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A motherbooking great spot.

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 23:21:00 -0500

Before you read on, watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LusjsQGkKWA

I actually first saw this commersh at the movie theater, laughed my booking butt off, and took some notes to look up the credits later. I just looked it up. Wieden + Kennedy. Go figure. Those booking bastards.

I booking love this spot. It’s straight-up booking genius. The script sells so hard, but maintains an entertaining edge. And what a stellar strategy – to use the word “booking” over and over.

In his AdWeek article, Gabriel Beltrone made a great point:

“The decision to hammer viewers over the head with the brand name by using it as substitute adjective for a certain curse word should be a lot more annoying than it is—the fact that it’s vaguely explicit makes it just self-deprecating enough to not be too abrasive.”

I can’t stress enough how booking smart I think this spot is, and how booking jealous I am that I didn’t write it.

Okay, I’ll stop with the wordplay. I mean, for book’s sake, Shloimy!

Truth in advertising.

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 22:44:43 -0500

Looks like crocs’ copywriter could use a little help.

Here are my rewrites:

Ugly as hell — with the crocs terrible color combinations that give kids headaches.

Weirder, nerdier, more fashion faux pas.

So hideous, they make you blow chunks.

Crap material, with appalling design girls hate!

If you’re gonna recycle your headline, no – never recycle your headline.

Turning a new (orange) leaf.

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 21:45:00 -0500

In the summer of 2011, I created “The Good Part of New York Mornings” with my former art director partner, Manuel Aleman.

Tropicana is all about making mornings better. We were charged with establishing Tropicana as New York’s orange juice. The problem was a bunch of other orange juice brands were attempting to make inroads with New Yorkers, so we decided to do something that really talked to NY’ers and the mornings they endure on a daily basis.

After seeing the work, Tropicana asked us to do the same thing for an additional 4 cities. Oh, and sales rose 44%. No big deal.

But over a year has passed, and now everyone’s favorite orange juice is back with another installment of ads. While I had nothing to do with this new campaign, I feel connected to the brand and the agency behind the work (shout out to Matt Eastwood, Menno Kluin, and all the other talented boys and girls at DDB, NY).

The big idea behind the freshly-squeezed campaign, that all the headlines ladder up to is: “Grab a mini bottle.” That’s it. Simple. Nice and direct.

One of the ads in the campaign touts “Instant face lift.” Another sells “Portable sunshine.”

They’ve also made a clever use of media space. An ad above a seat on the subway reads, “This seat is reserved for someone in a really good mood.” This is especially nice as it’s prompted people to post photos on Facebook of people sitting under the sign, who… let’s just say, aren’t in a really good mood. A little free media’s always nice.

I also caught “Morning pickup” and “Need a lift?” above taxi cabs. Another example of a nice marriage between media and message.

There’s also “Hydrate your smile,” “Say good morning and mean it,” and “Rise and shine at the same time.”

Not sure who specifically to credit over at DDB, but nice work guys. Nice work indeed.

An Essay On Radio Ads You Just Can’t Ignore.

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 19:15:41 -0500

Yesterday I shared a cab with a young couple who was heading to Crown Heights, just a few blocks from where I was going.

I hopped shotgun. They took the backseat.

We made some small talk, but mostly they spoke amongst themselves. Our cabbie had the radio on. When the songs ended this commercial began.

Everyone in the car laughed, and as the commercial played on, the dude in the backseat said, “Radio commercials are hilarious. Like anyone actually listens to this stuff!”

My first thought was hell yeah. Because as an advertising professional, it’s so rare I get to witness someone’s reaction to an ad, super raw - right in the moment. Furthermore, regular people don’t often speak up and express their opinion about how effective a particular media platform is. Or isn’t.

I decided to throw some fuel in the fire and said, “Yeah, you’re speaking to an audience that isn’t listening,” which I basically pulled straight out of my favorite book on advertising, Hey Whipple Squeeze This, where Luke Sullivan says:

If you have a child age five or younger, you already understand the basic problem facing the radio writer.

“Put that down. No, do NOT draw on the dog. Do NOT draw on the dog! Didn’t you hear me? I said do not stick that crayon in the dog’s … NO! Put that down!”

Both the parent and the radio writer are talking to someone who is not listening.

In the end, parents have a slight edge. They can send their children to their room, but the poor radio writer is left to figure out a way to get customers to listen.

If you think about it, the whole radio medium is used very differently than is print, online, or TV. In print, you have readers actively holding the magazine or newspaper up to their faces; they’re engaged, as is the TV watcher or the Web surfer. But radio is typically just sort of on in the background while people stay busy doing other things. It’s just sorta there. People tune into and out of it depending on how interesting the material being broadcast is.

And so we’re back to our old problem. We must be interesting.

So back to my story. I say to the guy, “You’re speaking to an audience that isn’t listening” and he immediately responds “Totally true.”

I couldn’t contain myself, so I continue, “It’s funny, I actually work in advertising as a writer and radio’s my favorite medium.” Everyone chuckles.

“Me too,” the girl says. “I work for a media company. We do a ton of radio. Geico’s one of our biggest accounts.” I take a moment to let the scene sink in. Here, in the backseat of this cab, sits a couple comprised of a girl who makes her living because brands run radio ads, and her boyfriend who thinks people don’t listen to “This Stuff.”

Admittedly, it got me thinking. Does radio advertising actually work? If it doesn’t, why would major brand names pay big bucks to develop and run the commercials?

The girl pipes up again. “It’s funny… I bought a Roku this past year and I absolutely love it. It was 80 bucks and it brings all my shit together – Netflix, Hulu Plus, HBO GO – you name it! It even syncs up with other apps like Pandora and Spotify so you can use your TV to stream music.”

I say, “Really? Wow. I hadn’t even heard about Roku until very recently when all those funny ads popped up in the subways and around town. There’s that one about watching so much Glee, you’d question your sexuality, or watching enough Modern Family to make your family seem normal. They’re funny.”

“Oh yesh, dey are very funny!” says our driver in a thick, Russian accent.

I was still curious about the service, so I ask the girl, “Wait, so it’s kind of like a “black box,” but it’s legal?” “No, it’s a ‘streaming box’ for anything and everything streamable – pulls it all together on your TV.”

Now I was interested. A flat fee of 80 greenbacks and everything I watch on my laptop will now be searchable and playable on my TV screen, all under one roof and easy-to-use? “Done. I’m totally getting one,” I say. “Trust me, you’ll love it,” the girl responds.

I couldn’t help but think about the clear irony we were all experiencing. What started as a conversation about how no one listens to radio ads, turned into a full-blown word-of-mouth sale. I had made up my mind. It was just a matter of time before I’d be the proud owner of a Roku.

And all because a well-written, entertaining, interesting ad came on the radio.

Imagine that.

What Just Happened?

Sun, 18 Nov 2012 16:10:00 -0500

Open on Shloimy reviewing the script he’s just written in a coffee shop in Brooklyn. He reads aloud. A couple in their 60s approach him.

MAN: Is it alright if we have a seat here?

SHLOIMY: Yes, of course.

MAN: Did this place get hit bad by Sandy?

SHLOIMY: Not sure. My first time in this area.

MAN: Where you from?

SHLOIMY: Crown Heights. But my brother lost two cars in Far Rockaway.

MAN: My wife’s family’s from there. They were hit real bad, too.

SHLOIMY: Yeah, but my niece and nephew are fine, so…

The man knocks on the table.

MAN: You work in advertising?

SHLOIMY: Yeah, I’m a Copywriter.

The man shakes his head.

MAN: What company?

SHLOIMY: Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal + Partners.

MAN: I know it. My daughter’s a Creative Director at Grey.

SHLOIMY: No way, small world!

The man extends his hand.

MAN: Paul, nice to meet you.

A warm handshake ensues.

SHLOIMY: Shloimy!

MAN: Shloimy? Oh, I’m really Yehuda Fischel.

SHLOIMY: Nice.

WOMAN: Honey, we don’t want to be late.

MAN: Let me have your phone number. We should keep in touch.

SHLOIMY: Absolutely, thank you.

They exchange phone numbers, shake hands again, and the couple exits the café.

Shloimy takes a sip of his latte and smiles.

