THE RIP FILE

Pollution Is Bad.

2010-06-08T13:15:00.000-07:00

I was visiting my very Republican parents this weekend. Now I love them dearly, but sometimes their Glen Beck comes out and I have to squash it before it explodes and covers us all in stupid. The topic of global warming came up and how it's an obvious left wing conspiracy to create bigger government and enslave the middle class under draconian taxes. The next hour and a half was spent talking in circles—it was really frustrating.

So today I found this little video by none other than Alex Bogusky from Crispin Porter+Bogusky. I'll admit I have a bit of a creative department man crush on the guy but who doesn't? Alex, in true CP+B fashion, cuts through the crap filters and hits a universal truth both sides of the global warming debate can agree on—pollution is bad. The video is definitely worth checking out.

Dyson Knows how to Multiply Fun.

2010-05-28T13:02:00.000-07:00

Ok, maybe it's because I just un-boxed my new Dyson DC24 ball vacuum last night (it's like owning a piece of functional industrial art), but I love Dyson products. They are so cool. Here's how far my Dyson-phila goes. A local megaplex theater has Dyson Airblades in some of their bathrooms. When I'm there, I make it a point to go to those bathrooms, doesn't matter if they are on the opposite end of the theater, the Airblade bathrooms are my jam. )How can you pass up a super high-speed jet of air to dry your hands?)

I came across this little video nugget and it put a large cyclone technology inspired smile on my face. I really want an Air Multiplier, I just don't have $500 to spend on a fan with no blades. This video is pretty awesome though. It's exactly what I would do if I owned hundreds of Air Multipliers (someday).

I Dare You not to Feel

2010-05-24T12:37:00.001-07:00

Saw this spot from Pedigree this weekend and I must say I'm impressed. It's really well shot (especially the opening shot of the first dog), well written, well scored, and well made. I like everything about this spot. My favorite line from the piece, "If they were human, we'd call them wise." That's a powerful statement and holds a big emotional impact.

Spots about abandoned or abused pets are usually armed with a heavy guilt message. Pedigree does an excellent job of avoiding the guilt and letting the animals speak for themselves. I was certainly impacted by the look in these dog's eyes. I'm impressed Pedigree.

AT&T Spot that's Actually Good.

2010-05-20T14:58:00.001-07:00

These have been around for awhile, but I'm still loving them. Really fun idea, a nightly news anchor who only reads "late breaking" news from people's facebook and Twitter accounts. Awesome. You can tell they had fun with these. The actor is really good, too. Notice his hand motions when he points to the device or presses in his ear piece—a real student of news anchor mannerisms.

This is a good example of a big, simple idea. There are a ton of these and they could produce a ton more. It's too bad that such a good idea is being used on a "why should I care" product. AT&T needs to drop the "Rethink" crap and go with something simple and awesome like these spots.

This one makes me laugh every time.

"The search is on for cute boots." Oh, man that is funny stuff.

This one could have been tightened up a bit. Still good though.

I Can't Feel My Legs.

2010-05-17T16:18:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's the fatalistic whine of the violins. Or the roar of the timpani. Or the blank determination of this toy soldier with no legs. But this spot just tugs at the heart strings.

Well done spot for the Cartoon Network. I especially appreciate the posture the dying toy soldier takes after fulfilling his last act in plastic life (hitting the power button to turn on Cartoon Network). Paradoxically, that's where the ad kinda falls apart for me. If Cartoon Network has been "saving toys since 1993," why does this toy die in front of the television? Just an observation. Still love it.

It's all About Your Swagger.

2010-05-13T22:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, by now I'm sure you've seen the Swagger Wagon rap video. It's already reached 1.3 million views. It's hilarious. You have to love the slow mow jello mold booty dance. We all know mini vans are the uncool reality that many of us will face one day. So it's nice to see brands acknowledging that "Okay, mini vans may not be very cool, but we can still have fun."

People either think this video is hilarious (like me) or the stupidest thing they've seen since Ke$sha's tic toc. So hats off to you Sienna family, your hipster ways have inspired me to face my mini van future with pride.

Headline Writing Thought Process

2010-05-06T15:57:00.000-07:00

Okay, gotta slam out something cool, not witty, but zingy. Not too zingy though.

What about...no that's not right.

Oh, Oh this could wor...nope that's an American Express line.

Hmm...wonder what's happening on Facebook? No, stay focused.

Product benefits, grab some benefits and features that'll help.

I wonder what "optimized functionality" means?

(Fifteen minutes pass)

BAM! Now that's a headline.

(The next day the headline dies.)

