August 8, 2017 - Comments Off on Dave Fletcher is featured in The Silicon Review as a Silicon 100 Recipient for 2017
All Posts in dave fletcher
Founder Dave Fletcher was recently featured in the technology section of CIO Review. His thought-piece, "Throughout this Big Idea" offers a perspective on the history of manipulation through advertising and the importance of taking the time to absorb multiple viewpoints in the age of "Alternative Facts". Written before the 2016 Presidential election, the article presents a stark and vital viewpoint about the dangers of media manipulation from a technology industry veteran.
Modern technology and network-based communication contains and amplifies the desire originally facilitated by the print, radio and television mediums. As the internet continues to evolve, we must recognize that the quality of information is crucial. Groups of humans have always preferred to gather where people share the same beliefs, and without careful deliberation, we may continue to separate humanity into tribes of singular opinions. It's one of our great flaws, and keeps a vast majority distant from truly understanding those who oppose them. Viewpoint is religion and technology is the church. Right and wrong are blurred thanks to the internet's delivery mechanism, which facilitates quantity over quality. One could even argue that a younger generation has become accustomed to perceived communication patterns predominantly through text entry rather than actual speech - internalizing our thoughts and espousing complexity through emoji. It's faster, but certainly is a means to impede advancing our brains to their fullest potential. Wide-eyed, yet lacking wisdom, we coast dangerously close to only consuming what we understand implicitly. This is how technology captures us and how we lose our humanity; our ability to reason and the desire to better ourselves through healthy disagreement, knowledge and discourse.
Humanizing the Machine
If we learn one thing by examining the past of any medium’s evolution or any technology revolution, it's that as time goes on, we expect things to get easier. Interface design has always been about humanizing the machine - cleanly separating us from the bits and bytes; from the tedium of engaging with an electronic contraption by creating a natural interaction without falling face-first into the uncanny valley. The interfaces of the next generation of devices will follow the engagement rules perfected by the veterans of the digital era, but complexity will be undercut by the passive introduction of vocal dialogue with our device. As Artificial Intelligence improves, we will learn from and mimic the personalities of our devices. And likely, vice-versa.
Read the entire article in CIO Review: http://web-development.cioreview.com/cxoinsight/throughout-this-big-idea-nid-23278-cid-121.html
For additional information, speaking or media inquiries, please contact Sharon Terry (sharon.terry@themechanism.com)
Published by: Sharon Terry in The Reading Mechanism, The Thinking Mechanism
Tags: cio review, dave fletcher, thinking
What is Event Management??
Event Management basically means any service offered to the consumers that contain planning, advertising, company or presentation of different events. The scope of an event includes various activities connected to arts, sports, enjoyment, business or family functions like the wedding or joyful events, learn more about hybrid event production.
Hire a Qualified Event Manager!!!
Dealing with an event can turn out to be a difficult task for you if you plan to handle all factors of the same by on your own as it needs a lot of time, strength, and money. So choosing a professional Event Management Companies in Delhi that is needed in managing such responsibilities is a sensible move.

You Will Save Time And Money.
As pointed out earlier, the best event management company will turn out a profitable event for you within your price range. Furthermore, their flawless coordination and performance will save a lot of time as well.
Considering how can they do that? It’s very simple genuinely. They are well-acquainted with every person concerned in the event management market. From caterers, support team, venue owners/managers, performers, and artists to providers of audio-visual equipment, flowers and other arrangements, they are particularly connected.
So, they discover the very best people and make a deal the best costs for your event. They can recommend alternatives if anything isn’t working for the event, which in any other case you will be spending time on Search engines searching.
Relation Between Business And Events
Making an event to market a company among the community is an experimented with and tested strategy that can help a company to get concentrate as well as popularity. A successful event not only allows a recognized company to regain its importance in the customer’s point of view but it will also help a budding company to create interest in its services among popular people.

