Logitech Goes Back to Bacon

I just saw the new Logitech Revue TV spot with Kevin Bacon and I love it! Of course, I don’t have a freakin’ clue what the product does. But here’s what the creative does:

• They used a celebrity in a fun and interesting way. How often does that happen with celebrity endorsers?

• They used the perfect celebrity. We’re all six degrees from Kevin Bacon.

• They used the perfect mix of charm, message, and creepiness to make me want to watch it again, and pray that more spots will be coming our way soon.

The potential downside, like I mentioned earlier, is that the spots don’t do a great job of explaining the technology. But they put the product on the map and very much in the discussion by playing up the benefit to the average consumer without bogging us down in details. Would anybody email you a techy, descriptive TV spot?

Add it all up and it’s one more formula for going viral (assuming they get a working link up on the internet. I can’t find one right now).

Creativity Starts With Rhythm

Like most people, I don’t do my best creative thinking on cue. The unfortunate fact is that usually my best creative thinking doesn’t even happen at my desk/computer. Here’s where my creativity seems to spark regularly:

Running: I prefer to run outdoors, and I usually don’t listen to music.

Washing Dishes: This includes loading/unloading the dishwasher and washing the non-dishwasher safe stuff too.

Showering: Basically, Murphy’s Law states that my best ideas happen anywhere I can’t feasibly grab a pen and immediately write it down.

Doodling: Technically this is me in concepting mode. But I prefer to continuously put pen to paper rather than twiddling my thumbs while I wait for brilliance to strike.

What do all of these activities have in common? They’re all mundane and repetitive activities that enable me to keep a rhythm. These are the moments when I’m not putting pressure on myself to be creative and I’m not distracting myself either.

As an advertising creative, we need to each recognize our own personal rhythms and use them to our advantage. It’s also important to discover your personal rythym around your workspace, because most deadlines don’t wait for your moment of creative zen.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve gotta hit the shower because I have a big assignment due later today.

Another Smart Quarterback Decision

Tom Brady is now the highest profile endorser of Under Armour. Seems like everybody universally agrees that this is a good thing for Under Armour. Off the field he’s no Peyton Manning, but considering who he is, there should be plenty of creative options for the advertising agency. Brady is a handsome winner with a high Q Score and an adequate amount of acting talent (for an athlete).

But it seems like nobody has voiced an opinion whether or not it’s a good move for Tom Brady to leave the behemoth known as Nike. Well, I’m here to say it’s a great move for him. Here’s why:

MONEY: Yes, of course this was a financial decision. But there’s more to this story.

OWNERSHIP: He was given a small piece of the company, so this is really just another way of saying A LOT of money. But now he’s personally invested. If Under Armour were to ever opens a new flagship store on Michigan Avenue, guess who’d be there at the Grand Opening signing autographs and tossing the ball to an adoring crowd? Everybody wins with this one.

LOST IN THE SHUFFLE: Until this week I didn’t know that one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time was even on Nike’s roster of athlete endorsers. It’s Tiger, LeBron and a bunch of other great athletes. Brady is bigger than all the other athletes, but he’d never eclipse Tiger and LeBron when it comes to moving Nike merchandise. So if you can’t join ‘em, go somewhere else and beat ‘em.

PAST HIS PRIME: Technically, he’s still in his prime, but it seems like Tommy Boy is starting to think about the next phase of his career. Most of our greatest athletes fall off the face of the earth after they retire. And those still ekeing out endorsement money, are slumming it compared to their heyday (I’m looking at you Joe Montana). Tom Brady just started doing Xfinity commercials this season, and I think it’s the first time he’s shown his personality on camera, rather than just being a pretty face associated with the brand. I expect more of the same once we start seeing his Under Armour creative. As Jules from “Pulp Fiction” said, “Personality goes a long way.”

UNDERDOG STATUS: Hard for a handsome, 3-time Super Bowl champion who’s married to a Victoria’s Secret supermodel to claim underdog status. But in my opinion, switching from Nike to the underdog Under Armour brand, helps makes him seem more likable and relatable. It evokes the imagery and reputation that he had when he first burst on the scene.

Add it all up, and Tom Brady is definitely thinking about his future He sees a great life beyond the football field, which may help explain why he begs the referees for Roughing the Passer penalties every time one of his opponents breathes on him.

Top 5 Freelancer Seating Arrangements

I’ve freelanced at all sorts of advertising agencies: big and small, hip and stodgy, spacious and cramped. I’ve found that these are the Top 5 locations where freelance creatives get seated (in no particular order):

Next to the Copy Machine: It’s loud and noisy, so it’s tough to concentrate. There’s plenty of foot traffic, so you’ll meet everybody you’re seated near. And obviously the copy machine breaks down constantly, so you’ll learn to make small talk with the repair guy. But the biggest downside is you could eventually become this guy.

Near the Bathroom: Why not put the “temp” where nobody wants to sit. This is another location where you can meet just about everybody in the office. This spot brings out the Sociologist in me. I keep an eye on who are the most frequent visitors and who spends the most time inside. These people rarely make eye contact with me. When I’m seated here, I make sure to keep handy my old school track coach’s stopwatch.

