You see at least one everyday:
The shaved bald head. The goatee. The Kenneth Cole wardrobe. The retro Weezer eyeglasses.
Is it a rule that all digital guys have to wear the same costume?
Monday, October 27, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Esta promoción es estúpida.
Hey Phillies phans! Inspired by Taco Bell, Wawa just announced a new promotion: if anyone gets a ground-rule double tonight, you can receive a free small cup of coffee two Thursdays from now, between 2:00 and 5:00 AM. (Participating Wawa stores only.)
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
“If we can get rid of the designers and creative directors...”
In the movie The Player, a studio exec is looking for ways to save money on movie scripts. He picks up a newspaper and reads the first headline he sees: Immigrants protest budget cuts in literacy program. “Human spirit overcoming human adversity,” he suggests. “Sounds like Horatio Alger in the barrio. Put Jimmy Smits in it and you’ve got a sexy Stand and Deliver. Slap a happy ending on it and the script will write itself.”
Another studio exec, Griffin Mill (played by Tim Robbins), snarks in retort: “I was thinking what an interesting concept it is to eliminate the writer from the artistic process. If we can get rid of the actors and directors, maybe we’ve got something.”
Point taken.
But hey, guess what? It looks like some marketing genius is seriously suggesting we take the designers and creative directors out of the process of logo development. Yep, in a recent PBJ article, AllBusiness.com wonders why a small business would spend upwards of $10,000 on its logo — you know, the central image of its brand — when it can fill out a questionnaire and have one produced via l’automation for just $500.
Griffin, any thoughts?
Another studio exec, Griffin Mill (played by Tim Robbins), snarks in retort: “I was thinking what an interesting concept it is to eliminate the writer from the artistic process. If we can get rid of the actors and directors, maybe we’ve got something.”
Point taken.
But hey, guess what? It looks like some marketing genius is seriously suggesting we take the designers and creative directors out of the process of logo development. Yep, in a recent PBJ article, AllBusiness.com wonders why a small business would spend upwards of $10,000 on its logo — you know, the central image of its brand — when it can fill out a questionnaire and have one produced via l’automation for just $500.
Griffin, any thoughts?
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
“Funny or die”? Rest in peace, then.
That smoking chick from Heroes is featured in a new pro-Obama pseudo-PSA.
Hey, I hate John McCain as much as any pinko Lefty, but...come on. This is just lousy work. What’s funny about this spot? Moreover, what is its comic device? It’s not irony (unless merely saying negative things with a positive tone of voice counts). There’s sarcasm, sure, but...so? (See, I was just sarcastic there, and it wasn’t funny.)
Anyway, now that we’ve seen that awesome Sarah Silverman jawn, maybe all these quasi-celebs should just leave well enough alone. The good work has been done.
Hey, I hate John McCain as much as any pinko Lefty, but...come on. This is just lousy work. What’s funny about this spot? Moreover, what is its comic device? It’s not irony (unless merely saying negative things with a positive tone of voice counts). There’s sarcasm, sure, but...so? (See, I was just sarcastic there, and it wasn’t funny.)
Anyway, now that we’ve seen that awesome Sarah Silverman jawn, maybe all these quasi-celebs should just leave well enough alone. The good work has been done.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
The outrageous hubris of Gyro Worldwide.
Gold Crown Press just released a book titled, VIRUS: THE OUTRAGEOUS HISTORY OF GYRO WORLDWIDE. The book’s author, Harriet Bernard-Levy, chronicles the agency’s 20-year existence while managing to linguistically blow founder Steven Grasse.
“Wait, did you say DDB?” you might be asking silently. No, ‘fraid not. “Oglivy and Mather?” Again, no. “Ayer & Son? TBWA? BBDO? Some other agency that had a real impact on American culture?” No, no, no, and no. We’re talking about Gyro.
Here are just a few of the wildly unhinged claims made by Bernard-Levy in her book:
* Gyro invented viral marketing (ha!)
* Gyro launched the careers of Spike Jonze, Doug Aitken, and Quentin Tarantino, among others (ha! ha!)
* Gyro “was the first to capitalize on the latent sexual forces running through contemporary proletarian subculture...forever [changing] our collective notion of cool”
Uhh, what?
This tidbit from the book is particularly giggle-inducing:
“Before receiving a standing ovation at the Sundance Film Festival for their award winning feature film Little Miss Sunshine, director duo Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Ferris cut their artistic teeth shooting Puma spots for Gyro Worldwide.”