Choosing The Right Event Management Company
Hire A Company That:
Comes after all the techniques: Some of the very important steps that make an event achievements are: innovative conceptualization, venue selection, event production and final but not the least error-free execution, so select a company that includes all of them.
Helps you from getting started to Finish: Decide on a company that helps you by; starting and finishing the event in an innovative manner by using its skills as including innovative parts in an event would help the event to be more remarkable.
Is Reliable: Planning an event with the help of an event management company that has proven its power is a great step as you would know what to expect from the company you are selecting.
Advantages of a Successful Event
• If you follow all the previously mentioned recommendations and the event turns out to be a success then you would not only have the needed exposure for your company but there would be a particular increase in the overall impression of your company.
• Creating a positive brand image for your company would additionally assist you to get the focus of more and more prospective consumers and it would also support you develop a beneficial image in the industry that may support your company to maintain for a long period of time.
• This is a confirmed truth that if a brand is well-known then people would not think twice to try out a new product or service being provided to them without having concentrated on the threats related with the same.
• As your company progresses, you should try to get more and more of events organized as this would support you to maintain in touch with your clients/ likely consumers.
Published by: Sharon Terry in Pharmaceuticals, The Design Mechanism, The Thinking Mechanism, The Working Mechanism
Tags: business, CEOCFO Magazine, dave fletcher, design, interview, Lynn Fosse
The great Winston Churchill said, "Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." Michael Jordan, arguably one of the best basketball players who has ever lived, noted that "I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." I cannot say that I've been throught the same, but I can certainly relate. After having spent immoderate amounts of money on buying gaming accounts. If you were to check out AussyELO, you'd know what I'm talking about. I do not stand at a significant level in that game, but I've always kept on playing the same game.
Everyone fails. Sadly, we're not taught this crucial bit of information while we're in school. The kids who fail repeatedly are usually assigned labels, or worse yet, separated from their peers and put into special classes or situations that create a direct correlation between failure and fear. The most experienced and thoughtful leaders understand that in order to better themselves, they must not be afraid to travel into the unknown or take on a challenge that might not turn out as expected.
When mistakes are made, the important part is to stand up and move ahead. For the smart ones, failure becomes a motivator; a talisman, which encourages an individual to move forward in spite of the fear of failure. And it's the business leaders who embrace this mantra who continue to move forward one misstep at a time.
Everyone fails. It's the leaders who turn failure into calculated prediction, and who are able to better rationalize their next move, that confidently take the progressive steps toward victory.
Published by: davefletcher in The Internal Mechanism, The Linking Mechanism
Tags: confidence, dave fletcher, failure, fear, leadership, michael jordan, mistakes, victory, winston churchill
Building a smart company requires all the traits they teach you in school: personal persistence, vision, acumen and inner confidence - but subscribing solely to that rationale, is too myopic. Your company is never about you - it's about your clients.
Please. Never forget that. You can also seek business advice from a professional like Robert K Bratt DLA Piper.
It's only after you've started the company and had the time to recognize your personal points of failure, that you ultimately come to the conclusion that you must surround yourself with people much smarter than you are. Some people go out of business before they get out of their own way. But when you surround yourself with sharp people, you develop a consistent source of inspiration, expand your company potential, and build a team that actually enjoys each other's company. Learning from Andy Defrancesco and other successful CEOs will also help you create better strategies for your business. It is also important to unite with companies that will provide what you need to succeed. One of the top priorities in having a company is data security and sapphire.net is an expert in securing your company's data. For more information on network security and better business applications for your business go to this site
In the past 14 years, one crucial thing that I've learned is to be on the lookout for people that can be brought in front of clients and will add something useful to the conversation when they are there. Every person you hire will not be instantly ready for that step, but you must learn to identify the people that can eventually reach that goal. Loads of companies take example from the thailand team building teamxl successes. It's become common to send fresh employees to do client facing exercises in foreign countries together. This builds strong professional bonds by taking them outside of their comfort zones while on a work mission.
