Surprisingly, our master creators had no issues sharing which endeavors they’ve enjoyed the most during their tenures on the team. So, to (potentially) send Keeping Up With The Coal Crew out on a bang, we’re letting our readers know which projects got love—and which got snubbed!

Jay, Alex, and Will – The Masked Wrestler: Season 2

This talented triumvirate of Jay, Alex, and Will (hereafter referred to as JAW) all chose the same project as their favorite. That’s no surprise, because as Alex notes, “The scope of the project is the largest we’ve worked on, and it was an incredible experience for everyone.”

The Masked Wrestler is a competition-style wrestling tournament extravaganza and its second season aired on Independent Wrestling Television (IWTV) in 2022 [1]. The Coal Crew was responsible for the whole experience, including:

• Writing
• Planning
• Shooting
• Editing
• Jumping into the ring to slingshot opponents into their teammate’s awaiting clotheslines

The series’ production, much like the steel chairs weaponized during matches, unfolded quickly. In just a couple of days, cast, crew and Coal put their fighting, humor and special effects skills to the test to create an over-the-top and exhilarating series that you need to see to fully appreciate. 

JAW might appreciate it a little too much, however, as they’ve been breaking office furniture over each other’s craniums since the season aired. Hopefully they’ll get a carpentry-themed assignment soon—we’ve been sitting on rubble for over a year!  

Camaryn – Cola Creative Rebranding April Fools Day Skit

Camaryn still dreams of the day she was instantly catapulted from Operations and Business Development Manager to Chief Creative Officer. Current CCO Sam, on the other hand, may not have quite as fond of memories of the infamous prank.

Her popularity as CCO led to a lightning-fast rise up the company ladder, and by the day’s end, she was elevated to President and CEO. While Cola Creative was short-lived, staff are still begging to implement Camaryn’s three-day workweek policy.

Holly – Coal Community Impact Video

Coal has partnered with a wide range of regional organizations and provided creative consultation on many important initiatives over the years. From founding a creative collective to supporting the LGBTQ-focused Rainbow Alliance, we’ve been all over Northeastern Pennsylvania and beyond planting creative seeds in tandem with worthy causes. 

To celebrate this history of fruitful collaboration, (real) CEO Holly chose Coal’s Community Impact Video as her favorite project. The sentimental clip holds a special place in Holly’s heart as it showcases how Coal has grown alongside its local partners over the years. Supporting her community has always been central to Holly’s business ethos and that shows no signs of changing.

Jeremy – Super Efficient Spreadsheet

Project Manager Jeremy has worked on the majority of Coal’s unique, whimsical and exciting creations. He’s the literal coal that keeps our engines burning and he’s always got the team’s back with a crucially-crunched number or inventive logistical solution.

So, which of our wonderful works did he choose as his ultimate favorite? A spreadsheet. 

He says it can create complex estimates from a few pieces of information. For the percentage of people that derive profound pleasure from pondering Excel, this may just be Coal’s magnum opus. 

Jesse – 2022 Young Professionals Awards Skit

Jesse is a bonafide dinger-slinger and base-stealing bandit. In his finest hour, he was called upon to join the (not so) big leagues and face off against other local young professionals in a winner-takes-all baseball game for the ages. 

Okay, that’s not exactly how it went down, but it is how this iconic video imagines it. It was Jesse’s first full skit as an actor, and he certainly knocked it out of the park. The glittery Dodgers jersey, by the way, is still hanging in his closet like a trophy. 

Matt – Signallamp Health Avatar Creator

Signallamp Health helps patients with chronic medical conditions match with nurses who remotely monitor and care for them. To give the experience a friendly feel, our web team made a personalized avatar creator for nurses to customize to their heart’s content.

As an avid fan of The Sims, Matt called the project, “A dream come true.” Getting to illustrate all the different styles of hair, outfits and facial features was a formidable obstacle to overcome, but likewise a career highlight for the young creative. 

Mia – Signallamp Zoom Backgrounds

Mia also chose a Signallamp project as her favorite to date. With chronic medical issues being a personal and often touchy subject to broach, standard Zoom backgrounds seem a bit cold for such crucial consultations.

Thus, Mia put her impeccable illustrative skills to the test and designed personalized backdrops for nurses and patients to conference over. She enjoyed the project because it gave her a high degree of freedom while still allowing her the chance to show off her keen creative chops.

Samantha – Ricketts Glen Kids Trail Signs

Ricketts Glen State Park comprises over 13,000 acres of lush, green foliage and breathtaking waterfalls [2]. It’s easy for anyone to get lost in this vast expanse of wilderness, especially wee kiddos who haven’t yet learned how to navigate using the sun as their compass.

So, to make sure no little ones wander off the trail, Samantha designed a series of signs that mark Ricketts Glen’s lightest path. Samantha is a huge animal and nature lover, so when she gets the chance to combine her passions with her work, she always considers it a home run.

Samuel – Pennsylvania Horse Racing Association (PHRA) Foal Cam

Samuel prefers a stable pick over some of the more quirky choices on this list (ba dum tss!). When their next generation of prize foals was on their way into the world, the PHRA wanted to share the miracle of birth with the public.

Their idea was to live stream the whole process so that anyone interested could join in. Samuel took the creative reins, crafting a custom logo from scratch and masterminding promos to get the word out. He still marvels at the care and dedication that went into safely delivering the foals, and hopes to win big on one of them someday. 

Travis – Signallamp Chronic Care Management (CCM) Economic Value Calculator

To close this list of favorites off, Travis chose another one of Signallamp’s unique features. The CCM Economic Value Calculator helps healthcare providers see how much they can save by partnering with Signallamp to fill remote roles.

Travis has no qualms with espousing his love for Javascript, so he was pumped when he got to do a custom build in his second-to-native language. As he modestly notes, cross-departmental collaboration was key to the success of this project—even if he’s the brains behind all the technical aspects.

###

Sources: 

[1] “The Masked Wrestler”. Independent Wrestling Television. [Online], Available: https://independentwrestling.tv/. [Accessed July 9, 2023]

[2] “Ricketts Glen State Park”. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. [Online], Available: https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/. [Accessed July 9, 2023]

The post The Coal Crew Shares Their Favorite Projects first appeared on Coal Creative.

Despite putting on masterclasses in creativity on a daily basis, the cunning characters of The Coal Crew have yet to break ground on their long-awaited Coal College. Lack of campus aside, we’re jumping ahead to nail down the more whimsical details of our Funiversity with this month’s edition of Keeping Up With The Coal Crew. 

We asked our faculty staff a simple question: If they were building a school after your likeness, what would your mascot be? 

Surprisingly, none of our loyal workers chose coal to represent their imaginary institutions (or the nation’s most popular mascot, the bulldog [1]). Despite this, they did come up with some rather interesting picks.

Jesse – Carly the Inflatable Green Couch

Jesse is a certified aficionado of the early 2000s. So, after a hard day of learning HTML to customize his Myspace profile, he likes to kick off his torn-up low-rise jeans and watch Lost in the most painful position possible.

Jesse admits that inflatable furniture “wasn’t comfortable or practical, but man, did it look sick.” And, honestly, anyone who’s ever worn a full mascot costume can tell you that’s pretty much par for the course. 

Holly – The Coner

Head honcho Holly wants to give back in the sweetest way possible with her mascot of choice: an ice cream cone. That’s why, if you’re heading to a match at the Hollydome, there’s no need to pay exorbitant prices to enjoy frozen dairy delights. The Coner hands out free ice cream like it’s going out of style, baby! 