SHLOIMY: (shaking his head in disbelief, and speaking out loud to himself) I’ll be darned.

FIN.

An Apple Product You've Probably Never Thought About.

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 20:07:00 -0400

Around the world, people young and old know how sleek and sexy Apple’s products are. They know about their great user-experience design – they even talk about Apple’s great advertising. But no one ever specifically calls out their writing. Which is precisely the point I’d like to shed some light on.

From the very first time I visited apple.com, I’ve appreciated their commitment to great writing. They use short, punchy copy that expresses smart ideas. No doubt the result of Steve Jobs’ request that writing play a huge role in shaping the Apple brand.

Their lines are short. And smart. The website copy feels like it wrote itself. You can’t see the writer or the thought process behind the writing. Being a wordsmith myself, I know that kind of writing takes a lot of effort. An exhausting amount.

The thing is, you sort of have to go through this process to come up with something that feels free of a process. Samuel Johnson said “What is written without effort is read without pleasure.” Read that again. Itself a great sentence.

And speaking of which, I’ve been reading a book you should check out. It’s called “How to Write a Sentence and How to Read One” by Stanley Fish. The cover touts a nice quote from a Financial Times review, “Both deeper and more democratic than The Elements of Style.” And while I love The Elements, I have to agree, this book is better. Trust me, you’ll really enjoy it. At least if you’re a word nerd. Hey, I’m not pointing any fingers.

Over the past year, I think my goals as a writer have matured. Now I spend my time crafting my words in such a way as to remove myself from them. In other words, I don’t want you to connect with me, but the ideas I’m trying to express. That’s not to say you won’t know it’s me talking. You will, because I’ll have my own voice. But you’ll notice the ideas more than anything else. The ideas themselves will get the attention, rather than the writer who wrote them.

Think about it. When you find yourself turning page after page in a novel you can’t put down, you never think what the writer’s mindset was when he chose one word over another, or framed something a certain way. Well, if you’re a fellow writer, then maybe you do. But most people are connected to the story, the characters and the idea. Not the writer.

And it’s funny. Some people think writing is dead. Almost everybody in the advertising business will tell you that there are more efficient ways to influence the consumer than writing copy. But here’s something else that almost everybody agrees on: It has gotten harder and harder to build a brand, move merchandise, convey a message, and leave a lasting impression. Consider for a moment these five sets of words:

Think Small.
We Try Harder.
The Ultimate Driving Machine.
Just Do It.
I’m loving’ it.

The magic is that I don’t have to tell you the brands behind these words. Words, my friends, will never go out of fashion. But back to Apple. I invite you to stop for a moment and hop over to http://www.apple.com/. Click through to the different pages and sections of the site and you’ll find smart observations, sophisticated wordplays, and jokes worth smiling at.

More than anything, I’m inspired by Apple for always sweating the small stuff. Every product they make, every word they publish, it’s all in an effort to perpetuate their brand and make people fall in love with them. And it only takes a quick glance at their stock to know they’re doing something right.

Facebook: The Things That Connect Us

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 14:21:00 -0400

On Thursday, Faceboook announced that it had reached its billion-user milestone.

To celebrate, and to remind people of what they’re all about, they launched this poetic film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7SjvLceXgU

It was written by a girl by the name of Erin Swanson.

She works at Weiden+Kennedy in Portland, Ore. Facebook’s agency of record (go figure).

I specifically appreciate her writing this idea to life, because I recently worked on a similar script.

It ain’t easy and it goes through lots of rounds of changes.

But in the end—hopefully, at least—you sort of end up with something moving and truthful.

Good going, Erin.

Writing a great headline takes sweat.

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 13:23:00 -0400

Sometime around 1902, our pal Thomas Edison coined the expression “Genius is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration.” To be fair, it’s reported others had said similar things before 1902. Take that, Edison. Is your light bulb still on?

It’s true though. The Comte de Buffon (also known as George-Louis Leclerc) was attributed with saying “Genius is only a greater aptitude for patience.” And Thomas Carlyle is widely reported to have coined the term “Genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains.” In digging around and doing some research, what he actually said was “I know of no genius but the genius of hard work.”

