January 29, 2010

Do we really need the office?

It seems to be an often-asked question in the minds of agency people everywhere, and the answer seems to be that "there are just some things that have to be done face to face." One of those "some things" that comes up a lot in discussions I have about this very topic is brainstorming.

Sure, we could just call in or get on iChat, but it wouldn't be the same. There's just something about the creative momentum that forms when a few talented people get together in a physical room that can't be translated into 1s and 0s.

Shit. Maybe not. This bunch of obviously talented created people fired up their webcams, grabbed their instruments and made something that sings. No pun intended. 

Now, before you say anything, yes -- I know that making music isn't exactly the same as making advertising. But I would argue that much of the process is the same. Mountains of details have to be worked out. Tone and voice and everybody's roles have to be discussed. And most importantly, ideas have flow freely amongst colleagues in order to transform an idea into a Big Idea. 

These guys obviously did all that (quite well) without ever, at any time, being in the same room. Hell, most of them weren't even in the same COUNTRY. So why do we have to be? Why do we have to do in cubes what we could be doing from home or Rome or...wherever? 

It's a question that I, for one, am going to keep asking. I hope somebody can give me an answer that makes sense one of these days. If you think you have one, feel free to share it in the comments.

Posted by Nick Kinney on January 29, 2010 at 11:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Brave New Marketing , The Creative Life , Web/Tech

January 21, 2010

The Joy of Advertising

In my free time, I like to play a game called "watch hours upon hours worth of TED videos." My wife says that that's not a game, but we've agreed to disagree.

Anyway, if you don't already know, TED is a series of talks given by people doing interesting things in the fields of technology, entertainment and design. They're smart, interesting and extremely addictive. But this particular talk, by a man with a french name but distinctly British sense of humor, hit me in a place where most of the TED talks can't. 

He says, at the end of his talk (and don't skip to the end just because I said that -- the talk really is worth your quarter of an hour), that "we should be the authors of our own ambition." In a nutshell, that we should determine for ourselves what success really is.

And in an industry where success can be determined in so many different ways, I find that highly encouraging.

Wait, what's that you say?  I don't have to get excited about finally getting client approval on work that they limited  and I know to be mediocre? Um, sweet.

I don't have to feign excitement about work that pays the bills but doesn't necessarily sing creatively? Great! 

I can finally admit that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE winning awards? Fantastic!

And I can finally allow myself (despite 25 years of Catholic guilt being burned into my soul) to get just a little bit excited about the fact that this business can be lucrative if I continue to work my goddamn ass off? 

HOLY JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH! Somebody kiss this son of a bitch the next time they see him, 'cause I owe him one. In a mere 16 minutes and 55 seconds, his talk officially flipped my dipper.

Hope you like it as much as I did. Enjoy.

EDIT: Oh, and I almost forgot to ask the big question: Where to do YOU find Joy in advertising? If you have a minute, we'd love it if you share. So click the comments and get to typing.

Posted by Nick Kinney on January 21, 2010 at 08:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Design , Entertainment , The Creative Life , Web/Tech

January 15, 2010

The Decade: Noted without comment

  

And, if you're interested in what JJ and I thought about the Aughts, find out here.

Posted by Tug McTighe on January 15, 2010 at 08:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Pop Culture

January 13, 2010

Super Bowl's Greatest Commercials?

Of this group, I like the CareerBuilder spot from last year the best. But I think they forgot a couple.

Which ones am I missing?

Posted by Tug McTighe on January 13, 2010 at 03:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Super Bowl Stuff

January 13, 2010

W+K (whoops D6) makes a happiness machine to shame creatives everywhere.

Shaming creatives with the thought, "Why didn't I think of this?" the Magnificent Bastards strike again. Great, great, great. Makes me happy just looking at it. Thanks to Dabitch for the find.

UPDATE: AAK! We are informed the Magnificent Bastards were NOT the ones responsible for said same. We are happy to correct the record. This beauty was thunked up by Definition 6 in Hotlanta. Great stuff, D6. 

Posted by John on January 13, 2010 at 09:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Branding , Brave New Marketing , Food and Drink , Games , News of the Ad World , Pop Culture

January 11, 2010

Will you let your fingers do the walking?

