Having come from humble office beginnings ourselves [oh, the linoleum], we’re suckers for a Cinderella-size revamp. MRM//McCann, super legit digital marketing agency-gone-global, recently posted up in our pretty little ‘hood on South Temple. The tasty architecture is New York-born, but the inside job was 100% local by the company’s Executive Creative Director, Brian Deaver.
We had a chat with Brian to discuss his fabulous interior design choices [including, but not limited to, a Sasquatch statue wearing a teeny, tiny sombrero]. Queue the makeover montage...
MRM/ /McCann’s snazzy South Temple office just got a wicked makeover, and word is you spearheaded the new design. Did you draw inspiration from any Fortune 500 HQs? Or are you blazing a trail all your own? One day, after weeks of pulling various bits of inspiration, I saw a wooden moose head hanging in a store. I felt that it struck a balance between modern design and the spirit of the West. It proved to be the guiding source of inspiration throughout the project. Our guiding mantra became “let the outside in,” and the moose head [now hanging by my desk] seemed to embody that idea. In our previous building, the floor plates were smaller, we had a lot of boxed-in offices and there was a lack of uniformity from one floor to the next. We knew we needed to create an environment where people could have easy access to one another. We also wanted areas where people could meet and ideas could flow more fluidly. I found inspiration in a lot of places, like retail stores, corporate HQs, hotels, ad agencies, yurts, barns, local architecture and residential spaces. I made site visits, searched magazines and researched on the internet to help craft the vision. The architecture firm was fantastic. They brought so much to the table, and provided us with great ideas and options. It was a great collaboration and, ultimately, the architecture firm and our GM and I got to do the fun part of making it all come to life.
As your South Temple neighbors, we can only assume that you’re as thoroughly stoked on this pretty lil’ street as we are. Anything in particular you’re digging about your primo location [aside from, of course, the good company]? Well, of course, our neighbors are the top benefit of this location. In addition to the company, being at the heart of downtown is nice. We're in City Creek, which has a lot of advantages and conveniences. We looked at quite a few spaces in downtown Salt Lake, and decided upon this building because of its location. And because the views are fantastic. Many of us are transplants, and the beautiful vistas are constant reminders of why we love living here. With windows all the way around, we really are able to bring the outside in.
The design of the new office is on point. And from what we can tell [sign us up for the nap nook and meditation room], this seems like a bang-up work environment. Can you give us the deets on your design process? Collaboration is paramount. Gone are the days when an employee plops down at his desk and doesn't move until it's time to go home. The need for open, collaborative spaces drove a lot of the design decisions we made. We've found that when people can freely and easily get up and move around, natural conversations—and trust—emerge. We wanted to break down any physical barriers and allow employees easier access to one another. We purposely designed the space to have no offices. We also designed it to have dozens of gathering areas (lounges, conference rooms, nap nooks and so on). Most of the walls are glass and workstation walls are intentionally low. And we added a three-story staircase. All of these things contribute to an open, flowing atmosphere. And this leads to spontaneous, impromptu meetings—ones that can have a great impact on generating big ideas.
How, if at all, does the new design mirror the way y’all do business? Do nap nooks play a big part in designing multimillion-dollar ad campaigns? I feel the design is a good reflection of who we are. It's modern and professional. It's also approachable and comfortable. Much like the many talented people who work here. The nap nooks, foosball table, and meeting areas all help foster an atmosphere of creativity. And there have definitely been a few brilliant ideas that emerged from a 15-minute power siesta.
MRM/ /McCann is a sweet little addition to SLC, and with bigwigs like Verizon, Intel, and Exxon as clients, your firm doesn’t appear to be hurtin’ for business. Any classified info you can clue us in on [strictly between us and our 7,000+ followers, of course]? We know B-to-B. And we know technology. Those are our strengths and we stick to them. We've always focused on developing those strengths in the people who work here. And focusing on clients that can utilize our strengths. We have many long-standing clients and even more long-standing employees. And over the years, we've been able to build strong relationships, internally and externally, all while producing great work. Something we'll keep doing for many more years to come.
MRM//McCann | 60 E South Temple, Ste 1400 | 801.257.7700
