Tag: Advertising and Marketing

Great athletes talk about going into the zone. A state of mind where everything else goes away except the act. They aren't thinking about what they're doing. They are just doing it without fear and without hesitation. You've probably seen an athlete hesitate and flub the shot. And then the…

I'm a huge fan of process. Having a great idea can't really help you or your clients if you don't have the process that gets you from a great idea to a great execution. Without great execution you end up with a so so. All the great studios, production companies,…

I've worked as a writer/ad creative and producer for over 20 years. Needless to say, I've felt blocked more than a few times. The most important thing about breaking writer's block is not to freak out. It's called writer's block because we all experience it from time to time and…

My grandfather wasn't known for communication skills. He rarely talked to me or anyone besides his golf buddies and my grandmother. He was also a man of conviction. One conviction was that Thanksgiving stuffing must contain copious amounts of sage. My stepmother did not share his conviction that sage was…

Just make something already. Yeah, go make anything. Really, anything at all. Anything that speaks to you. Even better, something that will speak truth to others and should be heard. Something with a perspective that's worth seeing just for its beauty. Ad people are making too much shit these days.…

If you work in a creative field, you're an entrepreneur. Just like a brand, you are known in the marketplace by your product and you must develop a reputation for good work to survive. If the product you put out drops in quality, you'll be looking for another job. Possibly…

Doubt. Do you doubt yourself? Do you ever stare at a blank page and doubt you can fill it with something great? Do you doubt that your work is going to be as good as the next guys? Do you doubt that you're a good creative? Doubt is natural. But…

Last week Kellogg's pulled their advertising from alleged #FakeNews site Breitbart. Someone was offended. It's pretty easy to offend someone these days. In fact, I think I've been offended at least once today by someone's opinion. I've always felt it crazy for brands to stick their noses into political issues…

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, the negative marketing aspect of a US election is different than any other marketing category. The fact that there are only two options for voters to consider makes the race to the bottom attractive. Throw enough mud and folks won't have a choice but…

Advertising pros that have careers that last more than a couple years will find themselves working on more than one brand in a single category. I, for example, have worked on multiple hotel brands including Ritz Carleton and Hilton hotels. Multiple motorcycle brands including Kawasaki and Suzuki (twice). And multiple…