This guy likes turkey

Back on Jan. 2, 1996, an unassuming young fella from the small central Minnesota town of Pine City began a three-month internship in the consumer marketing practice of an international public relations firm.

A three-month internship stretched to six, which ultimately led to full-time offer. The kid from Pine City distinguished himself early as a highly organized problem solver who could be counted on in the trenches of some of the agency’s highest profile and most complex projects.

His competence caught the attention of clients and colleagues. “The guy’s good,” they’d say. “Really good. You’re lucky to have him.”

His stellar work would lead to greater responsibility. Before age 30 he was the day-to-day lead on some of the best-known brands in the world. Jim Beam. Coca-Cola. His work took him to some of the biggest stages in the sports world: The Super Bowl, the NCAA Final Four, the Daytona 500 and the Olympics.

And along the way he worked with some of the biggest names in sports: Cycling legend Lance Armstrong, NASCAR star Tony Stewart, baseball Hall of Famer Andre Dawson, and Olympic hero Jim Craig among others. “The guy’s good,” they’d say. “Really good. You’re lucky to have him.”

The kid from Pine City wasn’t known as a big risk-taker. He was, after all, legendary for eating a dry turkey sandwich for lunch nearly every day for well over a decade. True story. But when opportunity knocked, he left one of the best jobs in the industry to take his chances with a tiny competitor across town. The way he liked to tell it, he went from the world’s biggest agency, to the world’s smallest. He was taking a chance on a dreamer. It was like starting over.

By then the kid from Pine City had grown into a first rate strategist, who could more than hold his own with some of the most creative minds in the business. He tackled a wide variety of new challenges, and quickly learned the business side of the agency business. You know, the sexy stuff: HR, legal, accounting, etc. He took the lead on a variety of key agency accounts and initiatives, winning some of the industry’s most coveted awards for his work. He demonstrated a tireless work ethic and continued to nail everything thrown his way.

The tiny agency grew quickly, and his new colleagues and clients were impressed. “The guy’s good,” they’d say. “Really good. You’re lucky to have him.”

Indeed! For all the good stuff above and more, we’re pleased to announce that Scott Broberg, the unassuming kid from Pine City, has earned a promotion to Senior Vice President.

Congratulations, Scott! We’re lucky to have you!

If their names a ring a bell, here’s why: They were both finalists in our recent Summer Internship Campaign.

Nate came out on top in our Facebook voting to earn a coveted internship here at Fast Horse World Headquarters. Tim distinguished himself during the campaign, so we decided to bring him on board, too!

Here’s a bit about Nate and Tim:

Nate Brennan

Nate Brennan

Education — Minnesota State University, 2011 (mass communications, journalism, film studies, English)

Experience — Minneapolis-St.Paul Magazine (web production/blogger), SPIN Magazine (online editorial intern), MSU Reporter (publisher and editor-in-chief)

Quote — “Sure, I’ve been in charge of a newspaper, landed a gig blogging for a summer at SPIN Magazine, wrote a ton for SecretsOfTheCity.com and produced all those online articles about new restaurants and shopping in Edina for Mpls.St.Paul Magazine‘s website. I also do web design, shoot/edit video, don’t care about the Oxford comma and taught myself entire Adobe Creative Suite. Yadda, yadda, yadda. I know mine is just one of billions of stories in the world.”

Tim Holtz

Tim Holz

Education — University of Minnesota, 2012 (strategic communication and Spanish)

Experience — University of Minnesota Academic Health Center (media relations and new media intern), Essential App Marketing (marketing intern)

Quote — “I’ve had a yearlong PR internship for the University of Minnesota and a marketing internship working on a soon-to-be released mobile app. I’ve built great relationships with local reporters and had stories get millions of views all over the world. I’ve developed video storyboards and built effective market strategies. In short, I’ve been continually challenged to step outside my comfort zone.”

Andrew Miller

Andrew Miller has done some crazy stuff since joining Fast Horse in 2010. We all remember the time he downed like six hot dogs during a BBQ at the office.

He’s also completed some impressive feats, not the least of which was the stunt he pulled this week.