Is it your birthday? Well, it looks like you earned some free ice cream. Holidays? Ice cream. Wednesday? Ice cream!

Nursing brain freeze from an ice cream overload? More ice cream’s the cure!

Where are you going? Get back here and eat this ice cream!

Mia – Girlblin The Girly Goblin

Petite Mia didn’t only pick a goblin because she’s “small and cute.” According to her, she also shares the same posture and expression as these fabled creatures.

In Western folklore, goblins are mischievous, and they get a kick out of pranking others and watching them suffer [2]. So, the next time Nickelback is blasting over the office speakers, the crew can safely assume it’s Mia’s mischief and not Jesse’s obsession with Dad Rock.

Will – Sleepytime Bear

Whimsical Will’s mascot represents the strong guiding principles he envisions for his students—namely courage, respect, fairness, and the ability to nap in any situation. 

Sleepytime Bear teaches us that it’s okay to catch up on some Zs every once in a while—so don’t be surprised when his fans show up to a match sporting pajamas and pillows. We asked Will to elaborate on his mascot’s qualities and characteristics, but he was already embroiled in an afternoon siesta.

Jay – Captain E. Bara

Capybaras are the world’s largest rodents and, like Jay, are found primarily in the jungles of South and Central America [3]. Scratch that, Jay can mostly be found at her desk, coordinating video production. 

What the two do have in common, however, is an affinity for adopting strays, lounging in stagnant pools of water, and feasting on whole melons. 

Yes, that means the concession stands at The Jay Center only offer cantaloupe and honeydew, and no, you can’t have a fork.

Samuel – The Dairy Dancer

Samuel’s one-time use mascot is seeking revenge for all the times his digestive tract lost a match to a glass of milk or a slice of pizza. The Dairy Dancer has one purpose: infiltrate the belly of the beast by causing havoc in milk’s stomach.

Between Holly’s Coner and Samuel’s Dairy Dancer, there’s already a fervent rivalry developing in the National Coal Athletic Association. So, when these two adversaries face off, expect a showdown of the milkiest proportions. 

Leah – Baby G.O.A.T.

Leah, much like a baby goat, is “cute, sassy, and enjoys screaming at random times.” The latter is actually a quality of all certified sports fans, so Baby G.O.A.T.’s hordes of rowdy followers will provide the perfect atmosphere at every game.

While not exactly striking fear in the hearts of their opponents, baby goats do love to graze, so the grass at Leah Yards should be the Greatest Of All Time. 

Samantha – Cunning Crow

Crows are some of the smartest members of the animal kingdom. They can use tools to solve difficult puzzles and display a level of logic higher than graduates of (insert your alma mater’s rival here).

Samantha’s Cunning Crow would patrol the campus at night, picking up shiny objects to trade to students for pistachios by day. After swapping you for a trinket, she’ll move on to deal with future business—but you’ll always be left with the memory of the day your life was touched by the Cunning Crow.

Travis – Dangerous Dan the Reckless Armadillo

Travis’ mascot choice is a throwback to a codename he used to have while working for [redacted]. During his time there, he had a penchant for getting involved in dangerous missions, which is why he ended up in [redacted], [redacted], and even [super redacted].

When asked what sports his school would take part in, Travis simply said “Dangerball.” When asked for an explanation, he claimed there was nothing he could say that wouldn’t immediately be redacted.

Jeremy – Junk Jeremy

Imagine the Jeremy you’ve always known and loved, but with an impossibly scraggly beard, crusty white T-shirt, and eerie, otherworldly qualities. That’s Junk Jeremy, a disheveled space beast who fell from the interstellar.

50% improv kid, 50% kickball legend, Junk Jeremy can tear up the stage or the diamond (No bunting!). 

Camaryn – Honey Badger 

Camaryn says this video about her mascot speaks for itself. If we had to add something, however, it would be this: Camaryn’s reverence for a decade-old meme shows that, while honey badger may not give a sh*t, Camaryn certainly cares deeply for obscure relics of popular culture.

Matt – Maple Matt

Speaking of relics of the past, Matt chose a tree as a mascot, not in honor of their grandeur and majesty, but because he went as one for Halloween and wants to reuse the costume. 

Trees are fine choices for mascots on paper (ironically). But, when 50,000 fans cover themselves in sticks and leaves and try to jam into his school’s stadium, he’s going to wish he chose something less bulky.

Alex – The Big, Bad Bloodhound

Alex admits that bloodhound “is a surprisingly menacing name for such a ridiculous beast,” but he just can’t resist their weird, saggy faces. 

He envisions his big, bad boy standing outside of a marketing agency (Coal, perhaps?), sporting a jersey, and (presumably) cheering on clients as they walk in.

Sources: 

[1] Holroyd, Caitlyn. “Infographic: Most common mascots among Division I schools”. The Score. [Online], Available: https://www.thescore.com/. [Accessed June 9, 2023]

[2] “Goblin”. Encyclopedia Britannica. [Online], Available: https://www.britannica.com. [Accessed June 9, 2023]

[3] “Capybara”. National Geographic. [Online], Available: https://www.nationalgeographic.com. [Accessed June 9, 2023]

The post Keeping Up with the Coal Crew: June 2023 first appeared on Coal Creative.

So, if you’re looking for a familiar favorite to take in alongside some rays, or a new and instant classic to get the creative juices flowing, it’s on hear.

Grab your boombox and your parasol, slip on some sandals, and don’t forget to zinc your sniffer—these tunes are as shiny and bright as the flipside of a CD (so please enjoy them with eye protection as well).

Alex – Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton

To kick things off, Alex gets us going on the right foot with a groovy, slightly obscure (yet eerily familiar) choice.

If this beautiful, yet undersung classic happens to “ring all the bells” in your mind, it may be due to its inclusion in 2019’s hit film Us [1]. Les Fleurs is best accompanied by a scenic drive, preferably during a moment of personal triumph or bliss. The smooth, slow-building tempo, much like the summer, burns slow at first—but the mighty crescendo hits harder than a 100-degree day. 

Camaryn – Silver Springs by Fleetwood Mac

Camaryn comes in strong with a lesser known, yet killer tune from the undisputed champions of rock ballads. 

Light as air, smooth as butter, and brimming with ethereal qualities—it’s not a magical summer’s night, it’s Stevie Nicks and crew doing what they do best. With a funky bassline and some truly haunting vocals, Silver Springs is somehow the perfect companion to a sullen or splendiferous summer.

Holly – Fallingwater by Maggie Rogers

Summertime means different things for different people. For some, it evokes a carefree sense of boundlessness. For CEO Holly, it’s a season of immense emotion.

Her pick, Maggie Rogers’ chilling and intimate tune Fallingwater, is packed with feelings, like an intense 4-minute summer romance. Regarding the video, Holly says it’s “the self-expression dance session we all really need to make time for,” so be sure to add “Move my body to my heart’s content” to your summer to-do list.

Jay – Lovestained by Hope Tala

Fans of danceable jams rejoice, Lovestained brings hip-swinging basslines to get lost to. Jay calls the tune “a picnic with your best friend on lush, pillowy grass,” and we couldn’t agree more—if the grass was made of pure, unadulterated funk.

Seriously, with a beat this infectious, Lovestained will stick on your mind like a Fourth of July mustard stain on a tank top—and we never want to bleach it out.

Jeremy – Radio by Arcade High and Sunset by The Midnight

Jeremy is going to force you to listen to two songs, but it’s for totally unselfish reasons. The thing is, both are certified as groovetastic and it’d be impossible to choose between them.

Radio hits all the bouncy, distorted synthwave notes you crave out of a quasi-80s revival jam. Meanwhile, the motivational narration and rising guitar tones of Sunset burst with the warmth of pink neon on every beat. Throw either on for a drive on a warm summer’s night, roll down your windows and steer your spaceship toward the horizon.

Jesse – Praising You by Rita Ora (feat. Fatboy Slim)

For a true potential candidate for song of the summer, Jesse suggests Rita Ora and Fatboy Slim’s hot new hit, Praising You. The song has strong “big party scene” vibes, so don’t be surprised to see it in an upcoming blockbuster or two.

Regardless of whether it makes it onto the silver screen or not, we’ll be praising this sizzling summer tune by bumping it until autumn. 

Matt – Silent Running by Gorillaz

The pick is inspired by a recent concert described by Matt as “the best show I’ve been to yet.” The song, Silent Running, is a modern classic that proves Gorillaz still has it (and never lost it)!

The tune features a driving bassline and snappy drum beats accompanied by slick instrumental experimentation. If you’re a fan of 80s rock, synthwave, or music in general, this baby is nothing but silky smooth vibrations.

Mia – Let Go by Ark Patrol and Veronika Redd

Sometimes summer means traveling to different realms—or at least, that’s the feeling Mia’s pick Let Go evokes. 

With alienesque sonic drones and airy, ethereal vocals, Ark Patrol and Veronika Redd give you the impression they’re going to abduct summer, rather than induce it. Regardless, if you feel like floating this season—in the pool or on air—take this track for a spin.

Samantha – Marathon Runner by Yellow Ostrich

Summer isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon—or so says Samantha. There are many adventures in this wild, uncertain life, and listening to Marathon Runner is perfect preparation for any of them.

Ear-pleasingly layered vocal tracks and a driving drum roll back this deep, emotionally-evocative indie jam. Listening to the lyrics over and over may bring a tear to your eye, but hearing the guitar wail repeatedly might melt your face. 

Samuel – Tequila by The Champs 

Similarly to Alex’s choice, Tequila is a song you’ve probably heard in movies and on TV, but didn’t even know had a name. Samuel cites this scene from The Sandlot as the iconic inspiration behind his choice.

The song itself is a real hip swinger, and basically commands you to don a pair of shades and sip a margarita. If you’re looking for a nostalgic summer jam to bring you back to childhood movies you only vaguely remember, dust off your gramophone and crank out this tune.

Travis – Ao by Submotion Orchestra

Travis will be doing a lot of rocking out this summer, so to maintain inner-balance, he’s leaning on Ao as his source of serenity. 

Ao has a warm, inviting ambience that instantly makes one feel a sense of peace. Likewise, its rising synthwave motif is just begging to be thrown on for a night drive through the vast, unlit desert.

Will – Pool Party by DJ Sabrina The Teenage DJ

Bust out the boogie boards and waterproof sunscreen, it’s a pool party (Aren’t you going to jump in?). With some funky vibes and topical voice overs, this tune is the perfect backing track to your sizzling-hot peak-of-summer backyard pool blowout.

Will describes DJ Sabrina’s music and aesthetic as “entering a Blockbuster operated by A.I. Barbie dolls.” If you like Adult Swim b-roll oddities and psychtrance bops, they may be the duo you never knew you were missing out on.

Relena – Come Along by Cosmo Sheldrake

An interesting and oddly-epic choice from intern Relena, who admits Come Along is outside her normal musical tastes. 

The narrative evokes feelings of a “peculiar summer vacation on an island somewhere,” and honestly, it feels like one from which you may never return. If you get a mysterious invitation from one Doctor Moureau this season, this song may have been an omen.

Leah – Pork Soda by Glass Animals

For this danceable tune, Grammy nominees [2] Glass Animals combine infectiously funky beats with an unforgettably punchy and absurd chorus (Pineapples are in my head!). 

Leah recommends singing along with a tall, cold can of Pork Soda on a summer’s drive, windows down of course (but by this point in the playlist, you know that’s obligatory). On a real note, however, if you ever find out what Pork Soda actually is, please don’t tell us.

The post Keeping Up with the Coal Crew: May 2023 first appeared on Coal Creative.

The Coal Crew’s Joy-Sparking Show-and-Tell Submissions

Masterful Melodics

Many of our members have a musical side, starting with Matt. As a man of many talents, Matt presented his band’s physical debut album as his show-and-tell submission. It features some eye-catching graphics, which came as no surprise considering that Matt is our brilliant Lead Web Developer and Lead Designer.

“This is my band’s debut album that came out last year. It’s special to me because it’s the first time I really got to combine my love for music and graphic design. There’s also cool little drawings and icons in here that I hand drew, so it was a full circle thing for me,” Matt said. 

Another one of our musical masterminds is Travis, Coal Creative’s Web Developer and Technology Specialist. He displayed a vinyl record from his band, Sleepsculptor, during the show-and-tell. “It’s the second album I’ve been a part of writing with them, but this is the first vinyl I’ve ever had with my music on it. The experience of recording this in New Jersey for a whole month was really cool,” he explained. 

Our final virtuoso, Will, works as our Post-Production Manager by day and plays in the band Rosary Guild by night. During our show-and-tell, he unveiled his Suzi Omnichorch and said, “This is one of the cooler, more obscure instruments that I have. It’s an 80s electronic instrument. It was actually based on the acoustic instrument of an autoharp. June Carter, Johnny Cash’s wife, would play one.”

Culinary Creatives

Next, we heard from the Coal Crew members who find their flow state in the kitchen. Production Manager Alex shared his love for scrumptious food with his show-and-tell contribution: Lemon, Love, & Olive Oil. “I’ve been getting really into cooking. My girlfriend and I love Greek food, so she got me this Greek food cookbook and that pumps me up.”

While Alex’s happiness is derived from delicious dishes, Jesse’s delight springs from the perfect cup of coffee. Like many marketing heroes, our masterful Campaign Manager is proudly fueled by caffeine. When Jesse’s not strategizing new social campaigns for clients, he enjoys testing out different caffeinated creations using his barista-grade espresso machine, endearingly named Chamille. 

“My love for coffee began in college years ago when I was trying to learn how to save money and make my own coffee,” Jesse said. “I began learning how to create my own lattes and eventually, my parents bought me a small espresso machine that got me through the rest of my college years. Once I had my first job, I splurged and bought Chamille, a Breville Barista Express, and my life hasn’t been the same since.” 

Furry Friends

After hearing from our culinary creatives, Coal Crew’s pet parents took center stage. Managing Director Camaryn attributed her high spirits at home to her cat, Kitty. “The reason her name is Kitty is because we found her living under my shed and she just responded to Kitty. So we couldn’t change it,” Camaryn explained. 

She went on to say, “She brings me a lot of joy because she is just like my spirit animal. I think we’re very similar with our thoughts and feelings. Justen, my fiancé, tells me this as well.” In light of this information, we’re currently reviewing Kitty’s resume for the Coal Creative management team. 

Another heart-warming show-and-tell submission came from Samantha, our Content Director. She presented a plaque of her corgi, Sully, who sadly passed away last year. “He was a really great friend and would frequently appear in my background during Zoom meetings. When he passed, I was really upset. The next time I came into the office, Holly and Cam surprised me with this custom wood-burned plaque of Sully, created by NEPA Creative-spotlighted artist Rachel Kissell.”