Out in the Open: When things are going well for an agency, they start running out of space. This usually leads to lengthier freelance assignments, but includes longer stays at undesirable work stations. When you’re out in the open, you’re usually set up with a makeshift desk, second-rate chair, and no cubicle walls. You are basically an exhibit at the zoo, only it’s more like a petting zoo. People can sneak up on you from any direction, and your every movement along with your computer monitor is on display for the world at all times. This location has killed many a freelancer’s fantasy football team.

Corner Office: Everybody in every company wants to sit in a corner office. You’ve got privacy, great views and Feng Shui up the ying yang. So when a bigwig retires or an agency trims some excess fat salaries, the corner office rarely gets filled immediately. It’s so valuable it requires consideration from the Executive Committee. In the meantime, it’s the most logical place to seat a freelancer when they come in. Warning: this seems like a freelancers paradise, but it actually makes it more difficult to ingratiate yourself with the team.

The Edge of Somebody Else’s Desk: Truly the last resort. Nobody wants to share a desk with you. If you find yourself in this situation, I’d recommend bringing your own pens, paperclips and other supplies. And for the love of all things decent, if this is your situation, don’t ever eat a tuna sandwich at your workstation.

Good luck freelancers. Be safe out there.

Really, Microsoft? That's Your Insight?

Microsoft is about to unleash Windows Phone 7 on the world. And they’ve already started teasing us with commercials for the world’s newest Smart Phone. There are two that I’ve seen. If you haven’t seen them, watch them HERE and HERE.

They’re beautifully shot, well executed, simple and cool. I can’t say enough about them. But in my opinion, there’s one glaring problem here. The human insight that makes these spots go, just isn’t true. Kind of makes the creative a moot point.

Here’s the rationale from David Webster, chief strategy officer in Microsoft's central marketing group. I just pulled this quote off the internet without really checking my sources. I’m not a journalist, so cut me some slack here.

“Our point is to say that the right phone design can allow you to get in, get that done and get back out, which is really what I think most people would strive to do if the phone didn't interfere with that by making them do too many steps, go down too many silos, switch paths too many times.”

Well sir, I disagree. Sure, iPhone and other Smart Phone users might be annoyed about the number of steps (by my estimate, it takes three touches just to get to the phone keypad on my iPhone). But we don’t walk around staring at our phones like zombies because they’re slow or technologically cumbersome.

We’re staring at them because we’ve never held so much information in the palm of our hands before. This is new to us. We’d rather be engaged with our new toy than the world around us. In fact, I’m most zoned into my surroundings during the 30 seconds while I’m waiting for my Scrabble app to load.

I’m surprised Microsoft would build their creative campaign around this insight. Haven’t we learned anything from the other technological advances over the years that were supposed to make our lives more efficient? They don’t make life easier, they just bring on more work, longer to-do lists and tighter deadlines.

Now that’s a strategy I would love to see a strong advertising agency tackle. Really.

Should McDonald's Serve Billions and Billions on Twitter?

I stumbled across the verified McDonald’s Twitter account (@McDonalds) and an unverified sight that seems to be the official Burger King Twitter account (@BurgerKing). As of 9/21/10, @McDonalds has about 47,000 followers and @BurgerKing has about 1100 followers.

These numbers are hardly a reflection of the overall Social Media strategy for my two favorite restaurants from 1980 through 1998. But it leads me to believe these two rivals have two different approaches to Twitter.

With a little bit of unscientific research, it seems like McDonald’s reach is much broader and more intensive. They have a PR team that also tweets under the umbrella of the Golden Arches. Each member is semi-focused on customer and franchisee satisfaction, as well as the general interests of their core consumer. Basically, it’s a textbook strategy for a method of communication whose textbook is still being written.

But BK (again without too much of a deep-dive research effort on my part) seems to be taking a bit more of a laissez-faire approach. They’re responsive to the customer, but with only 1100 followers, I can’t imagine they’re aggressively seeking to grow this number. There are also quite a few localized BK accounts; I assume these are their franchisees. It’s an interesting and exciting move for the franchisee committed to PR.

I think both McDonald’s and Burger King recognize that the Twitter community is comparatively a small part of their target, and most of their true fans probably already follow them on Facebook. But does BK have a Whopper of a Twitter problem? And is 47,000 McDonald’s followers a satisfying number for a company that loves to tout the fact that they’ve served “Billions and Billions?”

There are plenty of ways for both to grow Twitter followers exponentially (for starters- hire creative copywriters in order to give the King his own Twitter feed and give The Hamburglar a new lease on life online). It may not be their most pressing need today, but it wouldn't hurt. After all, you never know when Google will start optimizing their search engine by total of Twitter followers. Or some other such business nonsense that continues to keep us all on our toes.

Mentors: The Career-Maker

I’m convinced that you need two types of mentors in your professional life. One is the more seasoned person who rose through the same ranks you’re trying to navigate, and the other is a collection of professionals that might come from a variety of different areas of expertise.

Most people truly only consider the first one their MFL ("Mentor For Life", trademarked by yours truly). Somebody who has been there and done that. A person who is not only sitting where you hope to be sitting one day, but also living their life the way you want to live yours. Do they stay late? Do they take extra long lunches? Did they change their identity after the Korean War and regularly cheat on their wife who was stuck at home with two young children plus an infant? It’s important to consider how your MFL got where he/she is.

