Magic8's Communications

Nike Makes Being a Soccer Superstar Look Cool (as if they needed help)

2010-06-29T07:50:00.001-07:00

How often does a spot come along that makes you feel cool just by watching it? Nike delivers again with "Write the Future" produced and aired in anticipation of the World Cup. I watched the commercial a couple of weeks ago, and marveled at the fact that the three minute spot still feels packed. The sheer visual and narrative scope takes the viewer on a roller-coaster, time-traveling spree through the eyes of the starting lineup of the international soccer scene: Cristiano Ronaldo, Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney, Fabio Cannavaro, Franck Ribery, Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, Theo Walcott, Patrice Evra, Gerard Pique, Ronaldinho, Landon Donovan, Tim Howard and Thiago Silva all make appearances (and Homer Simpson, Kobe Bryant and Roger Federer show up for momentary cameos). I think it would have been more entertaining if the commercial had explored the hypothetical consequences if Ronaldo's World Cup performance had gone sour. I'm not in the habit of denigrating talented people, but the sheer obnoxiousness of this photo...

warrants some exploration of an alternate reality in which Christiano Ronaldo isn't perpetually the object of idolatry. Anyway, in addition to being a whirlwind visual feast, "Write the Future" really brings home the fact that soccer is an international phenomenon in which the U.S. does not participate. The commercial rests on the premise that the actions of soccer players have a huge effect on reality. Sadly, in North America this isn't the case. And Nike makes being a part of the international soccer community look so enjoyable that I want to rush down to my YMCA this very moment and organize an amateur soccer team in the hopes of drumming up more grassroots support for the sport that the rest of the world is obsessed with. Come one, U.S.A. Let's try something new in 2010.

BP Cares (What You Think, Maybe)

2010-06-18T08:34:00.000-07:00

Shaming BP seems to be all that the general public can do at the moment while we wait for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to be resolved.The above is a pointed spoof of BP efforts (and attitude!) repositioned as a coffee spill. Particular highlights include "the public" staged with a doughnut, and spoofs of Kevin Costner's and the hair booms efforts.

As a marketer, one of the most interesting aspects of this crisis to me has been BP's disastrous public response to this catastrophe. May I suggest putting a muzzle on Tony Hayward and hiring someone with a gentle Southern twang to break the news of the inevitable future failures on the part of the company to contain the spill.

Linchpin Meetup!

2010-06-02T09:23:00.000-07:00

Are you indispensable? If not, do you want to be? (Some people don't.) If the answer to those two questions is yes, then I hope you'll join myself and other like-minded folks at the Dallas-area (or wherever you live!) Linchpin Meetup, inspired by Seth Godin's book Linchpin on June 14, 2010. A linchpin by Godin's definition is a person without whom a company/organization/team/family/situation will eventually fall apart. By maintaining a pithy daily blog that manages to be both uncompromising and inspiring, Godin has created a community of current and future linchpins, and the Linchpin Meetup website describes the event as "a completely non-commercial chance to find and connect with other members of Seth's tribe, an opportunity to talk, challenge, and inspire your fellow travelers". Not sure what that means in particular, but I'm looking forward to it. So...

Check out Seth and the Meetup site
Get interested
Find your local Linchpin Meetup
Go

Good Old Days

2010-05-03T09:15:00.000-07:00

I noticed the above vintage photograph on The Sartorialist and was instantly impressed with the subject and composition. Not only is a great example of varying styles of historical outerwear, but there is a great deal of interesting detail (the water on the road and the advertisement to the left) as well as good foreground, midground and background representation. The result is chic and visually stimulating.

Big Red, For Better or Worse

2010-04-03T00:48:00.000-07:00

My House episodes on Hulu are periodically interrupted by a Verizon Wireless commercial that seems to have the theme of "better with Big Red" (you can view the commercial at AdFreak here). Initially, I placed the spot at approximately the level of Diesel's "Be Stupid" campaign and couldn't imagine who the commercial appealed to. Not only is the jingle a ferocious ear-worm, the commercial seemed to send a message that is, um, pathetic. The kids are stuck on the phone at the campsite rather than participating in what is going on around them, the porter makes his "boring job much better" and you can "download stupid stuff much better" with Big Red (and Verizon is now Big Red? Seriously?). I find advertising that implies--or asserts!--that its audience/consumers are idiots incomprehensible. I reason that if users of a certain product or service are idiots by the company's own admission, then it's better to self-select out of that group. The Verizon users in the spot do seem like people I'd rather avoid, on the level of people who text during dinner parties or who are on their phones in museums. I was ready to mute my computer during the commercial's Hulu interruptions and condemn Verizon to ad purgatory.

Luckily, I decided to do a bit of research to determine if the "Better with Big Red" spot was truly as bad as it appears. Imagine my surprise when I discovered what has probably been obvious to my older readers from the beginning: the commercial is a parody of a classic Big Red gum commercial! Further, "Big Red" is apparently a nickname given to Verizon by its customers, rather than manufactured by the company itself. Sigh of relief! Now I can finally bear to give Verizon credit for the single thing I liked in the commercial: the "YouTube on a horse" moment, which seems to be a reference to the famous Old Spice commercial which is rapidly gaining the status of classic in its own right. If this isn't a reference to Old Spice, ignorance is bliss.

