May 22, 2008

Nike runs home.

According to our friends at Ad Age, Nike is back home with Wieden. Whilst we're fans of all involved, something about this says that all is right with the world.

Posted by John on May 22, 2008 at 04:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Brands , Current Affairs , News of the Ad World

March 25, 2008

American Copywriter salutes Hal Riney

Here's to a voice that stood out. Spoken and otherwise. A voice that I'm certain our industry will miss even more than we may suspect. If you're a little young and stupid (which is perfectly acceptable), do yourself a favor and bone up on The Riney Way. You can start by absorbing what Jeff Goodby had to say about the man.

Here's to you, Mr. Riney. We are believers.

Posted by John on March 25, 2008 at 10:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Current Affairs , News of the Ad World , The Creative Life

February 24, 2008

And the Oscar for Best Ad on the Oscars goes to...

Tonight, is a big, big night for brands.  Star brands, studio brands and marketer brands all mix on the red carpet. We can count on the Nicholson brand doing well tonight. It's a tradition to cut to him grinning in the audience. His smile is as iconic as the Clydesdales. But what about the marketers that are making their big bet with this event instead of the hyper-hyped Super Bowl?  Follow a live chat with the pundits on Adfreak's new OscarFreak. If you are so moved, leave your opinions on the winners and losers here or as an audio comment. We'll update this post with our own opinion in the morning. In the meantime, we already know what Judd Apatow thinks of the whole thing.

UPDATE: I'll be honest, Sunday night laundry made me miss a lot of the spots. The one I caught that I found really intriguing was MasterCard "searching eye." It's paid off online here.

Posted by John on February 24, 2008 at 10:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Current Affairs , Entertainment , Film , Movies , News of the Ad World , Opinion , Television

January 03, 2008

Irene Done speaks for the nation.

When the lady is right, the lady is right. God bless Irene for speaking the truth.

Posted by John on January 03, 2008 at 10:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Marketing to Men , News of the Ad World , Pop Culture , Sports , Weblogs

December 31, 2007

American Copywriter salutes Phil Dusenberry

Former chairman and CCO of BBDO, Phil Dusenberry, passed away on December 29th after a battle with lung cancer. He was 71. In 1999, Ad Age ranked him 31 on their list of the century's most influential advertising people. He was a bona fide advertising luminary. His lofty titles and achievements disguise the fact that he was, throughout his career, a copywriter's copywriter. Dusenberry's work is the stuff of legends including Pepsi's Michael Jackson spot and Ronald Regan's Morning in America commercials. He penned a few screenplays, too, most notably The Natural. An apt description for Dusenberry himself in the context of his chosen profession.

When I was in college I interned in the corporate communications department of Pizza Hut, Inc. When it came time for the big franchisee convention, I got plopped down in some back room of a Wichita Marriott hotel making last minute changes to speeches for the Pizza Hut execs. I was pecking away (on an original Mac BTW) when I heard someone say, "Hi Phil!" I turned and saw Dusenberry sweep through the room. He was there to present BBDO's new crop of spots to the franchisees. I punched "save" and stole into the darkened hall with everyone else. I really wasn't supposed to be there but no one hassled me. The room was electric. Advertising is a big expense and franchisees pay much of the bill. Hundreds of eyes locked on Dusenberry as he took the stage. From word one he owned that room. With his white hair, whiter teeth and power suit, Dusenberry was the definition of an impressive "ad man." He deftly introduced several spots to the crowd that afternoon including (if memory serves) the classic "Right Field." The crowd loved it. And him. It was a lesson to me. An advertising contract is a potent mix of money, power, politics and creativity. Yes, it's always about the work, the work, the work. But a little showmanship never hurts.

Here's to you, Mr. Dusenberry.

Posted by John on December 31, 2007 at 11:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Current Affairs , News of the Ad World , The Creative Life , The real world

December 12, 2007

Whopper Freakout really sells.

So, in one fell swoop, we're selling the living hell out of product and freshening up the testimonial. Nice work Crispinites. Nice work.

Posted by John on December 12, 2007 at 12:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Brave New Marketing , Design , Marketing to Men , News of the Ad World

November 21, 2007

I live in lovewesandersonawholebunchville.

So, I'm a little behind on blog topics. Wes Anderson just fucking rules doesn't he? I love the concept, too. Really stands out in the category. Christ, I hate giving AT&T credit for anything. Agency credits anyone?

