X Marked the Spot for History

Long-lost Viking treasure discovered in Europe? I think we have a case to lay claim to it! Here's how it was found:

A mere 16 inches below the surface of the ground in a field in Silverdale, a village in north Lancashire, UK, lay a simple lead box. What is far from simple is what that box contained.

201 pieces of silver, among which was a large amount of arm-rings, brooch fragments, ingots and coins.

The largest items in the hoard, including some of the ingots and hacksilver pieces, and all of the coins. Copyright the Trustees of the British Museum.

For the discoverer, Darren Webster, this variety of trinkets was a clue to their origin. His initial inclination that this box belonged to a Viking turned out to be completely spot-on. With coins referencing Viking kings from the late 9th century AD, treasure registrars at the British Museum's Portable Antiquities and Treasure department confirmed that these objects were probably buried there during the early 10th century AD.

The truly unique thing about this find is that while there were many great finds in the box, one of the coins references a previously unknown Viking king!

Silver penny, possibly in the name of Harthacnut, unrecorded type in Viking Northumbrian series (c. AD 895-905). Copyright the Trustees of the British Museum.

The name "AIRDECONUT," which a British Museum representative said was "an attempt to represent the Scandinavian name Harthacnut," was inscribed on one of the coins. While there was a Viking king named Harthacnut who ruled in Scandinavia and England from about 900-910 AD, this coin was dated much earlier than when the well-known king of the same name assumed power.

The only logical conclusion is that the unearthing of this historical treasure trove uncovered a secret that history has hidden from us for more than a millennium.

So, as a fellow Viking, I would like to offer a simple toast of "skål" to Harthacnut, and to you, thanks for reading. Please feel free to contribute any cool finds like this one and I'll share with members of this community.

For more information on the find and to see the full post this was informed by, please visit:

http://news.discovery.com/history/silver-viking-king-111215.html#mkcpgn=rssnws1

Meet Stephanie

We are excited to have our Senior Director of Accounts, Stephanie Manitt, for our next Q&A post! This Canadian-born Viking has been a U.S. citizen since the age of 13, graduated from the University of Georgia with a concentration in graphic design and has been a part of the DENMARK team since July. When she’s not enjoying local ATL music or hanging with her dog Cash, she’s keeping the entire staff in the loop while providing the best service to the DENMARK clients.

How long have you been in advertising/marketing and what do you like most about it?

I have been in the advertising/marketing industry for over 14 years. With my education background in graphic design and my drive to organize the world, I naturally moved toward the account service side of the business. I find great satisfaction in being able to help a client solve a problem, both creatively and strategically.

What made you choose marketing as a career?

Ever since I can remember, I have always felt the need to create. Unless I wanted to become a starving artist, advertising and design was the best way to develop a career and still have my inner need to create satisfied.

What’s your go-to source for current marketing news?

I only have time for quick reads these days. My favorite go-to for marketing trends is Mashable.com, an independent online newsletter covering digital culture, social media and interactive topics. I highly recommend it.

What song or album is in heavy rotation on your Spotify account?

Currently, I'm hitting Foo Fighters pretty hard on Spotify, after a recent show I attended, but I am always on the hunt for new music. Atlanta has a great music scene and I am a big fan of local music. I recommend checking out Manchester Orchestra and Snowden, both are wonderfully talented local bands that rock.

How do you like the iPhone 4S? What is the best answer Siri has given you?

Yes, I joined the flock and just got my new 4S. Siri and I are at an impasse currently. I have yet to see her value and frankly I think she has an attitude! Check out this funny video.

What do you do for fun and what interesting places have you traveled to?

In my downtime, you will usually find me singing and playing my guitar or hanging with my dog, Cash. I don't travel as much as I would like to. My most exciting trip to date was to Paris. Current plans are to travel to Scotland and Ireland to trace my family roots, and of course sample the local brews!

Any hidden talents?

I wish I could tout some impressive talent, like juggling kittens or fire eating, but unfortunately all I can say is that I bake a mean pie and have become a pro at iphonography.

What would you like to conquer this week?

On my plate to conquer this week...learning how to play “Times Like These” on the electric guitar like Dave Grohl!

ONE Better.

Here with the next in our series of guest posts by our experts at Denmark {the agency} is our CEO/Founder, Priscilla Jessup, AKA Chief Viking.

Every brand thirsts to be Number 1 in their category. Number 1 in the hearts and minds of their constituents. Number 1 in their wallet share.

Getting to the Number 1 spot can be a long, hard slog of years unfailingly delivering on promises and exceeding expectations. Or it can be through an insanely great (thank you, Steve), atom-smashing burst of mind-bending, heart-rendering innovation.

Or, of course, there is another choice – a choice that takes the premise of branding one better: you can simply bolt it on your label and see who swallows the claim.

Antigal Winery & Estates, simply named their 2008 Malbec 1.

A big, bold, bolted on number 1.

And to make it all the more impactful, while the packaging is startling on the wine case, it is absolute reality-altering on the bottle with its “iron-on-glass” effect. Look at the picture: the flowers, even the bird, will take your eye away from the 1, but your eyes always returns to 1. Interesting phenomenon with 1.

So for arresting beauty and powerful presentation, we have to hand it to Antigal, Winery & Estates for the 2008 Malbec packaging. And yes, as far as the wine itself, I do recommend you try it.

Of course, we all know it’s not that easy to actually be Number 1. So rather than bolting on Number 1, what is the Number 1 your brand can really stand on?

Sometimes finding a Number 1 position for your brand means slicing the pie into smaller pieces. Here are 10 areas where your brand can claim a meaningful Number 1 position:

1. Year-over-year sales
2. New customers
3. Retained customers
4. Increased revenue per existing customers
5. Quality (slice this into smaller pieces, such as a particular component of your product/services)
6. Innovation/new product launches
7. Online sales
8. Awards: top awards in any category (if you aren’t entering awards, consider doing so now)
9. Facebook fans, Twitter followers and/or website visits
10. Happy employees

I’m sure there’s another dozen or more areas where you can find you can claim your Number 1. Can you think of more? If so, send them in and we’ll keep adding to the Number 1 list and share it with everyone.