But Tomato / Tomahto, the point is that to come up with something smart, you have to work your ass off. You’ve gotta sweat. Sure, there are those beautiful moments when you nail it the first time, but more often than not, it’s gonna take work. No shortcuts. Just pure, honest-to-goodness, nose-to-the-grindstone work. Sorry.

This axiom is quite literally brought to life in new york sports clubs® longtime running headline-driven, print campaign. Their work has always caught my eye and, more importantly, my attention. They’re timely, smart and funny. I’m rarely letdown.

(Not sure who to credit here. If someone knows, hollar at me. Also, this is just one of tons—literally tons—of print ads in this campaign. Look ‘em up. You’ll be glad you did.)

Their formula seems simple enough: Leverage a cultural tension. This is a big Crispin thing, and an idea Luke Sullivan (the God of advertising) often speaks of.

The headlines in this campaign are hard-working and constantly deliver. No matter the joke, the lines always manage to tie back to working out and signing up for a gym membership. They never feel forced. They’re unfailingly smart.

The art direction is divinely simple, too. An unassuming low-caps sentence, the line perfectly broken. The dashed - - cutout - - lines that form the border are a subtle, but powerful way of making the ad look like a coupon, thereby communicating that the memberships are affordable. This also serves to carve out their own little space in the newspaper, wherever the ad happens to be placed.

Perhaps the art direction is so simple, because the thoughts are so smart.

The truth is I sometimes feel that being a writer myself, I’m partially bias to headline-driven campaigns. But only partially. Because no one can argue with a well-written thought. And when that thought is born right out of a human truth? Bullseye. Bingo. You’re done. Go home.

I could write about this until I’m blue in the fingers, but as usual, the work speaks for itself. Here are some strictly copy-driven ads. They’re some of my all-time faves—the best I’ve ever seen. Some would argue, the best there’s ever been.

Tell you what, I’ll let you be the judge.

(ALTOIDS – Leo Burnett, Chicago.)

(321 EAST – McConnaughy Stein Schmidt Brown, Chicago.)

(SCRABBLE – Ogilvy & Mather, Singapore.)

(The Economist – Abbott Mead Vickers/BBDO.)

(ABC – TBWA/Chiat/Day, Los Angeles.)

(Citi – Fallon, Minneapolis.)

And those don’t even begin to scrape the surface. I have plans for some more in-depth posts about the headline writing process. Stay tuned.

Or don’t. Do whatever you want. It’s a free country, for God’s sake.

But whatever you do, remember to sweat the small stuff.

Don’t you just love it when writers do that? The whole wrap-it-all-together-and-give-you-that-warm-glowy-feeling-in-your-chest thing? I do.

Great Writing

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 17:53:00 -0400

Agency: Earle Palmer Brown Bethesda

I’d love to know who wrote this line. If they were still around, I’d fly to wherever to take them for lunch and pick their brain. Why? Because, this is a simply brilliant way to handle such an assignment.

The client, a local flower company I presume, probably came to the agency and said:

“Well Jim, we’re not like them other floral shops. We got lots of different arrangements. All sorts of options, you see. Small, medium and large bouquets.”

And this is what they handed in.

Hundred bucks says a lesser-talented writer woulda botched this.

“No matter what you’ve done, a bouquet of flowers will fix things.”

“In the dog house? Get her flowers.”

But no. Ultimately, the writer carefully chose and arranged five words and succeeded in communicating a Godzilla-sized idea.

The beauty of a simple idea brought to life powerfully through great writing.

Gets me every time.

Mr. Sucky Ad

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 09:22:00 -0400

Took the Long Island Railroad to the city this morning. This little gem was on the train. The art direction was the first thing that caught my eye. Good work, art director. You did your job. The use of alternating with “Spoleto” and an all caps sans serif is nothing novel, but the type was arranged nicely, the opacity taken down slightly over a calming image. So good job art director. Now you have me.

Then I read it: “The Maine thing is no matter what you want, it’s kind of what Maine gives you that’s unexpected.”

Whoa. Let me read that again. Okay, still doesn’t make much sense. I think what they mean is “Maine gives you the unexpected.” First off, they could have just said that. Sure, the art director would have had less type to work with (sad) but people would have had less to read (good) and actually understood the message (essential).