Hardcore Adorable

2010-03-31T06:54:00.000-07:00

I usually hate Crocs. They may be comfortable to wear, but they're painful to look at. Kudos to new agency Cramer-Krasselt, then, for making a commercial that not only holds my attention for a few seconds, but also highlights the competitive strength of Crocs (comfort, or--as the voiceover says--"the loyal, loving, good-for-you technology"), makes me squirm at the cuteness and showcases a pair of Crocs on the model that I can't instantly dismiss as too embarrassing to even wear to the laundromat.
In this feel-good spot, a tired wearer of high heels is greeted when she gets home from work by two tiny animated Crocs shoes who rush to massage her feet as she sits down after a long day at work. Bonus points for the shot of the Crocs trampling the dog toys to reach the door. Minus point for the bad Photoshop job on the landing page of the Crocs website, but overall a win for the company. Not least because although the subject matter of this spot ostensibly appeals squarely to women, it was brought to my attention by a guy friend who found it memorable enough to mention it.

Lastly, I need clarification. Is the singular of Crocs "Croc"?

You're Doing It Wrong

2010-03-09T06:05:00.001-08:00

This Tetra Pak ad was funny, until they actually tried to sell the product. It is good in theory, but a bit of a stretch from the viewer's perspective.

Cool: My Dreams of a Star Wars/Adidas Crossover Have Come True

2010-01-26T14:37:00.001-08:00

Post title and video ripped from AgencySpy. I'm a big fan of this surreal spot: not only does it pique the imagination rather than beating you over the head with the product, it also integrates reality and the fantastical world of Star Wars so skillfully it is hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. Beckham and TIE fighters are featured together in the same fifty-nine seconds! Snoop Dogg/breakdancing/baseball versus the Death Star and lightsabers! Anyway, I watched this twice in row, and shamelessly reverted to a breathless fangirl at the moment when Darth Vader emerges from the mist accompanied by the strains of a remixed Imperial March. WATCH IT.

Live Unpackaged

2010-01-22T13:57:00.000-08:00

I have just discovered a simple, ingenious gem that appeals to my love of design as well as my interest in independent businesses and my support of sustainability: the grocery store Unpackaged. Located in London, the store’s name alludes to its mission to reduce waste by offering a wide variety of foods (from fresh bread and produce to bulk grains to refillable wines), all sans packaging. Aside from the intellectually and emotionally satisfying concept, the store itself is also visually satisfying with beautiful design and arrangement. The store’s website is here, or you can check out the nice description and photo collection at WeHeart.

Photo courtesy of the Unpackaged site.

Consumer-Friendly Design

2010-01-15T12:19:00.000-08:00

A friend and I were recently discussing the generally bad design of airplane interiors. It is incomprehensible to me that more airlines historically and currently do not make an effort to improve the atmosphere of the area in which their customers will spend so much time. I wonder how much positive customer response would be generated by an airline that made a sincere effort not to subject their consumers to what amounts to a temporary imprisonment in a grimy, cramped can. While that question will have to wait, a different area of the airline user-interface has roused the ire of designers. The cluttered, confusing American Airlines website prompted experience builder Dustin Curtis to write an open letter the company that included a sample redesign of his own making and the recommendation that the AA design team be fired. He has since qualified the latter statement after receiving an actual response from a member of the AA UX team. Although the response agrees with Curtis' fundamental argument (that the AA website is in need of a more customer-friendly design), it also enumerates the reasons why it looks the way it does and why it is supremely difficult to improve. The underlying reasons amount to bureaucracy and stymieing corporate culture, which is are more depressing than the visible result, if that's possible. AA apparently considers quite a few things to be more imporatant than consumer satisfaction. I suggest they rearrange their priorities.

P.S. Curtis' effort has inspired another designer to embark on a boarding-pass-improving adventure. You can follow the saga here.

Snack Attack Samurai

2010-01-08T11:23:00.001-08:00

Doritos - Snack Attack Samurai

Doritos Are Crazy (Good)

2010-01-08T11:15:00.001-08:00

Sooo, Doritos is doing the "Crash the Superbowl" deal again (six top contestants can be viewed here) and my money is on "Snack Attack Samurai" (see above) to make it to the top three. It reminds me of the 2007 finalist "Mouse Trap" which I thought was hilarious and combined surreal humor with one of the best payoffs I've seen in a commercial in a long time.
So best of luck to "Snack Attack Samurai", I hope to see you at the big game.

Modern vs. Medieval Methods

2010-01-07T11:41:00.000-08:00

I have often wondered why--with all the technological resources available to us in the modern age--the annual quota of extraordinarily beautiful things produced seems to have remained constant since the medieval period. Of course, this sweeping statement must be qualified by the fact that the assessment of whether something qualifies as "extraordinarily beautiful" is made by me and therefor subject to my biases and aesthetic preferences. However, I do think my point is still somewhat valid: people are producing more (just consider the number of books published or the number of songs recorded, despite the discriminating efforts of "gatekeepers" such as publishers and record labels) but I consider the vast majority of it to be mediocre filler. I am also of the opinion that the output of the really superlative has not surpassed the level of the Middle Ages, and is in fact less than that of the Classical/Hellenistic periods in ancient Greece, for example. Why is this? What in the modern creative process is responsible for the fundamental change in quality when compared to antiquity? In what ways in particular were societies engineered differently so that so many of best creatives achieved prominence and produced work that has been honored and preserved (although I am sure that then, as now, great work goes uncelebrated)? How can we utilize technology so that instead of further enabling the indiscriminate filler mentioned above, it supports and improves the efforts of the most finely-tuned creative visionaries?
Anyway, these are some thoughts that occurred to me upon discovering the project Guédelon: Chantier Médiéval. Guédelon is a medieval castle in the process of being constructed in Burgundy, France using medieval methods and materials. The construction began in 1997 in an abandoned quarry and is anticipated to take 25 years to complete. A team of 50 people including quarrymen, stonemasons, woodcutters, carpenters, blacksmiths, tile makers, basket makers, rope makers, carters and their horses work on the project regularly, assisted by enthusiastic tourists during the summer season. The entire project sort of beggars belief, but I would love to be involved in a thing like this... and think how exciting it will be if they decide to furnish it historically accurately! Imagine the bevy of weavers, potters, armorers, carpenters, glassblowers and painters who will descend on Burgundy to complete the final stage of the project.
For more info check out their link (and thanks to Good's slow issue for the tip).

