Clik here to view.
“While we’re young!” USGA beseeches players to speed up their game.
I’m not much of a golf fan and even worse a player but like a growing number of people I do watch some of the bigger tournaments. During the US Open last week I caught an hour or so of Sunday’s finish...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The “ad-like object.” Tips for viewing creative work before it’s even born.
Ad = Baby We were previewing numerous campaign ideas today at the agency, perhaps a dozen of them tacked up in the wall, comprised of the usual bits: potential tag lines, assorted copy, found images...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Clothes to die for: violence against women in fashion advertising.
“Make me write bad checks!” On Buzzfeed, the Copyranter recently ran this post depicting “the violent exploitation of women in fashion advertising.” Many examples were provided, from big name fashion...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Running an idea through Adland’s gauntlet: The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad.
“I will protect the creative with my life!” We’ve been very busy at the agency, developing campaigns for a diverse and interesting array of fabulous clients. (Dear clients, note I said “fabulous” and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Delighting in bad radio advertising a ‘joyful’ part of my daily commute.
My daily commute… Driving home from work I like to roll old school, engaging in the dad-like behavior (all too rare for me) of listening to news and sports on the radio. Can you believe it? AM radio!...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Regardless on one’s creative philosophy, it all comes down to passion and...
“With great passion comes great responsibility.” Recently, I was asked about my creative philosophy. Namely, do I have one? Seems like a reasonable question. Seems like something an Executive Creative...
View ArticleClik here to view.
On creative philosophy: The “Creative Athlete” remains relevant and always in...
Are you a “creative athlete?” My last post was about “responsible passion” as creative philosophy. I wrote that whatever the philosophy a creative professional has it must strike a balance between...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Obession. Passion or pathology? The state in which “want” and “need” are all...
Too much of a good thing? Last Sunday, I read a story in the New York Times Magazine about a woman who had become obsessed with an obscure songwriter and producer from the 1960’s, Curt Boettcher. It’s...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Lessons from Adland: Presenting work means never having to say you’re sorry.
“Good morning. I hope you like this presentation because I sure as hell don’t.” As a copywriter I’ve presented countless campaigns to both clients and creative directors. As a creative director, I’ve...
View ArticleClik here to view.
On creativity, agency culture and the Catholic Church! Ruminations from our...
If only all business dinners were like this! Because of a passport debacle, I was two days late to our company’s annual Academy and “Uno” Conference in the historic town of Toledo, Spain. Arriving...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Crooked teeth are beautiful and rednecks are cool. What’s this world coming to?
Hello Kitty! I just dropped some serious coin on braces for my three daughters, which I’m happy to do because it seems like that’s what good father’s do. They provide. But then I read about this craze...
View ArticleClik here to view.
On prepositions and popular culture: sometimes creative writing means doing...
Do you know where you’re going to? That’s the signature line from the Theme from Mahogany a famous song by chanteuse, Diana Ross. It’s a lovely number. Back in the day, it was a sensation. But that...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Dateline Zagreb: making film about new school experience…experiencing retail...
Interviewing Croatian school official… The past week I’ve been in Zagreb, Croatia helping produce a case study film for one of our clients. Much of the time was spent in a local high school,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Client from Hell: Resist becoming a monster when dealing with one.
In the face of evil… In a 2005 concert recording of U2’s lovely ballad, Miss Sarajevo Bono prefaces the number by offering a prayer to victims of a then-recent terrorist bombing in London. The prayer...
View ArticleClik here to view.
You want agency culture? Then try sticking around, Holmes.
culture needs something to grow on… I’ve been thinking about agency culture or the lack of it. By definition, a “culture” forms in/on something that has permanence to it, like mold on a piece of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
D-Rose & LeBron James try and keep it real in new TV commercials but are you...
But you’re rich, bitch! In keeping with the start of the NBA season a spate of new TV commercials just dropped featuring two of the sport’s biggest stars: Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls and the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
AT&T spends big bucks advertising U-Verse. But is it much ado about nothing?
One reason to drag TV outside. Name another? I keep seeing advertising for AT&T’s U-Verse; if I understand it correctly, the primary benefit seems to be the ability to watch TV anywhere you want....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Giant baby overtakes screen in new commercial for Nationwide Insurance.
Good Lord, that baby will destroy us all! So, I’m watching football this weekend when on comes this giant ass baby. I was like What The F—k? There’s a humongous baby in this dude’s garage. Then it’s...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What do cavemen, gangbangers and national brands all have in common? Signs.
Ever since helping give rise to the “Curiously Strong Mints” campaign for Altoids, I’ve been a huge fan of outdoor advertising. Especially posters, propaganda and signs. Yet, maybe the awe for it goes...
View ArticleClik here to view.
When it comes to texting and driving, AT&T’s “It can Wait” campaign pings the...
More than any one commercial or piece of marketing communications (of which there are many), what I really dig about AT&T’s campaign to eliminate texting while driving (and during movies) is the...
View Article