reactor whoa magazine

WHOA MAGAZINE // FALL 2015

editor’s noteCLIFTON ALEXANDER

scale ofepicness

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infographicsof awesome

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WORLD HEADQUARTERS OF AWESOME

what’s in thisISSUE?

04: #SELFIES

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Front-facing camera photos are all the rage right now! Check out this must-read REACTOR Guide to your perfect selfie.

REACTOR is a full-service creative firm that inspires our clients and the community to think differently about design.

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editor’s noteCLIFTON

ALEXANDER

The past year has been yet another incredible one for REACTOR. I usually take this space to write about the great things happening with our clients or projects. This time, there are so many great things happening with our employees, I just wanted to share.

Northlanders have slowly taken over the studio as we’ve grown. Chase and I are now outnumbered as the only “non-Northlanders,” since Julie moved north of the river last winter. In July, Julie also celebrated her 3-year anniversary at REACTOR, so it has been an awesome year for her indeed.

Our REACTO-family has gotten bigger this year with the addition of Travis. Travis has jumped right in at the studio and proven to be an awesome addition to the design team. Time has flown by as he’s already coming up on 6 months at REACTOR.

The year just keeps getting more epic as Chase became a father! Sleepless nights creating brilliant designs have been replaced with sleepless nights taking care of the baby, but we know he’ll be a pro at juggling everything and be the best father. We can’t wait for visits at the studio from our little “designer-in-training.”

We even have exciting things lined up in our future. Emily will be getting married in October. There are lots of wedding invitations and goodies to be designed. We don’t know how we’ll survive without her when she’s on her honeymoon!

From winning a Thinking Bigger Business Media 25 Under 25® Award to hosting our LEGO®-themed Bricks of Awesome First Fridays Show, our people have made this awesome year possible. We’ve eaten a lot of celebratory tacos! As you can see, we have a lot to be thankful for at REACTOR. We can’t wait to see what epic things are in store for us as the year goes on!

Awesomely, Clifton Alexander, Owner/Creative Chuck Norris

how totally awesome has this year been?!

/// 01

LUKE, I THINK I GOT A BAD SPRAY TAN.

ORANGEis the newBLACK

adve

rtis

emen

t

meet the team

Julie SebbyVisual Virtuosa3 Years

Traci KetterAdministrative Lifesaver4 Years

Chase WilsonGlobal Activator9 Years

Emily GairnsCurator of Creativity2 Years

Travis StewartCreative Renegade6 Months

Laura HaskellMarketing Intern of Champions4 Months

Ashley KiefferDesign Intern of Champions1 Year

04 ///

Fish selfie! I caught this bad boy myself, so I had to take a selfie.

#TheOneThatGotAway #bait #worms #hooks #rodnreel #fishstory

Multitasking

The Ultimate REACTOR Selfie Style Guide

3

This selfie perfectly captures that moment when you’re looking good and feeling your best. Position yourself near a good lamp or bright natural light, making sure to show your good side. This lighting is best paired with a sassy gaze and a dash of confidence. Hold your phone low enough to create the angelic halo effect, yet high enough to avoid the dreaded double chin. Nobody wants to see that.

#LightingGameOnFleek #blessed

#Driving #is #hard #enough #for #some #people. #Let #alone #talking #selfies #and #playing #the #game #of #EYESPY #with #your #hashtags.

#stuckintraffic #instashot #subaru #beardgang #beardlove #hotday #followmegirls #tagsforlike #likeforlike #swag #sunnyday #trees #highway #trafficlife #instagood #vibes #blinker #moveover #ootd #like4like #cantbelate #RayBan #Baldwin #cars #summer

Whether you accidentally publish a picture you meant to send to your boo, or you just want to broadcast your hotness to all your peeps, the sexy selfie is a (usually over-)confident move that is guaranteed to attract (the wrong kind of) attention. Use with caution: the sexy selfie has been known to cause an onslaught of inappropriate direct messages, intense regret and removal of the user from Instagram.