For the last few years, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has given us sneak peaks into the future of computing. Every year, a group of the latest, greatest (and sometimes most ridiculous) gadgets about to hit the market are unveiled and showcased for the world to see. 

CES 2007 predicted the proliferation of true HD video. 2008 declared Blu-Ray the next-gen video media victor. 2009 introduced the little, lovable netbook to the mainstream computer user. And each year, Microsoft, Sony and the rest of the electronics giants saw their new tech offerings become big tech trends. 

Which brings us to 2010. This year, if CES is once again tuned in to what the consumer desires, will be the year of the tablet. HP, Lenovo, Sony and a myriad of other gadget makers announced new devices, and the conference was abuzz with rumors (which have since been confirmed) of the Apple iSlate, which will reportedly be revealed at an Apple Press event on the 27th. These devices will be running everything from Windows 7 to a build of the Android mobile platform to completely new OS' custom-built from the ground up. 

But no matter what software they run, the big question when it comes to tablet computing remains: what, exactly, will we use it for? 

Do you really want to type out a full blog entry or term paper on a touchscreen? Is the touch interface truly the best way to view the web? Will this all-natural form of input be what finally makes computers approachable to the decidedly anti-tech Greatest Generation and older Baby Boomers?

All of these questions are good ones, and ones that we can't see clear-cut answers to. So we turn to you, dear readers.

Does the thought of a multitouch UI excite you, or would you rather just stick to your keyboard and mouse? What applications do you see a touch interface most seamlessly meshing with? And finally, what might this groundbreaking new tech mean for those of us in The Bidness?

Only time will tell for sure, but we'd be happy to settle for your best guess for now.

Posted by Nick Kinney on January 11, 2010 at 03:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Web/Tech

December 30, 2009

Another example of how NYC is not anywhere else.

Here's a graphic showing what NYC listened to in '09 to vs. what the rest of us listened to. I like how "We" are listening to Animal Collective just like "They" are, but that "They" are listening to it in 64-point type while "We" are still on 18. And, since I don't see Gov't Mule, the Crowes or even Umphrey's McGee on there, by "We" I do not mean me. Thanks to Last FM.

Posted by Tug McTighe on December 30, 2009 at 10:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Music

December 23, 2009

"Cold Mountain" is Not a Christmas Song

   

A few years ago my brother Brad used to be in a band called The Grand Fiasco. (Great name, I know.) They catered to the local jamband fans and played a lot of shows in KC and a couple out of town, too. He plays bass, guitar and pretty much anything else he wants to try -- the jerk. Anyway, he wrote a song called "Cold Mountain" that everybody really dug.

And while it's not a Christmas song, the following sentiment makes me feel really good.

"So what if there are times when we’re left to wonder
If we’ve been out here for too long
And all these influences we’re under
Up on cold mountain they’re playin’ our song
Up on cold mountain they’re playin’ our song"

Here's the track. And here's why I think it's relevant today.

I think the first couple lines capture how many of us in our industry feel about being caught between clients and brands and agencies and departments. It captures how we feel when we create work we're not especially proud of and then see other agencies' work that we are so, so jealous of.

But when you get to the last line, we end on an upnote. To me it says that, at the end of the day, we work in a pretty fucking sweet industry that pays us well, lets us use our creative brains, lets us wear pretty much what we want and, for the most part, champions our odd behavior and strange habits.

To me, at least, it seems that up on cold mountain, they are – in fact – playing our song.

Happy Holidays everybody. See you in 2010.

Posted by Tug McTighe on December 23, 2009 at 03:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Opinion

November 30, 2009

Master Jedi Copywriter Luke Sullivan Speaks.

Luke Sullivan from Mediastash.tv on Vimeo. Via adland.

If you still don't own Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This, it's time to get yourself an early Christmas present.

Posted by John on November 30, 2009 at 09:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Books , Branding , Opinion , The Creative Life , The real world

November 26, 2009

Rudolph - And not the one you're thinking.

Posted by Tug McTighe on November 26, 2009 at 07:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: