Critical Mass

Now here's a reel that really sizzles 🔥 Check out the latest and greatest from CM ➡️ New look. New work. Same passion for digital. Check it out 👇

Let’s kick off the week with a little celebration—CM is among the winners for the prestigious Applied Arts Media 2024 Advertising Awards! Thanks to Applied Arts and our talented CMers who continue to create work worthy of celebrating. We're also pretty stoked to see our work show up in a forthcoming print edition! Until then, please digitally check out the rest of the winners: https://lnkd.in/ebkMUiXJ 

Exciting times at the 4GN Festival in Bogotá, Colombia! Critical Mass LATAM proudly sponsored this international design festival, showcasing our commitment to innovation and creativity. Some highlights include: • “Artificial Creativity”—A dynamic, two-day workshop led by Rodrigo Ruiz Méndez and Emmanuel Riggione that explored how GenAI and Firefly can boost the creative process and how to distribute these concepts through creative automation. •Critical Mass Plaiground 2.0, where participants interacted with ABI (our Fortune Teller AI) for a glimpse into their professional futures and AI’s impact on our industry.  •A panel led by some of our CM LATAM leaders, Jaime Escobar, Leonel Miranda, and Enrique Ottone, who discussed the reinvention of design and the transformative impact of tech on creativity and business.    Not only was this an opportunity to experience the future of AI in design but also a way to showcase the vibrant design community in Colombia! Thanks to everyone who stopped by and big kudos to the organizers for pulling off another inspiring 4GN Festival celebrating Latin-American design. #CriticalMassLATAM #4GNFestival #ArtificialIntelligence #DesignInnovation #FutureOfWork #LatamDesign ¡Momentos emocionantes en el Festival 4GN en Bogotá, Colombia! Critical Mass LATAM orgullosamente patrocinó este Festival Internacional de Diseño, demostrando nuestro compromiso con la innovación y la creatividad. Algunos de los aspectos destacados incluyen: • “Creatividad Artificial”: un dinámico taller de dos días dirigido por Rodrigo Ruiz Méndez y Emmanuel Riggione, quienes exploraron cómo GenAI y Firefly pueden potenciar el proceso creativo y cómo distribuir estos conceptos a través de la automatización creativa.  • Critical Mass Plaiground 2.0, donde los participantes interactuaron con ABI (nuestra adivina del futuro) para obtener una visión de sus futuros profesionales y el impacto de la IA en nuestra industria.  • Un panel liderado por algunos de nuestros líderes de CM LATAM, Jaime Escobar, Leonel Miranda y Enrique Ottone, quienes discutieron la reinvención del diseño y el impacto transformador de la tecnología en la creatividad y los negocios.   ¡Esta no solo fue una oportunidad para experimentar el futuro de la IA en el diseño, sino también una forma de mostrar la vibrante comunidad de diseño en Colombia! Gracias a todos los que se acercaron. Un gran reconocimiento a los organizadores por llevar a cabo otro inspirador Festival 4GN celebrando el diseño latinoamericano. #CriticalMassLATAM #4GNFestival #InteligenciaArtificial #InnovaciónEnDiseño #FuturoDelTrabajo #DiseñoLATAM

This weekend, we’re sending three Trailhead alumni to NYC for CultureCon, a community conference where black creative professionals and entrepreneurs can connect, learn, and get inspired. Coming from the US, Canada, and the UK, Peter Moore, Nat Smith, and Aaliyah Palton believe in the power of culture. Here’s how they’re going to be a part of the inspiration at CultureCon: Peter: “I’m a conglomerate of every TV show character and social media influencer who has inspired me throughout my adolescence and young adulthood. My main passions lie in lifestyle and fashion content, which I actively consume and engage with. Being heavily influenced by the cultural ‘90s sitcoms my parents had playing on TV day and night, I've embraced various characteristics and features from different cultures. This has had a major impact on how I perceive and present myself. Living in the USA, a true melting pot, I believe we can draw inspiration from every experience and encounter. It’s this unique perspective that fuels my creativity and passion for the lifestyle and fashion industry.” Nat: “I’m a bit of a cultural sponge. Working as a Social Media Strategist, I have to absorb every piece of pop culture that I can. I’ve always had a soft spot for the nerdy things; I grew up on science fiction and comic books, fascinated by the fictional worlds they portray. I’m also inspired by the community I’ve found. I travel around the U.S. multiple times a year to go to pop culture conventions and make new friends. I feel like I’m most inspired by these communities because I get to meet incredibly passionate and creative people across North America who share my love of pop culture.” Aaliyah: “My culture has shaped me by instilling a deep sense of pride, resilience, and appreciation for diversity. Being British and growing up in London, with Afro-Jamaican and Indo-Jamaican heritage, I’ve learned to embrace both traditions, from food to family values, while also appreciating the fusion of cultures around me. This blend of influences has made me more open-minded, adaptable, and passionate about honoring my roots while exploring the richness of other cultures.” Keep your eyes on our page next week to find out what our team has discovered at CultureCon! To learn more about Trailhead, our in-house development program for emerging talent, visit trailhead.criticalmass.com

How’s this for a midweek pick-me-up? CM won THREE times at the Digiday Awards!! 🤩 🏆 💻 Thanks for the love Digiday and much love to our CMers, whose chops and creativity make our work award-winning. Check the rest of the winners here: https://lnkd.in/ejBMPXx4

All CM employees are off on Monday, September 30th in observance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation—a day that has its roots in Canada, just like us. Even though CM has offices around the globe, we started out in Calgary, and that’s why it’s particularly important for us to honour First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities by publicly commemorating their histories and recognizing the impacts of residential schools. These actions are vital components of our truth-seeking and reconciliation journey.

What a fabulous day we had last Thursday! Our own Valerie Carlson and Alissa Hansen took the stage at AI Deciphered (organized by Campaign US) to talk about "How Generative AI is Reshaping Creative Roles” and "AI Reimagined for Healthcare" respectively. We’ve shared some shots and quotes below👇 (Photo credit: Erica Berger).

Digiday just announced their shortlists for this year… 🥁 🥁 🥁 And we couldn’t be happier to see our name twice! 🤩 Once for our work on AT&T’s “Sleep with Rainn” and again for Most Innovative Agency (and for the second year in a row, no less). Thanks Digiday for the nominations! https://lnkd.in/ezUf-59Y

Our CEO Chris Gokiert sat down with FastCompany to talk about just a few of the many things that make Critical Mass a place where incredible digital innovation happens.    From our forward-thinking services to the inventive ways we find and cultivate talent, it’s no accident that Fast Company has recognized us as a Best Workplace for Innovators two years in a row. Article below! https://lnkd.in/eQNW8cDp

The latest edition of CM Pulse is here. We look back at Brat Summer. We look into the duality of overconsumption and #underconsumptioncore. We look at emojis with questioning eyes. All that and more. And you can look at it right here on LinkedIn as a newsletter. Sharp, smart, concise, and always worth a glance.