Lifting the Curtain
HÖKNIKCREATIVEINC .
In 1957 the Soviets launched Sputnik. It was a technical toss to the heavens that ushered in many new developments. With this magazine, we're hoping to ape that.
Last year in June, our shop quietly turned seventeen. That's a remarkable achievement considering only one in five Albertans can correctly pronounce our name (without generous libations and/or linguistic coaching). Much thanks comes behind such a milestone. We've had the opportunity to work with so many great people. If I wore a hat, my hand would hurt from tipping it to so many.
In our early years, we used to put out a company newsletter. It was sporadic but quite funny. We called it Hök Talk and its slogan was 'All the Buzz at Hök Nik.' It had a housefly in the masthead. That fly later turned up on our stationery and we used 'Thinking on the Fly' as a tag line for a few years. At some point the fly was analyzed and deemed creepy and it disappeared. Coincidentally, so did much of our regular company communications.
That silence was bugging me.
For years, I've been talking about putting out our own magazine. In one of those conversations, I remembered someone had miscalled us 'Sput Nik.' I liked that because I've been missing the Soviets lately. They were so cunning and communist—and such a non-ambiguous state enemy. When I was growing up, calling someone a communist was a slur. In fact, a whole movie industry was built on vilifying the Russians. Fast forward to the new millennium, and capitalism has taken its share of body shots. Just another reminder that if you live long enough, you see everything come full circle.
All that aside, Sputnik was important. It was the world's first artificial satellite. It wasn't very big. It was only the size of a beach ball. While the Sputnik launch was a single event, it became a symbol of innovation and superiority. It certainly started the space race and it foreshadowed miniaturization. I've noticed most things around me are getting smaller with the exception of my trousers, storms, and municipal taxes. I say yay! I'm all for small. Think big, develop small. I've learned small means more focus and ultimately better results. I think this little magazine shows our big talent.
We hope you like it.
Das sputnik comrades
It takes a village to raise a child. But it takes a small group of digital ninjas with elite and secret skills to make this magazine.
Art Director/Editor
Jeff Day
Designer
Leanne Hafer
Designer
Sherry Allies
Web Distribution
Scott Murphy
Content Developer
Kalyn Zdrill
Technical Fellow
Marc Pearce
Accounting
Kathy Hartman
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