Not only does this plaque memorialize Samantha’s fluffy sidekick, but it also highlights the strong bonds at Coal Creative. “It brings me so much joy that not only do I have this lovely memorial piece, but that I had such amazing friends at Coal who thought to give me this incredibly special gift,” said Samantha. 

Easy on the Eyes

Many Coal Crew members appreciate visual art, starting with our CEO, Holly. She showcased a gift she received from a high school friend—a framed piece of art that says, “All the events of your life are there because you have drawn them there. What you choose to do with them is up to you.” 

Holly hung this gift in her home so she can glean inspiration from it every day. She went on to say that this gift “was basically thanking me for choosing NEPA as a priority and having an influence on the progress of the valley. Sometimes you forget that people are watching and that you’re making an impact. Just a constant reminder that our ripple effect goes far and wide.” Wise words, indeed. 

Next, we heard from Jay, our Video Production Coordinator. While her position at Coal focuses on digital mediums, she’s also a big fan of the printed page. She and her boyfriend hand-crafted a Tokyo-themed, light-up book nook to call attention to her ever-expanding library. She said that it yells out to her “Hey, come over here and finish your books. Stop buying them!” Relatable. 

Lastly, Operations Director Jeremy shared how he’s been partial toward print marketing for many years. During our show-and-tell, he proved his talents with his hand-crafted Wallace.dog box. He said that this box “represents the various different mediums I have learned and also this childhood affinity for marketing materials. It harkens back to the late 80s version of North American Nintendo Entertainment System marketing.” Handmade vintage art? We love to see it! 

Cinematic Playstation

To finish off our glorious show-and-tell session, a couple of members of the Coal Crew discussed their love of visual mediums—namely, filmmaking and video games. 

Chief Creative Officer, Samuel, has an enduring passion for filmmaking. Thus, it came as no surprise that he revealed a video camera as his show-and-tell contribution. This particular video camera had a special story behind it. 

“This is my first camera. It was my dad’s camera, the GL1. It was a really great tool for me to use as a young creative person. It really helped me develop my love for making movies and editing and doing in camera editing and whatnot… Having this kind of prosumer-level camera as a nine-year-old was really important for my development,” Samuel said.

Next, Design Specialist Mia spoke about her nostalgic love of video games. “I have a lot of good memories with video games and playing them with my boyfriend and my friends. We tell funny jokes while we’re playing and really enjoy talking to each other,” she said. 

Like Samuel, Mia’s show-and-tell selection had a special family connection. “I also feel very connected with my brother when I play video games. I’m trying to continue his legacy with buying all the consoles and storing them.”

You’re up next! What sparks joy for you? Let us know in the comments, and we hope our show-and-tell brought a little sunshine to your day.

The post Keeping Up with the Coal Crew: Show & Tell Edition first appeared on Coal Creative.

Ah, Monopoly! 

The classic childhood game that brought families and friends together only to summarily and systematically tear them apart. But don’t get us wrong, it’s riveting gameplay. Especially for those particularly adept at brutally draining the spirits and coffers of their opponents — and those with a knack for the plastic real estate market. 

But the battle *ahem* game often began before the die was ever cast. 

For play to commence, players first needed to make a life-defining decision: which token would they select? 

Whether it was the formidable battleship that you hoped would carry you directly to the Boardwalk or the cheeky boot that looked like it fell right off the foot of Robin Hood, your token totem said something about who you were and, more importantly, what you stood for. 

It was a decision that could not be made lightly.   

That’s why we thought it would be fun to ask the Coal Creative team which Monopoly piece — either existing or made up — would best represent them. Let’s set the board.

Holly “Barbell” Pilcavage

As our fearless CEO, it’s no wonder why Holly would select a custom barbell piece. She’s both strong and determined — a tireless worker who never settles and always strives to make gains. 

But don’t let that barbell slow your pilgrimage to Park Place, Holly. Our rag-tag team of tokens are in close pursuit.

Samuel “Darth Maul” O’Connell 

Our CCO Sam is a man of refined taste. That’s why his family exclusively played the Star Wars Episode 1 Phantom Menace edition. 

To that end, he seized this opportunity to finally become the coveted Darth Maul piece. Reveling in his long-awaited triumph he left this friendly dispatch: “Just because you won the last twelve games in a row doesn’t mean you always get to be Darth Maul, Abe.” 

While we can’t say for certain, this sounds suspiciously like something a Jar-Jar Binks player would say. One can only assume that, to this day, Sam is still unpacking some deep-seated gaming trauma.

Alex “Pawn” Manganella

Alex leads our video production team, transforming creative ideas into award-winning films and videos. 

When asked which piece he would be, he responded, “Like all of the board games in my house, Monopoly is missing a few pieces so I would have to get scrappy. I’d probably be a pawn from a nearby chess set that never makes it back to its original game.”

That’s fitting, we think. Like a pawn, Alex is a resourceful and adaptable team player who’s always ready to step in and assist whenever the cameras start rolling. 

Jeremy “Dumpster” Brown

Our Operations Director Jeremy stated that he would be a, and I quote, “dumpster.” You can make of that what you will. 

For his one-word response, Jeremy goes straight to jail. 

Do not pass Go and do not collect $200.

Samantha “The Mailman” Bucher 

Growing up, Samantha was more into collecting dogs than properties. “I played the unlicensed ‘Dog-opoly,’” she said. “Shockingly, there were no dog tokens, so I’ll settle for the mailman.” 

Even though a mailman may be a dog’s most fearsome rival, they — like Samantha — are dependable, reliable and always on the go. As our Content Director, Samantha paws-itively delivers — no matter the creative pursuit.

Travis “Skateboard” Antoniello

Travis, our Web Developer and Technology Specialist, dedicates his game piece to all the skaters out there who have been unceremoniously kicked off a perfect four-set by a busybody mall cop or actual police officer. 

With his board underfoot and Goldfinger’s “Superman” blaring in the background, he’d hit up all the fresh skate spots before the rest of the Coal Creative team could reach the properties and, subsequently, ban skateboarders from the grounds — or at least charge them a hefty fee. 

Jesse “Caffeine Pill” Macko

Jesse, our Campaign Manager, replied that he would be a caffeine pill, which he would then take in order to stay awake for an entire game of Monopoly. 

While we typically avoid making inferences or broad generalizations, this statement reads like someone who’s lost a lot of Monopoly games and, frankly, remains quite bitter about the fact. 

Jay “The Cheater” Nguyen 

Growing up, Jay didn’t play normal Monopoly. 

Her family played Monopoly: Cheaters Edition. In this cutthroat version, players were encouraged to steal from the bank, ignore the dice and do anything they wanted — so long as they got away with it. 

To that end, Jay would choose “Scottie Dog Burying Taxes” because, as she noted, it represents her two favorite things: dogs and committing tax fraud.

Uh, Jay?

All we can say is we’re glad she’s not in charge of our finances. 

Matt “Fair Player” Simoncavage

Matt — our team’s Lead Web Developer and Designer — took a somewhat more Machiavellian approach to the game, saying “I’d just be all the pieces so that no one else could play and I win. Because, Monopoly.”

Although we’re not 100% sure, this feels as if it violates the rules of both the game and the questionnaire. While we appreciate the must-win attitude, Matt, for your crimes, join Jeremy and his dumpster in jail. 

Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.  

Will “Not Playing Your Game” McHale

Matt may have tried to change the game, but our Post-Production Manager, Will took that a step further by completely upending the board and then boycotting future gameplay.

According to Will, “I would be a game piece from ‘Pop-O-Matic Trouble,’ a far superior board game that doesn’t rely on constantly reminding its players about the icy grip of monopolies in end-stage capitalism.”

Will, those “game pieces” are just boring old pegs and nowhere near as cool as a battleship, racecar or cannon. Take your peg and go to the Trouble equivalent of jail (home?). 

May you not roll any sixes.  

Mia “Thimble” Cundro

Our Design Specialist Mia is one of the only team members who actually selected one of the original game pieces.

Good job, Mia! You follow instructions better than the rest of the team. Advance to Go. Collect $200.

But why the thimble? 

According to Mia, “I feel like it represents my life perfectly. I need all the protection I can get from the weird things that happen to me, lol.”

Fair enough. 

“Captain” Camaryn Lokuta

Our steadfast Managing Director Camaryn Lokuta knows how to help lead the team toward victory. And like Mia, she also gets bonus points for selecting an original piece. 

“People say you need to choose your battles, but I am hard-headed so I choose all of them!” She says, “For this reason, I would be the (retired) battleship.”

We can’t argue with that! 

Now that everyone’s selected their tokens, it’s time to play the game itself. We just hope this isn’t the end of the Coal Crew as we know it.

The post Keeping Up With The Coal Crew | February 2023 first appeared on Coal Creative.

For the January 2023 edition of KUWTCC, we asked our team to be trend meteorologists — to don their blue raincoats and baseball caps and forge into the chaotic hurricane of Culture with Joe Snedeker-level abandon. 

As always, we asked our posse to get creative. And because they’re as dependable as April showers and May flowers, they delivered. Let’s get into the Coal Crew’s predictions for 2023’s biggest trends — from an analog art boom to the re-introduction of dinosaurs to Earth’s ecosystem (…yeah). 

Leaving Stress (And Splitting the Bill) in the Past

Alex Manganella, our Production Manager, predicts that people (himself included) will start kicking their smartphone addictions to tackle life’s many annoyances. 

“Limiting screen time is so important. This year, I think we’ll see a big uptick in people going social media-free!”

But Alex isn’t just talking the talk — he’s walking the walk. He’s already kicked a few apps to the curb this year, and he has a few things to say about it:

• Instagram – “I don’t need to compare myself to everyone else’s highlight reel every day.”
• Facebook – “Divisive social media algorithms encourage confrontation. No thank you!”
• Asana – “It’s great for tracking work tasks, but I don’t need that kind of stress in my life in 2023.”
• PNC Mobile Banking – “Late fees? You already have all of my money. Figure it out yourselves, PNC!”
• Venmo – “Deleting Venmo was a great life hack. Plus, friends can always send you a Venmo request if they cover food or drinks.”
• iMessage – “People are going to notice that you aren’t responding to their Venmo requests — to avoid confrontation, cut off as many forms of communication as you can. That kind of stress isn’t welcome in 2023!”

“After removing these apps from my phone, I discovered that serenity is within reach. 2023 has been amazing so far!”

We’d like to remind readers that — depending on your notification settings — Venmo requests might also show up in your email inbox. In this case, be sure to send Gmail to the chopping block, too. 

The Year of the Hobbit… And the Dinosaur?

Content Director extraordinaire Samantha Bucher also predicts that The Culture will take a turn toward the serene in 2023. Who else never responded to Venmo requests and turned out just fine? Hobbits. 

“I’m seeing a lot of talk online about ‘Hobbity New Year,’ a cozy challenge for people to live more like hobbits in 2023. I’m expecting that by the end of the year, we’ll see Samuel O’Connel, our resident LOTR fanboy, serving Second Breakfast to the Crew and wearing lots of cloaks.”

You heard it here first — it’s the year of going barefoot, eating seven meals a day and hosting neighborhood garden parties (complete with plenty of ale and dancing). But, when you replace your rectangular front door with a round one, maybe make sure it’s fireproof. 

“I can confirm that this is the year of the hobbit,” says Chief Middle Earth Historian (err, Creative Officer) Samuel. “But “cozy” is just the beginning. Although “there hasn’t been a dragon in these parts for a thousand years,” I predict science will use genetic cloning to bring back dinosaurs in 2023 and — dare I say — gold-loving, fire-breathing dragons.”

Be sure to follow the #bringbackdinosaurs2023 hashtag on Instagram for updates from the scientific community. 

Comebacks and Throwbacks

Some of our digital marketers-turned-fad forecasters predict that instead of embracing something new, the world will seek comfort from beloved trends of yore. 

“While I’m not going to get my hopes up, I’m manifesting that this will be the year that Vine makes a comeback,” says Jesse Macko, our Campaign Manager. Vine walked so TikTok could run, but we’re looking forward to a revival of the six-second masterpiece. 

Lead Web Developer Matt Simoncavage also has his sights set on a throwback — and an ambitious rebrand. 

“A few years ago, some of us used to do pushups every day in the office. This is the year that comes back in a big way. Everyone at Coal. 100 pushups a day. Every day. By 2024, we’ll be ready to rebrand as Swole Creative.”

Those of us that do embrace Matt’s pushup challenge will be spending more time than usual staring down at our hands (good form is paramount, after all), and Video Production Coordinator Jay Nguyen predicts that 2023 will usher in a glamorous throwback that will make our hands a much more stimulating point of visual interest:

“I feel like some parts of ‘90s and Y2K fashion are here to stay in 2023. Personally, I would love to see more airbrushed nail designs! My mom is a nail technician, and I saw her work on a lot of airbrushing art in the early 2000s. You can get really creative with this style. I know that at my next appointment, I’ll be asking her to pull out all of the old stencils and airbrush paints!” 

Matt, there are five letters in the word “swole,” and five fingernails on each hand — consider the gauntlet thrown. 

Forward-Thinking Tech

The Coal Crew certainly didn’t skimp on tech-related predictions. But, Travis Antoniello (our Web Developer) suspects that 2023’s artistic pursuits will take a turn for the analog: 

“As a result of AI art becoming popularized, we’ll see a boom in physical art media — canvas, murals, pottery, et cetera.” 

This is a good thing; we’ll need something to do once the second part of Travis’s prediction becomes a reality. 

“At the same time, we’ll start seeing AI harnessed in ways that we never thought possible, rendering all of our jobs obsolete. It’s been real, y’all.”

Design Specialist Mia Cundro is sharpening skills that an AI simply can’t recreate: the art of killer sound effects. 

“I predict that sound effects will rule the world in 2023. Reels and TikToks are already using them religiously, and I predict that websites (and everything clickable) are going to embrace sound effects in a big way.” 

But Will McHale, our Post-Production Manager, might miss out on those sound effects — at least until Apple releases his most anticipated product of 2023. 

“This year, Apple will continue to push technology forward by introducing AirPods that plug directly into your phone so you won’t have to worry about constantly losing them.” 

Move over, Apple Pay — this is innovation. 

Four-Legged Influencers

While we await the reappearance of dinosaurs and the introduction of dragons, CEO Holly Pilcavage predicts that the animal kingdom won’t let us down in the meantime. 

