CCA was an awesome experience and none of it could have been done without the help of every person in the office. Of the employees of Neutron, one in particular, Scott Jensen (graphic designer), worked especially hard to get things ready for CCA. Here are the projects Scott worked on.
Half Page Ad
“I created the half page ad again, which isn’t anything real earth shattering, but it was a strong piece and it stood out against the advertisements of our competitors.”
Flyer
“Once I realized I had free reign on this project, I realized I didn’t have to stick to a standard paper size – I could really think outside of the box and use some of my experience as a print designer.”
Signs
“I also designed signage to direct people to our room at the convention, but those weren’t anything special…”
iPad App
“Zach, (one of our front end developers) told me we’d be making an iPad app for CCA. He’s great to work with. A lot of the app started with his sketches of what each screen would be, then I took those sketches and tried to make them as visually appealing as possible. Basically, I just had to make ‘eye candy’, which is something every designer loves doing.”
iPhone App
“Once that was done, we decided, “Hey, why not make this an iPhone app too?” So we did. We reformatted everything and condensed it to a smaller version.”
Animated Display for 27″ iMacs
“I love working in flash and doing animation, so I jumped at the idea. It was a bit of a smash and grab job doing it just days before CCA, but I’m really happy with how it turned out.”
For those of us attending CCA, it’s been a busy, yet highly successful week. First off, our ‘Conversion Corner’ has brought in a lot of people that want to talk with us, play with iPads and iMacs, charge their electronics, and simply learn what Neutron Interactive is all about and the services we provide. We’ve talked to many clients, old and new, and are having a great time catching up and making new friends.
Many of us have also been attending sessions throughout the week. They’ve been informative; it’s interesting to see what is happening with the industry today.
The exhibit hall is fun, as always, and filled with a variety of companies who are members of the Career College Association.
Today is our final day here at the CCA conference and former President, Bill Clinton, will address us as the keynote speaker.
The portfolio review Neutron held last week was a success. Web designers from all around came to showcase their work while getting feedback from our band of Neutron experts.
We had a great turn out with almost 75 participants present and were amazed at the various types of talent that came through the door. All ages, from high-school students to 20-year veterans, came to present their best portfolio work and network with fellow designers. Guests were also treated to food and drinks provided by Pierpont Place Catering.
Thanks to all of you that came. We had a great time getting to see the talent that’s out there. Neutron Interactive is always growing as a company and we are constantly looking for more talent to join our team of awesomeness.
Neutron Interactive is headed to Vegas for the 2010 CCA Annual Convention and Exposition. As one of the platinum sponsors, Neutron is pleased to support the Career College Association in the convention this year. Former President Bill Clinton, and Former Congressman (R-FL), Joe Scarborough, are among the many speakers that will be addressing attendees throughout the week.
For those who will be at CCA, please stop by and visit the “Conversion Corner.” We’ve rented out a meeting room in The Palazzo Hotel and transformed it into a futuristic Neutron HQ. Conversion Corner will be located in room #3001A. We will be there talking with clients, showing them our process using the latest technologies including iPads and iMacs. We will also offer a charging station for attendees and a daily iPad drawing.
Stop by and see us at The Palazzo Hotel in room #3001A; we’d love to see you!
In an effort to boost Neutron Interactive’s awesomeness into the realm of ridiculousness, staff and friends were given season tickets to watch the Salt Lake Bees demolish their opponents with baseball bats. Set up in sweet suite box seats (say that 3 times fast), we cheered them on VIP style while eating gourmet stadium junk food.
Sadly, the Bees didn’t annihilate the Fresno Grizzlies. However, that didn’t stop Team Neutron from having a great time. Now that we have home season tickets, we’ll be making sure we’re at Spring Mobile Ballpark every home game to give them the support they need—while stuffing our faces with premium corn dogs, chicken fingers, and brownies, of course.
Many people wonder where Neutron Interactive got its incredible name. Well the story just might surprise you.