Ahh, yes. I remember those Puma spots well. (Oh wait — no I don’t. Actually, I don’t remember them at all. Which is weird, because, according to the book’s logic, they must’ve been as culturally important as “Tastes great, less filling” and “You deserve a break today.”)
I’ll say this for Gyro: What they lack historically, in terms of actual talent and breakthrough thinking, they more than make up for in hubris. If they’ve taught us anything — and they’ve certainly done so by example — it’s that if you make incessant claims that you’re the greatest thing walking, eventually some people will believe you. (Wait, I think Oasis taught us that, too. That’s the band that’s better than the Beatles, right?)
“Wait, did you say DDB?” you might be asking silently. No, ‘fraid not. “Oglivy and Mather?” Again, no. “Ayer & Son? TBWA? BBDO? Some other agency that had a real impact on American culture?” No, no, no, and no. We’re talking about Gyro.
Here are just a few of the wildly unhinged claims made by Bernard-Levy in her book:
* Gyro invented viral marketing (ha!)
* Gyro launched the careers of Spike Jonze, Doug Aitken, and Quentin Tarantino, among others (ha! ha!)
* Gyro “was the first to capitalize on the latent sexual forces running through contemporary proletarian subculture...forever [changing] our collective notion of cool”
Uhh, what?
This tidbit from the book is particularly giggle-inducing:
“Before receiving a standing ovation at the Sundance Film Festival for their award winning feature film Little Miss Sunshine, director duo Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Ferris cut their artistic teeth shooting Puma spots for Gyro Worldwide.”
Ahh, yes. I remember those Puma spots well. (Oh wait — no I don’t. Actually, I don’t remember them at all. Which is weird, because, according to the book’s logic, they must’ve been as culturally important as “Tastes great, less filling” and “You deserve a break today.”)
I’ll say this for Gyro: What they lack historically, in terms of actual talent and breakthrough thinking, they more than make up for in hubris. If they’ve taught us anything — and they’ve certainly done so by example — it’s that if you make incessant claims that you’re the greatest thing walking, eventually some people will believe you. (Wait, I think Oasis taught us that, too. That’s the band that’s better than the Beatles, right?)
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Stay classy, Philadelphia.
Ha! Check these out: KYW Eyewitness News promos from the late ‘70s. Just outstanding. Enjoy.
Friday, September 26, 2008
It's a great place to start. Sadly.
Earlier this month, an Army Experience Center (AEC) opened in the Franklin Mills Mall. Yeah, you read that right. Experiential marketing at its best, where aimless youth can experience — virtual-style — what it’s like to fly a Black Hawk chopper or cruise in a Humvee.
When I was sixteen and feeling full of angst, I would head over to a music store and plug in some electric guitars. Today’s teen can do that, too — but when HE leaves Sam Ash, the AEC will be waiting for him just across the way. And when he’s done playing in this dubious virtual arcade, he’ll be invited to hang out in the AEC Café and have a mochaccino with some big-toothed Army recruiter in a Polo shirt, who raps with him about how awesome military life is.
Sound like a place you’d want YOUR kids to hang out? Me neither. (Oh, the kicker: the AEC cost $200M in taxpayer — i.e., YOUR — money to build. I didn’t even know this shit was going on, did you?)
McCann-Erickson spearheads this military branch’s “Army of One” branding. Far as who handles the direct and interactive marketing ... it’s pretty hush-hush. Guess no agency wants to assume that polarizing identity. I’ve heard various rumors: one pins the account to Avenue A/Razorfish, another has it at Gillespie, another slates Roska as the owner.
Anyone know for certain?
When I was sixteen and feeling full of angst, I would head over to a music store and plug in some electric guitars. Today’s teen can do that, too — but when HE leaves Sam Ash, the AEC will be waiting for him just across the way. And when he’s done playing in this dubious virtual arcade, he’ll be invited to hang out in the AEC Café and have a mochaccino with some big-toothed Army recruiter in a Polo shirt, who raps with him about how awesome military life is.
Sound like a place you’d want YOUR kids to hang out? Me neither. (Oh, the kicker: the AEC cost $200M in taxpayer — i.e., YOUR — money to build. I didn’t even know this shit was going on, did you?)
McCann-Erickson spearheads this military branch’s “Army of One” branding. Far as who handles the direct and interactive marketing ... it’s pretty hush-hush. Guess no agency wants to assume that polarizing identity. I’ve heard various rumors: one pins the account to Avenue A/Razorfish, another has it at Gillespie, another slates Roska as the owner.
Anyone know for certain?
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