Creative Fuel: a blog about inspiration and stuff Filter CategoriesAllAgency LifeThings We LoveTricks of the TradeWhiskey-Tango November 9, 2021 Agency Life • 4 min read Booth tales: 10 things we found out at the Festival We swirled. We tasted. And we gained new insights at the Los Altos Art & Wine Festival. September 8, 2021 Agency Life • 2 min read Love art and wine? So do we! You’re cordially invited to uncork a good time with us at the Los Altos Art & Wine Festival. August 18, 2021 Tricks of the Trade • 3 min read One on one, take two So, this is what I've learned about 1:1s (and how to make them better) in the new normal. July 19, 2021 Agency Life • 2 min read Say yes to Summer Fridays Turn down the hours. Turn up the summertime productivity. Here’s how. February 4, 2021 Tricks of the Trade • 4 min read How to give creative feedback Turn ordinary feedback into a creative success story with these four tips. January 28, 2021 Whiskey-Tango • 2 min read In it to win it: 2021 Bingo Ready for some good news? So are we. Let’s see what could be in store for 2021. January 21, 2021 Tricks of the Trade • 3 min read The importance of the creative brief Successful creative all starts with a thoughtful and well-written creative brief. July 27, 2020 Tricks of the Trade • 4 min read Chicken soup for the creative soul Discover a few novel ways to help you go from feeling blue to feeling better. April 29, 2020 Tricks of the Trade • 4 min read The show must go on! But how? Creating compelling events in a post-COVID world raises lots of questions—and opportunities! April 22, 2020 Whiskey-Tango • 5 min read A tale of two ways It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. April 15, 2020 Agency Life • 1 min read It's Zoom o'clock somewhere Virtual happy hour can still be fun if you’ve got the right setting. March 26, 2020 Tricks of the Trade • 3 min read Nobody needs another mediocre holiday gift Well, at least we don’t think so. That’s why we decided to shake up our holiday gifting. February 12, 2020 Things We Love • 3 min read What's not to love? It’s the little things in life that bring us the most joy—from cartoons to cockroaches. January 15, 2020 Tricks of the Trade • 5 min read Better than brainstorming Want to up your brainstorming game? Try techniques started by surrealists. December 23, 2019 Agency Life • 3 min read A very Contrast Halloween Does the Halloween kid in us ever grow up? December 2, 2019 Agency Life • 3 min read Why CDW is like the Golden State Warriors Did you know that agency life is similar to that of a professional sports team? December 2, 2019 Tricks of the Trade • 2 min read Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication 5 simple steps for a successful project. November 11, 2019 Tricks of the Trade • 4 min read Procrastinate like a pro I’ll have my life with a side of flexibility, please. May 22, 2019 Whiskey-Tango • 4 min read The magical world of stock imagery Toto, I have a feeling we are not on Getty anymore. February 7, 2019 Agency Life • 3 min read Bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better Why every designer should work at a small agency at some point (preferably early on). January 23, 2019 Tricks of the Trade • 7 min read In a manner of speaking Need a few pointers on presenting creative? So did we. Here’s what we learned. January 15, 2019 Tricks of the Trade • 3 min read Why creatives need winter It’s dark. It’s cold. But it also just might be your most brilliant season of the year. August 30, 2018 Agency Life • 5 min read Bonding by the book Our “book club” is about 30% reading, 30% drinking, and 40% socializing—here’s the scoop. June 20, 2018 Things We Love • 4 min read Confessions of a cycling addict/designer My journey from typography enthusiast to cycling addict. May 15, 2018 Things We Love • 4 min read Confessions of an ex-volleyball player What volleyball has taught me and how it helped me survive the agency life. May 5, 2018 Tricks of the Trade • 4 min read Yay for us! Are you surrounded by “yes” people and you don’t realize it? April 25, 2018 Tricks of the Trade • 3 min read Wired for sound If you’re lucky, getting in the zone may be just a pickle crunch away. April 19, 2018 Agency Life • 3 min read When ‘Bring-your-dog-to-work-day’ is every day Owners love to bring their dogs to work, but could it actually be good for everyone? April 12, 2018 Things We Love • 6 min read Cooking with Lily There are generally two types of lunch people. Lunch bringers and lunch buyers. April 5, 2018 Agency Life • 7 min read My journey to Spartan mode “Making excuses burns zero calories per hour.” My journey from couch potato to a Spartan. March 21, 2018 Agency Life • 3 min read Happy National __ Day! What day is it? “National There’s a Copytunity in Every Assignment Day!” March 16, 2018 Agency Life • 3 min read Work hard, lunch hard So, when the clock hits 12, here’s why lunch is the true happy hour for your team. February 19, 2018 Agency Life • 4 min read Finding the right balance between work and family A Client Service Manager's tips for making it work as a full-time working parent. February 13, 2018 Tricks of the Trade • 5 min read It's not just class: it's an interview Essential traits students should adopt in their "15-week Classroom Interview." January 8, 2018 Whiskey-Tango • 4 min read Collecting emotions When it comes to hoarding sassy mugs, even a minimalist has to give in. January 5, 2018 Things We Love • 5 min read 8 ways to make the most of your commute Greet the daily grind with strategies to spice up your car, bus, or train ride. January 4, 2018 Whiskey-Tango • 4 min read That’s the ticket Catch this train to enjoy surrealist vistas across the bucolic German countryside. January 3, 2018 Agency Life • 3 min read Plank O’clock How a daily break for planks in the office has come to be one of our most-loved rituals. January 1, 2018 Tricks of the Trade • 5 min read Creative new year’s resolutions that don’t suck Forget the juice cleanse. This year, try something that really makes you feel good.