But this ad didn’t stop at having a terribly-written headline. It went on to say “Have you discovered your Maine Thing yet? Visitmaine.com.” Oh, I get it. They’re doing a whole “discover your Maine thing” idea. Twist on words. Oh-so-clever. Not big enough to be all campaignable. Sorry guys. And then body copy?!!

Did these guys forget that the average Long Island Railroad Commuter brought an iPad, Kindle or Newspaper on with them? And those who didn’t are catching another 20 minutes of shuteye with headphones in their ears. The two-and-a-half seconds they accidentally gave you (perhaps because the art direction was nice) was all you had. And you blew it. Because when someone reads through that God-awful headline and realizes they don’t get it, you think they’re going to invest more time with you?

If you caught eyes with a pretty girl at a party you may walk over. Then let’s say she introduces herself by saying “How doing are you? The name I have is Rachel yes yep.” You’d probably be turned off and think something was wrong with the poor girl. See ya later, Rachel.

Same thing with an ad. We have to be super careful to develop and produce meaningful ads. Because it’s a lot to ask for someone to look at us. I mean, we’re trying to sell something. So if someone does take the time to look, we should give them something worth caring about. Or entertain them a bit.

This particular ad did no such thing. It was an art director’s dream, though. Lots of typography. Four photos. The logo and body copy are locked-up on a nice orangey banner. But wow. Long, boring headline. Word-twisting galore.

Now, right around now a number of you will be saying “Shloimy, it’s easy to say you don’t like it, but could you do any better?” Which is why I spent a few minutes writing the following headlines that would pair with a nice nature photo of Maine:

— Or you can keep riding this train to work everyday.

— Rivers and trees don’t have QR codes.

— Find yourself getting off track.

— Out here, no one comes by to punch your ticket.

I’m not saying any of these are super brill. But I do think they have thoughts or truths nestled in them. They’re definitely better than “The Maine thing is no matter what you want, it’s kind of what Maine gives you that’s unexpected.”

Know what I mean?

Great seeing these popping up everywhere. Seems like they have...

Tue, 01 May 2012 14:36:47 -0400

Great seeing these popping up everywhere. Seems like they have the “everything is media” mentality and that’s what it takes to get people thinking.

Also love the design. You rarely see the “knockout” type effect being used with conceptual relevance. But here, they’re calling out the invisible children, making them visible.

Hooray. Love it.

Why’s this Shloimy guy so gosh-darn passionate about making ads?

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 21:59:19 -0400

Being a writer is part of my intrinsic identity. Someday, I’d like to write a book. But until then, my job as an advertising writer affords me the opportunity to create on a daily basis and making a living at it. Sure, advertising isn’t the highest level of creativity. Heck, it’s far from it.

This business is filled with ongoing disappointments. Like pouring your heart and soul into an idea that gets killed last minute because the client’s wife thinks “it’s a little too cool.” Or changing your idea a billion times to end up with one that only slightly resembles your original thought. But hey, it’s just advertising, right?

Not for me it isn’t. Working within the walls of an agency, I’ve heard lots of people say that. “Hey, listen dude, you came up with an amazing idea… and now it’s dead… but listen, it’s just advertising.” If it’s “just advertising” for you, maybe you should find the door. Far as I see it, my job is to constantly challenge what the advertising can be by making it as human and artful as possible. I like to think that my boss hired me to be a contrarian. To go against the grain and do things differently. Cue Apple’s “Here’s to the crazy ones.” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjgtLSHhTPg)

My understanding is the greatest agencies want people who are passionate and hungry for the opportunity to create great work. And you’ll only get that kind of work from people who are excited and willing to take great risks.

