Agency principal Diane Seimetz on the Eagle Award, “While we don’t donate our time and talents for recognition, it’s a great feeling to know you are making a difference when you do.”

Mike Newman of the Plano Profile on the CACCC: “Their mission is a simple, to-the-point one: ‘to provide safety, healing and justice to children victimized by abuse or neglect.’ The job of accomplishing it is anything but simple.”

Launch principals Seimetz, Michael Boone and David Wilgus are grateful for the honor. And express thanks to the talented team that worked so hard on behalf of the CACCC, including Alexandra Watson, Jon Fullrich, Laura Carroll, Ryan Ingram, Reuben Miller and Alison Hamilton.

To learn more about the CACCC, visit www.cacplano.org.

Diane will be joined on the panel by:

• Chris Smith, Group Creative Head, The Richards Group.
• Aldo Quevedo, President, Dieste.
• Paco Olavarrieta, Chief Content Curator, Dieste.
• Ricky Roo, VP Creative, TM Studios.

Seats are limited, so register now! Tickets are $125/person and include the panel, lunch and a session by guest speaker Roy Williams, best-selling author of The Wizard of Ads. Click here to register!

We moved up a few hundred spots, landing at #3145 for 2011. There are more than 27 million businesses registered in the U.S. so the ranking puts the agency in some lofty company.

The Inc. 5000 are catalysts for job creation and growth. In fact, the 5000 created 370,592 jobs in the last three years.

Launch Principals Michael Boone, Diane Seimetz and Dave Wilgus would like to thank Jane Berentson, Editor, Inc. magazine and her staff for the list and recognition. And, of course, credit goes to our client partners, and our creative, talented staff.

The trash talk started at 8:30 that morning, but the competition kicked off at noon with five competing salsas, three quesos, four guacamoles and two desserts. Congrats to all our winners:

Best Original Salsa: Michael Boone, reigning champion of Taste-Off 2010
Best “Fun” Salsa: Joanna Rodriguez with her Fiesta Salsa
Best Queso: Jason Giles and Richard Wezensky, whose secret ingredients were cilantro and soy sausage bits
Best Guacamole: Alexandra Watson, whose guac packed some heat
Best Dessert:  Megan Kelly with her killer Sopapilla Cheesecake.

All these competing dishes – combined with fajitas supplied by Launch Principals Michael Boone, Diane Seimetz and David Wilgus – made for an incredibly stuffed and happy Launch staff. Photos follow.

Diane Seimetz, principal, and Megan Lucy Neal, account service for Launch Agency, recently had the privilege to travel to Napa Valley with the Sam’s Club wine buying team. Trekking alongside them was videographer John Carstarphen to partake in—and film—a behind-the-scenes tour of the legendary Robert Mondavi Winery. The team also had the opportunity to conduct an interview with fifth-generation West Coast winemaker, Joel Gott.

Launch will next produce a short film describing the great lengths the buying team undergoes to place high-quality, delicious, affordably priced wines in every Sam’s Club. This video is part of a series Launch is creating on various categories of unique, world-class products available at Sam’s Club.

So the next time you are craving a crisp, cool glass of pinot grigio or another varietal for your summer entertaining, shop Sam’s Club and check out the vast selection of wine. We’re sure you’ll find something you like!

View the slideshow below for some of the best from Napa:

The winning entry was a video piece originally screened at the aforementioned ADDY event, titled “Suffer For Your Art Teaser Video.” This entry received a Gold Medal, as well as a Judge’s Choice award from judge Greta Ackerman, Associate Design Director at Crispin Porter + Bogusky.

The video focuses on some of the strange, silly and downright surreal moments that Dallas advertising notables have encountered during their time in the ad business. Launch principals/creative directors Diane Seimetz and David Wilgus created the video, with the help of acclaimed director Jeff Bednarz and Directorz executive producer Jeremy Besser, and also appear in it. Charlie Uniform Tango edited the piece, including the efforts of executive producer Lola Lott, editor Jack Waldrip, assistant editor Alex Campos and graphic artist Dave Slack. Launch principal, Michael Boone makes a cameo in the video as well.

Watch the winning entry here:

Suffer for Your Art Teaser Video

And check out more photos from the 43rd annual DSVC Professional Show:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/launchagency/sets/72157626889614148

Communications professionals, including Seimetz, came to discuss what Journalism majors — and the corresponding curricula — are doing right and critical areas for improvement. The event focused on the perception that there are no new jobs in these professional fields, and the consequent dwindling numbers of students in these majors. In attendance were eminent presenters and academics from some of the most respected mass communication schools including Syracuse, Trinity Tech, TCU Schieffer, BYU, Missouri and Scripps College of Communication.

“The topline to the students was that the world still uses pictures and words to tell stories,” explained Seimetz. “The need for that skillset and talent hasn’t changed.”

In addition, “Students should be held to real-world timelines and more realistic deadlines. They should be taught how to concept quickly and accurately, and call upon that creativity at a moment’s notice to survive in their first jobs out of school. Inspiration is capricious, but creativity is on demand.” Seimetz proposed pointers on “how to do things quickly” and “how to articulate and present ideas well.” She contended that good ideas are often lost because someone couldn’t sell them.

Seimetz suggested class topics with more immediate, and practical application, such as: “How to Have a Two Way Conversation with Your Audience,” “How to Change Your Voice When You Change Medium,” “How to Sell Something in 140 Characters” and “Writing for an Audience with the Attention Span of a Gnat.”

One of her key takeaways was that because the lines between advertising, marketing, and journalism are blurring, there are new opportunities for students who understand aspects of all three and possess the skills to utilize them. Most current courses offered in these programs are attribute-driven as opposed to benefit-driven. Shifting this paradigm could help students in their approach to solving problems and critical thinking.

There was only one requirement for entry to the dinner, a contribution of personal insight gained from tenure at Launch. As the staff of 25 went around the massive table between delicious courses, each regaled with agency experiences, inside jokes, and office anecdotes.

It began with a few comically photoshopped pictures of staff members and continued with hilarious memories of office pranks. Diane Seimetz was even awarded the title of Creative Gangsta complete with a giant plush crown.

But the tone of the evening echoed strongest in the unanimous expression of gratitude the employees felt toward Launch and their peers. The heartfelt laughter and camaraderie remained even as the employees called it a night.

Now, with eight years of strategic and insightful work behind them, Launch prepares for eight more. The agency is ready with new surprises and renewed dedication to the clients and communications that made it what it is today.

Happy Anniversary, Launch, and may there be many more to come.

To celebrate Turkey Day, each member of the Launch team shared their favorite holiday food at our annual “Launchgiving” feast. Bellies and hearts were both full, as we also collected cans of food for those less fortunate.

For Christmas, the Launch partners – Michael Boone, Diane Seimetz and Dave Wilgus – supplied a delicious catered meal, tested our wit in a rousing game of Launch trivia and surprised us with Apple iPads. Again we counted our blessings and shared with those less fortunate by contributing to a toy drive benefiting our client the Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County.

From the Launch family to yours, we wish you a Happy Holiday season and a healthy, prosperous 2011! Click here to view our holiday card. Season’s Greetings!