“In 2023, everyone will hire Lucy Lemon to be their brand influencer. I mean everyone. Petsmart. Target. Disneyland. All of ‘em.”The world’s next up-and-coming four-legged influencer is currently accepting inquiries via her Instagram @LucyLemonPup. Don’t delay — her docket is going to fill up fast!

The post Keeping Up With The Coal Crew | January 2023 first appeared on Coal Creative.

Starbucks cups are red, Mariah Carey has returned to the airwaves and mini marshmallows are flying off the shelves. The holiday season is in full swing. 

The Coal Crew has a lot to celebrate. Our team created countless memories this year, and our highlight reel is bursting at the seams with laughs, joy and big wins. 

This month, we asked our team to share their favorite Coal memories of 2022. And, while everyone contributed a unique flashback to this year’s clip show, each one showcases the overall theme of the year: unbridled, undeniable awesomeness.

Soaking Up the Limelight

For the last few years, Coal Creative has worked hard to innovate in the digital marketing world. We received two exciting awards this year, and the Crew is touched to have been recognized by our community. 

“My favorite Coal memory is attending the GWVCC Annual Dinner together as a team and accepting our award together!” says Camaryn, our Managing Director. 

It was incredible to be recognized as the Emerging Business of the Year by the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce. And, simply put, we couldn’t have done it without everyone on the Crew. “The award stands for years of hard work and dedication from all of us,” says Holly, our CEO. 

But, one particularly outstanding member of the Crew was also recognized this year. Our very own Samantha Butcher was named STEAM Professional of the Year—a moment that both Jesse, our Campaign Manager, and Samuel, our Chief Creative Officer, treasure as their favorite moment of 2022. 

Samuel says, “Even though Samantha wasn’t there to accept it, we felt such pride as a team; it felt like we were all winning because we get to work with her every day.” Jesse (who gracefully accepted Samantha’s award on her behalf) recalls that “The weather was beautiful, the venue was great and that event is always a good time! Not too shabby, if you ask me.”

Getting the Band Back Together

There’s another reason why accepting the Emerging Business of the Year Award was Holly’s favorite moment: “We were all together again. Under one roof. In the same place. I cherish all of those moments. We create a lot of magic daily in our new hybrid model, but there’s a special magic when we’re present and sharing physical space that just cannot be replicated for me.” 

Award ceremonies gave us two excellent opportunities to get together in person this year, and we really savor that time together. Take it from Mia, our Design Specialist: “My favorite Coal memory from this year is the Young Professionals Awards! It was my first time going to an event with the Coal Crew and meeting everyone outside of work.” 

Our Crew simply loves working together, and we cherish the few opportunities we have to occupy the same physical space. Case in point: our Team Building Day was the most popular 2022 memory. 

Both Travis and Will (our Web Developer and Post-Production Manager, respectively) noted the sheer hilarity of our third annual improv lesson. “I was sore from laughing for days after,” recalls Will. 

“My favorite Coal memory every year is Team Building Day, and this year is no exception,” says Matt, our Lead Web Developer & Lead Designer. “We played a game of kickball at Kirby Park this year, and it was a blast. I’ll never forget the sight of Junk Jeremy charging through those bases.” 

Jeremy (our Operations Director) even starred in some commemorative imagery, courtesy of Samuel O’Connell our Chief Creative Officer:

Sam’s creativity and Jeremy’s kickball prowess know no bounds. 

Channeling Creativity (and Chaos)

The Crew also looks back fondly on some of our most creative moments from 2022. 

One festive challenge was the highlight of Content Director Samantha’s year: “Every day at Coal, there are so many moments that make me happy to be a part of the team. A great example is when Holly sent us craft supplies for Thanksgiving. At our team Zoom meeting, we all had 15 minutes to make a hand turkey.” 

But, it wouldn’t have been a Coal get-together without a dose of insanity. Alex, our Production Manager, recalls the hand turkey competition as “a perfect demonstration of everyone’s creativity and personalities—and it was absolutely hilarious to see the chaos of it all.”

Of course, any creativity retrospective would be incomplete without a glance back at 2022’s most opportune holiday. “I think my favorite memory this year with the Coal Crew is when we held our Halloween Zoom meeting!” says Jay, our Video Production Coordinator. “Everyone was so creative and went all out in our Disney-themed costumes!”

If there’s one thing you should know about the Coal Crew, it’s that we’ll never skip a chance to show off our creativity—a rule we happily obeyed in 2022. 

Happy Holidays from the Coal Crew

Whether you’re celebrating with family, devoting time off to personal creative projects or making a holiday retrospective of your own, we wish you a relaxing and joyful season. 

Happy holidays from everyone at Coal Creative!

The post Keeping Up with the Coal Crew (KUWTCC) December 2022 first appeared on Coal Creative.

Have you been invited to yet another Friendsgiving potluck that, due to the collective fear of undercooking a 30-pound bird, will feature mostly desserts?

However you plan to spend Turkey Day 2022, we can almost guarantee that your ritual won’t be as bizarre as ours. At the very least, it won’t have nearly as many turkeys. 

This month, we asked our team what they would bring to the Ultimate Coal Creative Office Friendsgiving. Chaos ensued. 

1. Camaryn’s Feathered Menagerie

Camaryn wants to turn the quintessential motif of Thanksgiving on its beak:

“I would bring a (live) turkey for each member of the Coal Crew so we can all have cute little pet turkeys.”

For those following along at home, that’s twelve turkeys. Twelve. 

Is she compelled by turkeys’ unparalleled 270-degree field of vision? Does she agree with Benjamin Franklin’s assessment that the turkey is “a much more respectable bird [than a Bald Eagle]…a Bird of Courage?” Does she simply want to adorn a flock of turkeys with Samantha’s Thanksgiving-themed bandanas? (More to come on this.) 

Who’s to say?

2. Alex’s Declaration of War

Alex won’t take Camaryn’s scaled-up turkey pardoning laying down:

“I would bring an industrial-sized smoker to cook my brand new turkey that Camaryn gave me! That, and tons of maple wood to use in the smoker. 

I would also bring a football. We should play football on Thanksgiving.”

While hipster dads everywhere rejoice, grandmothers weep—depending on who rules your roost (err, your kitchen) on Thanksgiving, turkey-smoking is either a welcome innovation or a mortal sin. 

Football, however, isn’t a bad idea. Twelve marketers duking it out, shanking punts in an enclosed office space? What could go wrong?

3. Sam’s Hard-Boiled Hubris

Yet another eye turned toward innovation, Sam’s looking to makeover Thanksgiving’s most divisive hors d’oeuvre:

“Just like Wonka’s greatest achievement was the Everlasting Gobstopper, mine would be the Everlasting Deviled Egg and I would bring two for everyone. No golden ticket necessary.”

Is he planning on hunting down a bird with an impenetrable egg? Devising a white-hardening brine? Hosting a seance with the spirit of Roald Dahl and quizzing him on the science behind the Gobstopper? 

We’re excited to find out—well, maybe not all of us.

4. Holly’s Classy Culinary Coterie

Holly’s looking to reign in the chaos and baste this Coal Creative Office Friendsgiving with liquid class (and evict Sam’s cursed appetizer):

“I would hire twelve personal chefs, send them to everyone’s homes (or office desks), and have them serve a four-course meal. We’d have to forgo turkey because Camaryn gifted us all one and that would be kind of messed up??? Also, Sam’s eggs are not on the menu. #BoneAppleTea.”

For anyone looking to add a fifth course (of turkey) to their feast, Alex’s extension is 704.