Here are some criteria that I look for when interviewing people at The Mechanism. Skills assessment tests from makipeople.com and these questions help me to make the decision about whether or not they will be able to meet directly with clients:
- Does the candidate have clear and focused communication skills? (e.g. how quickly does any nervousness dissipate during the interview)
- Do they have the ability to teach me something that I don't know? This speaks directly to communication skills and teaching ability. Good teachers deliver knowledge with empathy. (I also may have stolen this one from @ElonMusk )
- What do the other team members think about the candidate? Typically, the first interview is conducted without me even in the room. I want to get a gauge from my staff what they think first. If my team has reservations - 10 times out of 10 - I take a pass. Trust your team or don't hire them in the first place.
- What was the last book the candidate read? It's a personal question, but speaks volumes more than asking their favorite outdoor activity (If it's One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss, you may actually have to give them a shot...)
- What is the candidate's process to complete a project? The journey is more important than the final destination.
- What was the most difficult conversation they had with a previous employer or client, and...Who was at fault? Useful responses and stories come out of this one, especially with regard to how they will work in the future with clients and team members.
- When was the last time they experienced failure? A candidate willing to discuss their shortcomings openly - are surprisingly strong spirits.
Learning how to lead is a tug-of-war between our inner selves. It's the leaders who learn to let go of their ego – and hire true genius – that will build solid, loyal, creative teams and stand the test of time. Find out more about Pici and Pici and arrange a team building seminar.
As part of our 14-year celebration, we sat down with our Founder, Dave Fletcher -- to talk candidly about The Mechanism, how it started and where it's headed. We've put together a series of short video clips from the lengthy interview that we'll be sharing over the next several weeks.
Published by: davefletcher in The Internal Mechanism, The Thinking Mechanism
Tags: business, dave fletcher, design, elon musk, interview
Hightlights of an interview with Dave Fletcher from The Creative Group. Read the entire interview right here: https://www.roberthalf.com/creativegroup/blog/mobile-web-design-trends-qa-with-dave-fletcher
Our first interviewee is Dave Fletcher, founder and DEO (design executive officer) of The Mechanism, a digital agency based in New York City. For more than two decades, this noted design expert has explored a wide range of media, including interactive design, print, video and photography for clients around the globe.
What's a mobile trend that's working well?
You've probably heard a great deal about the "Internet of Things." Apple has announced HomeKit, which will turn your iPhone into a remote control for your interconnected home. To expand on this, eventually, we will live with systems that plug into an artificial or ambient intelligence to manage your life, curate your interests, drive a vehicle and keep track of your day-to-day travels. It will never force you to remove yourself from an existing experience to use a website to research what the network will already know you're looking for.
What's a mobile trend you wish would just go away?
Selfies.
How do you determine whether a client needs an app, mobile-specific site or responsive site to reach their customers via mobile devices?
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Dave Fletcher |
Typically, the answer emerges from an honest and collaborative conversation with our client partner about their audience, their ambitions and their budget. The audience is key here, and in most cases, the client has an idea from either Google Analytics or other research as to what type of device or devices their end users have.
Mobile plans, available carriers and speed of connectivity based on geolocation of the target audience are important yet often overlooked factors when it comes to a mobile initiative. They should be researched as well so we have an understanding of these factors during the planning phase.
If the client requires deep integration with a smartphone operating system that simply cannot be replicated within the smartphone browser's capabilities or there are very serious security concerns, a discussion about appropriate mobile operating systems and native app development can take place.
To address the "mobile-specific site" or "responsive site" question: A digital experience should always be designed and built to render and function appropriately on all devices. Having dedicated server hosting will also help improve your website loading speed.