The company actually got its name from, none other than the Nickelodeon cartoon, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron. You see the CEO of Neutron Interactive, Dan Caffee, looks a lot like Jimmy Neutron. Not only does he have the same incredible hair swoop and big blue eyes that Jimmy does, he also has the charisma and IQ of brilliant Jimmy.
For Dan’s birthday, we thought it was only appropriate to celebrate his big day with a delicious “Dan Neutron” confetti cake—complete with ice cream and sprinkles.
Happy Birthday, Dan! Thanks for being an awesome CEO!
If you’ve looked around our site, you’ve probably realized that company culture is highly valued here at Neutron. In an effort to see what we could do to improve our company culture, a small group of Neutronians went on a two-day journey to visit the Zappos headquarters in Nevada. Last year Zappos was ranked in the Fortune Magazine’s, “100 Best Companies to Work For,” so we wanted to see what the hype was all about.
Here are first-hand experiences from some of those that went…
“On Wednesday we had the great privilege of touring the Zappos corporate offices in beautiful Henderson, Nevada. The entire Neutron team was blown away at the positive energy and cohesive team environment created by the Zappos employees. From Peeps dioramas and hand painted pottery, to the unique décor of each team area, the Zappos offices emanated F.U.N.!”
“In the midst of the levity there thrives a dedication to excellence and financial success. Zappos is a company that is competing internally for a more profitable tomorrow. The success of a Zappos $8 million day is not achieved by decorated conference rooms and excessive company picnics, but through conscious team building and concise financial goals. The tour was eye opening and invigorating. I believe each member of the Neutron team left the Zappos offices with a renewed commitment to growth and innovation in our individual departments.”
“Thanks to Zappos for an amazing peek into your success, and thank you Neutron for providing the management team with this remarkable experience.” – Joel Cannon, Online Marketing Manager
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“As we drove up, Zappos appeared to be like any other business in an Office Park—unassuming and boring. The moment I walked in the doors it was apparent that the outside was merely a facade to the insanity that lied within. Through a maze of city cutouts and a disco club you see that Zappos is more than just chaos. Zappos is about passion. The underpinnings of the whole company is driven by the passion to be different and better, and it is hard not to get caught up in the vibe that pours out of every square foot of their building. Thanks Zappos for sharing your amazing company with ours!” – Zach Holmquist, Web Designer
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“The Zappos tour was both entertaining and inspiring. Companies are successful when they value their employees and Zappos embodied this whole-heartedly. Beyond the crazy shenanigans that were pulled around every corner, there was a profound level of unity within each team and the company as a whole.
The fact that Neutron took the time out to see how we can improve our already wonderful culture shows a lot about the company. There is always room for improvement no matter how great you think things are.” – Doree Speidel, Sr. Copywriter
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“From the moment you walk in, it becomes clear that Zappos is unlike any other corporate establishment. You are immediately greeted with a friendly, optimistic environment that holds one of Zappos’ greatest assets—it’s culture. A culture that thrives on individuality, creativity, and friendship; Zappos culture is what drives it to be a leader in not only online retail sales, but also customer service. My tour of Zappos helped me to realize the importance of culture beyond just working with great people, but allowing those people to learn and enrich the lives of those around them.” – Dal Price, Online Marketing Manager
The Neutron gang made impromptu plans to cheer on our local arena football team, the Utah Blaze, at the opening game against the Spokane Shock. Sitting in the bleachers like regular folk, they happily gorged themselves on delicious kettle corn and stadium hotdogs while cheering for the complete annihilation of the opposing team. Unfortunately, the Blaze lost 68-34, but that didn’t stop the good people of Neutron Interactive from having a great time.
Even though the Blaze lost it should be noted that we got to see the half-time extravaganza by Utah’s own David Archuleta, whose sweet croons left us inspired in ways we never thought possible. The game loss, however, was probably due to the fact that when team Blaze looked up at the VIP seating and didn’t see us cheering them on, they became despondent and gave up. We’ll have to remember to send them a memo next time we decide to sit in the front row.