5. Travis’ Taste of Italy

To round out our Thanksgiving menu, Travis — our resident baker — is bringing the heat. 

“I would bring a freshly baked brick oven pizza for each person, with their choice of toppings, cooked extra hot for a nice chewy crust and a little bit of char in my dream backyard pizza oven.”

Is anyone else’s mouth watering after that? We better go ask Holly if there’s room in next year’s budget for an office pizza oven. 

6. Samatha’s Pursuit to Influence the Graphics

Pet-loving is very on-brand for Samantha. Maybe exerting power over the banner image is, too: 

“I would make little Thanksgiving bandanas for everyone’s pups and cats so they could feel festive, too! (Did I just submit this as my answer so Sam would have to put animals in the graphic? You can’t prove anything.)”

Sam—you might have to table your deviled egg project. 

7. Will’s Commitment to Cozy

Will knows what will happen once everyone is done feasting on a four-course meal, impenetrable deviled eggs, and morally questionable smoked turkey:

“I would bring bean bag chairs, sleeping bags, and weighted blankets for everyone to doze off into our post-turkey feast comas.”

But, let’s not forget the secret sauce of every successful sleepover: Who’s bringing the scratched Mean Girls DVD?

8. Jay’s Digestive Draught

Jay simply won’t let indigestion sour a perfectly-good food coma sleepover:

“I’m bringing Tums for said post-turkey feast comas.”

Jay, you better start shopping now—Tums (and its coral cousin, Pepto Bismol) fly off the shelves during the holiday season.

9 Matt’s Skyscraping Stockade

Matt, as usual, is leveraging his height for his own gain—and the pet turkeys’ protection.

“This is a photo from the future of me (the tree) providing refuge from Alex and his industrial smoker to the 11 surviving turkeys.”

But, when he’s not serving as a one-man turkey barracks (fun facts: turkeys nest on the ground, but sleep in trees!), he’ll be busy baking:

“Oh, and I guess I’d bring a pie or something.”

10. Jesse’s Energy Elixir

Looking to reinvigorate the gang after a turkey-fueled cat nap, Jesse is providing the evening’s entertainment:

“I’d bring a game! Nothing gets the energy back up and running like playing a game with some friends.”

Matt, unfortunately, must sit on the sidelines during game time—he’ll be busy protecting the 11 remaining turkeys. 

11. Mia’s…Cosplay?

Channeling the chaotic energy of a con, Mia’s contribution might just result in the weirdest-ever Coal Crew photo op:

“I would mail everyone costumes to wear during Friendsgiving so that we can recreate The Last Supper, Coal Creative style!”

Twelve Coal Crewmates, Twelve Apostles—the numbers add up. But, who will play The Messiah? 

12. Jeremy’s Pixelated Foreshadowing

Uh, oh. We’re starting to see a theme here. 

Those perching turkeys might not be so safe, after all. Jeremy’s digital (for now) rendering is conjuring up images from last month’s slasher roundup—move on, Jeremy! 

Hopefully the only thing those knives will be cutting into are Matt’s pies. 

Sources: 

All About Birds. Wild Turkey. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wild_Turkey/lifehistory#

The Franklin Institute. Did Benjamin Franklin Want the National Bird to Be a Turkey? https://www.fi.edu/benjamin-franklin/franklin-national-bird 

Mossy Oak. Wild Turkey Eyesight. https://www.mossyoak.com/our-obsession/blogs/turkey/wild-turkey-eyesight 

The post Keeping Up with the Coal Crew | November 2022 first appeared on Coal Creative.

The sheer volume of horror movies we can pick this Halloween season feels horrifying in itself.

If you’re flailing and drowning in the abundance of horror flicks streaming platforms are pushing at us right now, we’ll throw you a lifeline, drag you out and help you clean off all the haunted swamp slime. Let’s whittle down your watchlist together.

The collective Coal Crew has a spectral preference when it comes to scary movies, from content made for children (or is it?) to the most gruesome chop-and-slop. We won’t discriminate between genres like suspense or thriller. We’ll give each one a Coal Creative Spooky Rating of one to five , which look like rock emojis.

One coal for the least scary and five for the most scary. 

We got help from the crowd-sourced ScaryMeter.com to make this ranked list.

1. Samantha, “Goosebumps: Chicken Chicken,” Spooky Rating

Admittedly, this one is not a movie at all. It’s a book, so it goes first. Sam​​antha doesn’t do scary movies, but we all know she’s a voracious reader. When she was a kid, this edition from the Goosebumps series really pecked at her.   

“There was one story where a mean girl was cursed and her lips turned into a chicken beak,” she said. “For months after, I was so afraid of dry lips that I kept a Chapstick in my pocket at all times.”

2. Sam, “Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring” Spooky Rating

Albeit not a horror movie, 9-year-old Sam hadn’t seen many scary battle scenes on screen. So when he sneaked into a friend’s house to watch this 2001 Oscar winner, it was mildly traumatic. I mean, who remembers Lurtz?

3. Will, “Darby O’Gill and the Little People”

It’s another unofficial horror movie, but as a wee lad, Will, who was 4 years old when he saw it, found some characters memorably disturbing.

 “It was not supposed to be a scary movie, but the scenes that depicted the wailing banshee and the death coach absolutely terrified me,” he said.

4. Alex, “Don’t Look Under the Bed,” Spooky Rating

We suspect Alex is trying to tell us something with his pick — like, don’t look under his bed because that’s where he stashed the bodies. Or maybe this 1999 Disney Channel Original Movie actually messed with his head.

“A kids’ movie has no right being this terrifying,” he said. “But I’ll never be the same.”

5. Jesse, “Scream” Spooky Rating

Jesse doesn’t have a favorite scary movie, but “Scream” stands out as memorable.

“That movie as a whole is great and really makes you make sure your friends are who they say they are ,” he writes. “But the part when Tatum gets stuck in the garage door always makes me close my eyes lol.”

6. Jeremy, “Child’s Play” Spooky Rating

We’re noticing a theme. Kids remember scary movies forever. Jeremy picks it up here with the scariest movies for him, the original “Child’s Play” trilogy.

“My older half-sisters were teens at the time and let me watch horror movies with them,” he said. “I was afraid that Chucky could be hiding under any given bed or sofa, ready to stab, bite, grab, and/or slash me.”

That demonic little doll didn’t do any irreparable harm, apparently. Jeremy finished the series and even expanded his horror palate with other classics like “Friday the 13th.”

7. Jay, “House of Wax” Spooky Rating

Jay doesn’t claim a favorite horror flick, but she did say the “House of Wax” premise — you know, killing people and preserving their bodies in wax as a public attraction (we’re not even sure this is biologically reasonable) — keeps her up at night.  

“I don’t think I can ever visit a wax museum without thinking of what happened to my girl Paris Hilton. RIP, queen,” she said.

8. Mia, “Us” Spooky Rating

No horror movie list would be complete without the notable comic-turned-horror-maestro Jordan Peele. The 2019 flick about spooky doppelgangers stood out for Mia, perhaps because like all of us, she dreads the idea of meeting herself. 

Spoiler alert “The part that freaked me out is finding out that Adelaide got switched with her doppelganger at the end,” Mia said.

9. Jon, “It” TV mini series Spooky Rating

“Just about all of ‘It’ scares me from start to finish, but mostly when Beverly Marsh can’t get the blood out of the sink,” Jon said. “It feels like a bad dream where I’m running but my legs weigh one million pounds.”