Posted by John on November 21, 2007 at 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Brands , News of the Ad World , Pop Culture , Television

November 20, 2007

Rest in Peace Mr. Whipple.

Dick Wilson, a.k.a. Mr. Whipple, 1916-2007. P&G ran the "Please don't squeeze the Charmin" campaign from 1964 to 1985 and again in 1999. As Steve said, "...Wilson, was a lovable, humorous television advertising icon back in the day when brands didn't change campaigns and agencies at the whim of a here today gone tomorrow CMO."

Posted by John on November 20, 2007 at 03:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Brands , Current Affairs , News of the Ad World , Pop Culture , Television , The Creative Life

August 20, 2007

Clowns, strippers and finger walking.

Seems that Yellow Book made a slight change to the way they categorize entertainers in their latest directory, and it's pissed off some clowns. And mimes. And stilt walkers. Maybe some strippers, too. According to this reg. required story, Yellow Book combined "family entertainers" and "adult entertainers" into one mega "entertainer" category.
This means that if one lets his or her fingers do the walking at 3 a.m., Bubbles the Clown may get a call intended for someone else named Bubbles who is a different kind of entertainer altogether. Send in the clowns, baby.

In a prepared statement, Yellow Book noted that they might reconsider the decision next time. But that doesn't do much for the strange bedfellows until the next directory comes around. One clown lamented that this development probably wasn't good for the overall image of the profession. Of course,  given the level of terror clowns can inspire in some people, the overall perception of clowns and clowning may not be exactly sparking anyway. Maybe the World Clown Association should put out an RFP for agencies to research the issue. While the clowns aren't laughing, you do have to wonder who is really going to be tempted to see if a clown pole dances? Oh wait, strike that – seems there are plenty of people with that particular fetish.

Posted by John on August 20, 2007 at 11:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Brands , Current Affairs , Entertainment , News of the Ad World , Pop Culture

May 24, 2007

Dead rocker spec work + Web = fired?

The Daily Swarm is reporting that Doc Martens has fired the London arm of Saatchi & Saatchi for unleashing a rejected campaign on the Web earlier this month. The posters have generated a fair amount of controversy.

TDS has also published a response from Saatchi:

“We believe the ads are edgy but not offensive.  There has
been blog commentary both for and against the ads, but it is our belief that
they are respectful of both the musicians and the Dr. Martens brand.
We regret that the controversy has led Dr. Martens to terminate the
contract with Saatchi & Saatchi.  We are investigating the circumstances and
considering the ongoing employment of the individual who was in breach of
instructions not to distribute the ads further than the original approved
placement in Fact Magazine in the UK..."

There's more than a little "he said, she said" going on. Doc Martens says they did not approve the campaign. Saatchi says the campaign was approved to run in one specific place, but that it was not to be distributed further (which doesn't make a lot of sense). Courtney says she never approved the use of Kurt's image. Whatever the absolute truth of the situation, one thing is irrefutable:

Spec work in the age of instant, global communications can be career-limiting.

Hat tip to: Ben Thoma

UPDATE: More here.

Posted by John on May 24, 2007 at 02:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Brands , Current Affairs , Entertainment , News of the Ad World , Pop Culture , The Creative Life , Web/Tech , Weblogs

April 04, 2007

It's a good week to be a startup.

If you're a famous creative who recently hung out your own shingle, it's quite possible you're having a helluva good week. Particularly if your name is Chuck or Bob. These guys make it look all too easy don't they?

Posted by John on April 04, 2007 at 08:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , News of the Ad World

March 23, 2007

Now, that's living the High Life.

There's been some smack talk on CP+B of late. And now, this news. But let's not forget that our peeps in Miami and Boulder are pretty damn good. Exhibit Z is this spot, which broke late last year. We saw it last night during the tourney. It's a delight. It even made a room full of nervous fans chuckle during a messy, messy game.

Posted by John on March 23, 2007 at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Brands , Food and Drink , Marketing to Men , News of the Ad World

March 13, 2007

Oh, you mean you were serious about that copyright thing?

But we thought the law was just so analog.

Posted by John on March 13, 2007 at 03:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Brave New Marketing , Current Affairs , Entertainment , Film , Marketing Trends , Movies , Music , News of the Ad World , Pop Culture , Web/Tech

March 13, 2007

Nike's shoes wandering?

Adweek reports that, after 24 years at Wieden, Nike's running shoes might kinda, sorta be running elsewhere. Nike confirms that they are looking to "expand" their roster. The running shoe portion of the business, which WK currently handles, is said to be the first assignment up for grabs. Nike proclaims WK is still one its big dogs.