But don’t discount all of these other people that can help you. For advertising creatives, this means getting to know your Account Supervisors, planners, media gurus, and even your junior-level colleagues. Everybody brings a learning nugget to the table. They have a professional perspective that you can’t get from your immediate supervisor or MFL. If you want to be successful in your current role while fanning out your good karma to agencies across the country, start by recognizing that everybody knows at least one thing that could be of benefit to you.

With the right combination of people that you respect looking out for you, your career will stay on track. And more importantly, you’ll always have somebody with whom you can eat lunch.

Want to get your foot in the door? Don't put it in your mouth.

Freelance creatives and job seekers are constantly trying to get people to look at their portfolio. My recommendation is to know what you’re dealing with before putting on the hard sell.

Here’s how I approach the various types of people that I want looking at my work:

Junior-Level Creative: Tell a junior copywriter you’d be happy to re-art direct some of their spec work. Tell a junior art director you'd improve some of the headlines in their spec book. You’ll be in their office within 24 hours.

Creative Assistant: The gatekeeper to the creative department. Pre-stalk them on Facebook to learn about their bio and interests, and tailor your message accordingly. Keep the tone of your message casual and personal, and not overly professional.

Executive Creative Director: email is the best introduction here. Doesn’t really matter what you actually say in the body of the message; mention somebody important that you know in the Subject line of the email.

Associate Creative Director: Let them know that you know they’re in a leadership position. Tell them how much you’d love to work for them. Make sure they know that you know their opinion actually matters within the creative department. Really lay it on thick. Conclude your interaction (email, phone or face-to-face) with something like, “I hope to work FOR you someday.”

Copywriter: Be careful if you’re a writer writing to another writer. Ask if they know about other teams at the agency with writer needs. Don’t make the staff copywriter think you’re trying to replace him/her. If you’re an Art Director, this isn’t the right time to send that amazing logo you made. Rather, forward along a couple samples that make the headline the hero of the campaign, but require very little body copy.

Recruiter/Resource Manager: The key here is quantity. Regular messages will keep you front and center. But prepare yourself for a continual one-way conversation with yourself. Your work will (eventually) be seen, but prepare yourself to write a bunch of email openers like this: “Dear Recruiter, I hope your Good Friday was better than good.”

Art Director: Finally, an email that doesn’t require you to re-read what you’ve typed in order to look for spelling and grammatical errors. You have two choices here. One is to just pour out your heart in a stream of conscious and then immediately send it. The other is to just say it very straightforward without any capital letters: “dear art director, i’d like job at you agency. ken i show you mi book!” Remember, don’t use the default font on this email.

Good luck creatives!

Does Facebook Places Have a Place for Copywriters?

Seems like the topic du jour this week is Facebook Places. So I’ll jump on the bandwagon too.

Facebook Places is basically their version of Foursquare. But since they already have 500 million registered users (aka-“friends”), the assumption now is that the world is ready to let others know where they are at all times. And as you check in more frequently, the advertising messages that reach you will be even more targeted.

So what does this mean for advertising creatives (specifically copywriters)?

Well, on the surface, nothing changes. It’s just the same puzzle creatives have already been dealing with on foursquare, only now you can see the mainstream light at the end of the tunnel.

But most importantly for advertising creatives, it seems to me that as messaging gets more targeted, the less “creative” the message needs to be.

Say you check into Old Navy and get a 10% coupon off your purchase. Or check into your favorite all-you-can-eat joint and get a note from Pepto-Bismol about the nearest store where it’s sold. In both examples, the message is served at the moment of need, so cutting through the clutter becomes a lot less daunting for these brands.

The only brand messaging here is “hey look at us, we know our audience.” It hardly matters how they say it. Or maybe it does, who the hell knows! Hopefully there are some savvy creative teams who can crack this nut the same way the Old Spice team dominated Twitter and Youtube a few weeks ago. My fears will start to alleviate when somebody lets the advertising world know that copywriters are still an integral part of getting the message out. I wish I could be more positive, but until that day, this is the type of technological breakthrough that makes agencies and big brands shift salaries away from the creative department.

But then again, there’s always a chance that 499 million Facebook users could reject Facebook Places.

Leaping Over the Digital Divide

Somebody recently asked me how I successfully made the leap from being a copywriter for mostly traditional media to handling Social Media and Digital projects as well.

My first response was that I’m merely a survivor, not yet a success story. Everything is still moving and changing way too quickly to announce to the world that you know everything there is to know.

I have no doubt that most creatives with a solid background in print, broadcast, promotions etc can make the transition. But in my experience, the hardest part of the transition is convincing somebody else you can do it. But here are a few helpful hints for traditional creatives (especially copywriters) to help build a foundation and hopefully make a smooth transition into the future.

• Grow your digital footprint: If this piece of advice never occurred to you, you might be too far behind the curve already. But hey, it’s never too late. Get your profile up (and more importantly, up to date) on the major sites.

