It may only be the 2nd month of the year, but we think it's BBQ time!

For those of you who have ever been to Karma Towers during the summer you may already be aware of the traditions of our Meat Friday. Although we are only at the beginning of 2011 when the meat feelings start to stir who are we to ignore it!

Armed with our meat stirrings catering for 36 was prepared, cooked, wolfed down and is now slowly being digested by most of the 31 Vernon Street inhabitants so if you are popping in to see us today and we look a little misty eyed, this may be why.

A big thumbs up to all who, cooked, created, and ate the delicious feast including the team who wrote on the plates (how else would people know what they were allowed?), great concoctions of salads to help push the meat loads down (both pasta and boiled potatoes for the salads were cooked on site - we don't skimp on the good stuff) and the genius that decided to shout us some beer. After all it would be rude not too!

So now that the official Meat Friday opening ceremony has commenced, if you happen to be around our humble residence on the last Friday of a given summer month (yes we have done these in the rain and come to think of it, the snow), I suggest you come armed with three and a half English pounds and get your name on the list before the meat fund closes.

My How We've Grown: Now Paddle Steamer Sized!

Dear Reader,

With every new update of the phone list I tend to do a quick count up of the number of people working out of Karma Towers to figure out how big a company we are.

You may recall from past posts, we started life as a kitchen-sized company, featuring a table and 4 wonky chairs and a kettle that didn't work properly. Growth was rapid-ish and in a few short years, whilst we were all enjoying a Christmas knees-up at the Reindeer Cafe, we realised that we were a shed-sized agency. This was because we were eating our tucker in a shed. Literally. Albeit a reasonably sized shed as opposed to a £99.99 job from B&Q. Then, not a year later we realised we had grown to a village hall/community centre-sized company. Probably somewhere like Appledore, where we have to accommodate the needs of the local WI, the cub scouts and that annoying man with the bad breath who runs the am-dram society. Then, last year we realised that we were operating pretty much at building capacity making us a provincial town nightclub on a Monday night-sized company, complete with ladies night (sic), 3 shots for a quid and that bloke from Steps doing a special PA.

Now, this glorious year of our Lord, 2011, we now realise that, with 87 inhabitants, we are officially a paddle steamer on the Mississippi- sized company. We've got gambling tables on the lower deck, a jazz band on the upper and a nice selection of canapes throughout. Plus a bloody great paddle wheel. And we have no, and I mean NO space left. Things are getting...cosy.



Bring it on. This time next year? Maybees a small isolated Hebridean island perhaps. Wait and see

Employee Of The Month

We don't often post the winner of the employee of the month, but this one's a bit special.

Every month we pick someone who has in some way gone beyond the call of duty.

Their prize is a slap up meal for two at agency favourite Karama Curry (of course), as well as a strange Barnum-type item of stuffed animal freakery. Our previous squirrel-in-a-canoe contracted a nasty dose of flea and maggot infestation, so we hope that the latest two-headed chick will last a bit longer.



The winner this month is Stuart who, in the most extraordinary demonstration of valour, selflessness and bravery, stayed behind in Geneva to keep Sonja company when she contracted a nasty lurgy on our recent ski trip. With no idea whether he'd make it back for Christmas or not, Stuart went to the hospital with Sonja, held her hand, puffed her pillow, bought her grapes (probably) and then trekked through the streets of snow-sodden Geneva looking for somewhere to stay.

A happy ending ensued. Stuart made it home for Christmas turkey, Sonja's mum came out to keep her company and the young lass finally made it home and back to work to take up her role again as our beloved timesheet nazi.

God bless you Stuart. If our great nation had more people like you we could win back our national pride, and maybe a bit of our Empire as well

Everybody, everybody in the house of love! Karmarama stages a 'Love In'

As some of you may know January is known as the 'loneliest month of the year' (this is not an official fact but I think you'll all agree that it is a dull skies, lack of natural vitamin D, blue feeling month). So at Karma towers we are embracing February 'the month of Eros' (again not actual fact but it should be) and getting our LOVE on.

Secret cupids are flying around expressing their love for their intended victims (I mean valentines) and the mood is jubilant and full of promise. We've had fake email accounts set up, creative cards, edible fancies and a few restraining order worthy letters.... Yes one was to me and I am pretty scared!

Let the love continue...........

The Winner Of The 2010 Ski Trip Competition

So now it's an annual-ish event, we decided to re-run the Ski Competition.
You may recall last year's winner, the brilliant karamabet by Simon and Steve, set a pretty high standard.



This year's brief was to design an agency coat of arms or flag that we could print on bags, t-shirts, undies, that sort of thing.
This proved to be a tad challenging and we had a fair few attempts, the majority of which were pretty poor to be honest.
But out of a ragged bunch there was one beacon of design excellence, and what an outstanding winner it was.
Now I know it looks like a fix, and I know he's an art director by trade, and I know he's got the biggest Mac in the agency, and I know he's the founding partner and all, but you have to admit, Dave's design is pretty bloody good.



If the design looks at all familiar, it's based on the kamikaze pigeon that flew into our windows last year. A fitting tribute I think.



Look out for the t-shirts coming to Karma Stores soon.

The First In a New Series: Inside the Drawers of the Famous

We've noticed here that a certain publication has been doing a feature on various adland people's desks.

Really insightful and always very truthful.

What's far more revealing however, is what lies beneath the desk and lurks in the drawers of people who are caught a little more unawares.

Like Robin for example, one of our Creatives.

This genuinely is in his drawer...

First BBQ of the year

Happened in January, in the freezing cold.

That's Dave with some hunks of tuna.



That man is hardcore

The 2010 Ski Trip

So much happened on the trip, so many piccies and so many stories that there's just too much to go into.

Instead, here's a picture of all of us in the Alps...



And here's a bit of wishful thinking on Mr Bill Benboul's account...



And here's the merest hint of what went on in the evening...



Nice. Same time again next year?