SmashLAB

"This article is about the Canadian design company. For the Discovery Channel show see Smash Lab"Infobox_Company
company_name = smashLAB
company_
company_type = Corporation
foundation = 2000
location_city = Vancouver, BC
location_country = Canada
key_people = Eric Karjaluoto, Eric Shelkie
industry = Interaction design
products =
revenue =
net_income =
assets =
equity =
num_employees = 6
company_slogan = Make it explosive
homepage = [http://www.smashlab.com www.smashlab.com]

Background

smashLAB is an interaction design firm based in Vancouver, British Columbia, founded in 2000 by Eric Karjaluoto and Eric Shelkie. The firm originally offered a wide range of design services, from identity to advertising.cite news |author = Kevin Brooker |title = Rise of the west |publisher = Applied Arts |page = 64 |date = October 2007] Now it focuses on interactive strategy. smashLAB has received industry recognition and awards from groups including the [http://www.theadcc.ca/awards/directions_2007.asp Advertising & Design Club of Canada] , [http://www.lotusawards.com Lotus Awards] cite news |title = Creative excellence takes centre stage at Vancouver's 18th annual Lotus Awards |publisher = The Vancouver Sun | page = archived [http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/story.html?id=7e6fe884-e410-4869-91b3-2b546833a0a9 online] |date = November 22, 2007] , Graphis, and [http://www.stepinsidedesign.com STEP Inside Design] , particularly for their self-initiated projects.

Notable Projects

Design Can Change

In early 2007, smashLAB launched "Design Can Change", an initiative to unite the world's graphic designers and address climate change. One of its objectives was to highlight the fact that designers influence the buying decisions of businesses and organizations with massive advertising budgets and being in control of such vast purse strings gives committed designers the ability to make a huge difference.cite news |author = Dana Rouse |title = STEP 2007 Best of the Web |publisher = STEP inside design |page = 142 or [http://www.stepinsidedesign.com/STEP/Article/28804/0/page/8 online] |date = September/October 2007] "Design Can Change" asks designers to sign an online pledge to show commitment to sustainable design practice. Signatories are listed in a searchable directory of like-minded studios.cite news |title = In Review |publisher = Metropolis |page = 104 or [http://www.metropolismag.com/cda/story.php?artid=2807 online] |date = June 2007] Within 4 months of its launch, 1000 designers from around the world had signed the pledge.cite news |author = Michael Burns |title = Spreading the Green Message |publisher = DigitalArts |page = 64 or [http://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/features/index.cfm?featureid=1623 online] |date = August 2007] "Design Can Change" was featured on popular online design magazines including Design Observer and PingMag and in design publications such as [http://www.howdesign.com/ HOW] , [http://www.appliedartsmag.com Applied Arts] , and Metropolis. The initiative also received press from The Globe and Mailcite news |author = Jennifer Hollett |title = Smashing global warming with greener design |publisher = The Globe and Mail |page = L7 or [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/Page/document/v5/content/subscribe?user_URL=http://www.theglobeandmail.com%2Fservlet%2Fstory%2FLAC.20080517.SMASH17%2FTPStory%2F%3Fquery%3Dsmashlab&ord=27205737&brand=theglobeandmail&force_login=true online] |date = May 17 2008] , The Vancouver Suncite news |author = Brian Morton |title = Smash climate change
publisher = The Vancouver Sun |page = D5 or [http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=ccf9684c-13aa-4be7-8952-26791f819282 online] |date = May 21 2008] , The Weather Network, and was named one of “today's most influential designs” by TIME Magazine's Design 100.cite news |title = The Design 100 |publisher = TIME Magazine |page = 45 or [http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1727737_1727687_1727568,00.html online] |date = Summer 2008]

ideasonideas

The firm’s blog, [http://www.ideasonideas.com ideasonideas] , focuses on communication design and branding, and has featured interviews and commentary from prominent designers including Erik Spiekermann, David Carson, Stefan Sagmeister and Michael Bierut. As of November 2007, it has a readership of 60,000 monthly visitors.cite news |author = David Coates |title = The Little Lab that Could |publisher = Society of Graphic Designers of Canada |page = [http://gdc.net/designers/inspiration/articles210.htm online] |date = March 2008] In 2006, ideasonideas won merit in the Lotus Awards and won the Weblog category in the [http://www.appliedartsmag.com/awards_winners_details.php?id=1209&pagecategory=5&headerName=h_awards_winners_web_design& Applied Arts Interactive Awards] . In 2008, the blog entered the AdAge Power 150, a ranking of the top English-language media and marketing blogs in the world by Advertising Age. [ [http://adage.com/power150/index.php?kwd=ideasonideas&x=31&y=13 "AdAge Power 150", "Advertising Age"] February, 2008.]

MakeFive

In November 2007, smashLAB launched [http://www.makefive.com "MakeFive"] , a social networking website that allows people to build connections through "top 5" lists. "MakeFive" users can list their top choices on any topic, from sports and movies to current events and life experience, then share and comment on the lists with other users. Makefive won a Popvox Award at the 2008 Vancouver International Digital Festival (VIDFEST) [ [http://www.popvoxawards.com/?q=new-media-bc-announces-popvox-awards-winners "New Media BC announces Popvox Award winners", "Popvoxawards.com"] May 26, 2008.] and was Communication Arts’ "Webpick of the day". [ [http://www.commarts.com/web-sites/makefive.html "Webpick of the day", "Communication Arts"] January 23, 2008.]

"A Primer in Social Media"

In March 2008, smashLAB developed a white paper titled “A Primer on Social Media”, which they freely distributed on their website. As a result of the white paper, smashLAB’s Creative Director, Eric Karjaluoto, was invited to speak at events including RGD Ontario’s “A Designer’s Guide to Social Media”cite news |title = Graphic designers explore trends |publisher = The London Free Press |page = [http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Columnists/Clarke_Meredith/2008/05/20/5614426-sun.html online] |date = May 20, 2008] . The white paper appeared on AdRants [ [http://www.adrants.com/2008/05/national-geographic-wins-three-ellies.php "National Geographic Wins Three Ellies...", "AdRants"] May 2, 2008.] and excerpts were reprinted in the May 2008 issue of Advertising Age [ [http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=126824&search_phrase=smashlab "Need a Primer on Social Media? Read On", "Advertising Age"] , page 13. May 5, 2008.] .

References

External links

* [http://www.smashlab.com smashLAB's official website]
* [http://www.ideasonideas.com ideasonideas]
* [http://designcanchange.org Design Can Change]