I hope as I continue along in my career, I’ll be able to work with more and more people who don’t have the “it’s just advertising” attitude. Being the ad geek that I am, I’ll use this wonderful spot to further illustrate my point.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb3mWwRM9k4

Creative cred: Agency: BBDO New York, Chief Creative Officer: David Lubars, Executive Creative Director: Eric Silver, Copywriter: Grant Smith, Art Director: Richard Ardito, Art Director: Jerome Marucci

As long as I’m gainfully employed in advertising, I’m going to “keep fighting the good fight” (a mantra coined by my friends Aron and Carlos at DDB for the Art Directors Club’s call for entries) and not let anything slow me down. It seems appropriate to leave you with the great words of Mr. Gerry Graf:

The best work comes from talented clients and agency people who truly want to do something good for the brand. Unfortunately, most people are just trying to hold on to their jobs and making choices based on that. People with talent are not afraid to lose their job because they know they’re talented and they will get another job.

From Gerry’s Fast Company article. Part 1 and 2.

A brave shave.

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 01:18:00 -0500

Community is supposed to be about like-minded people coming together for the greater and individual good. It’s supposed to be about not being alone. But sometimes in communities where people see your beard - or lack thereof - before they see your character, you can be judged for the wrong things, and feel very alone. The fact is, the Lubavitcher Rebbe had a very strong stance on beards, but would never judge someone who didn’t wear one. Under the Rebbe’s leadership, men’s beards mirrored their high religious standards. Whereas today, many people wear beards only to impress upon others where they “supposedly” stand religiously. Unfortunately, the beard has lost its authenticity. Sometimes it’s used as a “mask” or facade to cover people’s realistic and lower standards. But beards don’t define people. Words and actions do.

Truth be told, I never imagined I’d be sitting down, turning off my phone and bringing up a blank Word document to try and express my thoughts and feelings about a man who took a trimmer to his face. But here I am. Just a couple days after Matisyahu posted a picture and a message to the world. As divine providence would have it, I actually bumped into Matisyahu today, in the lobby of the building where I work in SoHo. I had a short moment with him, expressed a few things, gave him a big hug and then left to pick up a sandwich for lunch. But I’ve been feeling a lot and turn to writing to express.

I must say, I did have a visceral reaction to seeing the stark picture of his shaved face. For me, Matisyahu’s beard has always been a strong symbol: a Jewish, hasidic man amidst the music industry, not afraid to outwardly express his beliefs. I can now see that the beard was an exterior symbol for the world, and how his shaved face now serves as an interior symbol for himself. Matisyahu no longer needs facial hair to demonstrate what he stands for.

And I quote directly from Matisyahu’s message on his site:

“I felt that in order to become a good person I needed rules - lots of them - or else I would somehow fall apart. I am reclaiming myself. Trusting my goodness and divine mission.”

I’ve drawn so much inspiration and strength from this man. A man who’s lyrics and music have empowered me to stay true to what I know is right. That in this often chaotic world, where billboards tell us who and what to be, I can still be a powerful young man who can accomplish my dreams and aspirations, no matter what the world says. After all, it’s Matisyahu who taught me that “youth is the engine of the world.” That beneath the surface, I’m “a warrior fighting for my soul.” Or that “even in the desperation, I can feel something that’s embracing.”

Without having much of a personal relationship with the guy, Matisyahu has helped me be a stronger, more confidant, young adult. There’s no debate about that. There have been a handful of times when I’m riding the train and feel down about something, when I think to put some Matisyahu in my ears. Without fail, his music manages to empower me and put me in a better place.

Like all of us, Matisyahu is on a life journey. And just because he’s in the spotlight and his music is on your iPod, it doesn’t make him any less entitled to go about his life and search for his truth. Just the same way you and I do.

Sure, Matisyahu was known for his beard and “peyos” (hasidic sideburns), but is that really what you connected with? Was it his beard or his music that inspired you?

As far as I’m concerned, I salute him for being authentic and brave. For facing the world candidly, expressing and being open about who he is, regardless of what we’ve come to expect. He’s above that. And it’s downright inspiring. His beard’s not on his face, but he’s still a role-model to me, just as he always was. And I can strongly relate to his personal search for authenticity and truth. We all go through this same journey. Just not all of us get on stage in front of thousands. Or have air time on MTV. But he’s still just a regular guy, going through regular life. If anything is irregular about him, it’s that he isn’t anything like the mess of celebrities who go about their lives living to other people’s expectations. Matisyahu is a true leader who stands out from the Katy Perrys and Kanye Wests of the music industry today.