This from Nike rep Dean Stoyer:

"Nike continues to work with Wieden, our longtime creative partner, as one of the primary agencies working on Nike advertising. Nike works with a variety of agencies all around the world. Nike has always looked to a variety of partners in various areas...to keep things fresh and on the cutting edge. As our business grows, our brand communications must also continue to evolve to meet an increasingly challenging marketplace."

WK remains mum on the matter.

Editorial note: Doors close. Doors open. Duties shift. That's the ad game. Every agency deals with it. The partnership between Nike and WK has been incredibly fruitful. Let's hope for more. The work WK has done on the running shoe account in particular has been an inspiration to consumers and ad fans alike for a long time.

Posted by John on March 13, 2007 at 08:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: News of the Ad World

March 12, 2007

Well, that's specific.

Found this on the most excellent Chimp Media Monitoring and couldn't resist a re-post.

Posted by John on March 12, 2007 at 02:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Food and Drink , News of the Ad World

March 12, 2007

Did an "integrated agency" just launch without a Web site?

I read with interest and enthusiasm the numerous accounts of Chuck McBride's new SF venture, Cutwater. The Wall Street Journal reported that the shop was created to:

"...pioneer new ways and new forms of bringing big brand ideas to life. CUTWATER is a full-service agency, offering a creative department built around the philosophy that all disciplines -- design, interactive, and advertising -- must collaborate in order to develop a deeper, single-brand story. This triple-play, one-entity approach is the most natural way to ensure that team stakeholders share ownership of one idea. The result: produce complete, cohesive, iconic brand stories that expand across what the agency refers to as the "asymmetrical" media environment."

(Side note: It continues to irk me that this seems like a new idea to giant ad conglomos and the coastal press when many independent, mid-sized shops have operated this way for years now, but I digress.) 

First, I'm really cheering for McBride. I've admired his work for a long time. "Aaron Burr" remains one of my favorite spots of all time. And, new idea or not, I believe that genuine collaboration between all disciplines is the only way to go. So, I'm glad to see such a huge creative star embrace the approach.

That said, at the time of this writing, I can't find this new integrated agency's Web site anywhere. And it makes me want to tear my voluminous hair out. Yes, this is a frequent and old complaint of mine. But I just believe that if you're going to talk to the talk, you gotta walk the walk. Starting with your own agency brand. Even if the site exists (and I hope to be proven wrong), the only site referenced in the release is Mama Omnicom's corporate nightmare. If you're going to hang your hat on integration, shouldn't you hold the release until the site (even a made in 15 minutes placeholder) is ready? And if the site is up and running, wouldn't you want that integrated into your big release?

Credit where it is due: The McBride illustration was done for Creativity by I Love Dust.

Posted by John on March 12, 2007 at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Brave New Marketing , Current Affairs , News of the Ad World

February 01, 2007

When it all blows up in your face.

I am of two minds this morning on the whole Boston/Cartoon Network fiasco which you've already read about here, here and here or maybe you saw it as the lead story on the Today Show and nearly every other major news outlet this morning.

My first mind says that this tactic should never have seen the light of day. Part of our job is to be culturally aware. We're the ones who are supposed to know what everyday people are thinking and feeling. The country, as a whole, is jumpy as hell about terrorism. 24 has built its new season around nukes going off in L.A. Entertainment reflects culture. The country is living with some fear. Read any consumer study and it'll confirm it. So, right now, placing plastic stuff with batteries and wires under bridges and in public places is just a dumb thing to do. Even if it just looks like a big Lite Brite. Every political leader, every canned airport voice and even other ad campaigns tell us to be aware and report anything suspicious. And the cops have no choice but to respond to a possible bomb on a major commuter route. Responsible people within the approval chain should have had some light bulbs go off in their heads.  Packages of any sort left under bridges, on Subways or buses, are just begging to misinterpreted no matter how well art directed they are.

That said, my second mind feels awful for all the creative people involved. Dumb idea or not, I know all they wanted to do was provide a little theatre for bored rat-racers. And, as many commenter's on other blogs have noted, the target audience sure didn't run screaming from it. In fact, the target seems to be rallying for the advertiser. Some say there's no such thing as bad press. I don't believe that. One guy is in jail. The agency yanked its Web site down. No one is sitting around with big smiles are their faces. Least of all Ted Turner. We've all had lapses in judgment. Most times though, those don't end up the talk of the country. It has got to be a real nightmare for those involved.