• Treat Twitter as a professional tool: Don’t just use it as another venue to tell your friends what you ate for lunch. Follow leaders in advertising, marketing, social media, PR and any other industry that interests you. And if you’re having trouble finding “leaders,” the next best thing is to follow me ;) here.

• Track the digital presence of potential bosses/clients: If you sniff a job opening at Agency Y where you’d be working on Client X, of course you know to go to these company websites. But make sure to find out what else they’re saying online and where they’re saying it.

• Teach yourself how to put together a Facebook Business Page: Do you have any spec print work in your book? Well, now you can do SM spec work without calling in the digital cavalry to help put it together.

• Know the basics of all the latest in digital, social, and mobile: You don’t really “get” foursquare? That’s ok. But you better be able to check-in, and more importantly, understand why so many people enjoy doing so.

• Keep generating ideas: Nobody really knows what will be the next big thing, and we’ve barely scratched the surface on how to engage consumers with the options already out there. But if you keep thinking and jotting down thoughts, agencies will believe you could be just the person to help them successfully make the leap too.

I’m sure I left out a few hints. And I’m even more certain that in six months time there will be even newer info to consider. But for now, this advice should help keep your goals in perspective for what seems like a very daunting task.

Hey Creatives, I'm on my high horse

Have you seen the big plunge Old Spice has taken into the world of Social Media? Here’s a behind the scenes look at what it’s all about.

And here’s an interesting quote from Iain Tait, the Global Interactive Director at Wieden & Kennedy: “If the message that comes out of this is that you can make TV commercials in 30 minutes, then we're all out of a job.”

Of course, that was said a little tongue-in-cheek (but just a little). But I actually think the success of this campaign is some of the best news in a while for traditional creatives and those trying to find their place in a constantly evolving web 2.0 (or is it up to 3.0 now?).

Here’s why:
• This was a collaboration of SM-savvy talent with traditional creative. They both needed each other and leaned heavily on each other’s skills.

• Whether it was designed and put together in a day, a week, or had been in the works for months, this was professionally produced, TV-quality work. Strategically, its not much different than the “Subservient Chicken.” But executionally, it has nothing in common with a webcam.

• This campaign started as a traditional creative campaign. The viral way it exploded owes to the internet, but it had the head start of a high profile TV debut.

• Most importantly for copywriters such as myself, from the original TV spot all the way through the 87th video, the success depended on a specific type of copywriter. One that’s funny, full of ideas, works quickly, and has such a complete understanding of the brand voice that they can speak for the brand through a unique character.

So creatives can only hope that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I’m not looking for Starbucks to say “I’m on a horse.” But I’m looking for agencies that work with great brands, and those that aspire to be great to start seeing the value of the full spectrum of skills required by their brand messengers.

Will Soccer Ever Be the "It" Sport?

“Soccer is the 'now' sport for a variety of timely reasons.”

When do you think a U.S. sports executive uttered these words? Last week? During the 2002 World Cup when the Univision “Goooooooallll” announcer burst on the scene? Try 1977.

With the World Cup starting this weekend, expect to hear a lot more quotes like this one and others that have been said over the past 30 years. But for some reason soccer continues to be the sport of tomorrow here in the States, while never being the sport of today.

Oh sure, it has grown. But rather than in a burst, its making a Bataan-like march towards popularity.

And every time soccer’s popularity gains here, you can’t help but notice how far behind we still lag from the rest of the footie-fanatics all over the world:

• During the past few weeks, ESPN has been promoting this year’s La Copa Mundial by showing us the incredible passion other countries have for this sport? These spots make me feel guilty for presumably thinking about sex at some point over the next five weeks.

• Saturday’s U.S. game is arguably the most anticipated US game ever. But that didn’t stop MLB and the NBA from scheduling games this weekend, or movie studios from releasing ”The A-Team” and “Karate Kid.”

Soccer is now the 5th most popular sport in the U.S., based on attendance, TV contracts, and cultural zeitgeist. I expect it to overtake hockey very soon. Beyond that, the smartest thing U.S. Soccer leaders could do is to continue moving slowly, smartly, and strategically. Tomorrow will eventually arrive for soccer, but regardless of how the U.S. team performs in South Africa, it won’t be today.

Mascot Naming is an Olympian Task

Wenlock and Mandeville. The names don’t exactly roll off the tongue like Mickey Mouse, Papa Smurf or Spongebob Squarepants. But those are the just unveiled names of the mascots for the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics.

Any you know what, even though it doesn’t seem to have the staying power of a Bart Simpson, I like these names.

Just think about the brainstorming and approval process they must’ve gone through. You can’t offend anybody (in about 75 different languages), it should be playful and original, child-friendly, loveable, and it should relate to or have some sort of meaning for the “Olympic Spirit.”

Wenlock is named after Much Wenlock, a town about four miles outside of London that helped inspire the modern Olympics with its own local games. Mandeville is named after Stoke Mandeville, a town about 45 miles from London where the Paralympic movement started. A little bit forced? Sure. But when you consider all the parameters, test-marketing, and other creative paths they could’ve taken, these mascot names earn a Bronze Medal. Maybe even a Silver.

