1. Shazam.  
It seemed that about every other commercial included a Shazam tag.  We even saw a Bud Lite ad asking viewers to Shazam the halftime show to receive a Madonna/LMFAO download. Truly magcial technology, but is SuperBowl really the right place to showcase it? We don't know about you, but it was pretty hard to get a clear Shazam scan at our SuperBowl party with all the chatter (and Tom Brady fawning) going on in the room.  This release from the mobile app company citing "millions" of viewers engaged is a bit vague, which may signal the engagement was not as high as expected.

2. BestBuy's jab at Alec Baldwin.  
Remember that time Alec Baldwin got kicked off an American Airlines flight for playing Words With Friends instead of turning off his device? Only a few of us caught the slight jab at Alec in this year's BestBuy ad featuring the inventors of all the addictive apps we use every day.

3. Adriana Lima. 
What, like we weren't going to post a picture of her?The only time it was completely quiet during our SuperBowl party was during the Teleflora ad featuring Victoria's Secret bombshell Adriana Lima (yes, floral delivery was what this commercial was selling).  Did you notice Adriana made an appearance in this Kia ad as well? We sure did.

For the Aspiring New Year's Resolution Keeper

Give your favorite over-achiever something to help make their New Year's Resolution a whole lot easier. The Philips ActionFit line of sports headphones are made with sweat-proof and washable materials so even the ickiest of workouts won't ruin their great sound. And with a wide range of features from Bluetooth to in-line microphone, you're sure to find the perfect pair. www.philips.com/headphones

Then pair those fancy headphones with the ActionFit iPhone app so they can monitor, track and share their workouts (and make you feel lazy in the process). ActionFit app is available here on the iTunes store.

For the Little Lady on Your List

A favorite among the Shiloh and Suri set, Penelope Peapod dolls are a timeless classic that stay trendy even after jeggings become SO last season. The Penelope Peapod doll comes with her own little basket that goes from playtime bassinet to perfect little purse quicker than you can say "Fairy Princess". With ten patterns to choose from, the Penelope Peapod doll is the perfect accessory for your little fashionista. www.penelopepeapod.com

For the Serious Athlete (or, let's be honest: the serious hangover)

What do you get the serious athlete who has everything under the sun related to fitness? Simple...the gift of proper rehydration. Developed by a Charleston ER Doctor, BANa drink is like an IV in a bottle, offering quick rehydration after a long workout. Pick up a case and meet them at the finish line with a donut in hand and you'll be sure to win them over.  BANa is also a great choice for those more socially- than physically-active peeps on your list who are sporting hangovers more than running shorts. www.banadrink.com

(oh, and looks like our kebo party gifts were a huge hit!)

Martini ice luge? Yes please!Friends old and newYOU get a kebo, YOU get a kebo…

Make his momma proud.

Cast your vote here.

Voting is easy as pie; no logins, no signups. Just click the link below, click where it says "Click to HERE learn more about them and cast your vote!", select the little button beside the name of Will Bullock, and hit the button that says "Next".
Boom goes the dynamite.

© Apple, Inc.

He was an inspiration to us as detail-oriented designers. But perhaps more importantly, he was responsible for creating the tools that SLANT uses everyday to practice our craft and he developed the App ecosystem that clients hire us to design for.

We think it's very fitting that most of us first heard this sad news on our iPhones and iPads.

So it's with heavy hearts we say goodbye to a true visionary. We'll miss your black turtlenecks, wire frame glasses, and most of all, the reality distortion field. 

*Not a real college

We shut down the office early on a Thursday afternoon and hit the road to Greenville for our first ever "SLANT University."  We gathered at our new Greenville offices in the NEXT Innovation Center for a day of learning and collaborating (and some drinking) with each other on what makes SLANT....uh....SLANTASTIC.

Chief Brand Architect Christopher Cecil led the SLANT team through an analysis of the philosophy and principles behind our work, business model, and our relationship with clients. We then had a refresher course on how to present SLANT's brand and voice and what it means to be a SLANT employee.  And then we ate

With over 10 years of marketing and business development experience, Davis will be working with SLANT’s clients not only to maintain relationships but to guide them through each step of their project and make sure their marketing plans are well defined and executed.

Davis comes to SLANT after serving a sponsorship management role at Family Circle Cup, a premier international women’s tennis tournament. She worked with marketing leaders at Family Circle Cup’s parent company, Meredith Corporation, to incorporate advertisers at the company’s various media holdings (Family Circle, Better Homes and Gardens, Fitness, More, etc.) into the Family Circle Cup event platform.

Davis earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Virginia and fully intends to be counted among their notable alumni, right next to Katie Couric.  Despite our serious addiction to Clemson, we won’t give her too much of a hard time for being a wahoo.

“The role of Marketing Intelligence at SLANT has developed quite a reputation with our clients, and we’re happy that Davis has accepted the challenge of building on that tradition”, says Will Bullock, partner and head of Graphic Intelligence.

Founding partner and Creative Director Christopher Cecil said: “I just hope she doesn’t notice that’s a cardboard cutout of me in my office down there. I think I forgot to tell her I'm working out of our new Greenville office.”

Despite the unfortunate trend of California defections [exhibit A, exhibit B] we’ve encountered, Davis is an exceptional addition to the SLANT team. We hope you’ll like her as much as we do.  Come by and say hello or email her: dbarnes (at) slantmedia.net.

A typical meeting when Lauren is involved

So in true SLANT fashion, let's send Lauren off with a list of things that made her so great here:

1. She can't be bothered to know speed limits, gas prices or whatever crap beer you're drinking right now.
2. This video makes her laugh......and laugh....and laugh...until she has to go home for the day to recoup.
3. All new employees will now be required to take the Spirit Animal Test 
4. Christopher is now aware that his "I'm-Listening-To-You" face looks more like a "I-Think-You're-Stupid" face
5. We're all a little beer snobby now...and kinda like it.

When asked to share a quote about what she'd miss most about working at SLANT she did this:

We'll take that as a compliment.   

 Best of luck, Lauren & Kevin – we'll see you on Twitter!