Still, there are consequences to our actions, and the consequences here have a ripple effect on you and me.  Everyone in the industry get whacked with the same bat when something like this goes down. "Look at them! How far will they go to push their brain-washing techniques on us!" If governors or mayors are talking about a campaign that doesn't have something to do with tourism you know someone has really stepped in it. That's where we stand today.

Update: Looks like I'm wrong about the nightmare part for those involved. These guys don't seem to be concerned at all.

Posted by John on February 01, 2007 at 09:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Brave New Marketing , Current Affairs , Entertainment , Marketing Trends , News of the Ad World , Opinion , Pop Culture , Television

January 31, 2007

Super Disengaged?

I'm just not worked up about Super Sunday. Maybe it's the fact that I've been too busy to preview the Bud snippets or go see the Snickers teaser or dig around for more on Coke's efforts. Maybe I'm bored with Bob Parson's censor games. Maybe I'm still lamenting the money the Saints lost me.

Maybe it's those things.

It's more likely that my lack of interest comes from the dread of Stupid Monday. You know Stupid Monday. That's the day everyone comes back to work and says how stupid the ads were, how they used to be so much better, how the industry is suffering from a dearth of creativity. Where's 1984? Where's Mean Joe Green? Hell, where are the dancing bears?

I'm wondering if I can partially avoid Stupid Monday by keeping myself away from the pre-hype. If I stay off the grid long enough, maybe I'll be surprised by something. Maybe I'll find an argument that creativity is not dead come Stupid Monday morning. At least, that's what I'm hoping for. Because, whether I like it or not, I'll be part of the stupid. Tug and I will join the chorus of people who didn't create a Super Bowl spot bragging and ragging on those who did with our annual Super Bowl wrap-up podcast. Available around 10 a.m. on Monday. You can be part of the stupid, too. Point your browser here and record your thoughts after the game Sunday night with our handy Mobatalk comment system (found on the right hand side of the page). Or just record an MP3 and email it to us. Be pithy.

Of course, many people like to be prepared for Super Sunday. Here's a great post about Super Bowl XLI essentials from Friend of AC Warren Johnston.

Posted by John on January 31, 2007 at 07:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: AC News , Advertising , Entertainment , News of the Ad World , Pop Culture , The Creative Life

December 14, 2006

Always our league MVP: Lamar Hunt dies

Lamar Hunt, after a long protracted battle with prostate cancer, passed away last night in a hospital in Dallas. He wa 74. Here's just one story.

You want to talk about a marketing visionary? He was it. Here are just a few highlights:

- Invented the AFL (Talk about the ultimate Challenger Brand.)
- Spearheaded the AFL-NFL merger.
- invented the Super Bowl and gave it it's name. (For that alone he needs to be inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame.)
- Was key in bringing the 1994 World Cup to the US.
- Was integral in getting Major League Soccer off the ground in 1996.
- Had the idea to build the first two-stadium complex back in 1973, before they did that sort of thing.
- He was a founding investor of the Chicago Bulls.

I could go on, but you can read it for yourself today. For me and for lots of us in Kansas City and beyond, Mr. Hunt's spirit, creative vision and perseverence will be sorely missed.

And this year, when we're discussing Super Bowl spots, let's take a moment to thank Mr. Hunt for making our discussion possible.

Posted by Tug McTighe on December 14, 2006 at 06:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: News of the Ad World

December 07, 2006

Julie Roehm Out. And she takes DraftFCB with her.

Julie Roehm, the woman that shitcanned both Wal-Mart and GSDM for DratfFCB, got herself a one way ticket out of Bentonville on Tuesday. Allegedly, she was in some violation of Wal-Mart's strict, strict ethics policy.

Then, amazingly even for our cra-zee industry she took DraftFCB with her. Ouch. That's $580 million down the drain. Unlucky fellas.

And tomorrow on "As The Creative Review Turns" ...

Posted by Tug McTighe on December 07, 2006 at 04:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: News of the Ad World

November 08, 2006

Le feed of ads.

Highly delicious and nutritious for those addicted to all the ad news of the day. The site is pretty easy on the eyes, too. Friends of AC, please welcome The Ad Feed. Nice stuff, Travis. Although it's going to be a little hard to hide the "rip off posts" now since so many of our best sources are now listed on a single page.

Posted by John on November 08, 2006 at 09:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: News of the Ad World