2.  San Francisco – Solomon Thomas DE  There are some people that are as excited about this pick as the one before it.  

3.  Chicago – Malik Hooker S   We actually have no idea who this will be, and it almost certainly won't be a safety, but our head was spinning. What do you get the team that needs everything?

4.  Jacksonville – Leonard Fournette RB   In an ideal situation, this would be a strong offensive lineman draft class, but it's not so the Jags put the cart before the horse and draft an elite RB.

5.  Tennessee – John Ross WR   You can't teach speed. That's why Ross goes here.

6.  New York Jets – Mitchell Trubisky QB   Trubisky seems like the kind of eventual bust the Jets are fond of selecting. 

7.  San Diego – O.J. Howard TE   Gates is getting old. Let him spend his twilight teaching the new kid how to become a Pro Bowl tight end.

8.  Carolina – Dalvin Cook RB   They need a RB and the best one is gone, but Cook's a heck of a consolation prize and could end up being the best of the bunch.

9.  Cincinnati – Jonathan Allen DL   We have him falling further than most people due to shoulder concerns, but what if you paired him with that Bengals interior line? Interesting…

10.  Buffalo – Jamal Adams S   Poor Jamal Adams… in this draft he'll be spending some cold months in snowy Buffalo as their box safety.

11.  New Orleans – Mike Williams WR   Now that Colston is gone, the ageless Drew Brees needs a big body with jumping ability to throw the ball to.

12.  Cleveland – Deshone Kizer QB   There has been talk about him being the best QB, but the same can be said of the top 3 QBs available.

13.  Arizona – Deshaun Watson QB   Carson Palmer and his top receiving threat are both over the hill.  Time for a new man under center.

14.  Philadelphia – Corey Davis WR   Kinda' sounds like an Eagle doesn't he?

15.  Indianapolis – Reuben Foster LB   Despite his issues at the combine, the Colts need a guy like this.

16.  Baltimore – David Njoku TE   The top 2 TEs could be really good. Baltimore would do well to grab Njoku if he's here.

17.  Washington – Cam Robinson OT   With a guy that slings the ball around for 5,000 yards a year, you've got to protect him.

18.  Tennessee – Charles Harris OLB   Honestly, no idea who Charles Harris is, but a lot of people seem to like him in this spot. Congratulations, Charles.

19.  Tampa Bay – Christian McCaffrey RB   With the top 2 RBs off the board early, teams scramble to get the last “sure thing” and take McCaffrey.

20.  Denver – Ryan Ramczyk OT   This guy has tremendous talent and technique.  Just kidding, never heard of him.  Hope he's good though.

21.  Detroit – Taco Charlton DE   Saw this guy play in person and love everything about him, plus the marketing opportunities are endless.  Good thing his parents didn't name him “Me gusta comida Mexicana”.

22.  Miami – Forrest Lamp OG   The highest rated guard from the lowly Western Kentucky Hilltoppers goes to the Dolphins.

23.  New York Giants – Garett Bolles OT   Congratulations to the Giants for drafting this far in the draft.  Your reward… this guy.

24.  Oakland – Haason Reddick LB – Oakland's putting together quite a little team.  It would be nice to pair this guy with Mack for a sack attack that puts QBs on their back.

25.  Houston – Patrick Mahomes QB –  The Texans haven't had a QB since Matt Schaub.  They need one.

26.  Seattle – Tre'Davious White CB –  The Seahawks have never been an offense first kind of team.  Looks like the defense will continue to get good players here.

27.  Kansas City – Chidobe Awuzie CB –  The real reason we slotted him here is because his name reminded us of Tamba Hali and decided they need another guy with a cool name.

28.  Dallas – Quincy Wilson CB –   Could this be the year the Cowboys take a decent cover corner?

29.  Green Bay – T.J. Watt OLB –  If Watt added some weight to his frame, he may be worthy to wield Mjolnir….. we mean worthy of the name Watt.

30.  Pittsburgh – Jarrad Davis LB –   No Lawrence Timmons means the Steelers begin rebuilding at linebacker.

31.  Atlanta – Adoree' Jackson CB –   The Bellville, IL native goes to the Falcons who have historically loved athletic corners.