Image from Wikipedia Commons.

Manic Friday

2009-11-26T21:19:00.000-08:00

Dear Wieden + Kennedy,
Thank you for the reminder of all the reasons why I won't be venturing into Target this Black Friday. Since being trampled by crazed, sleep-deprived hausfraus isn't on my Christmas list, I'll be sure to spend my day at home with the leftover turkey and get that external hard drive I need next week from Best Buy. Or, you know, Walmart.

Happy Holidays!

Drink Responsibly

2009-11-24T11:44:00.000-08:00

I recently visited Starbucks, and noticed that they no longer automatically give you the cardboard sleeves... a step away from gratuitous waste that I was happy to see. But the Betacup project is taking the idea much further: they have created a virtual space where aspiring designers can submit ideas for a sustainable alternatives to the disposable paper cup. The prize is funded by the community at the moment (currently $2,842) and the site functions as a platform for constructive criticism and feedback that the designers can access and incorporate into ongoing modifications in their designs. The project seems like a win-win: a sustainable goal achieved through independent/grassroots creativity, funded by social philanthropy and facilitated through a community-building application of social media. I am looking forward to the day that the cup will no longer be a Betacup but a Starbucks cup, an office kitchen cup, a summer snow cone cup. Thanks Denuology for the tip!

P.S. For an example of a sustainable cup in action, visit the Fair Bean Coffee shop in Austin TX and sip some of their Red Espresso™ from a cup made of corn!

Awww, ouch! Awwww.

2009-09-24T21:52:00.000-07:00

1. This commercial gave me the warm and fuzzies.
2. Then I thought the bird was dead, and was infuriated by the emotional betrayal.
3. At the end I got the warm and fuzzies again, with a laugh for no extra charge!

Unemployment Blues

2009-09-24T21:39:00.000-07:00

There was a period over the summer when I began reading the blogs and visiting the sites of people in the ad industry who are unemployed as a result of the economic downturn. My fascination makes no sense, because I was employed at the time (and am currently, despite being a full-time student). Anyway, reading about the woes of the advertising unemployed made me anxious and depressed for awhile! That's what made me so happy to discover The Sack: a video blog about the activities of a copywriter and art director who are, shall we say, living a life of leisure. I find the site somewhat incomprehensible, but entertaining...and perhaps the best part is that the two have joined talents to accomplish a project and fill their time with something productive and creative. Cheers, Dawson and Birchall.

Slightly Dumber than a Dog

2009-08-11T06:45:00.000-07:00

So Catherine Zeta-Jones is back in new T-Mobile ads, but I can't derive even the dubious enjoyment from them that I did before, because they perpetuate the suddenly prevalent cliche of the stupid husband. As Sarah Haskins pointed out in a Target:Women episode dedicated to the subject, women apparently "do it all without a shred of help from those lumbering man-beast known as 'husbands'". Indeed, according to pop culture as reimagined through the eyes of unimaginative TV spots. So for the crime of furthering an unrealistic, unfunny stereotype, I'm going to label this a T-Mobile fail.

Walkin' Round the World

2009-08-10T14:38:00.000-07:00

Johnnie Walker is a brand whose advertising has caught my attention before, and the newest effort by BBH London caught it and held it (for 6:28 minutes, to be precise). I've never tasted Johnny Walker whiskey, but I might make the effort after seeing this mini-movie: narrated by Robert Carlyle, whose craggy face and rolling brogue match the stark Inverlochlarig landscape featured as the canvas on which the single continuous take paints its story. In addition to this brand history given legs, I also enjoyed watching the credits and seeing how many heads and hands were needed to make this spot (even an animal handler for the cow!).
I have included one of my favorite older Johnnie Walker ads...the one that first piqued my interest in the brand, all those months ago.
Keep walking, Johnnie.

Hey, it's almost Friday!

2009-07-30T06:50:00.000-07:00

In honor of that fact, here is an ad series that made me laugh (continuously, helplessly, publicly). Perhaps my sense of humor leaves something to be desired, but I found these ingenious and enjoyable. Created by Ogilvy Brazil, found on AdFreak.

Dour Recession-Era Fashion Ads

2009-07-26T11:44:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered these ads for Tim Hamilton's debut women's collection on the independent style hub Refinery 29. The refinery ladies admit to swooning over the upcoming colection, and describe the threads as "dark, mysterious, and gorgeously reminiscent of the sharp tailoring and bold approach the designer has infused in his menswear". I agree that this is an apt decsription for the collection as presented on Hamilton's website (in fact, the collection is an arresting tour de force: bold shapes and fearless tailoring, with delightful Sphinx-wink touches of the ludicrous). More's the pity that the choice of model, lighting and styling for the above ensures that these ads are dull, oppressive and immature. Black fabric is notoriously difficult to photograph, and the monotone background does nothing to engage the audience visually. These neither showcase the product nor do justice to Hamilton's skill in design and execution. The result is merely a sullen, uninspiring cliché.

