Local Agency Declares Tuesday 'Synergy Alignment Day,' Cancels All Work
In an unprecedented move lauded by absolutely no one, Auckland-based agency Pixel Humper has declared the second Tuesday of every month as “Synergy Alignment Day,” a full-day event requiring all 46 staff to sit in bean bags and stare meaningfully into each other’s eyes.
“We realised we were spending too much time doing work and not enough time aligning,” said Managing Director Kyle Deckerson, speaking from inside a makeshift yurt constructed in the staff kitchenette. “Deadlines come and go, but true synergy is forever.”
The initiative includes a structured schedule: 9am ‘Circle Breathing,’ 10am ‘Thought Toss’ (a non-verbal brainstorming exercise using juggling scarves), and from 1pm to 4pm, silent reflection while watching a looping video of a dog in a kayak. Attendance is mandatory, except for freelancers, who are still expected to deliver three polished pitch decks by EOD.
Deckerson insists this is not an excuse to avoid client emails, though yesterday’s weekly WIP was replaced with a Slack thread titled “What Colour Is the Sky in Your Soul Right Now?” Response times have plummeted, but internal harmony has reportedly never been higher. Senior Account Director Megan Thomsen, whose team was slated to launch a major FMCG rebrand tomorrow, says, “Sure, the campaign’s on fire, but I just found out Jason from IT writes poetry. That’s huge for interdepartmental empathy.”
As of press time, the agency’s sole client, a boutique vinegar brand, confirmed it is now exploring an in-house model.
“We realised we were spending too much time doing work and not enough time aligning,” said Managing Director Kyle Deckerson, speaking from inside a makeshift yurt constructed in the staff kitchenette. “Deadlines come and go, but true synergy is forever.”
The initiative includes a structured schedule: 9am ‘Circle Breathing,’ 10am ‘Thought Toss’ (a non-verbal brainstorming exercise using juggling scarves), and from 1pm to 4pm, silent reflection while watching a looping video of a dog in a kayak. Attendance is mandatory, except for freelancers, who are still expected to deliver three polished pitch decks by EOD.
Deckerson insists this is not an excuse to avoid client emails, though yesterday’s weekly WIP was replaced with a Slack thread titled “What Colour Is the Sky in Your Soul Right Now?” Response times have plummeted, but internal harmony has reportedly never been higher. Senior Account Director Megan Thomsen, whose team was slated to launch a major FMCG rebrand tomorrow, says, “Sure, the campaign’s on fire, but I just found out Jason from IT writes poetry. That’s huge for interdepartmental empathy.”
As of press time, the agency’s sole client, a boutique vinegar brand, confirmed it is now exploring an in-house model.