32.  New Orleans – Takkarist McKinley DE – Not sure he'll fall this far, but the Saints would have to be stoked.  Teach the guy some technique and he's off to the races!

The post 2017 NFL Mock Draft appeared first on Mad Men Marketing.

I have fallen in love with this city over the past few years and I have no desire to leave anytime soon. One of the most prominent things that attracts me to Jacksonville is the food. Jacksonville has so many great local restaurants. When my friend vacationed here we were able to try a new place every night. We were never bored; there is something in this city for everyone.

 There is so much potential for Jacksonville to grow and attract more people. Jacksonville is home to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Although they may not have the greatest record, they can soon boast that their stadium has the two largest end zone score boards in the world. The reputation of the team has only increased since Shahid Khan has purchased the team. The Players Championship also takes place in Jacksonville. Many people come to see the championship, but there is no reason why they shouldn’t stay for the city.

Jacksonville has beautiful beaches that don’t get overly crowded. It is within driving distance of St. Augustine, the oldest city in America, as well as Cape Canaveral, where people can explore the history of space exploration. On top of that, Jacksonville boasts a zoo, several museums, various concert venues, many sports teams, beautiful parks and golf courses, and numerous festivals.

If Jacksonville increases awareness of all the exciting things happening in this city, there is no reason Jacksonville can’t become a top destination for Florida tourists.  

The post Jacksonville Tourism? appeared first on Mad Men Marketing.

The post A Splash Of Color appeared first on Mad Men Marketing.

I hope this alleviates some of the concern for the downtown faithful who roll the dice with tow trucks and parking tickets from time to time.  I would like to thank Jack Shad for responding to me so quickly when I reached out to him, as well as encouraging me to bring any ideas his way.  I'm thankful that we have someone filling the role that is completely open to ideas from the public.  I implore all of those who read this blog not to let such an invitation go to waste.  

The post Turning Weakness To Strength appeared first on Mad Men Marketing.

2.  Jacksonville- Eric Fisher (OT- Central Michigan) This isn't the sexy pick that everyone may want, BUT it WOULD give us two very good bookend tackles that would rival any tandem in the league.  Don't forget, perennial Pro-Bowler, Joe Staley also came from Central Michigan.  Recently the Jags GM stated that one of the two players they want will be available here, so I was thinking of identical positions.  A lot of people have Dion Jordan here because of the coach's defensive background and desire to incorporate speed at every position, but the hint given earlier in the week rules this out because I don't see the Chiefs drafting Ziggy Ansah.

3.  Oakland- Geno Smith (QB- West Virginia) Oakland would have to be excited if Geno Smith made it past the Jags.  They have had very little to be happy about at the QB position for quite some time, and this should be the year they crawl out of re-building mode.

4.  Philadelphia- Dion Jordan (DE- Oregon)  This would be a surprise to some, but Chip Kelly loves speed and endurance.  Jordan could play the rush linebacker position or defensive end, plus it would re-unite him with his former coach.

5.  Detroit- Dee Milliner (CB- Alabama) Detroit needs to bolster its defense.  Not long ago, Cleveland us the #5 pick to draft a guy named Joe Haden.  While Milliner isn't the ball hawk that Haden is, he's a very instinctive corner and can tackle better.

6.  Cleveland- Jarvis Jones (OLB- Georgia) Jones was a monster for the Bulldogs despite a diagnosis of spinal stenosis that ended Michael Irvin's career early.  If his production is anything like it was in college, Jones would be a steal even at #6.  Able to play rush linebacker and defensive end.  A lot of mock drafts have the Browns trading this pick.

7.   Arizona- Ezekiel Ansah (DE- BYU)  I really wanted to put Bjoern Werner here, but I believe that Ansah's upside will be too much to overlook.  He will need to add some muscle to his frame without losing any quickness, but his endurance from his history in soccer, makes him an every down possibility as a defensive end or rush linebacker.

8.  Buffalo- E.J. Manuel (QB- Florida State)  I don't like this pick, but I think it's likely that it will happen.  All of the remaining QBs have too many questions regarding injury and consistency.  Manuel has prototypical size, above average speed and quickness, and a quick release.  He is also coming into the NFL during a time that we've seen the success of mobile spread option QBs, and everyone wants to replicate that.  With all those positives about Manuel, he needs to improve his ability to make quick decisions, his work ethic, and his ability to read defenses.  This is a high-risk/ high-reward pick that could pay dividends, but it will depend on the work that he puts in at the next level.