First Outdoor Graffiti Museum

2009-07-20T14:13:00.000-07:00

Public Relations was recognized for the first time at Cannes this year, and for those who lapse into thinking that the sole functions of PR are to draft press releases and field phone calls, this should be a wake-up call. I'm a bit late to the party, but luckily AdRants archived a few of the best efforts submitted at Cannes. A particular favorite of mine is the Museu Efemero. This unconventional, open-air museum is composed of various streets of a Lisbon arts district, Bairro Alto. The Pampero Fundación heard that the area was going to be repurposed and the walls painted over with no discrimination between vandalism and art. The Fundación converted the area into the Museu Efemero, in which visitors walk between specifically catalogued examples of street-art accompanied by a map and free audio guide (download at museuefemero.com). The effort was launched in conjunction with Pampero rum, and has generated widespread brand awareness and attracted interest in the rum, the Fundación, and the value of street art. Who knew PR could do so much? Video below chronicles the process.

Wanted: Hand Model

2009-07-19T15:26:00.000-07:00

This terrifying ad is pasted on a billboard beside north-bound I35 in Austin. Evey time I see it I wonder where in the world the ad people found that yeti, and why they shaved its hand, painted its nails and photographed it groping a pineapple. Or it's some awful Invasion of the Body Snatchers scenario: a real hand reproduced horribly wrong.
The limping execution aside, I am also unsure WHYY they thought the inclusion of a hand was appropriate in the first place. Even if the hand was, I don't know, proportionate and realistic, I would still be put off by the idea that someone had had their hand all over the pineapple used to make my drink.

Just sayin', SKYY.

A Sizzlin' Summer Scorcher

2009-07-10T12:20:00.000-07:00

These ads are succinct, evocative and clever. It is forcasted to reach 104 F here in the Dallas area and this ad was instantly appealing because of the subject matter.

Incidentally, Ads of the World is also a a great site for those interested in seeing marketing efforts from around the world.

I Could Be Next

2009-07-09T13:45:00.000-07:00

Always lowest on the totem pole, the position of intern can be a nerve-wracking one. Witness this: Crispin, Porter + Bogusky is selling the services of their interns on eBay! Advertising Age gives more details to satisfy your morbid curiosity:

It seems a bit counterintuitive to farm out your own talent, but Mr. Bogusky said he doesn't really see it that way. Each year, the interns work for Crispin clients, but a portion of their time is carved out to work on special assignments that are typically pro bono. Now they'll just work on this instead. "It would be great if the high bidder is a cause-related thing," Mr. Bogusky said. Who isn't welcome? The likes of Pizza Hut and Philip Morris. The fine print on the online auction page states that Crispin, which works for Domino's, "reserves the right to decline services in the event of a conflict with any of our existing clients or for any other reason (like if you sell cigarettes) in our sole discretion."

On second thought, I really like the idea. Publicity for CP+B, potentially interesting work for the interns and an interesting experiment that will show what interns should be paid (Although if the $5,400 is going to be divided between the 28 interns, I'm getting paid more than they are at the moment!).

Baby Boom

2009-07-09T13:21:00.000-07:00

The world has been infected by extreme precious-ness, judging by the success of the E*Trade babies and efforts like the shamelessly adorable (I check it regularly) mymilktoof.blogspot.com. Now Evian is jumping on the wagon with a commercial featuring roller-skating, computer-animated babies. See for yourself.

Somebody Finally Said It

2009-05-07T14:15:00.000-07:00

Wow, somebody finally articulated very clearly and engagingly my opinion regarding social media.

"Facebook is the 21st century malt shop. It's where people go to hang out. And the last thing they want is some salesperson trying to have a "conversation" with them while they're figuring out what movie they're going to see. They don't want to talk to you. They want to talk to their friends.
The whole appeal of social media sites is their independence from advertising. People like the fact that they can say whatever they want to other people without becoming targets. Yes, they'll tolerate banner ads or search ads on the page, the same way that in the malt shop they tolerated place mats with ads on them or a Coke sign on the soda machine: That sort of advertising is innocuous and quickly becomes part of the general scenery."

Good on you, Alan Wolk.

The Emperor Has No Clothes

2009-05-06T10:53:00.000-07:00

There is a interesting article over on AdAge about the fact that Facebook, YouTube, Twitter etc. operate without any sort of plan to generate revenue. With all the adulation directed toward these social media behemoths, it never occurred to me that their reigns might be very short-lived indeed. I am curious to investigate this subject a bit more, as I would be very sorry if Facebook decided to shut its virtual doors (where could I store and display all my photos so effectively?) or YouTube went off the air (where would I watch David After Dentist?). In any event, I enjoyed the joke purportedly made by a Facebook exec to an ad exec, "Didn't you know we're a nonprofit?" It's apparently all too true.

Friday Feel Good

2009-05-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

In honor of the last day before the weekend, I am posting this heartwarming contribution by, um, the world.

Baby Steps

2009-04-30T10:12:00.000-07:00

The infant business student organization at the University of Dallas entitled MARKETshare has taken its first steps toward maturitythis week with the launch of its Facebook group! The club will not be officially launched until the fall, but I am hopeful that we can really get something started and get people interested. The only thing is, it might already have too much of a marketing slant (I can't help but post commercials and talk about agencies). Anyway, viva la MARKETshare and wish us luck! Maybe you'll see us around DFW in the fall.

Creative Frustration

2009-04-28T07:41:00.000-07:00

As a native of Austin, TX I was interested to stumble on the story of the controversy surrounding the recent GSD&M spot for Popeye's over on AgencySpy. Apparently GSD&M exec Roy Spence brought in a freelancer over the head of ECD Mark Taylor to do work on this commercial, titled "Annie the Chicken Queen". The result cannot be characterized as anything other than a blatant racial caricaturization to a degree that is astonishing in an age when we have an African-American president! The hokey music, trite chatter of the actress and the clumsy, backward concept collaborate to make this spot an epic failure that has to be seen to be believed. While bloggers and the ad community expressed outrage over the commercial, it has been clarified that Mark Taylor and the creative team at GSD&M fought against the ad to the end and refuse to take credit for its debacle. A source within GSD&M (quoted on AgencySpy) says:

"As an employee there, let me be very CLEAR when I say that he [Taylor] as well as all other creative directors, and pretty much the entire creative Dept. [sic] actually fought this campaign to the bitter end. In fact, as you wrote in an article a few weeks ago, The [sic] higher ups in the agency actually went behind the creative department's back and hired a freelancer to do this. He is rumored to be pretty ethnically insensitive (but from the looks of his latest campaign that's obvious). Overall, Mark Taylor and most of the agency agrees with your post, that the campaign is offensive and stereotypical, but that's not what's being implied in the article. That's why I hope you do a follow up article to get the TRUTH out - That Mark Taylor and the creative department had nothing to do with this ( in fact, it's that freelancer who's producing it because the creative dept. wont be associated with it.)"

Of course, this begs the questions what Roy Spence thought he was doing, slapping around his creative team, and why the work of a freelancer is being featured nationwide as the mainstay of the campaign with GSD&M's name on it. Hopefully Mark Taylor and his creatives don't suffer too much negative backlash for their supposed responsibility for this embarrassment. Kudos to AgencySpy for doing a follow-up post to clear their reputations.

I have recently been a victim of being forced to take responsibility for something embarrassing myself. I was recently convinced participate in a project which has subsequently transformed into something ineffectual, embarrassing and worse of all, entirely beyond my control. I sympathize greatly with the embattled GSD&M employees because there are few things I dislike more than being required to sustain the fallout of someone else's idiocy. The fact that I am technically the project's target market, but my advice has been thoroughly ignored is perhaps the most infuriating aspect of the situation. I imagine this is how the outraged focus groups of the "Chicken Queen" spot felt when they saw it on cable.

Out and About in D-Town

2009-04-27T10:06:00.000-07:00

For all of you out there looking for something to do on (uh) Thursday night, check out TM Advertising's blog for info about a cool event going on at the Angelika Film Center in Dallas: the legendary spot director Joe Sedelmaier will be in town at a showing of Point of View followed by Q&A. Cocktails after at Margarita Ranch!

Social Media: Shut It

2009-04-21T12:56:00.000-07:00

I'm beginning to lose my temper with all those who are harping on the unconditional, effortless benefits of social media. It's my opinion that those in the ad world who believe that social media is the advertising holy grail (of young, captive opinion leaders brimming with discretionary income) are delusional and worse, old. Those who disregard the perils of social media don't fully understand the mechanics of social media and don't understand the state of social media users. Therefore, it was encouraging to hear Facebook's Sheryl Sanderg talking about what companies can do to be less obnoxious on social media. I like the idea of a "stream" in which the ad must blend seamlessly to be effective. Companies must tailor themselves to appeal on this new frontier. Social media is a different channel than anything that has been developed before, and marketers must keep up and create ads as organic and innovative as the means of communication.

Nerdiness to the Nth Degree

2009-04-14T17:21:00.000-07:00

So, the Periodic Table is a bit like the Ten Commandments of nerdiness in its original incarnation, which makes this take even more awesome. Add the arty factor and the education component of the thing, and we have ourselves a winner. I want this hanging in my office. Brought to you by 100 Best Fonts of All Time and others listed at the base of the table.

Follow the Air Force on Twitter!

2009-04-14T16:44:00.000-07:00

Yes, folks, it's happened: Magic 8's favorite branch of the armed forces has joined the social media throng. The Air Force now has a Twitter account and an official blog which is mildly interesting, if a bit surreal with posts like "Starve the Trash Can; Feed the Recycling Box" and "2009 GI Film Festival". I did see a good post on the usefulness of Twitter for public military purposes. Twitter and social networks in general are great at disseminating information, and I thinnk that the Air Force can use all the fast, convenient communication it can get. It does seem a bit emasculating to read that Air Force Materiel Command "will tweet the Annual AFMC Enlisted Awards live as they are announced", etc. But I suppose now that the Commander in Chief is on Twitter (et al.), no one wants to be left behind.

Cover Caper

2009-03-30T14:30:00.001-07:00

Above is Esquire's inventive effort to get consumers engaged: a flip-book cover comprised of the the facial features of Barack Obama, Justin Timberlake and George Clooney. Nice, I say. It's about time magazine covers stopped being static and repetitive. Anna Wintour, are you watching?

Wild thing, you make my heart sing!

2009-03-25T13:30:00.000-07:00

The first trailer for the much anticipated Where the Wild Things Are movie by Spike Jonze. The trailer looks mighty incoherent, but does it really matter? If I remember the book rightly from my misty childhood days, it was mighty incoherent too!

Happy Family

2009-03-18T10:58:00.000-07:00

There is a community at Mugglenet. I advise all those corporate bigwigs who are so interested in bending social media to serve their nefarious purposes to visit Mugglenet for a lesson in what a thriving, content online community looks like. Mugglenet brings together Harry Potter fans, freaks and aficionados for news and forums. Mugglenet's primary purpose is not to sell anything, true, but they are masters at generating interest and inspiring loyalty... something every company should be interested in. How does Mugglenet do it? By fulfilling a need. By creating a place where fans can interact and seek information. Would it be so difficult to replicate the magic (*snicker*) for other companies who don't cater to a pre-fabricated audience?