Yes — “a man is just a man, filled with faults and weakness.” But some men bravely wear their truth on their sleeve and stand tall with a solid, authentic backbone.

And Matis is one of them.

Some nice post-marathon work from Asics. Asics has announced its...

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 09:17:00 -0500

Some nice post-marathon work from Asics.

Asics has announced its own search for a lead global creative agency, so I’m not sure who to give cred to. http://www.mediabistro.com/agencyspy/asics-launches-global-review_b25045

We’ll miss you, Steve.

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 12:13:35 -0400

Barack Obama said “There may be no greater tribute to Steve’s success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented.”

Well said, Mr. President.

I went to Apple.com last night and saw the tribute. I also watched as people on Twitter and Facebook put a lowercase “i” in front of their tweets and statuses. But the gravity of Steve’s passing didn’t really sink in until my commute to work this morning.

Like any other ordinary day, many train riders had music in their ears. Some pushed around news with their fingertips. With a few exceptions, everyone on my car held an iPod, iPhone or iPad in their hands.

But unlike any other day, people also held newspapers whose covers had various arrangements of Steve’s picture and the stark years 1955-2011.

With white ear buds in my ears, I sat there letting it all hit me and began to feel very mournful. It feels a little weird to be so sad for losing someone who I never shook hands with. But it’s not so weird. After all, I’ve been using his magical devices for years and I feel very connected.

Probably because Apple’s remarkable inventions are so much more than just retail products. They’re tools for life-enhancement.

People in my office were saying they want to bring some flowers to the Apple store. We all feel so hurt by this tremendous loss. You were truly a creative genius who left a remarkable footprint on the way we live.

We’ll miss you, Steve.

Jumping for ___.

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 10:54:00 -0400

Really? It does? Well are you going to show me what that joy is or just tell me and expect me to believe you? Honestly now, you say “Joy finally has meaning” but it looks more like “Art director finally has something to do in Photoshop.” I can just imagine how this went down.

Art director: Our deadline’s in a day, bro. Think of something!
Copywriter: Ucchhh.
Art director: Hey, look at this. If I put a ‘J’ here and a ‘Y’ here, it spells out JOY.
Copywriter: Sure it does, but what does that mean for Audi?
Art director: I don’t know. Write a line for it.
- Copywriter puts on headphones and stares at the blinking curser in Word.
- Copywriter and art director go for lunch.
Copywriter: Good sushi, no?
Art director: Do you have a line yet for the logo-type-treatment thing I did?
Copywriter: What if it’s “JOY finally has meaning.”
Art director: LOVE IT.
- Copywriter is flattered and overlooks how bad this line actually is.
And just like that, a crappy idea is born. Didn’t anyone object to this before it was produced?
If you want to say joy, show joy. Show, don’t tell.

So instead of telling you how you can show, I’ll show you.

I rest my case.

Advertising Agency: Mccann Erickson, Tel-Aviv, IsraelCreative...

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 09:51:00 -0400

Advertising Agency: Mccann Erickson, Tel-Aviv, Israel
Creative Director: Nir Levi
Art Director: Galia Kedem
Copywriter: Yoav Hebel

Published: September 2011

Look at this delightful little campaign. Such a simple thought, well communicated and executed. There’s no photographer in the credits, so I’m guessing they used stock. Very impressive.

And I love the lockup. Check out the treatment on that tagline. The type stylistically fits the idea, feeling a bit whimsical, childlike and off-balance.

This little campaign gets a big hug from me.

Humbled by NYOJ.

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 21:32:00 -0400

I can still remember the feeling in my stomach when my interning peers, some senior creatives and I sat down with the account people to get briefed on the Tropicana assignment. We knew it would be big. “Station Domination” is just as huge as it sounds. Literally turning Grand Central and Penn Station into an advertising gallery, open to the public. The assignment was simple enough, to remind New Yorkers that Tropicana is their OJ and that there’s a new mini bottle that they can take on the go.

I was nervous as hell. My internal script just kept saying “You don’t get an opportunity like this often, and anything less than knocking it out of the fricken park would be unacceptable.” So from very early on, I knew I’d have to crack this. My art director partner and I were very nervous, but very excited, because we knew that with enough hard work, we’d have it.