Some setup: We surprised Jörg with a Fatboy chair for his birthday. (It’s a big beanbag thing … the chair, that is.)

The big box tempted Andrew … and soon the challenge was on. Could Andrew jump into the box?

Let’s find out!

Fast Horse created the visual identity for the highly acclaimed neighborhood restaurant in Linden Hills. We did the logo, menu, website and other materials.

We’re especially proud of this award because its our first from AIGA Minnesota. The organization announced winners Friday at The Design Show, hosted this year at Shelter Studios in Minneapolis.

The AIGA Minnesota Design Show recognizes “the most exceptional design work being produced in the upper Midwest.” Leading designers across the country pick the winners.

A certain Fast Horse founder named Jörg Pierach is a Tilia partner.

Here’s a look at some of the design work that landed us the award.

Lynn Heimkes Carter

A graduate of the University of Minnesota, Lynn brings creativity, a strong business sense and an eye for detail to the very important job of keeping our office running smoothly and professionally. Lynn has thrown herself into her new role, immersing herself in the nitty gritty of Fast Horse billing, HR and other operational issues. She took time from her very busy new gig to answer a wide-ranging series of deeply personal questions:

Jörg: How would you describe your new office manager job at Fast Horse to a 3-year-old child?
Lynn: You get to play with lots of papers, and mess them all around your desk.

Jörg: Which of your new Fast Horse colleagues would you say are most- and least-likely to mule kick a vending machine in an effort to dislodge a stuck purchase?
Lynn: Most likely — Andrew Miller. Least likely — Jen Kreilich.

Jörg: What’s the strangest thing you’ve overheard at the office during your first month at Fast Horse?
Lynn: Umm … pretty much noises (burping, swearing, and farting).

Editor’s Note: Fast Horse has very strict rules forbidding burping and farting. Offenders face severe disciplinary action, which could include termination of employment. Swearing remains an acceptable mode of communicating frustration or excitement at Fast Horse.

Jörg: If you were a wine, how would Robert Parker describe you?
Lynn: Smooth, notes of dark berries, woody, with a mysterious finish.

Jörg: I know jewelry-making is one of your hobbies. Is there any celebrity you would be horrified to see wearing one of your creations in People magazine and why?
Lynn: Not really. If one of my necklaces ended up in People magazine, I’d be ecstatic.

Editor’s Note: Lynn has said privately she would not be wild about seeing a picture of reality television star Snooki wearing her wine-country-inspired jewelry in People Magazine. Her reasons are obvious.

Jörg: Please tell us the names of your pets as well as all of their nicknames.
Lynn: Well there are 4, in order: Bijou (Beegy, Beeg) Bogart (Bo, Boder’s) Suki (Sook’s) Sheesh (Sheshe)

Jörg: What’s the best book you’ve ever started and didn’t finish?
Lynn: Not sure if it’s the best but, Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Eat, Pray, Love.”

Editor’s Note: That’s okay, Lynn. The rest of us never even bothered to crack the spine and just waited for the movie.

Jörg: Name three guilty pleasures.
Lynn: Wine. Sweets (any and all). Buying beautiful furniture.

Jörg: What’s are your best and worst “Trivial Pursuit” topics?
Lynn: Worst — History, Sports, Economics. Best — Geography, Entertainment, Fashion/Design.

Welcome aboard, Lynn! We’re thrilled to introduce you as the new face and backbone of Fast Horse!

Photo credit: The New York Times and Leif Parsons

This week, the AP Stylebook announced they would support the modern usage of “hopefully.” I’m not going to lie, I was shocked. One of the first things I learned in my U of M editing class was NEVER to use “hopefully” in its modern context. Ever.

I had to wonder.. am I using words incorrectly because I learned them based on their modern usage?

The answer is yes. So, I’ve pulled together a short list of words I’m using incorrectly or not according to their proper definition. (Just for fun, I’m including a couple of words that I would never use in daily conversation.)

Nonplussed

This is by far one of my favorite words to express unhappiness. But, nonplussed is used to describe a state of perplexity, confusion or bewilderment, not unhappiness. Am I the only one this confuses? My years of math education as a child taught me that “plus” has a positive connotation so one can only assume that nonplussed would be synonymous with unhappiness and negativity. Perhaps, this is where the misuse stems.