Love, Actually.

2009-03-17T07:53:00.000-07:00

An interesting idea has surfaced over at LA-based agency Ground Zero for the Sound Advice Project. Ground Zero has crafted an interesting bit of marketing wizardry to accompany the witty name. In an effort to facilitate communication between concerned parents and teens susceptible to drug use, The Sound Advice Project offers a custom-made bracelets that are actually three-dimensional conversions of parents' words of love and advice. The audio is recorded on The Sounds Advice Project's website, visualized as a sound wave and then recreated with colored beads strung on a cord. Messages recommended to teens by the site include "You have a gift. Don't waste it on drugs" and "We are more proud of you than you will ever know". In this way the child can always have the supportive words of the parent actually, physically with them. However, I had ave resrvations. An inventive, heartfelt way to express your support for your teenager or a passive aggressive, innefective gimmick?

"Ex-Fat Kids and Bullies" Alike

2009-03-11T08:34:00.000-07:00

Ah, the revival of a classic! No, I'm not talking about the new Coco Avec Chanel, but would like to direct your attention to a comical, congenial, not-remotely-PC video featured on http://www.good.is/ in the section dedicated to Wild Frontiers of Sport. I constantly and thoroughly enjoyed playing dodgeball during my childhood (even through highschool!) so the games at McCarren Park Pool look like good fun. Much appreciated is the Olympic apparel (just watch it) and... shirtless Tom. The "historical" segments that begin the video are handled with typical deftness by the editors at Good, and the video effortlessly and humorously conveys the counter-culture, fun 'n sun atmosphere of this Brooklyn renaissance. As this post's title reminds us, dodgeball is enjoyed by, um, everyone!

Do. (More).

2009-03-10T15:32:00.000-07:00

Laura Agostini of AdAge.com offers some good advice regarding the steps anyone can take to bolster their career even in these uncertain time. Below is her assessment of what people in my age group should (and shouldn't) be doing to maximize their effectiveness at work.

Junior (1-5 years in the workplace)

This is likely the first time you have faced an economic crisis. The uncertainty of it all and watching your colleagues lose their jobs can be overwhelming. Use this time to rededicate yourself to your career aspirations and, in turn, your position.

Do Less ... Chatting with friends on Facebook Procrastinating Worrying about whether you will have a job tomorrow, next week or next month

Do more ... Focusing on the now and what you can to become a valuable asset Finding a mentor to advise you and check your work Researching and reading up on your client, your industry, your competition

For advice for other age groups, check out the article at AdAge.com

Cokeheads

2009-03-09T12:04:00.000-07:00

AdAge.com features a story on the recent adventures of Coca Cola and its attempt to increase market share of Vault (the Coke-made pretender to the Mountain Dew throne). Coke is offering a free sample of Vault to anyone who purchases a Mountain Dew. Interesting strategy, but now I'll just go out and Do the Dew so I can have both... I guess Coke will provide the incentive to support Pepsi, in my case. Maybe Coke's dreams will come true and I'll love Vault so much that I will miraculously find the taste of soft drinks appealing. Hey, the Coke behemoth can do anything, right? Of course right.

Easy, Breezy, Beautiful... Ellen?

2009-03-09T08:28:00.000-07:00

Ellen Degeneres is the new face of Covergirl. I was surprised when I heard the news... Ellen isn't exactly what comes to mind when you think "cosmetic spokewoman". As a co-worker put it, she's a got the uh, goober thing going on. On the other hand, she looks radiant and comfortable in the ad, so maybe it won't matter to consumers that she routinely looks as though she scorns makeup (and raided the menswear department)? My opinion of her suitability as a "face" has nothing to do with her sexual orientation. I think Portia Di Rossi would be an effective and intuitive choice.

When you contrast Degeneres with other cosmetic leading ladies, the difference is obvious. Consider the (still) stunning Cindy Crawford in this Revlon ad. Glamor, distilled. Is Degeneres really what the average Covergirl purchaser aspires to look like? Is the new anti-makeup makeup ad something that will stick around? Personally, I'd rather see Halle Berry or Drew Barrymore in the cosmetics aisle. Where do you draw the line on the issue of a celebrity who who simply isn't suited to sell a product? The incongruity of Ellen fronting Covergirl makes me twitch.

I'm just sayin'.

Advertising Literature (an oxymoron?)

2009-03-06T21:14:00.000-08:00

After seeing a couple of "Great Ad Books" lists on sites around town I decided to make my own, but with a twist. These are not books I have read, but rather recommendations that I have collected which look good enough to crack open this summer when I'll only be working 40 hours/week. The list of anticipated ad/design books as it stands now:

Where the Suckers Moon by Randall Rothenberg. The excerpt I read on Amazon was biting and informative.

Underdog Advertising by Paul Flowers because it is written by a Dallas ad-man! It's all in the family.

Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. A friend of mine and fellow marketing student raved about this)

All Marketers Are Liars by Seth Godin because it's about time I gave Godin some money for all the free advice I get from his blog)

The Happy Soul Industry by Steffan Postaer. The cover is cute as pie. YES, I judge books by their covers. Sometimes.

Good to Great by Jim Collins. A classic on everyone's shelf.

Blink: the power of thinking without thinking by Malcom Gladwell. I would like to be able to consciously influence people subconsciously. I hope that's what this book is about.

E by Matt Beaumont because it's a novel! About advertising! What I mean is, if I can be entertained while learning I'll come back every time. Teachers of the world, take note.

What are your favorite ad books? What are the books on any subject that changed you?

To be continued....

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

2009-03-06T16:42:00.000-08:00

I'd like to bring to your attention two ads that I recently discovered (although neither of them were recently created) and which I think exemplify some of the best and worst of what marketing can be and do. The bad news first: this, which manages to offend on quite a few levels. The ad (hailing from Singapore) is apparently selling skin-whitening tablets. Aside from the, well, blatant sexism of the tagline, I find the obsession with skin-whitening very off-putting. Has this always existed, and it's just another of my blessed blind-spots? Anyway, this is an example of What Not To Do--market a bad product with worse copy.
Riding like a white knight to rescue advertising's reputation is the recent campaign by Ogilvy New York for Fage Total. You can read the New York Times' description of the situation here. Ogilvy has enlisted the help of some luxurious co-conspirators to make very effective ads: on one side of the magazine is a traditional ad featuring jewelry or a watch and the facing page is printed to give the impression that there is an impression made in yogurt! Simple, visceral, intriguing. Thank goodness someone is doing such work in a time where people are daily using the poor economic situation to justify lazy/cowardly creative. Bravissimo, Ogilvy.

Texas Monthly Talks

2009-02-28T07:12:00.001-08:00

"...There are people who say, 'in a bad economy, that's the best time to build.'"

Check out Texas Monthly's interview with native Texas ad-man Roy Spence of GSD&M. Spence makes some good points, most notably distilling any business down to its raison d'etre: to fulfill a need.

EA Adapts Great!Lit for the Gaming Screen

2009-02-27T11:16:00.000-08:00

It certainly took them long enough. Can EA really be the first to have the idea of turning the Divine Comedy into a video game? Nine circles of Hell with Satan as the final adversary? Three-headed dogs, zombies and religious symbolism? It practically begs to be adapted! And EA seems to have done a creative job. The literature student in me cheered when the announcement trailer began with the first lines of Dante's Inferno, but the pseudo-female Virgil was a departure from the text ( I suppose they felt it was not that much a change to insert a guardian angel in the place of one of the greatest classical poets?) and Cerberus looks bizarrely cartoon-ish. The trailer progresses with what looks like a rollicking good time. The ad has great visuals--they owe quite a bit to the pioneering visual style of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but I guess everyone does these days)--but I wonder how they interpret some of the more, shall we say, contested sins? I can imagine quite a dinner-table conversation sparked by little Johnnie inquiring why the homosexuals are doomed to wander a burning desert in the seventh circle of Hell for all eternity. Anyway, it looks like agency G-Net has done right by EA, at least in terms of eye-popping presentation. Maybe Dante's Inferno will one day rate a sequel, but I'm not holding my breath for a game staged in the nine circles of the Paradiso.

...and now for something Completely Different.

2009-02-25T15:23:00.000-08:00

Two differing opinions of advertising.

"Advertising is the rattling of a stick inside a swill pail." Thank you, George Orwell (for more of this sentiment go here.)

"Advertising is a career for the strong of mind and spirit, and for those who think winning should occur swiftly and without great ceremony."
That's from Jo Muse, courtesy of AdAge.com

Cadbury FTW

2009-02-25T14:33:00.000-08:00

In 2007 Fallon London attracted attention with their creation of a Cadbury chocolates ad that featured a gorilla drumming to Phil Collins' "Air Tonight", and which left some people scratching their heads. What, audiences asked, does a primate rocking out on a drum-set have to do with chocolate? I think the ad is unarguably striking and really more effective than one might initially think. The purple walls behind the gorilla exactly match the purple of Cadbury's packaging, and the entire feeling of the spot (the music, gorilla's expression) definitely correspond to the final tagline "A glass and a half full of joy". The commercial was undoubtedly successful, spawning spoofs and a Facebook page as well as winning awards and upping chocolate sales. All was right with the world.

Fallon has done it again with their new ad for Cadbury, posted above. The ad world is all a-twitter (in every sense of the world) with speculation as to whether this one will prove as popular as the ubiquitous gorilla. Fallon definitely seems to have mastered the genre of ads that are effective entertainment but do not necessarily relate to the product except in the most abstract way. I am a definite fan of the new spot (even if the kids' performance lacks some of the gorilla's spontaneity) and will be interested to see what Fallon's Juan Cabral tries his hand at next.

Diversity Marketing

2009-02-24T08:59:00.000-08:00

I recently discovered an interesting article by Jo Muse (posted on AdAge.com) titled "How to Win the Diversity Battle". I was pleased at the refreshing perspective the article presented: Muse structured his advice on the importance of recruiting effective minorities and the ways in which CEOs can incorporate diversity into their companies every day. Too often I think employers recruit minorities out of guilt or obligation, so it was pleasant to hear the author denounce this practice.
"The quest for qualified talent is not about race, ethnicity or being a minority. It's about talent, pure and simple. Not only are qualified people of color out there, they are available and looking for opportunities to excel in the advertising business."
Hiring minorities doesn't have to come at the expense of the company, but very often I hear the view expressed that a difference in skin color will magically bring something innovative and necessary to the table. I agree with Muse that in an ad agency (and in any company/industry where competition is an influence) talent should be king. Company leaders are doing no one any favors by hiring unqualified minorities to the detriment of the company and its product, when there are so many qualified, diverse candidates in the market searching for opportunities. It just takes a little bit of courage and energy to find them!
In other new, I recently discovered CreativityOnline, a great resource for the Frustrated Creative in You. I am a particular fan of their "Top 5" feature, in which they compile a list of the top five creative things that have occurred in the last week. Top 5 introduced me to David Fincher, who directed the fabulous Nike spot "Fate" (and was nominated for an Oscar for his direction of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), as well as the digital magic of Ray Tintorini. Check it out!

