It's pretty safe to bet that everyone is ready for 2020 to leave and we move onto new beginnings in 2021. Hopefully free of this pandemic that has changed us all forever. In our 2020 year in review, we discuss the pandemic, how it has changed our work, and we found many positives amid all of the panic and uncertainty. 

In the latest pandemic-necessary Zoom version of the 8Bit Podcast, Phil and Talyn discuss what it takes to pull off a memorable COVID-19 campaign in 4 weeks. From concept to securing talent. Social distancing and keeping those involved on shoot day safe. You get to see and hear it all in this don't miss episode.

Move over Millennials, there’s a new generation in town: Gen-Z. They were born between 1995 and 2010 and are making their mark on culture. They’ve known screens their whole lives and expect businesses to keep up. Their world is no longer on Facebook and Instagram, it’s thriving on TikTok, Triller, and Twitch. To talk to them, you need to understand them. In the latest 8Bit Podcaast, Talyn and Jeff cue up a few takeaways about Gen Z. 

It’s been a rough time for small businesses. The pandemic has closed their doors, limited their customer bases, and/or pushed people to online retailers. In the U.S Midwest, restaurants, bars, and other businesses could take advantage of the warmer patio season this summer. But colder weather is headed our way, and small businesses need to be prepared. Here are some simple tips on how to help your business during this bumpy time. 

In the 8Bit Podcast Episode 35, Creative Arcade developer, Jan Christenson, recaps his experience volunteering at WordCamp Minneapolis. This year it was a virtual conference pulled off by WordPress geeks like Jan using virtual tools like Zoom, YouTube and much more. Hear about his experiences and what he learned during the presentations on how WordPress keeps evolving and improving as a CMS of choice for web developers.Check out the associated blog posts as well:WordCamp 2020 Recap: Things Get VirtualUX Design and Strategic ChaosColor Pallette Implementation for WordPress ThemesAuditing Your WebsiteHackers and the Importance of Keeping Up With Pending UpdatesThe Future of WordPress as a Headless CMSHow You Can Make WordPress Better for the JAMStack

What in the world is happening with TikTok? What is this Reels thing I keep hearing about? Already, India has banned TikTok and other countries like South Korea, Japan, and the U.S. may follow suit. If you’ve grown a large crowd already on this platform, this can feel like a kick to the gut. While we don’t see the app really going anywhere, anything could happen, so it’s best to know your options and how to prepare for no more TikTok. Here are a few ways to ride out the potential demise of Gen Z’s favorite app in our latest episode of the 8Bit Podcast.

The Minnesota Twins’ 2019 campaign is unlike anything we’ve seen before. So of course we had to discuss it on our podcast. We use their campaign as a lesson on what a legacy brand is and how they can tweak boundaries within that brand. A simple take on base branding elements with wild objects, emojis and more. Using texture, repetition, color and more to give it all a much different look that appeals to a younger crowd. 

Phil introduces our new copywriter, Talyn Riedesel, and asks all the right questions so our listeners can learn more about her. After a year away from marketing, traveling the world, she reveals her favorite country to hang out and more about her food escapades. A portion of the show is deemed a "Talyn Takeover" and she explains the difference between branding Voice versus Tone. 

The 8Bit Podcast Episode 030, is out of the ordinary for us as we interview our three summer interns. It's a chance to introduce them to the world, what we have them working on and how the process is going so far. We basically describe one of our Power of Play projects in more detail and what the intern team is tasked with for the summer.