Charlie McGrath

Lee Jager and Charlie McGrath, principal and creative director of Jager Group and Structure Interactive, respectively, both feel that everything their staffs need to keep in touch with "what's hot" can be found, for the most part, from the comfort of their Grand Rapids offices.
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"Advertising is an easy thing to see what's going on at the national level, because you see it," McGrath said."If someone is doing something new, we become aware of it pretty quickly."

With the bulk of its work in the Internet arena, Structure Interactive has an even greater advantage.Everything in that space, across the globe, is available for instant viewing.

"The downside is that there is so much clutter out there," McGrath said."Everyone here is essentially a filter.We have 40 people with overlapping interests finding things to help the company - 40 little squirrels gathering nuts for winter."

A survivor of the dot-com era, the technology-driven firm has learned to be wary of trends.Many times, an investigation results in warning clients to avoid a new technology.In general, McGrath said, the firm is not as concerned with matching strides with fashion as it is with outpacing its clients' competitors.