Category Archives: work

Brookfield Homes Launches Mobile Website

Posted on by Sara Badr

Last week, we announced the new Brookfield Homes website, and this week we have even more great news to share—the launch of Brookfield Homes new mobile website, developed by NDG Communications.

This simple, user-centric website allows users to search for homes and communities based on location, home type, and price range. In addition, users can browse model galleries and floor plans, request information, and get directions to the community—all from their smart phone.

Check it out on your smart phone at m.brookfielddc.com.

As always, we are grateful for the opportunity to work with the Brookfield Homes team and we look forward to many more wonderful collaborations.

The How and the Why

Posted on by Quintin Parrish

Practice makes perfect. But practice can also lull us to sleep on our feet.

We can become so focused on the process, on completing the task, on how we’re getting it done, that we often forget why we’re doing it in the first place—and as a result, we may sacrifice innovation, threaten quality, and risk failure.

In every business, in every industry, this trap awaits those who believe that processes can be perfected once and forever, as well as those who fail to ask at every turn, “why?”

—Why are we doing it this way?

—Why is this a better choice?

—Why will the end-user, customer, client, or consumer act?

—Why will people do this, want this, discuss this, buy this?

In short, why will it work?

Before you know how, you must know why. Otherwise, “how” may just be a roadmap to nowhere. Relying on “how” creates assumptions, leads teams astray from targets, and can make even the most sensible people throw logic and common sense out the window.

Why aren’t more companies focused on the “why?” Because it’s hard work. Because the “why” constantly changes. Because the “why” is not technology, but human nature. And because, sometimes, we must admit that there is no “why” and start all over.

At NDG Communications, the “how” is the method by which we carry out and create our work, but the “why” is the reason the work actually works. Because we always ask “why,” we know our work has a much better opportunity to create success for our clients.

Staying Connected in a Data-Driven World

Posted on by Cindy Mellott

By Cindy Mellott
NDG Interactive Media Specialist

In today’s world, the smartphone is a multi-tasker’s dream. As life speeds up between work and play, your smartphone is there, with the option to stay connected regardless of where you’re at, all from the palm of your hand.

A recent staff survey at NDG Communications revealed that 11 staff members have smartphones—with a breakdown of 4 Android-based phones and 8 iPhones. 2 team members also have a Blackberry—and of course there are some us who have yet to buy into the smartphone craze.

While both the iPhone and the Android have a large number of applications which everyone loves—including social media apps, dropbox for work-related needs, and all those fun camera apps like instagram and snapbucket—the main difference between iPhone and Android users is that more than half of our staff with an iPhone are “Mac purists” as Tom Nelson, president of NDG Communications, described. They own Apple products at work and at home and want their products to work seamlessly together.

Droid users often selected models based on characteristics such screen size and operating system, but users of both systems enjoy staying connected with their social and work circles with smartphone apps for Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, Google +, and more.

Whether it’s a Droid, Blackberry, or an iPhone, our staff agrees that a smartphone is a huge asset. Do you own a smartphone?  What about it do you find to be most beneficial?

What Are We Reading? Browsing through the NDG Library

Posted on by NDG

By Sara Poynor,
NDG Junior Copywriter

Here at NDG Communications, we realize that in order to move forward and provide the best service to our clients, we must strive to learn something new everyday.

We have a library on site for our staff to use and refer to that includes titles such as “The Tipping Point’ by Malcolm Gladwell on how little things can make a big difference, and Alan and Lauren Ries’ “The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding” on how to build a world-class brand.

In “Hey Whipple, Squeeze This: A Guide to Creating Great Ads,” Luke Sullivan examines good and bad ads while explaining the ins and outs of the industry, making a good read for those new to advertising.

Other topics in our library include programming techniques, search engine optimization, crafting successful messages and advertising, marketing trends, and stress-free productivity. And we have audio and ebook copies of many of our titles as well, since many of us like to listen or read as we commute each day.

What are you reading? Do you have any suggestions for our library?

Now Hiring at NDG: Art Director

Posted on by Quintin Parrish

Quintin Parrish,
NDG Creative Director

Finally had enough of working too late, making too little, and going nowhere?

If you’ve worked in advertising before, you may have worked at one of those agencies—you know, the kind where everybody is miserable, overworked, underpaid, and nobody stays for very long.

Well, we don’t roll that way. NDG Communications is an advertising and digital marketing agency located just outside Washington, D.C. in La Plata, Maryland. NDG offers a work environment where creatives are truly respected and appreciated, where schedules are reasonable, where compensation is competitive, where the office is usually empty after 6pm, and where your career can grow as fast and far as you can.

  • COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION
  • GENEROUS BENEFITS PACKAGES
  • WORK WITH A TEAM YOU’LL LOVE
  • WORK WHERE YOU’LL TRULY BE APPRECIATED
  • FAMILY ATMOSPHERE & LIFE-WORK BALANCE
  • TAKE YOUR CAREER TO THE NEXT LEVEL

What’s it like to work at NDG? Click here for some insights.

NOW HIRING: Full-time position

ART DIRECTOR

We’re looking for someone with strong and tested skills who wants to take their career even further, learn more, achieve more, and create truly great work with a great team.

  • Lead designer for all assigned projects
  • Collaborate with creative director, art directors, copywriters, designers, and programmers
  • Mentor junior designers and help ensure quality and consistency
  • Strong Adobe Creative Suite skills / Mac OS platform
  • Portfolio of advertising agency or similar work
  • Minimum 5 years professional design work experience
  • Mastery of communication, conceptualization, and visualization skills
  • Focus on the details, efficient time management

TO APPLY PLEASE INCLUDE cover letter, resume, required salary range, and URL link to samples or include a brief PDF portfolio in order to be considered.

LEARN MORE and apply online at our website:

www.NDGCommunications.com

No calls or recruiters, thank you.


What is it like to work at NDG?

Posted on by NDG

Tracy Stire,
NDG Accounting and Human Resources Director

I’m often asked what it’s like to work at an advertising agency, if it’s more like “Mad Men” or more like “Animal House.” I laugh and tell them it’s actually more like “The Office” but a whole lot faster.

The truth is, what we do is exciting, and creative, and, we believe, important. But while we are creative people doing creative work, we’re also real people with families, children, friends, and pets. We enjoy our work, and we enjoy our family lives as well. We work hard during the workday so that we can all leave at a reasonable time every day.

And we work together as a team—we simply don’t tolerate politics, cliques, or diva behavior. This is a place where we are all proud of our work, and proud to work together.

We’re an agency that seeks to build a family atmosphere, where employees want to stay for a very long time. We have a strong sense of team, and enjoy spending time together at work, and outside of work.

We’re also an agency that doesn’t just create pretty ads. Our creative is based on research and strategy, so that we can achieve real results for our clients.

And, most importantly, everyone at NDG is committed to honesty and integrity in everything we do here. We owe it to each other, to our clients, and to our industry.

Of course, there are many other benefits to working here at NDG, from some of the most competitive pay for our industry and region, to healthcare, retirement plans, and a generous schedule of holidays, sick days, mental health days, and vacation time.

If this sounds like the kind of environment you’d like to build your career in, make sure to check our current job openings at NDGcommunications.com.