting this together and there are no obligations, I just want to share these with you. If you want to use any of them, holler at me and I’ll get you the native design files, all I ask for in return is a shout out and more appearances by Dave Matthews and Jersey Girl. Maybe those two should have a conversation.

Tagline

One of my favorite things to do when copywriting is coming up with taglines. I’m not sure if the M1 Nation needs one but I felt the need to write one. Everyone has one but only good one’s work with that specific “product” and can’t be transferred. Examples: “Wells Fargo, The Next Stage”, “Yellow Pages, Let your fingers do the walking”, “Las Vegas, What happens here stays here.” So with that I came up with “Rise Up” for the M1 Nation. It has a double meaning; one for the fact we do get up in the mornings to listen and the second reinforces the whole group-uprising-rebilish-side of the community. Another thing about copywriting, it either hits or misses, because of that you have to have thick skin and learn. So if you don’t dig it I won’t take any offense

Logos

This first one is my favorite. I can see many options for the “M1 Nation” mark to be on one side of a shirt like dead center on the chest and the “Rise Up” on maybe the sleeve.

The second design is one of my first sketches and like any creative idea it may not be the best but you have to get it on paper to make sure. It still has a place in my heart because of it’s typographical play but I feel the first design does everything I wanted this to do but better.

This last sketch was me trying to force something I saw when I would make a #1 with my hand. The three fingers form an “M” while the pointer finger follows with a “1″. It might fail as a graphic design but it can be a symbol when we gather to see you guys.

Finally, just for shiggles I made this silly shirt idea for this last week’s inside jokes for Sienna. Pretty self-explanitory. Hope you enjoy these as much as I enjoy your show. I don’t have work on Monday but will “Rise Up” to catch it.

Sincerely,
M1 12-7

Click left image to see full holiday card
We’re going on 10 years now making our own holiday cards. These last two Decembers have been easier with Nicolas as inspiration but with our obsession with the T.V. show Glee, we had to combine the two. The hardest part of the shoot wasn’t setting up in the garage but getting Nico to stand on the mark and make the “L” with his hand towards the camera.

The bonus photo below with Santa is from the local mall. We knew he wouldn’t stand for any of it. While the photographer was trying to get him to smile we told her to just shoot him crying. I’m sure he’ll enjoy it when I show his future girlfriend(s)/wife.