I have been studying JavaScript a bit lately and thought I would take some time to post on the power of prototype-based programming. JavaScript is an object-oriented language, but uses prototypes rather than classes to achieve this. It can be a little confusing for those coming from a traditional objected-oriented language and many JavaScript frameworks offer more familiar interfaces for dealing with the difference.
To demonstrate some of the interesting aspects of prototype-based programming in JavaScript, I thought I would create implementations of three well known data structures: stacks, queues, and deques.
A stack is a LIFO (last in first out) data structure where elements are added and removed from the top.
A queue is a FIFO (first in first out) data structure where elements are added to the back and removed from the front. The queues functionality for adding and removing items is different than a stack’s, but the functionality for resetting and checking to see if it is empty are the same, so I was able to copy the methods from the stack implementation right over. The scope of the methods change when used in this context, so the this.items and this.length now refer to the queue’s properties rather than the stack’s.
A deque is a combination of a stack and a queue. Elements may be added and removed from either the front or back of the data structure. Since this data structure’s functionality is fully implemented by the stack and queue code above, I was able to simple “inherit” the methods from these data structures and not worry about creating any new code.
If you are like me, JavaScript seemed like a quirky language that was hard to use and understand and was only useful for some client-side processing on web pages. The trend in perception has been slowly changing over the past few years thanks to web applications that rely heavily on JavaScript for functionality and now new server side software like CouchDB and Node.js that use JavaScript on the server (CouchDB using SpiderMonkey for views and Node.js using Google’s V8 to provide an evented framework for building web applications in JavaScript.)
So now that we’ve completed the newly redesigned website for Southern Pest Control, we can use it as a “what not to do” case study. We aren’t poking fun at our client, but would like to make a valid point in why most businesses should take the time and revisit their websites. From our experience, small businesses have a hard time understanding the importance of investing in a professional, well functioning website. It may seem like an overwhelming project, but from a business perspective, it could mean the difference between survival. The days of doing it yourself may be over if you want potential clients to reach out to you. So forget what your mother told you, looks (along with brains) do matter.
Southern Pest Control and its sister company Sovereign Pest Control provide quality termite and pest control services to over 27,000 homeowners in Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, and Texas each year. When they approached us a few months ago, we were surprised to discover how big they really were as far as customer base. The reality is that all we had to go on before our kick-off meeting was their website.
They compete with some of the nationally-recognized pest control companies and desperately needed a makeover. We delivered them a clean, easy-to-navigate site that will help them retain their current customers and welcome new ones.
www.southernpestcontrol.com
This month we launched a cosmetic redesign for a Richmond based children’s hospice service, Noah’s Children. Subtlety was key here with this very sensitive topic, and our hats go off here at Launch to those who professions touch people so personally as hospice care does.
I recently saw the film Art & Copy, and thought I’d share a few thoughts about what I saw…
I agree that anyone in this industry should take some time to reflect historically. And if you’ve done your homework, you already know that the design mavericks of the 70’s etched their names into advertising history. Remove the clouds of cigarette smoke, add 100x more passion and the ability to push their gut onto clients, and you’ve got the real Mad Men. Advertising took a risk back then, but it was an intuitive social push from talented pioneers that understood the need for change and had the bravery to make it happen. Advertising was deemed entertainment.
Framed in the story of the guy who actually hangs the billboards was the perfect shift in perspective. That was a part of the ad that no one ever thought about, yet it’s still a part of the process. In a world where everyone is inundated with messaging, the only way you’ll stand out is if you roar when others talk, make the consumer cultural connection and speak the brand truth. All three of those, and chances are, you’ve got the magic. That in itself I found inspiring. The search for the holy grail of good work continues for most of us living in smaller fish bowls.
I moved quickly along the storyline until the Wieden + Kennedy tour. It wasn’t the beautifully creative fun zones - from the basketball court to the heavy bags hanging in the lobby that caught me. It was what Wieden said about creatives. I wanted to pause and rewind again, just to make sure I heard it right. If you want creativity, look at your environment. It has to be a safe haven. Creatives need the wingspan to make mistakes, grow ideas and hone their inner cultural compasses. We don’t have the answers, but we could have a possible step towards it. The ability to lose the fear could make all the difference. Part of me wanted to stand and cheer “Yes, he gets it!”
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Like millions of other viewers, I found myself completely lost in the landscape of Pandora. I didn’t care much for the anti-human/environmental messaging, but the visual brilliance overcame the story. Like one review I heard, it was “Dances with Wolves with Smurfs” but in an inescapable land that I wish I could buy multiple timeshares just to vacation year round (yes, that was a jab at the storyline).
Once I got past emotions left by the scenematic escapism referred to as the “Avatar effect”, I quickly moved my thoughts to behind the scenes. So exactly how many people were involved? How much work went into every tiny detail? I still daydream of being in the brainstorm sessions and concept reviews. I can imagine the room with stacks of ideas gestured out on paper and on monitor screens. The idea of having so much talent working on one project is so inspiring to me. It’s like the ultimate creative soup concentrated into one small boullion of 162 minutes. Check out the official movie credit roll to get an idea of what kind of production went into this project.
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I recently experienced my first day of jury duty. After carefully being scrutinized during a question and answer session, I was one of the few still left in their chairs. Those standing were instructed to leave the courtroom. As the rest of the crowd walked past me towards the swinging doors of freedom, I daydreamed about what the rest of the day had filled for them. But I decided that I’d pay attention, do my duty and hopefully learn something. To my surprise, I did learn a few things:
- How to discretely take a nap while appearing to be paying attention. (I could have really used this lesson in college).
- A room for six hours without a window is in fact a cage.
- You fit a stereotype whether or not you like it.
- Tell the story like it’s your own.
Aside from the amazing napping talents of the sheriffs, the one lesson I connected with was telling the story like it’s your own. It was not new advice. I heard it from the master of presenting himself, Peter Coughter at a recent BrandCenter training session. But I had never really seen it make such and impact as it did that day. This is a lesson that should be integrated into the fabric of every agency. It should apply to both the work we produce as well as giving presentations.
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Social Marketing! Blogs! Facebook! Twitter! Last year, in a sort of symphonic convergence, most of the world’s clients and agencies arrived at the same conclusion, at about the same time, expressing the same question - “How can we make social marketing/media work for us?”
Agencies tried to wrap around specifics of revenues, billing, staffing, and what kinds of projects could provide value.
Clients struggled to see how Social Marketing would serve their brand, their culture, their org chart, and their customers.
As 2010 begins some of the answers, for both, are clear, or at least clearer. Follow me as I detail a favorite project of 2009, social implementation for a regional health care client.
A year ago, the client had a thriving website, a plan for email marketing, and no social presence or plan.
Today, the client has created a social presence that includes:
The creation of social marketing began in February 2009.
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Happy Holidays from Launch Interactive! We wish all a happy and healthy holiday, and good luck in the New Year!
In the meantime, we’ve dug out our old photo albums and are reminiscing about our favorite holiday memories. Check out our holiday greeting and help us figure out, who is who!?
Click here to view our e-card.
I think it’s safe to say that we can go ahead and etch this into stone:
Launch survived the year 2009.
This year proved to be a challenging one as new and existing clients struggled to keep an interactive perspective on their marketing budgets. All and all, we pushed through projects, knocked on doors, soared in wowing clients, waved goodbye and hello to clients, pitched our hearts out, and pushed through each day.
Just keeping the projects flowing was a huge accomplishment considering the economic state of the outside world. But interactive seemed to take and upswing as many of our clients realized that going online is an affordable and organic way to approach getting the word out. We’d have to agree it’s the way to go. Although some of our projects included the smell of freshly-printed paper.
It’s true that many of our projects humbled us and some inspired us, but somewhere along the way we realized a few things…
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