Filter CategoriesAllAgency LifeThings We LoveTricks of the TradeWhiskey-Tango November 9, 2021 Agency Life • 4 min read Booth tales: 10 things we found out at the Festival We swirled. We tasted. And we gained new insights at the Los Altos Art & Wine Festival. September 8, 2021 Agency Life • 2 min read Love art and wine? So do we! You’re cordially invited to uncork a good time with us at the Los Altos Art & Wine Festival. August 18, 2021 Tricks of the Trade • 3 min read One on one, take two So, this is what I've learned about 1:1s (and how to make them better) in the new normal. July 19, 2021 Agency Life • 2 min read Say yes to Summer Fridays Turn down the hours. Turn up the summertime productivity. Here’s how. February 4, 2021 Tricks of the Trade • 4 min read How to give creative feedback Turn ordinary feedback into a creative success story with these four tips. January 28, 2021 Whiskey-Tango • 2 min read In it to win it: 2021 Bingo Ready for some good news? So are we. Let’s see what could be in store for 2021. January 21, 2021 Tricks of the Trade • 3 min read The importance of the creative brief Successful creative all starts with a thoughtful and well-written creative brief. July 27, 2020 Tricks of the Trade • 4 min read Chicken soup for the creative soul Discover a few novel ways to help you go from feeling blue to feeling better. April 29, 2020 Tricks of the Trade • 4 min read The show must go on! But how? Creating compelling events in a post-COVID world raises lots of questions—and opportunities! April 22, 2020 Whiskey-Tango • 5 min read A tale of two ways It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. April 15, 2020 Agency Life • 1 min read It's Zoom o'clock somewhere Virtual happy hour can still be fun if you’ve got the right setting. March 26, 2020 Tricks of the Trade • 3 min read Nobody needs another mediocre holiday gift Well, at least we don’t think so. That’s why we decided to shake up our holiday gifting. February 12, 2020 Things We Love • 3 min read What's not to love? It’s the little things in life that bring us the most joy—from cartoons to cockroaches. January 15, 2020 Tricks of the Trade • 5 min read Better than brainstorming Want to up your brainstorming game? Try techniques started by surrealists. December 23, 2019 Agency Life • 3 min read A very Contrast Halloween Does the Halloween kid in us ever grow up? December 2, 2019 Agency Life • 3 min read Why CDW is like the Golden State Warriors Did you know that agency life is similar to that of a professional sports team? December 2, 2019 Tricks of the Trade • 2 min read Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication 5 simple steps for a successful project. November 11, 2019 Tricks of the Trade • 4 min read Procrastinate like a pro I’ll have my life with a side of flexibility, please. May 22, 2019 Whiskey-Tango • 4 min read The magical world of stock imagery Toto, I have a feeling we are not on Getty anymore. February 7, 2019 Agency Life • 3 min read Bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better Why every designer should work at a small agency at some point (preferably early on). January 23, 2019 Tricks of the Trade • 7 min read In a manner of speaking Need a few pointers on presenting creative? So did we. Here’s what we learned. January 15, 2019 Tricks of the Trade • 3 min read Why creatives need winter It’s dark. It’s cold. But it also just might be your most brilliant season of the year. August 30, 2018 Agency Life • 5 min read Bonding by the book Our “book club” is about 30% reading, 30% drinking, and 40% socializing—here’s the scoop. June 20, 2018 Things We Love • 4 min read Confessions of a cycling addict/designer My journey from typography enthusiast to cycling addict. May 15, 2018 Things We Love • 4 min read Confessions of an ex-volleyball player What volleyball has taught me and how it helped me survive the agency life. May 5, 2018 Tricks of the Trade • 4 min read Yay for us! Are you surrounded by “yes” people and you don’t realize it? April 25, 2018 Tricks of the Trade • 3 min read Wired for sound If you’re lucky, getting in the zone may be just a pickle crunch away. April 19, 2018 Agency Life • 3 min read When ‘Bring-your-dog-to-work-day’ is every day Owners love to bring their dogs to work, but could it actually be good for everyone? April 12, 2018 Things We Love • 6 min read Cooking with Lily There are generally two types of lunch people. Lunch bringers and lunch buyers. April 5, 2018 Agency Life • 7 min read My journey to Spartan mode “Making excuses burns zero calories per hour.” My journey from couch potato to a Spartan. March 21, 2018 Agency Life • 3 min read Happy National __ Day! What day is it? “National There’s a Copytunity in Every Assignment Day!” March 16, 2018 Agency Life • 3 min read Work hard, lunch hard So, when the clock hits 12, here’s why lunch is the true happy hour for your team. February 19, 2018 Agency Life • 4 min read Finding the right balance between work and family A Client Service Manager's tips for making it work as a full-time working parent. February 13, 2018 Tricks of the Trade • 5 min read It's not just class: it's an interview Essential traits students should adopt in their "15-week Classroom Interview." January 8, 2018 Whiskey-Tango • 4 min read Collecting emotions When it comes to hoarding sassy mugs, even a minimalist has to give in. January 5, 2018 Things We Love • 5 min read 8 ways to make the most of your commute Greet the daily grind with strategies to spice up your car, bus, or train ride. January 4, 2018 Whiskey-Tango • 4 min read That’s the ticket Catch this train to enjoy surrealist vistas across the bucolic German countryside. January 3, 2018 Agency Life • 3 min read Plank O’clock How a daily break for planks in the office has come to be one of our most-loved rituals. January 1, 2018 Tricks of the Trade • 5 min read Creative new year’s resolutions that don’t suck Forget the juice cleanse. This year, try something that really makes you feel good.