Nonplussed has a photo meme.

Merriam-Webster defines nonplus as, “to cause to be at a loss as to what to say, this, or do” (Merriam-Webster).

Urban Dictionary describes nonplussed as, “Often misused as meaning unfazed, but actually means bewildered” (Urban Dictionary).

Alright

Ask my colleague Dave Fransen, I’m the queen of using alright in place of all right, something which has been brought to my attention numerous times. I’ve righted my grammatical wrong but feel like I should address the issue.

Does it make it all right if Roy Lichtenstein uses alright?

Merriam Webster defines alright with a note to see all right. However, the discussion section provides some interesting insight.

The one-word spelling alright appeared some 75 years after all right itself had reappeared from a 400-year-long absence. Since the early 20th century some critics have insisted alright is wrong, but it has its defenders and its users. It is less frequent than all right but remains in common use especially in the journalistic and business publications. It is quite common in fictional dialogue, and is used occasionally in other writing (Merriam-Webster).

Urban Dictionary defines alright as “an alternate spelling of all right.” There also is a side not to further describe the use of the word.

Although sometimes considered improper English, it is a completely logical contraction. The words altogether and already are similar contractions that are widely accepted (Urban Dictionary).

Towards

I know it’s incorrect but I habitually misspell toward and tack on the extra letter. Some may blame laziness or ignorance, but I blame studying abroad in London and adapting to British ways for half a year. (In case you don’t know, towards is the proper spelling across the pond.)

Whelm

Its counterpart, overwhelm, is commonly used in everyday conversation. Whelm is not. Seemingly, whelm and overwhelm don’t have incredibly different definitions – although overwhelm has a much more negative connotation in today’s modern usage. In my mind, whelm is a dead word. Have you ever heard someone use it?

Merriam-Webster defines whelm as a transitive verb meaning, “to overcome in thought or feeling: overwhelm” (Merriam-Webster).

Merriam-Webster defines overwhelm as a transitive verb meaning, “to overpower in thought or feeling” (Merriam Webster).

Gruntled

This fantastic word is rarely used while its counterpart, disgruntled, is commonly used by people to express anger or dissatisfaction. So, why don’t we use gruntled to express happiness? My guess is because the word itself sounds angry and harsh. However, if you’re looking to shock a dull conversation… feel free to word-drop gruntled. I guarantee you’ll be met with a confused, or even disgruntled, look.

Merriam-Webster defines gruntled as, “to put in good humor” (Merriam-Webster).

Three deserving candidates have landed on the ballot for our 2012 Summer Internship Campaign.

We received a slew of applications — and we did our due diligence on each candidate before choosing the finalists. We checked out their résumés, watched their video “cover letters” and conducted interviews, either in person or via video chat.

Now, it’s your turn to weigh in. We’re asking our Facebook fans to help select our next summer intern.

From 8 a.m. Monday (April 23) through 5 p.m. Friday (April 27) , our three finalists will flex their marketing muscle and social media savvy to earn the most votes over at The Fast Horse Experience on Facebook. The candidate who tallies the most votes will land a three-month internship at Fast Horse. Simple as that.

We would gladly welcome any one of these three finalists as our intern. Each has impressed us with his/her creativity, initiative and personality. But, instead of telling you about the individual greatness of each candidate, we have pushed them into full campaign mode with an opportunity to write in their own unvarnished words why they deserve our summer internship.

So, take a moment to learn about our 2012 Summer Internship Campaign finalists. Then, swing over to our Facebook page and cast your vote. Help us select the candidate you believe will strongly contribute to our work and culture for the next three months — and beyond.

Nate Brennan

#VoteNate4FastHorse

I’m usually pretty terrible at selling myself, so you can imagine I had a few reservations about how well I’d do in an internship campaign that called for just that.