Now we just need to add a little fuzzy fur. And maybe an ear, nose or mouth. And perhaps a second eye. On second thought, why not just make Poochie the Dog the Olympic mascot.

The Hot & Cold Life of a Soup Cafe

I need to start with a major disclaimer: This blog entry is mostly based on my reasonable assumptions, perception, and sometime foggy memory, with very little knowledge of the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about the plight of The Bucktown Soup Café.

After a few excited, but preliminary write-ups in RedEye and TimeOut, the Bucktown Soup Café opened up about a year ago. The initial buzz on the place was about how the owner used to be involved in the fast-paced finance/hedge fund world, and now he was taking his mother’s/grandmother’s/aunt’s soup recipes, adding a few of his own, and opening up The Bucktown Soup Café. I applaud him for pursuing his dream.

Always a fan of small, family business, I went there within the first few months. This was a time when the owner still had aspirations of drawing a mix of hippies and yuppies to a casual, upscale environment where they could enjoy delicious, gourmet soup. About a dozen different varieties were cycled in regularly. The few that I’ve either sampled or ordered were delicious, and assume it’s easy to come by positive reviews for all varieties.

But it was very over-priced for what amounted to a soup-based lunch or a starter bowl to take home to round out your own home-cooked meal. This was a place that truly believed its marquee soups and a little world-of-mouth would be all it needed to get people to treat it like a destination restaurant. At least I assume so, because as great of a location that is Bucktown, this café’s specific location seems slightly less than ideal to survive solely on neighborhood and shopping foot traffic.

But these prices for very good but not “to-die-for” quality, I’ve felt very little urgency to go back. And imagine most foodies feel the same way.

Over the course of the past year-plus, I’ve walked by the place pretty regularly in 0 degrees, 90 degrees, night, day, you name it (aah, the joy of city-dog ownership). And I’ve seen The Bucktown Soup Cafe crowded. What I’ve seen is a place that is slowly evolving into the type of hodgepodge place that doesn’t really stand for anything. First they added some Good Humor ice cream to draw crowds in the summer, and followed it up with a big sidewalk sign promoting it. Then they started tacking up signs on the window announcing that they’ve added sandwiches. Anybody looking at the name of this place would have to assume the sandwiches are pedestrian and unmemorable. Now I see hand-written signs out front that say things like “$2 Tuesdays.”

These seem like signs of slow desperation. Opening up a restaurant, especially in this economy, is tough. But the whole vibe of the place to those of us passing by seems all over the board. As if its trying to be a little bit of everything for everybody. But in reality, its unsure of what exactly it should be. It seems like the owner doesn’t have the restaurant/small business/casual dining experience, so he’s trying to throw anything that’ll stick and help keep his business afloat.

I guess its not enough to do one thing really, really well (in this case, making soup). You need the right mix of marketing savvy, restaurant savvy and confidence to stick with your vision. But what do I know, I’m not the guy that poured my savings into the place.

The King and The Colonel Seeing Eye to Eye...Sort Of

A quick tip of the cap to The Colonel and The King. KFC and Burger King have both taken different paths of innovation, but I believe each will end up with their own success stories.

By now everybody knows that KFC went back to its roots to create the Double Down, which is chock full ‘o so many unapologetically fried calories they had no choice but to exclusively use burly men in their TV commercials. It may not be the best thing for society, but KFC believes its responsibility isn’t to society, but rather it’s to people who like to use meat as their bread. I even love that the name implies that you’re gambling with your health by eating one. They’re throwing caution to the wind, and I salute KFC for staying true to its brand.

On the other hand, you’ve got Burger King. They just announced they’re going outside their wheelhouse in order to start serving brunch. Traditional brunch is best summed up by an old quote from The Simpsons. Its not quite breakfast, and its not quite lunch, but it comes with a slice of cantaloupe at the end. And now, BK is putting its own twist on brunch. Only time will tell if it works, but we’ll no doubt soon be seeing The King extolling the virtues of their tweener meal offerings. And I have to applaud BK for finding fresh ways to peddle their grub during off-hours. But will it come with a slice of cantaloupe?

So there you have it. The Colonel and The King are taking two different approaches for building growth and buzz. One is doubling down on its reputation, and one is going after an untapped weekend institution. Will any of their hearty faithful live to see the day these approaches are deemed success or failure?

First Day Jitters

Did I pack everything I need? Who will sit with me at lunch? What if I can’t find the bathroom?

The first day of a new job is very similar to the first day of school. For a freelancer like myself, the first day of school comes a few times every year (hopefully). But it doesn’t make it any less nerve-wracking, perspiring and exhilarating. We don’t truly know what to expect in terms of team dynamics, project expectations and dozens of other less important pieces of minutiae that can stress out all but the most savvy, veteran advertising creative.

I figure this is a good thing. It means I still care. It means I know there are still things I need to learn. And there are still goals I want to achieve. Guess that’s why I do what I do.

Creative Ways for Creatives to Persevere

I just read that Tina Fey pitched this amazing commercial spoof many times over a number of years before it finally was produced.

In her case, she believes it gathered dust because men dominated Saturday Night Live’s writer’s room. And the reason it saw the light of day was because more and more women who got the joke slowly found they’re way into the sketch pitch meetings.