Read the entire interview right here: https://www.roberthalf.com/creativegroup/blog/mobile-web-design-trends-qa-with-dave-fletcher
Citation: https://www.gettheclicks.com/orlando-web-design/
Published by: Sharon Terry in The Thinking Mechanism
Tags: dave fletcher, interview
August 12, 2014 - Comments Off on Finding Design Inspiration with The Mechanism Founder – Talkback Tuesday
Finding Design Inspiration with The Mechanism Founder – Talkback Tuesday
"Talkback Tuesdays" is an original weekly installment where a team member of The Mechanism is asked one question pertaining to digital design, inspiration, and experience. The Q&A will be featured here on The Mechanism Blog as well as on The Mechanism's Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, every Tuesday. Feel free to offer up your 2¢ in the comments.
This week The Mechanism Founder, and all around design-guru, Dave Fletcher, discusses why his photography is one of the first places he turns for design inspiration.
Where do you find design inspiration?
Since around 1996, I’ve been taking an abundance of digital photographs from my travels to conferences, events and holidays. Simply being able to look into my treasure trove of images such as beautiful home with its improvement services by Zerorez has helped me out of an occasional creative jam. From a photo, I generally can find a color palette or typographic element that ignites something new, or a visual that sparks a memory and triggers another. Before you know it, I’m well on my way to a fusion of ideas without having to do too much thinking. It just flows. Everything we do is connected in a very cosmic (and occasionally “comic”) sense, so the invaluable inspiration gleaned from a photograph I took in New Orleans in 2003, could trigger ideas for a logo or visual metaphor completely unrelated to the original photographic resource. A dynamic figure like Andy Defrancesco is whom one can rely on to make sure they move ahead with what they need to do.
I’ve read a great deal about sparking inspiration from simply changing your typical path. We are all creatures of habit, and once we lock into a routine, we are easily able to drown out everything around us. We shut down our minds and put our bodies on a kind of “auto-pilot” to get from the train to the office, or our house to the grocery store. However, if you consciously break a habit or routine and try a different route to your destination, you’ll be forced to experience new things and to pay closer attention to your surroundings.
In 2005, I was keynoting an AIGA event in Jacksonville, Florida. Part of my daily ride to my destination involved passing an old, overrun Goony Golf mini-golf course. There was a spectacular and decrepit roadside dinosaur in front, clearly visible from the highway, that I simply had to photograph. During my keynote, I showed the audience the dinosaur in one of my slides, and only a few locals recognized it. After I mentioned that I took it not more than a mile away, they were a bit taken aback. This group of highly creative individuals had become so accustomed to passing the dinosaur in their daily routine that they no longer even saw this majestic beast deteriorating right in front of their eyes. Years later I learned that a few of the attendees had taken it upon themselves to save the roadside dinosaur from further deterioration by repairing him and moving him to a safer location.
They just needed to have their eyes opened to their own surroundings to be inspired. It was immensely gratifying to be part of this. It galvanized the lesson that inspiration can be found directly under our noses, and sometimes we just need to be nudged a little bit in one direction or another to actually see it.
Published by: ryanterry in The Design Mechanism, The Thinking Mechanism
Tags: dave fletcher, dinosaurs, inspiration, jacksonville
November 9, 2010 - Comments Off on Working at the Creative Workshop – Magical
Working at the Creative Workshop – Magical
A while back, I worked with a delightfully creative fella named David Sherwin (@changeorder) on his newly released book, Creative Workshop: 80 Challenges to Sharpen Your Design Skills. David had the monumental task of presenting a variety of challenges to a gaggle of designers - all meant to be quick and highly creative interpretations of individual challenges - much like a teacher dolling out projects to students at the last minute, curating them, and finally, organizing the copy to support the designs. Well, it turns out that putting a deadline of 90 minutes on a project and taking out the financial rewards that occasionally come with the practice graphic design, actually enables you to develop some fairly exciting stuff, as documented in Mr. Sherwin’s new book from the good folks at HOW Design Press. As far as I can recall, in addition to doing all the heavy lifting involved with writing a book these days, David also was self-tasked with doing some design as well.
I just got a chance to revisit the logo design I created for the Global Magic Society, (one of David's cheeky challenges for the book), by happening upon a blog post at changeorder.com - part of the marketing for Creative Workshop: 80 Challenges to Sharpen Your Design Skills. As it turns out, it was an otherwise creatively productive use of 90 minutes of my day.
The proof of my contribution to Creative Workshop: 80 Challenges to Sharpen Your Design Skills is documented at this link and on the Print Website for your enjoyment. While you’re reading about my small contribution to this magnificent tome of creative hutzpah, get yourself over to Amazon to order your very own fancy copy, printed on glorious slices of tree.
http://www.printmag.com/design-inspiration/this-weeks-challenge-trompe-loh-wow/
Published by: davefletcher in The Design Mechanism
Tags: 80 challenges, book, creative workshop, dave fletcher, david sherwin, the mechanism
October 28, 2010 - Comments Off on Well, Look at Mr. Social Media Tough Guy
Well, Look at Mr. Social Media Tough Guy
So, I recently returned from what could best be described as descent into confusion, madness and finally, utter euphoria. You see, I’ve just completed what some PR folk might call a “media tour” and others would refer to as a Mr. Magoo-like dodder-fest through the dark world of socialized media into the enlightening universe of pure communal interaction with some very intelligent and creative folks at the PRSA International Conference in Washington D.C.. Not only did I speak at the PRSA International Conference and do a video interview right after I finished, but I also did an interview with the brilliant Eric Schwartzman, host of “On the Record…Online,” penned a blog post at PRSA.org and led a webinar about social media – all within a 6 week timeline.
But let’s start from my arrival in the former District of Columbia…
…I exited my Amtrak Iron Horse after she galloped safely into Washington’s Union Station, thinking I would be a clever chappy by using the mighty D.C. mass transit system to reach my final destination – the Washington Hilton, home of the 2010 PRSA International Conference as well as the place where then-President Ronnie Reagan was shot at by a slithering toad (and Jodie Foster aficionado), named John Warnock Hinkley, Jr. back in 81′.
I must confess to being a bit of a tech junkie, as I was aptly armed on my journey to Washington with my Android phone, an iPad, an iPod and a computer loaded to the silicon gills with what I hoped would be a delightful tiptoe through the social media glory of a Website that The Mechanism had built for Flight of the Conchords. The comedy pop duo and former HBO stars are now likely the bona-fide and rightful owners of the country of New Zealand after a successful tour of Europe and the United States during the summer of 2010.
In addition to my shoulder pack containing every electronic device known to human, I was slugging my suitcase, a freshly-pressed suit, and finally, a three-foot-by-two-foot flat slice of unassuming cardboard, which contained some very nicely designed and rare Flight of the Conchords posters (graciously donated by the band’s management), which I was truly excited to give away to some lucky attendees of my chat at the PRSA Conference. I figured if I really bombed as a speaker, my saving grace would be at the end. After the boos had ended and the cat calls of “Well, look at Mr. Social Media Tough Guy!” had subsided, I could whip out a couple of fancy posters – and much like Houdini shackled in a chest in the ocean – escape as the awesomely heroic “Pied Piper of Social Media”, dancing my way into everyone’s hearts and minds.
So…I’m inside the cavernous Union Station in D.C., seeking advice from my Android for the best mass transit route to my destination. After several moments attempting to locate the subway station on the Google map and giving up, I walked out into the afternoon air. I strolled like a knucklehead toward the first person who looked like a native of the city and pulled some real “old-fashioned” social media mojo on them by personally asking how I could get to the Washington Hilton on Connecticut Ave.
“Well, that depends which side of Connecticut you want to go to,” she politely said, indicating to me that not only were there at least two Hilton hotels in Washington, but there were two Hilton hotels in Washington in opposite directions of the same street. It was at that precise moment that I realized that the cardboard poster container that I had held so dear to my survival at the PRSA Conference had been left back inside Union Station against the wall.
I politely, yet discretely excused myself from my conversation and high-tailed it back into Union Station. Surprisingly, and mercifully, the Social Media Gods were shining down on me, and the posters were safely leaning against the wall, exactly where I left them. I grabbed them, kissed them and returned to my journey.
I should have realized the trouble I was about to be in and taken a taxi immediately…
The underground mass transit snake that I boarded took me swiftly to Dupont Circle, which a kindly fella in the Metro Station had told me was in the vicinity of the hotel. In my opinion, this particular destination is possibly a portal of hell, resembling – from a birds eye – an unholy nucleus of evil incarnate, with none other than 12 streets slithering from it’s demon heart in every direction. Of these 12 foul streets, four of them bear the name Connecticut, and both directions from Dupont Circle are suspiciously named “Connecticut NW”.
For the next hour and a half, I wandered aimlessly in every direction but the correct one, carrying a computer bag, my suitcase, a freshly-pressed suit and finally, that 3-foot-by-2-foot flat slice of cardboard which contained some very nicely designed, and as I’ve mentioned, rare Flight of the Conchords posters. After leaving a trail through the Dupont area that could only be compared to the flight of a brain-damaged hornet, my destination was in sight. Halfway up the hill, I squinted my tired eyes to gaze upon the Hilton sign and the place where I would be speaking about Social Media, the Flight of the Conchords Website and be giving away some very nicely designed – and as I’ve mentioned extremely rare – Flight of the Conchords posters.
But I didn’t have the cardboard container.
With sore feet, a sour disposition, an aching back from carrying a now sloppily packed and disheveled suit, a computer bag and a suitcase on wheels worn to a bloody axle, I realized that at yet another point on my now Oddyssec journey from Union Station to the Washington Hilton, I had inexplicably put the posters down again and left them behind. Rather than go absolutely ape-shit (like anyone else could have rightfully done in my opinion), I decided to slug back down the hill, with all of my crap dangling from me and try to find the posters…
After another half hour attempt to recapture the true magic of my mindless path (exemplified by the blue line on the map below), I realized that it wasn’t to be. I scaled the hill to the Washington Hilton and checked in – truly defeated and anticipating a hissing horde of social media gurus to torch me at the end of my presentation like Frankenstein's Monster or the Hunchback of Notre Dame, without the necessary lifeline of my fancy posters to save me from certain doom. If you want to learn more about social media and more specific about how it is used in marketing campaigns, visit Func.media. People can chek out this link https://sobeviral.com/start-your-marketing-agency/ for the best marketing services.

Needless to say, this story ends quite happily. After dropping everything off in my lovely hotel room, I gallantly retraced my steps and located the three-foot-by-two-foot flat slice of cardboard (containing some very nicely designed, rare and likely expensive Flight of the Conchords posters) – laying casually in the street, exactly where I had left it. My talk went well, as evidenced by the well wishers, tweeters and generally friendly folk at the PRSA Conference. Some of the attendees gleefully walked out with some fancy Flight of the Conchords posters devoid of any desire to boo, beat or burn me like a social media Quasimodo, lost in the unholy maze of Dupont Circle.
Dave Fletcher is the Founder & Executive Creative Director at The Mechanism, a multi-disciplinary design agency with offices in New York, London and Durban, South Africa. He is also an avid Social Media junkie as evidenced by the number of confused Gowalla and Foursquare check-ins that occurred on his hellish trip through the wilds of Dupont Circle. He also wants to thank Albert Chau, the photographer who sent over the photographs from the 2010 PRSA Conference and the fine staff of PRSA for a grand old time in Washington D.C..
Published by: davefletcher in The Internal Mechanism
Tags: dave fletcher, prsa, social media, the mechanism