#sexy #XXX #nsfw #bathroommirror #Hott #OrNot #instafamous #forallthewrongreasons

Many ignore Snapchat’s nifty drawing feature. Others abuse it. While these works of impractical art can be pretty impressive, it really makes you wonder how much spare time some people have.

#snapsterpiece #outofthisworld #ihavenolife #currentlyinorbit #snapchatpro

“Can you get a picture of us?” We’ve all done it before. “Be sure to get our shoes in it.” It happens. We’re out with friends and we want a “cute one.” One without an awkwardly extended arm. This really isn’t a selfie anymore, but we initiated the photo and we’re in it too, so it’s basically the same thing right? Totes. This selfie goes well with the Sorority Lean and the Skinny Arm.

#ButFirstLemmeTakeASelfie #TurnDownForWhat

feature photo1The Lighting Is So Good Here

#SELFIES

Snapsterpiece2

I was just trying to queue up my Spotify playlist and inadvertently photographed myself in the most unflattering angle possible.

#TheStruggleIsReal #awkward #technology

Cute AnimalUnintentional

Super Sexy

Non-selfie

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Selfie Stick15

We have all seen this. The #selfies laying in bed with the beautiful morning light. Hair did, makeup done and a dash of not so subtle editing. Looking like you took your pillow to Glamour Shots. Captioned with #nomakeup. Let’s be real, this is how you really looked. C’mon man!

#wokeuplikethis #nomakeup #likeforlikes #longbeardontcare

Most commonly seen used by tweens in the pool, adventurers on mountains, awkward tourists, and “cool” moms who shouldn’t be allowed out of the house.

#DontJudgeMe #AmIDoingThisRight #ButThereIsAStickInThePictureNow

When you reenter the work world after a hardcore weekend of screamo concerts, a back-to-work selfie is a must. Make sure to have the bad attitude face no matter how great your job is.

#MondayMorning #Allworknoplay #Backtowork #ManicMonday #JustAddCoffee

Here kitty, kitty. We’ve all tortured our pets by making them pose for a selfie. 9/10 times they don’t cooperate. You’ve probably received some scratches and bites, but you don’t care. Do it for the #selfie.

#Rawr #CatModel #CrazyCatLady #CheckMeowt

This new band is totally rocking my world. And by rocking I mean like in a boat, gently from side to side. I am hoping to evoke the essence of their heavenly music in this ethereal selfie. Can’t you just hear the mellow tones?

#Yesfilter #photobooth #folkprincess #Strings #AcousticMorning #Spotify

Trying to take a family selfie and get photobombed by the youngest one, who blocks everyone else.

#photobomb #TimeForMyCloseUp #laughter #family

What a great picture! You look fantastic! Then you see it. That random, lurking stranger glaring right at the camera from the background. The Unintentional Photobomber strikes again.

#AwkwardMoments #photobomb

My trip is so amazing and I have to share every moment of it with everyone because my life is better than theirs right now! Be sure to get as much beach and ocean in the background as possible.

#BeachLife #FutureSoBright #vacation #SunSurfSand

feature photo9I Woke Up Like This

Family of One

When You See It

Case of the Mondays

I’m A Pet Owner

Jammin to My Jams

Vacation in Your Face

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06 ///


REBRAND HIGHLIGHTS OF 2015In this fast-paced digital era, people are overwhelmed with advertisements and consumer touchpoints. Companies are facing a constant need to keep their brand fresh and their name top of mind. From updated colors to entirely new typefaces and logo designs, there have been numerous heavy hitters making waves this year with their rebranding efforts. REACTOR selected three of these companies to analyze more closely.

SPOTIFY Spotify claims to release 20,000 new songs every day. With this level of output, it’s no wonder why Spotify turned to a new flexible identity. Their brand style focuses on duotone photography, abstract shapes, and a flat logo that can take on a multitude of select colors to help keep up with the ever-advancing music culture.

