Formula for Hope

Yesterday we had the honor of filming the Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery's Formula for Hope. An annual fundraiser luncheon to benefit the Crisis Nursery, the event included notable speakers and some very moving stories.

The Crisis Nursery provides a safe place for parents to leave their children for up to three days while they are tackling family issues. The nursery provides food, shelter, and peace for these children as well as a library of resources for the parents.

Last year's luncheon raised over $400,000 and with the 850 attendees this year, we can only hope to shatter that number.

The nursery offers critical social services for families on the brink of disaster and provides them tools to build stronger, healthier family relationships in the future. This is an initiative we can't afford not to support as a community.

Please check out their website for more information about the needed services they provide to keep our children safe, and give generously of your money and your time.

MicroGrants Video

MicroGrants is the brainchild of local resident Joe Selvaggio. He believes that good ideas come from all around us and sometimes low-income people simply need a small boost to help them move forward with their dreams.

MicroGrants offers small grants to people in the Twin Cities to pursue and further their small business goals. A typical grant is $1,000, and they are used to purchase items such as computers for home-based businesses, construction tools, office equipment and supplies, books, job training, tuition and more. Last fall, MicroGrants was put in touch with our crew at Studio 120 and we helped them to develop a marketing video to raise awareness of the positive impact they are bringing into our community.

We are proud to announce that MicroGrants Work! has been honored with a 2012 Telly Award. Selected from nearly 11,000 applicants across the country, it is truly exciting to have been a part of such a project.

Click here to learn more about MicroGrants and to see the award-winning video, or click here to read the article in Twin Cities Business.

And as always, click here for YOUR studio production needs.

Keep us Weird

The slogan here is Keep Austin Weird, so what better place for SXSW? The whole town is packed full of creatives and those who market toward and service them. Musicians, film makers, comedians - people travel here to further those dreams and it's wholly evident on the streets of Austin.

Young kids with purple hair. Grizzled sound guys who've been on the road for decades and seen it all. Hipsters, salesmen and young entrepreneurs. Without this diversity, SXSW wouldn't be as enormous or attractive as it is.

Maybe it's why we're having such a great time -we've got a pretty diverse crew in town, too.

Justin & Ed just doin' their thing

Mitch is a seasoned veteran of the television world, and we lost him somewhere in the Interactive Festival. There are so many contacts he may never surface.

Justin and Ed have backgrounds in music - they used to comprise together half of a band, now they form part of the COPYCATS sales team.. They're tearing up the trade show booth by day, meeting with current clients and looking for new ones, and they're tearing up the town by night.

One of many clients
we've met up with at SXSW

After a late night with clients Bridge Nine Records, Blood & Ink Records and 6131 Records, Justin still looked raring to go when the show opened again this morning. It may be possible to hook him up to an IV and serve Five Hour Energy drinks on tap.

Jac and The Union Suits are pounding the pavement and driving traffic to both our booth and Saturday's music showcase. If you're in Austin, join us at The Thirsty Nickel on Saturday from NOON - 6 PM.

We're loving that our group here represents so many facets of The ADS Group. Mitch heads up Studio 120 and knows more than anyone ever needed to about video production, mobile applications and streaming platforms. Justin and Ed are pitching our COPYCATS division, which caters heavily toward artists and musicians - and in addition to being our marketing Man on the Street, Jac is giving us a glimpse of what SXSW is like behind the scenes for an aspiring band.

So maybe our slogan should be Keep The ADS Group Weird, because if weird is what it takes to serve ALL your media production needs, we've got you covered.

Everything IS Bigger in Texas

...and when they say festival, they mean it. SXSW Music officially opened today and it did so with a bang.

We're only 48 hours in and we've seen a little bit of everything.

We've seen clients, vendors and friends.

We've seen Ghostland at the Belmont.

We've seen tradeshow displays in every shape and form - seriously.

Who knew Angie's leg would make an appearance?

We were there to cheer on our very own Jac and his band, The Union Suits,

for their maiden SXSW performance.

But the craziest thing we've seen of all just might be

Mitch and Justin before their morning coffee.

In all seriousness, though, the trade show is going swimmingly. Traffic is heavy, interest is high, and the energy is electric. We're making new friends and contacts everywhere we turn and can't wait for more. Bring it on, Austin - we're ready for you.

And SXSW Begins...

The sun is shining in Texas as the 2012 SXSW trade show kicked off!

Doors opened at 11 and the energy was palpable as the crowds of creatives rushed in. Justin and Mitch were ready with smiles and samples and have been busy talking up the COPYCATS name.

The music festival doesn't even begin until tomorrow, but we're already kicking booth and taking names.

With film screenings and music showcases everywhere we turn, the toughest thing is figuring out how to be everywhere - at once.

Stay tuned throughout the week as we keep you up to date on what's happening in Austin - at the show and on the streets.

Until later, y'all!

Everything's Bigger in Texas!

The speakers!


The films!


The bands!

They say everything's bigger in Texas, and that includes the festivals.

Visit COPYCATS Media, a division of The ADS Group, in Austin at the official SXSW tradeshow. We'll be exhibiting from Monday, March 12th - Thursday, March 15th. Stop by Booth #543 and enter to win a 1000-unit retail-ready CD package.

We'll be exhibiting from Monday, March 12th - Thursday, March 15th.

To cap off the amazing week we're already expecting, COPYCATS is hosting a live music showcase at the Thirsty Nickel on Saturday, March 17th. Stop by for a beer and stay for the bands!

We'll see YOU in Texas.

Studio 120: Behind the Dreams

We have state-of-the-art equipment at The ADS Group. 

High speed molding lines…

Automated packaging…

In house mastering… 

A full-service studio…

But our passion – and our purpose – has always been people. The ADS Group boasts a very low turnover rate. Once you’re in, you’re family. Like family, we butt heads from time to time and we definitely don’t always agree – but there’s never a question that we support one another – both professionally and personally.

Just right now, our folks in Studio 120 are helping two of our employees chase their dreams. Jac Cornelius is an account manager by day, but by night he’s on stage with The Union Suits. This year will be The Union Suits’ first appearance at SXSW. We’ll be exhibiting at the trade show, and our executive producer will be filming some rockumentary footage of the Union Suits and their SXSW experience. 

We also have a talented writer in our midst. Tez Eady from our replication department has written a gritty feature film entitled Sadness. Studio 120 is filming a seven-minute pitch segment to help Tez raise funding to shoot the full-length film.

Everybody has a day job, and everybody has a dream. When you encourage people’s dreams, you foster incredible positive energy that bubbles over into everything.

Will we ever be watching Jac rock out in an arena show? Will we munch popcorn in front of the big screen watching Tez’ film? Who knows?

But we’re all better people for chasing our dreams, and helping others follow theirs.