When I told my friend Ryan I was going to the HOW Conference in Austin this year, he said I had to go see the hoops&yoyo presentation. I think I probably nodded and smiled like I knew what he was talking about – but I had no clue. Obviously I had not stopped into a Hallmark recently, because these characters are everywhere.

Ryan was right, it was one of the best presentations I saw at HOW, as the creators of the hoops&yoyo, Mike Adair (Hoops, the pink bunny) and Bob Holt (YoYo, the green rabbit) presented with Bev Carlson (the voice of the little blue Piddles) on the behind the scenes creation of this line of e-cards, greeting cards, merchandise, shorts and a bit of the other work they do at Hallmark.

Immediately after the HOW Conference, I told Nate that we needed to make the latest podcast roadtrip we’ve been talking about happen. We set a date (9/9/09), and lined up four shows to record in what turned out to be an eighteen hour adventure starting somewhat before six in the morning. First stop: Hallmark at 9:30.

Bob Holt and Mike Adair are two creatives that have been doing great work at Hallmark for a combined time of over forty years, and they know funny. It’s talent like this that makes Hallmark the leader in smiles when cards are opened. But it was just a few years ago that hoops&yoyo became all that they are now known for, and we were more than happy to talk to them about their characters.

This show also features a student tip from Mig Reyes that I love, as it’s one I have told classes of students before, but not nearly as well as Mig says it here. Today’s show ends with another student(?) website review. Join along in looking at the work of Craig Clark.

The roadtrip recordings return in two weeks with stop two: Stefan Mumaw.

And as always, leave your thoughts and opinions in the comments below.

Download The Reflex Blue Show with Nate Voss and Donovan Beery, Season 2 Episode 13 (34 meg) or click here to subscribe to The Reflex Blue Show from the iTunes Music Store.