Professionalism

2009-02-06T15:04:00.000-08:00

Seth Godin recently posted an article on his blog entitled "What would a professional do?". I was particularly struck by Seth's point that so many people merely pretend to be professionals--at the cost of everyone else.
Coincidentally, "who is a professional?" was the question explored in a recent Business Ethics class. So I pose the question: what makes a professional? Does it mean you are a member of a society that has dues and a biannual journal? Must you have a certificate of authenticity? Additionally, what constitutes professionalism? Does it merely refer to the state of being a professional? Perhaps we are back where we started.

The painting featured above is "Lineman" by the incomparable Norman Rockwell.

The GOOD Life

2009-02-04T14:51:00.000-08:00

Today I revisited a site I always turn to when in need of some educational entertainment. That sounds horrible, but www.good.is is anything but bad. The video section in particular is endlessly entertaining; recent updates include an interview with RuPaul "the world's greatest drag queen" (currently promoting his reality show RuPaul's Drag Race), a video documenting unusual--and hilarious--recession indicators and a review of the new movie with Liam Neeson, Taken. Their videos also make constant and good use of kinetic typography, which I have blogged about previously and which is now being used ad nauseum by mainstream marketing.

2009-02-04T13:29:00.000-08:00

There is little in this world that I find more exciting than well-designed and visually stimulating packaging. I recently discovered a fabulous little site dedicated to collecting examples of just this thing: LovelyPackage.com features examples of innovative packaging created around the world. The site even indexes them by subject (recreation, sports etc.) so if you are curious about what confectionery packaging they have deemed particularly note-worthy, for example, you can browse with maximum efficiency.

Above I have included a photograph of the svelte Mamont Vodka bottle designed by STRANGER AND STRANGER. Check out their website; they do some fabulous work ...

43rd Game

2009-02-02T15:10:00.000-08:00

This year the Superbowl commercials and half-time show were largely mediocre (while the game was surprisingly interesting). A few commercials were worth remembering, however. The CareerBuilder.com commercial was particularly entertaining. I have noticed that the most entertaining commercials have running punch-lines, rather than a single one at the very end: CareerBuilder.com featured a long, building sequence of examples of unacceptable employment situations that provoked a laugh at every stage. Coca-Cola also employed this technique in a non-humorous way in their "Bug's Life" commercial. The ad featured (filmed in a haze of yellow summer light) a sleepy picnic-goer whose Coke is stolen through the combined efforts of ingenious insects. Doesn't sound like much? You should have heard the audience's exclamations of delight when a tower of butterflies masquerading as the missing Coke shattered before the sleeper's groping hand, or the audience's speculation on how the bugs might open the bottle. The ad kept the roomful of college students riveted to the TV with constant stimulation and a progression of development.

Maestro

2009-02-02T11:28:00.000-08:00

There was a segment aired recently on Austin's local public radio station about a new photography exhibition of the work of depression-era photographer John Vachon (you can listen to the audio here). The above photograph that KUT showcases is very well done. Photography is not my area of expertise, but even I can see that Vachon has captured an exceptional range of tones, from very white at the bottom right hand corner to very black on the trunk of the tree. Foreground, middle-ground and background are well-represented ... I think this photograph shows an unusual depth of field. There is eye-catching texture, and the child provides a very nice focal point, balanced as he is between the building on the right and left. Even if the technical composition of the piece is disregarded, the photograph is an undeniably poignant historical document. Bravo, Vachon.

Carpe Diem

2009-02-02T09:35:00.000-08:00

I have recently been given a great opportunity: it is my responsibility to compile an integrated marketing campaign for one of the business for which I work in the Dallas area! The initiatives that I determine are necessary to insure the increased success of the company should keep assorted freelancers and myself busy for the next three months. I have already redone the a large amount of the company's print promotional material (business card, stationary, etc.) and am in the process of overhauling the website. Where do I go from here? I would really love to showcase some of the product in retail location around the Metroplex, in addition to being featured in local magazines. I also hope to gain management experience by delegating to freelance designers. In any event, it is an opportunity for growth.

$3 Million for 30 Seconds

2009-01-30T10:45:00.000-08:00

Well, "Marketing's Big Game" --as AdAge.com has dubbed it--happens the day after tomorrow, and although I can't tell you with any certainty who will actually be fighting it out on the field (the Steelers versus ... somebody) I am definitely interested in who will be jockeying for our attention during the commercial breaks. Interestingly, one of these $100,000-per-second ads has been created by the Dallas-based The Richards Group for Bridgestone. I expect they'll bring their A-game for something with this much money and exposure involved, so we'll be seeing the very best they can do. I also noticed that some of the companies had elected to do their commercials in-house, which is understandable when it's Paramount Pictures or Sony Pictures, but GoDaddy? I hope they know what they're doing.

Kinetic Typography

2008-11-29T19:12:00.000-08:00

There is an interesting blog that I discovered today called Presentation Zen. The most recent issue discussed there was kinetic typography: moving text. If that sounds boring and ineffective, check out The Girl Effect, where this strategy is used to resounding effect in their intro video.

Some People

2008-11-29T10:28:00.000-08:00

Recently I have been exploring the advertising scene in Dallas and stumbled across Starr Tincup, a media business that apparently thinks a lot of itself. One great development: their website introduced me to Seth Godin...whose blog I enjoy. Favorite posts include "Creating a clearance sale culture" and "How to answer the phone". Don't answer the phone unless you can make the customer happy? Sounds good to me.