COORS LIGHT The cold rush of the Rockies condensed into a new refreshingly minimalist logo. By stripping away all the heavy strokes and layering effects, Coors has created a more inclusive, gender-neutral brand. Coors Light has also simplified their packaging to focus on their origin instead of the Super Cold Can marketing gimmick.

IHOP This breakfast brand just got a facelift and it’s got pancake-loving customers smiling across the nation. Simplified to a rounded, bold sans serif typeface and a single inverted red arch, their logo leaves a positive impression. The new IHOP “smile” also makes an appearance on their new website, the interior walls of the restaurants, and across their print collateral.

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What color is that anyway?

Chase – neon seafoam

Emily – spearmint

Ashley – electric frog

Laura – my brightness turned all the way up

Julie – vibrant Kelly green

Travis – alien

Clifton – awkward green

“Overall, it’s nice that the new Coors Light

logo is simplified but the brand as a whole

just seems to fall flat in some areas. Most

of the elements look great on their own, but

some variations of the logo don’t seem to

fit in. The cans and packaging look great

though. Cheers!”

– Chase

“While it’s not a huge transformation, this

simplified remodel of the IHOP brand is

a huge upgrade from their dated logo.

Released from its blue box, the new brand

is much more flexible and clean. The

smiley face may be a little too reminiscent

of other logos for some, but it makes a

playful statement to a family audience.

And its implementation throughout the

website is undeniably top-notch.”

– Travis

From flooded basements to pale arms, this rainy summer has got us all singing the blues in KCSUMMERTIME SADNESS

On a scale from lame to EPIC, here’s how REACTOR ranks some of the biggest events of 2015.

This “unsaturated burgundy” hardly deserves a spot in a box of crayons.PANTONE COLOR OF THE YEAR: MARSALA

SH

AR

K W

EE

K... A

GA

IN.

After 2

8 years, it’s a struggle to keep it fresh.

FO

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R R

OYA

L S

even Royals players represented K

C on the 2

015 A

ll Star Team

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IND

OM

INU

S R

EX

VS

. T-RE

X

Perhaps the grandest m

oment in the new

Jurassic World m

ovie.

TAC

O B

ELL D

ELIV

ER

Y S

ER

VIC

E

Satisfy your Taco B

ell craving without even having to leave your house? W

elcome to the next level of taco consum

ption.

CH

AS

E’S

BE

AR

D

Even though it’s currently the off season for his facial hair grow

ing, his beard is impressive nonetheless.

TAC

O E

MO

JI AN

NO

UN

CE

D

All w

e can manage to say through all our excitem

ent is “FINA

LLY!”

SE

AS

ON

FIN

ALE

OF

MA

D M

EN

“I thought this show

already ended”

SUPER EPIC!

MEH.


/// 09

infographicsof aw

esome

TOTAL NUMBER OF AWARDS PRESENTED TO REACTOR200+

152 MINUTESto empty 3 kegs of

AT FIRST FRIDAYSBOURGMONT BEER

BEERfree

JIMMYCHIPS

JIMMYCHIPSBBQ POTATO CHIPS

of

per week

*individual orders & sometimesall in one lunch session...

sorry Jimmy John’s delivery guy

JIMMY JOHN’S

4 ORDERS

LIBRATORYIN THE

STEPS

MILDRED’Sto walk to

8

Ever wonder what it’s like within the orange walls of the World Headquarters of Awesome? Here’s a taste of the REACTOR lifestyle.

PANDORA

hipster BBQ

STATION

MOST LISTENED TO

SUMMER

REACTOR SELFIE CONTEST! Feeling inspired by our Selfie Guide? Show us your best selfie! Tweet your selfie to @reactorkc, post on the REACTOR Facebook wall or share on Instagram. You must use the hashtag #reactoswag and share by August 31.

Win REACTOR swag!Our 20 favorite selfies will receive a pair of these awesome REACTOR shades!

Printed on U

topia Two D

ull, available from S

haughnessy

816.841.3682 // [email protected] Grand Boulevard, Kansas City, MO 64108

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