Reflecting on this story, it’s easy to think the lesson here is that creatives should never give up. But advertising creative is different. This type of perseverance doesn’t often pay off. The expiration date on great ideas can change at any moment. Maybe the strategy changes, maybe you switch accounts, maybe a different agency executes a similar concept. But certainly, your creative director, account director and client don’t want to hear the same idea twice.

So what’s an advertising creative supposed to do when their best ideas don’t make it beyond the internal pitch meeting? How can we persevere?

Some go the spec route, which I only recommend for your absolute best ideas that have to be unleashed on the rest of the world. For the rest of your good ideas, my philosophy is to move on, but never forget.

I have a folder for all of my favorite broadcast scripts and headlines. When I hit a creative roadblock while concepting, I’ll dig out those old scripts for inspiration. Maybe I just need the ego-stroking reminder that I’m funny, insightful, and quick-witted (and gosh darn it, people like me). Or maybe the creative formula that just fell short for one product is a perfect fit for a different one.

So my dream of producing a radio spot involving a pool boy and a stay at home mom will never happen. But who knows, one day it might just inspire me to develop a completely different idea for one of your clients.

How to Make it...Authentic

Here’s a link to the opening of the relatively new HBO show, “How to Make it in America.” Check it out, and then read the rest of this post...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvfIGPiZL-g

I’m not a New Yorker, and I’ll argue to my dying breath that Chicago is a better city, but these opening credits just makes me want to jump off the couch and live in New York. It gives you that feeling of energy that the opening credits of every show from “Sex and the City” to “King of Queens” and everything in between can’t capture. These opening credits make me want to hustle in a non-sports kind of way. These opening credits have given me no choice but to watch every episode of a good, but not great, TV show.

Are they showing me the authentic New York experience? I don’t know, but based on the fact that when I watch the opening credits my heart races the same way it does when I walk through New York, it sure feels like the real deal.

As a person who makes a living trying to convince people to buy and try, there’s definitely something in here from which we can learn. The lesson is that most consumers/viewers just innately know when the energy and story is authentic and when they’re getting a version made to be a little too pretty and perfect.

Lesson learned. Roll credits.

Quaking in their e-Boots

Has there been enough said about the iPad? Um, yeah. Has it been mentioned that the iPad could have a drastic effect on sales of The Kindle? I’d say yes to that too. But why has there been so little chatter about how Amazon (makers of The Kindle) is advertising it? Let’s take a look at the creative for The Kindle, and see if we can answer this question.

Without digging too deep, I’ve seen their new TV spots, website, and one print ad.

The print ad version I saw is on the back cover of last week’s Newsweek. Ironically, the front cover article is titled, “What’s so great about the iPad? Everything.” Between the glowing review for the iPad and all the free media publicity, no wonder the Kindle people are quaking in their e-boots.

The visual in the ad is more or less an actual-size hand holding what I assume is a more or less actual-size Kindle with all of the links of “Madelyn’s Kindle” on its screen. I think they used this image when they introduced the product, and I still think it works. But this word-driven product distracts me with lots and lots of words in the ad. The headline is “Amazon’s #1 Bestselling Product.” Seriously? If this is where the strategy of the brief sends the writer, there are probably plenty of “bestseller” lines with a little more wit and panache. And I wonder what Amazon’s #2 selling item is…a snuggie, a Twilight poster or Bridget Jones Part III?

The ad also has a series of call-outs, such as “Long battery life. Read for up to 2 weeks without recharging.” These call-outs point out what makes the Kindle great and perhaps even life changing. But c’mon, the iPad has now pitted you in competition with the geekiest (in a good way) company out there. You need to raise the coolness factor of your product in a simple and visually clean way.

And Amazon’s #1 bestselling product knows this. Which is why they made a few new TV spots. And these I really like. Each spot uses stop-motion to tell a visual story about a person finding themselves in many different worlds simultaneously. There’s light, fun music playing and the tag at the end says, “Books in 60 seconds.” This is the differentiating message that the Kindle needs and says it all in 4 words. Plus, it has more tech appeal than the print ad, which seems to be speaking to an older crowd that’s a bit more fearful of tech or change.

Now, as a consumer I’m intrigued. So I go the website to learn more, or perhaps even order one. And here’s where it all falls apart again for Kindle. The official website is the product page on amazon.com. So let me get this straight…this product that’s going to change my life is being branded and sold on a page that looks exactly the same as the page where I bought a new vacuum cleaner? I trust the website’s ability to ship me the product, but I’m left with 13,000 customer reviews, an intro video, some product specs, and no consistent messaging.

Overall, the print ad and website are incredibly unsexy, but the TV spots are showing a little cleavage. Will this cause confusion for the average consumer? Probably not. But when you’re competing with a similar product where reading is just one of many options, you need to do a better job of putting your stake in the ground as the e-book leader.

Perhaps the reason there hasn’t been munch chatter about Kindle’s advertising, is that they’re not exactly sure themselves of what they should say or how they should say it.

Meet George Jetson: The Future of Technology

I caught a few minutes of an episode of The Jetsons recently, and I started wondering whether or not we’re on path to exceed the show creator’s technology imagination from the mid-1960s.

