First off, ADCMW stands for Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington. Second off, Jason was one of the inaugural interactive/web judges along with JD Hooge and Ryan Goodwin. The 59th Annual Show Web and Interactive Winners included Hirshorn Zuckerman Design Group, Design Army, Poccuo and Fleishman-Hillard. We'd love to show you the winning entries, but the ADCMW has yet to post links. So for now, you can take a look at their site if you'd like.

tags: catalyst studios, minneapolis, minnesota, design, graphic design, interactive, catalyst,

A short while ago we started documenting daily antics at Catalyst Studios on our flickr site. Every day around here is magical, and we just want to share it with you all. Well, turns out we've been spotted, because at 11:15 this morning, our 10,000th image was clicked. Let's see how quick we can make it 20,000 clicks. Stay tuned for more Catalyst Studios at a glance! See our space and get to know our people...and look for giveaways too.

Catlyst Studios on Flickr

tags: catalyst studios, minneapolis, minnesota, design, graphic design, interactive, catalyst,

We'll let the video do all the talking. Pin in a Hamstack

tags: pin in a ham stack, office sabotage, catalyst studios, minneapolis, minnesota, design, graphic design, interactive, catalyst,

This morning a “clandestinely covert operation” was carried out at our competitors’/friends’ base in the North Loop, also affectionately known as “Swine in the Icebox.” Upon review during the debriefing, the mission was deemed a success. Hamployees may find themselves harassingly challenged to a bowling tournament via the act of littering plastic novelty toys. Or not. I suppose it depends on their interpretation of the newly decorated office. Stay tuned, as surveillance footage of the operatives may emerge soon.

Some Incriminating Evidence

tags: covert operation, inter-office challenge, catalyst studios, minneapolis, minnesota, design, graphic design, interactive, catalyst,

So we brought in Andy Dunbar to explore and experiment with social media. So yeah, we have a facebook page, a flickr stream of daily photos in and around the office, myspace, we're on vimeo, youtube, twitter, etc. It's all good. We hear so much about social media, but what we're finding is that nobody really knows what to do with it. We've been to conferences where so called social media experts talk about how they really don't know what they're doing with it. We've sat in round tables with other experts who claim it will go away (what?). Well, since bringing on Dunbar, we're putting it to work for our clients, and oddly enough, making them more money and helping them launch products. It's brilliant actually.

Watch Andy's debut.

tags: catalyst studios, minneapolis, minnesota, design, graphic design, interactive, catalyst, dunbar, andy dunbar, youtube,

Ok, let's try this again: Has Catalyst again created an uber-awesome-you-can't-not-look pattern or are these just Ellen's pants?

Get the answer to 'Can you guess – Part 1' here.


tags: catalyst studios, minneapolis, minnesota, design, graphic design, interactive, catalyst,

Catalyst's partnership with Target on the Art for All campaign was recently picked up by the HOW Design blog. Thanks, HOW!

If you don't subscribe to HOW Design Magazine, you should. I know that some designers claim putting their work in design publications does little more than give them credit with their peers. But one lucrative client of ours came directly from seeing our work in HOW. HOW writes great articles about the business of design, going beyond just pretty pictures.

Take a look at the How Magazine's Design Blog Art for All feature.

tags: catalyst studios, minneapolis, minnesota, design, graphic design, interactive, catalyst, HOW, HOW design blog, HOW magazine, Art for All, target,

After spending over a decade in design/marketing management roles, Christina joined Catalyst Studios as Marketing Director. She's also the current President of the AIGA Minnesota chapter.

As Catalyst Studios continues to grow and produce rock-your-world, award-winning work, we needed to add someone who could lead our marketing efforts and help us share our work and success stories.

In her own words:

After traveling the globe and building profitable, strategic alliances in the design community, I was searching for the opportunity to leverage those relationships and my marketing/design background to help build an outstanding, growing, interactive design studio.

I began admiring the work of Catalyst when I first moved to Minneapolis in 2006. And, thanks to a referral from my friend and mentor Doug Powell (in the frame), I had coffee with the principal/founder Jason Rysavy. I respected Jason's thinking, his work and his B-hat. Actually, I loved his B-hat.

However, I had no idea if they had a need for someone with my background/skills. Luckily for me, their success and growth meant they did have a need! And even better, they hired me! Now, I'm looking forward to leading their marketing and public relations efforts and working with the incredibly creative, smart and talented team at Catalyst Studios.

If you want to see an exciting picture of Christina Jackson talking to staff about our first press release on PR newswire, click this.

Or see her bouncing ball at Catalyst's about us section.

tags: catalyst studios, minneapolis, minnesota, design, graphic design, interactive, catalyst,

Has Catalyst created an ultra-cool new pattern or are these just Ellen's pants?

Comment your best guess... you might be surprised.

tags: catalyst studios, minneapolis, minnesota, design, graphic design, interactive, catalyst,

MPLS, Minn. - 6/16/2008, 12:01 PM
In a recent move that baffles even the leading analysts and industry experts, the principal of a premier interactive design agency has made a bold maneuver.
Jason Rysavy recently implemented a cutting-edge "shamed based" policy at Catalyst Studios, in an attempt to bolster weekly time sheet submissions. Not only do the employees stand to gain monetary rewards for collaboratively achieving the desired goal, but failure on an individual level affects comrades: a schema designed to rain down mass shame upon the delinquent(s).
As of noon on Monday, June 16th, Rysavy had yet to submit the timesheet for his previous week's hours. Initial on-scene reports indicate that staff morale is plummeting at a freefall pace, and mass hysteria may be on the periphery. Various "catployees" (who wish to remain anonymous) have since expressed interest in ammending the policy's rules; they desire to to create a contingency that will benefit the proletariat in the case of any of the bourgeoisie further defaulting on said policy.

tags: lowered staff morale, shame based policy, marxism, catalyst studios, minneapolis, minnesota, design, graphic design, interactive, catalyst,