Brooklyn Brothers speak at the VCU Brandcenter Friday Forum

Paul Parton (l) and Guy Barnett (r) of the Brooklyn Brothers emphasised on being in "the online state of mind" at today's VCU Brandcenter Friday Forum

One of the great things about studying at the VCU Brandcenter is that smart industry folk come talk to us and share their trade secrets. No kidding.

Today Yesterday, Paul Parton and Guy Barnett of the Brooklyn Brothers, NYC were our Friday Forum guest speakers. They were quick to declare that they were neither purely a design agency, an ad agency, or a digital shop. They gave the impression that they let the idea drive them to appropriate media.

Paul Parton, the planner, said that planning today is changing from finding Bernbachian human nature insights to consumer behavior insights because it is less restrictive than the former, providing a more fertile space.

Here are some of their mantras that made a great impression on me

• Invite consumers in the conversation: I loved how that mantra shone through in their billboard for Versus (cage fighting) that asked people to run into them to experience a punch.
• The idea is the medium
• Approach every work with an online state of mind: To get fringe fans excited again about hockey after a year’s sabbatical, the Brooklyn Brothers created a Ranger’s fan character and got him posted on serious hockey blogs like hockeyrodent.com to let the fans judge Bobby Granger. Bobby Granger became such a popular character that at every game people wanted to take pictures with him.

Guy Barnett closed saying he thinks of them as a salesmen out trying to think of creative solutions. He said in every product, say cars, what the engineers do is really very creative and many a times it is about unearthing that creative truth.

Brandcenter folk, what did you’ll think about the Brooklyn Brothers?

More of their work:

Jerry Seinfeld’s “Comedian” movie trailer for Miramax

Commercial film for Kayak.com

Commercial film for Fuse TV

Bobby Granger for New York Rangers

Fat Pig Chocolate