Let’s take a closer look…

Flying Cars: The ultimate promise of the future. We’re not even close, and frankly I don’t expect it to ever happen as long as there are teamsters available to fill potholes on the streets. However, the car that folds up will definitely happen one day, but probably not into the size of a briefcase.

Robot Maids: Have you seen the Roomba? We’re already on our way. I just don’t think the robot maids in our future will be as sassy as Rosie.

Paper Money: In the opening credits of The Jetsons, Jane “his wife” notoriously grabs George’s wallet instead of the small handful of bills he was pulling out for her before dropping her off at the mall. This moment is way, way off. If they ever re-make this show, this moment is guaranteed to change. In 2010, the only women that take handouts from their husbands are on “The Real Housewives.” And speaking of handouts, today’s trophy wives have a credit card to spend even more recklessly than Jane Jetson ever could’ve imagined. Big thumbs down for Hanna and Barbera for this one.

Video Phones: I’ll give them half-credit here. They correctly predicted that the home phone would evolve. But it just doesn’t seem like the video phone is going to happen. Obviously, personal communication today is all about the computer and the smart phone. But video conferences are happening, and the set-up looks pretty similar to George Jetson’s video phone.

What does all of this mean? I guess it’s easier to predict grand sweeping visions that may never come true, rather than smaller, incremental changes that may end up taking us down unimagineable paths. Or maybe it all means absolutely nothing.

The Elephant in the Room is Named Tiger

I was at the airport this weekend and saw the Accenture ad that I’ve posted here. If you’re reading a no-image format, it’s an elephant on a surfboard with the headline “Who says you can’t be big and nimble?”

Now, Accenture’s consulting capabilities might be nimble, but what about their advertising? They were in a tricky spot this winter, because of the many years they’ve had Tiger Woods front and center in all of their advertising. Once we all learned about Tiger’s shenanigans, Accenture had no choice but to come up with a new campaign sans Tiger.

But I have a few questions. Did they intentionally stick with the animal theme because they had used a “tiger” for so long? Are they telling the audience that Accenture is nimble for reacting so swiftly over this Tiger situation, or is this specifically a discussion about what they can do for Joe the Business Traveler’s company? Is “nimble” really just a code-worded way of saying “we don’t think in interesting –let alone groundbreaking- ways, which is why you’re looking at an elephant on a surfboard?”

I imagine Accenture got plenty of positive feedback on the old Tiger Woods campaign. I don’t think an elephant hanging ten will get the same result?

Oh well, I guess this would’ve been a lot worse if they had used this “big and nimble” headline with a Tiger Woods visual.

Branding Requires More Than a Logo

Earlier today, I was watching an NCAA tournament game being played in Providence, RI (at the Dunkin Donuts Center, or as I was calling it, “The Munchkin”). Then the network switched me to a game being played in San Jose, CA. All the teams were playing at neutral sites, but instead of using the home team’s regular floor, they’re using the same floor in both arenas. In other words, the games in Milwaukee didn’t use the Milwaukee Bucks NBA floor or even Marquette’s home floor. Somebody is paying for a 3rd floor for this arena.

What we’re seeing on TV is basically identical. Same giant NCAA logo at mid-court, same font for the arena name painted under each basket, and same NCAA-sponsored messages on the scorer’s table sitting prominently between both team benches. I’ve even heard that the press row folks can only drink their, soda, coffee or whatever, out of specific NCAA-approved cups.

I wonder how this uniformity benefits the NCAA. College basketball is supposed to be fun and a bit more celebratory than the NBA. But this logo overkill just reminds me that the NCAA is the same organization that treats all of its athletes the same, from the All-American Heisman-Trophy-winning quarterback down to the 3rd string goalie on the field hockey team. Why should they treat their basketball courts during the highest profile games of the year any differently?

Perhaps the NCAA brand would’ve benefited more throughout the tourney if it were seen less and its’ supposed ideals were demonstrated more.

The Ultimate Direct Mail Response Rate: The Census

I just got my census form in the mail. Right on the front of the envelope (or "OE" if you want to use the lingo)in big, bold, capital letters it says, "YOUR RESPONSE IS REQUIRED BY LAW." What a great way to improve your direct mail response rates; threaten your audience with the long arm of the law.

With motivation like that, you'd think they'd have somewhere between 98%-100% success rate. But apparently the 2000 Census only had a 67% response rate. Better than just about any other direct mail piece out there. But still, as an advertiser it kind of makes you feel better, when you consider the typical incentive is more akin to bonus airline miles rather than a stint in the slammer.

Sports Gambling, Evolution and Type Size

Thirty years ago, the two most popular gambling sports were pro boxing and horse racing. The phrase “March Madness” had never been uttered, let alone trademarked. But today, the NCAA basketball tournament is now the greatest event for serious and amateur gamblers, while boxing and horse racing barely register.

There are many factors why this happened, but one reason you hardly ever hear is that the 64 team bracket is a perfectly designed work of art. It’s true and it’s a bigger deal than most university presidents will admit. Four perfect quadrants all with type just large enough to read “University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff.” The 65th team play-in game is treated as an afterthought by designers and fans alike because it ruins the symmetry of the event.