10. Camaryn, “Halloween” Spooky Rating

There’s another trend afoot — older siblings giving our team their first taste of horror.

“When I was around five years old, my brother, who is five years older than me, forced me to watch ‘Halloween’ with him,” Camaryn said. “I was so horrified that I did not sleep for a solid month. It terrified me so bad that to this day, I refuse to watch scary movies.”

11. Matt, “The Strangers” Spooky Rating

“My favorite horror movie of all time is definitely ‘The Strangers,’” Matt said, admitting he’s watched it more times than most people would consider healthy. “It’s just so well done. There’s barely any “movie magic” in the whole film and I just love how raw and real it is.” 

“Truly one of the greats,” he said. “But let’s just all pretend the sequel doesn’t exist.”

12. Holly “Pet Sematary” Spooky Rating

Believe it or not, Coal Creative CEO Holly has probably seen more horror movies than any of us, thanks to Friday movie nights when she was little with her mom and sister. They walked to the former Videoland in Plains Twp. and snagged a bunch to watch with little regard for ratings. 

“I’m going to go with ‘Pet Sematary,’” she said, confirming the odd spelling for Stephen King’s classic. “When Gage comes back from the dead on his little killing spree and hides under the bed with that knife cutting Jud’s ankle — I swear I haven’t trusted the same since.”

“I didn’t have my bed on a frame as a kid,” she said. “Even now my bed is currently on a frame my Dad built specifically for me that you can’t get under.

13. Travis, “The Ring” Spooky Rating

Oh boy. We just realized there’s lucky No. 13 of us on the Coal Team. If we suddenly stop responding to emails, either the elevator cables snapped and we plummeted to our deaths, or we’re all taking the day off to watch horror movies. 

To wrap it up with the scariest movie you should watch this Halloween season, Travis gives us “The Ring.”

“As a kid, the thought of someone crawling out of the television set was terrifying — along with the idea of a video tape you can just accidentally see having the power to kill you,” he said, pausing for effect. “I’ve never looked at wells the same since.”

The post Keeping Up With The Coal Crew | October 2022 first appeared on Coal Creative.

These rules, enacted by CEO Holly K. Pilcavage offer a sneak peek at what is important to the company culture that makes Coal Creative the marketing firm it is today — and all three are rooted in respect.

Sweatpants, while obviously comfortable and in some rare cases stylish, don’t promote the ready  for anything attitude we’ve established here at Coal Creative. Secondly, there’s this stereotype that marketers are hard to reach and don’t respond in a timely fashion. Holly’s 24 hour rule demolished that notion. Of course, everyone slips up every once in a while, but for the most part, we do an excellent job following this rule.

 Lastly, don’t make Jay cry — mostly for your safety.

We asked our team members what the first thing they would do if they woke up tomorrow as the CEO of Coal Creative. Stay tuned as some of these ideas and innovations may (or definitely may not) be coming soon. 

Creature comforts

Dog lover and design/content maestro Samantha Bucher noted that “As CEO, the very first thing I would do is turn half the office into a dog park so our employees could bring our dogs to work.”  While she offers a potential con: “Productivity levels will drastically decrease, but I can guarantee that morale will double!” I think she is barking up the RIGHT tree.

Operations & Business Development Manager, Camaryn brought a level of defiance to her response that quite frankly, we don’t know what to do with. She simply noted “Sweatpants would be required.” 

In Jesse’s version of heaven, the streets are paved with coffee beans — this is also true in Jesse’s version of Coal Creative — as his change would be, and I quote: “Starbucks in the office.” Whether he means he can just bring Starbucks coffee to the office (which it’s important to note he already does) or he wants to open a local location of the international franchise — we’ll let you decide.

In her first outing as a contributor to Keeping Up With the Coal Crew, our new Design Specialist, Mia brought the rock and roll with her suggestion of “blasting the stereo so we can jam!” We think you’re going to fit right in.

If you’ve gotten to this point, you might correctly be thinking: “I don’t think someone would need to be CEO to enact these changes,” buckle up because Alex has some courageous ideas that could but won’t change everything.

A new kind of energy

“If I were the CEO of Coal Creative we would immediately rebrand. New name: Nuclear Creative. I know we’re paying respect to our town’s early industrial roots, but that wouldn’t be a problem because we’d also immediately relocate to Berwick. It’s a longer commute, sure, but since we’d all have brand new company Teslas, I don’t see an issue. Also I’m changing my title to King. I’m the King of Nuclear Creative. And you’re not the king. You want the crown? Come get it, MATT!” before adding, “Or you could just do bloody Marys on Monday or something.” 

Everyone has their own leadership style, but I think we can all agree Nuclear Creative has a nice ring to it. *sips bloody Mary*

Speakin’ of Matt, his version of Coal Creative? Monthly, mandatory WAR. “Mandatory battle of the Coal Creative bands between Noxen, The Human Beings, Toothless and Rosary Guild at the end of each month.” He ain’t wrong that Coal Creative is chalk full of incredible musicians (who are consistently putting out great music). “Also, Alex is fired.” Alex should know by now that Matt has never been one to bend the knee.

In a transparently far less dramatic suggestion, Jay (our resident snacker) has proclaimed she’d bring the noms to the office. “I’d hire a hibachi chef and build a kitchen right next to my desk, so they can toss zucchini at me while I work.” You do you, Jay — just please for all that is good in the world don’t cry. 

Winter is coming

This past summer we introduced Summer Fridays, an initiative where Coal Creative closes the office at 2 p.m. to allow our team to get outside and enjoy the warmer months while they can (an initiative we’re carrying through the rest of 2022). Post Production Manager, Will has introduced a concept that turns Summer Fridays on their head and scoops the inside looking for that beautiful golden honey. 

“As the new CEO of Coal Creative, effective immediately the company will be observing the North American Black Bear Calendar, meaning all employees would enter hibernation in November and emerge sometime around late March each year.” There is so much to do before November to ensure survival, so I will be forced to be brief for the remainder of this edition of Keeping Up With the Coal Crew.

Travis has the flip side of the hibernation coin with his notion of, “mandatory nap time, one hour minimum. We will learn to harness our REM cycles to take our creativity to unmatched heights.”

No, really — let’s wrap it up

When asked what he would do, Jon responded: “That’s easy. I’d declare the day of my ascension to be “Gorillaz Appreciation Day.” Everyone would be required to listen to the entire discography by the cartoon band Gorillaz. Together, we’d start with their platinum self-titled album, then work through “Demon Days,” then on through the monumental “Plastic Beach” from 2010, which features a brilliant collage of guest artists including Snoop Dogg, Lou Reed and Bobby Womack.” Jon, c’mon, buddy, winter is coming. “On second thought, everyone can listen through “Plastic Beach” and start over. From my perspective (and this may be a controversial opinion), Gorillaz really lost their shine after 2010.”

To round things out, perhaps the most game-changing idea of all from Project Manager, Jeremy.
“We’re a games and animation studio now. This was not a response to the prompt.” Yes, it was, my friend. Yes, it was.

Now as I type the final words, before collecting all my coziest socks in anticipation of our forthcoming hibernation, I feel important to note that if I was CEO for a day, I wouldn’t change a damn thing.

Keeping Up With the Coal Crew is a monthly blog that explores and challenges the creative minds of the team here at Coal Creative while simultaneously giving you a look at the magic of our company culture.

The post Keeping Up With The Coal Crew | September 2022 first appeared on Coal Creative.