I’m generally pretty reserved and I’ve always found it a bit cumbersome to explain myself or why I deserve something. Sure, I’ve been in charge of a newspaper, landed a gig blogging for a summer at SPIN Magazine, wrote a ton for SecretsOfTheCity.com and produced all those online articles about new restaurants and shopping in Edina for Mpls.St.Paul Magazine‘s website. I also do web design, shoot/edit video, don’t care about the Oxford comma and taught myself entire Adobe Creative Suite. Yadda, yadda, yadda. I know mine is just one of billions of stories in the world,

But get me starting talking about my work and you’ll have to force me to shut up. (If you need help, my girlfriend could give you a few pointers.) You ever see that scene in Hot Fuzz where Simon Pegg tells Nick Frost his girlfriend left him because he couldn’t shut off? That’s me, but replace police work with creating content like blogs, videos and amusing PhotoShop’ed images that really stick with people. Because above all, that’s what I’m most passionate about, moving people to laughter, tears and contemplation.

I’ve been out of college for about a year now and normally I’d be looking for something more than internship. But I realize how rare this opportunity is and I plan on seizing it because I wholeheartedly believe in Fast Horse’s ideals, style and mission. I feel I have all the traits of a successful “pony”–a good sense of humor, a passionate work ethic and a naïve hope for humanity and the betterment of our world—and I’m prepared to work my tail off to prove it.

Xoxo,

Gossip Girl Nate Brennan

* * * * *

Tim Holtz

Killin’ it for Fast Horse

Recently, a colleague dropped some philosophical knowledge on me: “thou shall not kill, but thou shall kill it.” After laughing for a minute, I realized how true these words are in my life and how they are more suitable to describe my work philosophy than, “Get ‘er done.”

Jumping into everything with two feet has really helped me live by this mantra. No matter what project I encounter, I not only work to “get ‘er done” and “get ‘er done right,” but I spend the time needed to kill it.

I’ve had a yearlong PR internship for the University of Minnesota and a marketing internship working on a soon-to-be released mobile app. I’ve built great relationships with local reporters and had stories get millions of views all over the world. I’ve developed video storyboards and built effective market strategies. In short, I’ve been continually challenged to step outside my comfort zone.

So, why do an awesome mantra and a couple of jobs make me the perfect person for Fast Horse?

Through these experiences, I’ve learned that I constantly desire a challenge and always look to learn something new. I’ve learned that I’m determined, and have a continuous drive to succeed. This is why my ideal job is one that enables me to think outside the box, constantly learn, adapt to new situations, and is at a place where working hard is fun.

Fast Horse brings all of this – and then some – to the table, and its track record speaks for itself: It says that creativity is key, and that if you push yourself and the team, any agency, no matter the size, can compete. And that’s why I’m competing to be the next Fast Horse intern.

Think I killed it? Throw a vote my way.

* * * * *

Courtney Rose

Why do I deserve the gig?

Fast Horse and I are a great fit, like chocolate and peanut butter. We’ve had a great first date and this internship is our chance to go-steady for a while, with the possibility of falling in love down the road. Sharing the same interests, love for marketing, and thrill from creativity, we’re a match made in….Minneapolis!

This internship is like recruiting a new member for a team, they have to fit with the team and be interested in the organization as a whole. They need to be able to add to the crew with great insight and hard work, not just be another busy body within a sea of traditional interns.

That is where I fit in, a non-traditional individual that mixes old school with the new and youthful, the traditional approach and the innovational. I am an extravert, honest and blunt, who is not afraid to speak her passionate mind. As I am the perfect lassie to challenge Fast Horse, Fast Horse is the perfect posse to challenge me.

New experiences teach us lessons that cannot be substituted and that also develop an adventurous, unmatched edge. I bring a unique background with a wide range of experiences, like breaking away from the comfort of family and venturing to the unknown town of Buckhannon, WV for college. Risk-taking is part of the thrill of life, something that sets us both apart from the average.

Unique in each of our own ways, I bring a different perspective not yet included in this company’s mixing pot of talents. Our first day had a hint of awkwardness but I think it is about time Fast Horse and I had our second date with a committed relationship to follow, don’t you?

* * * * *

To vote, visit our 2012 Summer Internship Campaign page on The Fast Horse Experience on Facebook.