Let’s just say that the coffee machine at DDB NY will forever hate us. We abused that poor drink maker. For a week, long after everyone had punched out, my partner and I were at the agency, shoes off, drinking one coffee after the other, hoping that by 4 in the morning, we’d have something. But nothing. It wasn’t fun. It was scary. That voice inside me wouldn’t stop - “You don’t get an opportunity like this…” So we pushed on.

After some creative direction, putting pen to paper, my partner and I jotted down a bunch of event-style ideas that would get the word out about Tropicana on the go single serves in NY. Our boss liked a few of them, but ultimately the client wanted a print campaign to fill the many media buys they’d purchased.

So it was back to the drawing board.

I distinctly remember my morning shower before work, where I started to think about the commute I was about to take. I simply thought “God, New York sucks sometimes. As much as we love this city, no one can argue how hard it is to get around, how annoying it is melting underground waiting for your train to come. Then I thought, “hey, wouldn’t having some Tropicana to drink on the go make NY a little more tolerable?” I chuckled out loud, because the simple thought felt true and funny.

Of course, I took two packed trains to work that morning, but managed to get in early. Around noon, my partner and I met to discuss some new ideas and approaches. I shared with him my thought. He had thought of something very similar and immediately we were in agreement with our combined thoughts. From that point on, we just started writing lines. Both of us, writing one line after the other, each line on its own blank paper. The more we looked at what we had, the more we liked it, because it wasn’t a stretch and seemed like a very simple, realistic, human truth.

We showed our idea to our creative director, Menno Kluin, who immediately liked the idea, and wanted us to develop the thought into two campaigns. One celebrating the best parts of NY and one highlighting the negative aspects. We were brought back into his office where two senior teams sat. They were going to work with my partner and I to push both campaigns to a presentable place, so we would have what to show the client in time.

In Chicago, Matt Eastwood (CCO) presented both campaigns to the client. And within a half a week, we got word that they chose the “negative campaign.” We were very excited/surprised by this, because we all felt it was the more TRUE campaign.

I must make a mention of Menno Kluin here. The dude is talented. I honestly feel that all the ideas I produced for the 3 months I worked under him, started as mere seeds. It was Menno’s insight and direction that turned them into flowers and might I say, forests! As much as you can point fingers for credit, the whole process of developing an idea/campaign is so wonderfully collaborative - it’s hugely humbling.

More humbling is that I was given such an opportunity to jump-start my career. Millions of people are interacting with something I should be so disconnected from, but instead, I am intimately connected to.

Google told me Grand Central Terminal subway station is the busiest stop in the New York City subway system. That 750,000 people pass through it daily. 500,000 people for Penn Station. Craziness.

Thank you to Matt Eastwood, Menno Kluin, my art director partner at the time, Manuel Aleman and the other creatives, account people and planners who made this possible. It’s a dream come true to see such great ads in such a public space and to know that I helped make it happen!

I don't work for my new boss

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 02:32:44 -0400

I mean it, I really don’t. And it’s not because I don’t like working for him. It’s more that he hasn’t hired me yet. Or met me, for that matter. His name is Forrest Healy and even though he’s not on Facebook (if you are, please friend me), he’s on the other sites I spend lots of time on. Ad sites, of course. Then I kicked my shoes off and got comfy on his personal website, where I was treated to lots of reminders of why I love this industry and why I’m striving for greatness. When Bernbach said every word in an ad should be in an effort to sell more product, Forrest took it to heart. And then he took it to paper, where he created fabulous advertising over and over.

So Forrest, even though you don’t know me personally yet, you are my new boss. Whether you like it or not. Your thinking, strategy and writing are dead-on, entertaining and downright brilliant. Thanks for being such a role model. Plus, you live in Seattle and that’s where I grew up and, when my book’s great enough and the timing’s right, where I’d love to move back to.

For those curious (as if anyone actually reads my blog) here’s some of the work my new boss did.

First off, this is him.

And here’s (some of) his brilliant work.

There’s tons more greatness on his site: http://www.forresthealy.com/

VINTAGE

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 14:48:00 -0400

VINTAGE