Well, it’s 2012, folks. As we look back on 2011, aka The Year That Whizzed By, some of us at TCA wanted to share our most favoritest ads of the year with you. Spoiler: Google pretty much wins.

Jocelyn Rimbey, Digital Marketing Manager: If you don’t love Darth Vader Kid, you have a cold, cold heart.

Danielle Ali, Social Media Coordinator: I like this spot for the UK retailer John Lewis because it manages to be clever without being snarky, and touching without being cheesy – a big deal for a holiday ad. John Lewis sales were up £600million this holiday season, so I’d say it was a success.

Darren Easton, Vice President & Creative Director: My favorite print ad. Love it when one can dramatize an ad message so well that is based on a simple fact — which usually lends itself to a mundane execution.

Christina Drews-Leonard, Art Director & SEO Strategist: The Google+ Hangout Ad with the Muppets makes you wish more people were actually using this feature…

Tessa Carroll, Account Coordinator: I’m not sure what it is, whether it’s the relevance of the subject matter or the way it’s so eloquently put together, but the Google Chrome “It Gets Better” spot was definitely my favorite commercial of 2011.

Laura Farnham, Account Executive: What does chucking wood really mean? I like this commercial because its literal and makes me laugh every time… I like the little woodchuck hands too.

Anna Forbes, Account Executive: I don’t just love this because it’s a well executed spot that tells a story and made me super emotional. I love it because the “big bad Google,” was able to turn cold technology into the inspiring notion of how the digital world is part of who we are as people.

What was your favorite ad of 2011? Let us know here or on Twitter – there’s still room for honorable mentions!

One of our account executives took us back to the 90′s today by recounting, from memory, the original “Got Milk” commercial. She took us through, scene by scene. Turns out the ad – shot by Michael Bay (ever heard of the Transformers movie franchise?) – aired 18 years ago (back in a time when people actually paid attention to commercials on TV) and yet somehow, she was quick to describe everything little detail. Just shows the power and longevity that can come from a strong slogan, a dry peanut butter sandwich, and a sad, empty glass of milk.

The votes have been tallied and the results are official – The Baltimore ADDY winners have been declared!

We’re excited to announce that The Cyphers Agency’s hard work has won us the distinction of three ADDY awards from the American Advertising Federation Baltimore.  We received our trophies in categories that included “Out of Home” and “Public Service” advertising for work we did with Severn Savings Bank and The Chesapeake Bay Trust.  We couldn’t be more honored and proud of the work our team has done.

The awards ceremony will be held on April 14^th at the Sheraton Towson Hotel.  We’ll be in attendance – and you can bet that we’ll be ready to celebrate this honor.

“So how’s work?”

We all hear it all the time. It’s a reliable small-talk thing to say when you run into someone in a parking lot and feel obliged to make conversation so it doesn’t turn completely awkward.

My response is usually not far off from the above (awesome cartoon compliments of an agency favorite, Hyperbole and a Half). While I have been learning lots of cool stuff at The Cyphers Agency, I try to not talk people’s ears off about the advertising industry. Still, the truth is, sometimes you (if you are anything like me) just have to toot your own horn. So lately, when I’m asked, “How’s work?”, instead of a pat answer that hurries our obligatory small talk session along, I turn into That Girl who blabbers about her awesome job when you are just trying to do your grocery shopping.

I Have A Sweet Gig.

It’s just that there is so much awesome stuff happening right now. For example – you may recall that we launched the “I Love Chicken” contest a couple months ago. From my first day here, I hit the ground running to make this contest a success and create buzz for The National Chicken Council. Our work to promote the contest ran the gamut from Facebook fan page outreach to online public relations. The contest has really taken off – the videos that people are sharing have been seriously great! Check out all the hilarious videos, and vote for your favorite.

The Power of Word of Mouth

This just proved to me again how powerful word of mouth can be. While we do a lot of integrated marketing at The Cyphers Agency, our marketing efforts for the “I Love Chicken” contest took place entirely online. That approach turned out to be perfect for finding fans of chicken who were excited to create their own awesome content and share it online. I’ve been able to experience firsthand the fruits of good online marketing practices – if you have a product or brand people love, all you have to do is create an inviting platform for them to participate in it, and they will come. The “Pull” side of “Push-n-Pull”, if you will.

It really does feel great to see that your hard work on a campaign is paying off. It’s been hugely validating and gets me amped up about what we do here. Every time a new video rolls in, I feel like a proud parent, and so yes, that’s why I can’t shut up about it. So next time you run into me somewhere, you might want to avoid asking about work.

Our latest website launches are for two clients whose businesses focus on the needs of children.

The first, JumpBunch offers sports activities for children from preschool through school age in the United States and internationally. Their activities are offered in schools, camps and birthday parties. Their new website brings into focus all of the different ages they serve and highlights the benefits they offer to children.

The second, The Young School, is a private preschool with several Maryland locations. Their educational philosophy promotes child directed exploration, teacher learning and parents as partners. They use Resources for Infant Educarers (RIE) and Reggio Emilia curriculum in a cottage environment inspired by home and nature. Their new website allows them to showcase how this defines them from other preschools and infant care centers.