Now, maybe you’ve heard that the NCAA powers-that-be are seriously considering expanding the tourney from 64 teams all the way to 96. They figure that if people love three weekends of action, they’ll love four that much more. Everybody wins when every team has a chance to win it all.

But while they might make money in the short-term by doing this, in the long-term this will turn off fans. Maybe not the fans of the 96 schools that make the tourney, but the people who plunk down $10 in their office pool and suddenly turn into basketball-crazed junkies for three weeks. This is basically the entirety of our dwindling workforce.

Think about it. These people show up to work Monday morning and some office drone has taken the initiative(!!!) to organize and gain support for everybody to enter a small amount of money for a chance to win a larger amount of money. All they have to do is fill in an 8.5x11 piece of paper. It's brilliant and simple. A 96-team bracket will be odd-shaped and uncomfortable with teams earning byes.

Horse racing and boxing lost their luster because they couldn’t adapt to the evolving needs of occasional gamblers. College basketball, you hit the nail on the head a few decades ago. Please don’t outsmart yourself and evolve into a niche sport too.

Reality Bites for Social Media

I don’t know the exact number or percentage, but let’s just assume a lot of 30-40 year olds use some form of social media. Most of them are at least using Facebook, This isn’t exactly news (unless you’ve jumped into your Hot Tub Time Machine and set it for 2007).

So why was Corey Haim’s death yesterday not really that big of a deal? Some factors might be that based on his past history, it wasn’t exactly shocking. Or maybe his story is truly a tragic tale, and the internet is a bit more lighthearted. Or maybe a has-been is still a has-been, even in death.

I’d like to throw my theory into the ring…30+ year olds “use” social media, but don’t “utilize” it. What I mean is that good old Generation X (of which I’m a card carrying member) isn’t taking advantage of all that Twitter and its real-time venues have to offer.

Everybody 30-40 knows the Corey Haim movies, and his decades long struggle with drugs. But based on what I noticed from my social network and Twitter’s trending topics, most people just said “RIP Corey” and moved on with their day. From the new stay-at-home moms to the hipsters, there was hardly any ongoing discussion.

For my tiny sliver of the online community, this should’ve been almost Michael Jackson-esque, but it was closer to Tito Jackson-esque. I don’t think it was the story, I think its that the story was targeted to a group that spends a lot of time online but not in a way that’s drastically different than how we used it 5 years ago. Too many of us get our online information from the same websites we ‘ve always used. This is just another way that demonstrates we’re slowly becoming ingrained in our patterns, just like our parents.

If your brand is speaking to this 30-40 year old market, you can definitely reach them online. But be sure to ask yourself whether or not you truly believe they’ll reach back.

Communication Can Save the CTA

Let me say it right at the top, I love the CTA. I have the CTA-coin cuff links to prove it. But I just got back from a jaunt across the pond to swingin' London, and I can no longer be a CTA apologist. Not after getting the full experience of London Underground, aka-The Tube.

This isn't meant to be a rant about Chicago needing a mythical "Circle Line" or anything that would generally be considered unrealistic. But dealing with the realities of economy, infrastructure and geography there is still a way for the CTA to score higher grades; employ the lost art of communication. On top of all the other pluses The Tube brings to the table, it was the flow of information 100 feet underground that made me see the light.

During my 5 days in London, I took the Tube. I took it a lot. I rode at least a small stretch of almost every line. I transfered trains so frequently I should've been carrying all my belongings wrapped in a hankerchief that was tied to a stick. I rode it not because I wanted to see as many sights as possible. I rode it because it enabled me to see more sights than imaginable.

The most indelible moment happened during a mid-week afternoon rush hour when I was trying to get from near the London Tower to the British Museum. I get down to my track and its crowded like any Chicago loop station at rush hour. Which makes it by far the most crowded train stop I saw during my stay in London. Very soon I hear a voice over the loudspeaker. I live voice (with a very proper British accent). And I can actually understand the words through the loudspeaker, it's not muffled one bit. It was very specifically explained that the train was delayed because of a "commuter incident" a few stops prior. The voice then proceeds to suggest some alternate routes. I take a bit of a roundabout way to the museum, but by my estimates only lose about 10 minutes. Voila! A potential major headache becomes a mild inconvenience. And to top it off, when I get on the alternate train, the conductor apologizes for the overcrowded conditions.

Another telling moment happened on Saturday morning. Apparently the Underground line we wanted was closed that day for some repair work. We didn't know this until we approached the down escalator and see the "Closed" sign. Like any savvy tourist, we start heading for the map on the station wall. Before we can get there, a station agent approaches us and immediately gives us our best travel option. As a Chicago resident, I'm confused why he's not sitting in a caged booth oblivious to what's happening in the station.

Look, it's okay that Chicago's trains and buses don't run as efficiently, but please just keep us informed. This isn't about having a friendly face, it's about everybody in Chicago knowing that their best option from point A to point B is with the CTA, warts and all. Sure, locals and tourists have different needs, but a very small investment (compared to, oh I don't know, building an entirely new express line from block 37 to O'Hare) can bring some huge benefits in terms of new riders and more frequency out of people like me.