Next week, the fun begins.

We would love to introduce our three very impressive finalists now, but you’ll have to check back on Monday. That’s when we’ll give you a little snapshot of each finalist’s education and experience, along with why they deserve the gig – in their own words. From there, you’ll be able to vote for our next intern at The Fast Horse Experience on Facebook.

Of course, all of this is bringing back memories. I remember in 2010 when I found out I was a finalist for the intern search. The first thing I did was scout my competition. I remember thinking I was dead on arrival when I saw the other two candidates had more Facebook friends.

I quickly learned — as I’m sure our current finalists will, too — that winning this unique competition requires action from more than just your immediate friends and family. To earn the internship, our finalists will have to show some serious marketing know-how to influence absolute strangers to vote on their behalf.

Plus, there’s a new wrinkle this time around. The Fast Horse Facebook page now has over 2,200 Likes. The 2010 contest started with just under 500 Likes. That means the jury is much bigger and more influential this time around.

What does all of this mean for our three finalists?

• Come up with a creative plan and execute it.
• Be ready to adjust when something goes wrong. (It will.)
• And while you’re at it, buy a case of Full Throttle. It’s going to be a long week.

Then again, you just might end up with a dream internship that could serve as a launch pad for an exciting career in marketing.

So, be sure to check back on Monday, when we’ll introduce our finalists for the 2012 Summer Internship Campaign. Voting runs Monday morning to 5 p.m. CDT on Friday.

And to our finalists — gets some sleep. Trust me, you’ll need it.

We were absolutely delighted to see a number of our clients receive recognition in the 2012 “Best of the Twin Cities” issue of City Pages magazine. In our business, we get to know our clients pretty well, and so we take a more-than-casual rooting interest in awards like these.

We’ve seen our clients sweat, worry and exult over their businesses (and done a few of those things ourselves). So it’s a sweet feeling to see their inspiration — and perspiration — recognized by the public and the media.

Congratulations to:

The Bachelor Farmer, Best Restaurant. “The talented team at the Bachelor Farmer, assembled by brothers and co-owners Eric and Andrew Dayton, is bringing the simple sophistication of clean flavors and complex textures — like sour and chewy dried cherries, creamy and earthy duck liver pâté, and ripe, salty pistachios — and making them a huge part of this re-imagined smorgasbord experience.”

Tilia, Best New Restaurant. “For a restaurant that feels as comfortable as a worn-in pair of clogs, the food is fantastically refined and a shoe-in for best new restaurant.”

Steven Joel Brown, Best Chef. “Brown radiates ideas, opinions, and stories, and fortunately that quality translates to each meticulously crafted plate of the new brand of comfort food he serves.”

Marvel Bar, Best Cocktails. “A good cocktail should be an experience. At Marvel Bar, it starts with an unmarked side entrance around the corner from its sister business, the Bachelor Farmer, followed by a basement hallway, and, finally, a purple door.”

The Olivetto (Marvel Bar), Best Contemporary Cocktail. “Nothing is more exciting than trying an entirely new cocktail concept for the first time. One of these firsts is the Olivetto at Marvel Bar, a cocktail unlike anything we’ve ever seen or heard of.”

Minnesota Beatle Project Vol. 3, Best Local Music Compilation. “The last thing the world needs is another tired Beatles compilation. But right from the start, the Minnesota Beatle Project has been anything but a boring, predictable undertaking.”

And, finally:

Jana Shortal, Best TV Newscaster. OK, Jana’s not actually a client, but you’re damn right we’re claiming her. Not only did we bond with her during her recent, hilarious stint as emcee of the Minnesota PRSA Classics, she also did a classic report on one of our actual clients’ products, the fabulous SweeTango apple. As City Pages put it: “A September report she filed on Minnesota’s new SweeTango apple was rife with puns and bad jokes. Shortal described the apple as such: ‘For real, y’all, the SweeTango is an apple love child, born of a 20-year breeding between Papa Honeycrisp and Mama Zestar.’ The piece ends with Shortal taking a big messy bite and deadpanning flatly, mouth full of apple, ‘It’s like a tango in my mouth.’ ”