The post Mad Men NFL Mock Draft Part 1 of 4 appeared first on Mad Men Marketing.

The post One Spark, Endless Opportunities…. appeared first on Mad Men Marketing.

The post Maximum Warp…ENGAGE! appeared first on Mad Men Marketing.

Michele- I LOVE Italian food so my first choice is this little place in Jax Beach called NINI'S, on Penman Rd.  They have the best pizza in Jacksonville and I will challenge anyone who says any different.  Thai food is also a favorite and INDOCHINE, on Adam's street downtown, does it well with their Pad Thai and pork dumplings.  A third would have to be JAX CITY CAFE, right around the corner from Mad Men Headquarters. Their breakfast sandwiches are why I get out of bed in the morning and they also house a fantastic variety for the lunch crowd.  Happy eating!!

Justin- One of my favorites in town would have to be O'BROTHERS IRISH PUB in Riverside. They have the BEST buffalo chicken sandwich (and that's coming from someone who orders one almost every time, if its on the menu). Another restaurant I frequent is JAX CITY CAFE. As Michele said, its right around the street from the Mad Men headquarters, which makes it convenient on top of having some of the best sandwiches in town. KICKBACKS is another great restaurant in Jacksonville. They have almost every type of food you could possibly want, and everything I've tried so far was delicious. They also deliver which makes it even better. And on top of all that, they have some of the best microbrews around. One more place I would have to mention is METRO DINER. They have some of the best breakfast items in town, and they also have a great lunch menu for later on in the day. For breakfast I am a big fan of their Eggs Benedict.

JD- I really like OLIO off of Bay St.  It's a quaint little cafe with reasonable prices.  I highly recommend the salmon salad, with the shrimp po' boy coming in a close second.  I also really like UNDERBELLY, also on Bay St. Grab a pulled pork pizza and listen to some good music while you're there.  JAX CITY CAFE is also high on my list of faves.

The post Mad Men Are Mad About Dining In Jacksonville appeared first on Mad Men Marketing.

If I may be so bold, Mad Men Marketing is doing its part to promote a new downtown Renaissance. A lot of hard work and lots of money has been spent updating electrical, plumbing, partitioning off what was once a bare art studio, and even taking down plaster to expose the natural (and beautiful) brickwork. The place is really looking quite stunning.

Underbelly, another success story on Bay Street, has done a FANTASTIC job of giving the interior of an older brick building a face lift. When you walk in, natural wood accents the original brickwork and the open space is very inviting. A lot of effort was put in painting the central columns and there's a stage where music is played nearly every night. A recent show that brought former TV personality and stand-up comedian Doug Stanhope, packed the place. Oh, and did I mention that Underbelly has over 30 beers on tap? Underbelly has done everything the right way and can serve as a model for those who come after them.

It has also come to my attention that Intuition Ale Works wants/wanted a place on Bay St. or the surrounding area, but that the city was unwilling to make some kind of reasonable accommodations. Do banks and cities really just want to sit on these vacant properties and allow them to deteriorate? Would they rather have nothing than get 3/4 of the asking price? Would they rather wait for a buyer rather than lease the place out to an ambitious entrepreneur? I say “Good for you Intuition for wanting a stake in the revitalization in downtown Jax”. I can only hope that the bureaucratic nightmare that exists in local government will aid you in your acquisition of a location that suits your needs. After all, what is economics but the study of INCENTIVES?

The post Bay Street Renaissance appeared first on Mad Men Marketing.

I would be remiss if I didn't also mention the generosity of our kicker, Josh Scobee as well. Now, as in the past, with every successful field goal that Scobee kicks, he donates $250 to Wolfson Children's Hospital through his “Kicks for Kids” charity.

This kind of generosity cannot be overlooked. Not only do we have a competitive team for the first time in recent memory, but there is a sense of pride and professionalism that is absent all too often these days. I'm thoroughly impressed with the team's poise and the emphasis the coaching staff has placed on doing things the right way on and off the field.

The post Football and Philanthropy appeared first on Mad Men Marketing.