Category: creative
Where is Alex’s chorus? Or the triangle of ad deprevity.
Imagine a triangle. On one side is pushing tobacco. The other side is glamorizing gambling. And the last side is exploiting children. When I started my career this was the terrain I promised myself I would never work. And I never have. And, frankly, my moral compass hasn't wavered much…
New post on Agency Blog – Thank you for sharing
Part of the creative’s job these days is to develop ways to encourage sharing a new campaign. It’s no longer enough to create brilliant creative that connects with the audience. Now, creative needs to be so powerful that it encourages “engagement” and “sharing.” Read the rest here.
Why your advertising sucks part 6. You’re scared you might offend someone.
Ever met someone who never takes sides. Never makes a clear decision. Always wants the group to decide so he doesn't run the risk of making anyone upset. You probably called this person wishy washy, indecisive or maybe even weak. And never a leader. Now imagine this person is your…
Are “digital” creatives the future for traditional shops?
There's been a lot of discussion lately about what the future's creative department should look like and who it should be headed by. Do traditional shops need to get rid of their old guard and make way for leaders and practitioners steeped in the traditions of the digital shops? Surely…
Why your advertising sucks part 4: You want it to do everything.
Image via Wikipedia Quick, how many copy points can you fit into a 60 second radio spot? The answer should be one. But many ads that really suck the big one are about two or three things – maybe even more. This is real easy to observe in a print…
Hey, account guy, where’s your book?
Image by StreetFly JZ via Flickr Every creative in the business has a portfolio. It's our calling card, our proof of worth, and our stamp of identity all rolled into one. Resume? Why do people even have those when a book says so much more about your ability to work…
Why your advertising sucks part 3: You think people are stupid.
Image by byzantin3 via Flickr David Ogilvy said 40 years ago "the consumer is not a moron, she's your wife." It seems not everyone listened because the industry continues to insult her. Ogilvy's quip may be one of the most quoted phrases in marketing and advertising but marketers often don't…
An ad creative’s view of the Red camera. It’s all about the workflow.
Image by Titanas via Flickr Editors note: I spent a little over a year working on the Red Camera developer's other business, Oakley. I've worked on mostly digital the last couple of years and haven't created an actual TV spot in awhile. The last national TV shoot I was on…
Air-traffic-controller mode. A technique to not produce crap.
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="210" caption="Image via Wikipedia"][/caption] I believe being a great creative doesn't mean being a great creative all the time. Part of the task of getting great work produced and not having it ruined before crossing the finish line involves entering what I call air-traffic-controller mode. It's a…
Casting calls are humbling. And not just for actors.
Image by Hollywood Poodle via Flickr I've just spent the last four days watching casting for a series of videos we're creating for one of our clients. Every time I watch a casting session it's a mix of emotions - embarrassment, awe, passion, gratitude, wonder, and of course, thanks. Usually…