YEESSSSS!!!! (Arm pump for emphasis)

2010-04-07T13:20:00.000-07:00

The Denver Egotist is one of my favorite Web destinations. The site is full of hot chunks of bodaciousness. Well the Egotist just went and did me a solid and expanded its network to include Salt Lake City.

I can't tell you how many times I've said, "Man, I wish we had something like the Denver Egotist here in Salt Lake." Apparently, the Egotist heard me and was all like, "Yo, Josh—here's a bit of radicalness for you to have. Peace broseph."

So by the end of April, the SLC Egotist will go live. The Egotist cometh. And there was much rejoicing.

Little Cars + Big Action = Totally Awesome

2010-04-07T13:08:00.000-07:00

Car commercial cliches are legion. Driving on a deserted freeway, drifting through strategically placed puddles, playing cat and mouse with a chase car. Too many to enumerate in his humble blog. Well the fine folks at TBWA Toronto decided to have some fun with car commercial cliches—just on a smaller scale.

They used RC cars to shoot this spot for Nissan. It's radical. I watched it back to back four times and found something fun and interesting every time. This spot hits all the right notes—it's fun, interesting, and conveys the brand message in a super creative way. This spot tells you that the Nissan Sentra SE-R is small, affordable, and most importantly—fun. Hats off to TBWA Toronto for pushing car cliches into a more palatable form.

Here's the making of:

Stop Motion Awesomeness

2010-03-30T11:12:00.000-07:00

So wow. That's all I have to say about this nugget of awesome. Stop motion photography has fascinated me since I was a kid. Can't really explain why, but it has. And skateboarding has been a monumental influence on my life for over 15 years now. So when those two worlds meet, it's like being shot in the brain with a pure bolt from the happiness laser.

This guy took a collection of old skateboard magazines (I have a stack waist high myself) and cut out sequence shots—then animated them using stop motion. Brilliant. Freaking brilliant.

Skateboardanimation from Tilles Singer on Vimeo.

Invest in Story

2010-03-29T12:35:00.000-07:00

Video games are an emerging story telling vehicle. And let's not kid ourselves, they provide a good platform to tell a compelling story. But video games have to live a duplicitous life. They're first and foremost games and need to be enjoyable as such. Now, they have the added pressure of presenting an original and interesting story. It's not enough to just save the princess and jump on some mushrooms along the way anymore.

To illustrate my point, here's a promo for Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, an upcoming game from Ubisoft. It's awesome by the way. I've never played the previous game and had no plans to. After watching this, my curiosity is engaged. The story is front and center—there's zero game play footage. That seems like a big risk for a video game to take. It looks like games are trying to grow up a bit and not just by upping the mature nature of their content.

Game developers are redefining their industry. They're not just interested in pixels and user interfaces—it seems they are more interested in user involvement and engagement. And what better way to get humans invested in your product then to get them invested in your story?

The Return of Wow

2010-03-26T10:17:00.000-07:00

I've noticed a trend lately. The return of wow. And it's not a bad thing. I really enjoy both of these spots. The George Takei spot for Sharp is just plain hilarious. George Takei's voice is amazing by the way—why hasn't he been doing Jeff Bridges amounts of voice over work? The first time I saw this I laughed until my stomach hurt.

Now the second one is controversial. Lots of people are hating on the Staples wow guy. The argument is that he's too over the top. Well, duh. That's the punchline. Staples has prices so low it will blow your mind. Thus, the 10,000 volt head jerking "Wow! That's a low price!" I think it's awesome. And I'm not just saying that because my sister agency in New York created it. So enjoy the current zeitgeist of wow.

Everyday Gold

2010-03-17T09:05:00.000-07:00

It must be my lucky day. First, I decided to wear a green shirt to work today only to discover it's St. Patrick's day. Then I begin my morning routine and check out Ads of the World and come across this beauty of an idea.

(I couldn't get the video from Ads of the World to embed, but this one is from JWT, Atlanta. You get the basic idea. Hit the link at the top for the Ads of the World page. That video is much better.)

JWT, South Africa launched the effort last summer and had a lot of success with it, as evidenced by the video. The thinking behind this effort is what really gets me boiling. I've seen piles of old stock photo books just gathering dust in my office for years, never giving them much attention. "That's just a pile of old useless books" I'd say. Someone came across those same stacks of unused paper and saw opportunity. That is finding a pile of lead and turning it to gold. That is inspirational.

An Inspirational Series

2010-03-16T12:12:00.000-07:00

Okay, Okay—I've been away for a long time. Life is like that some times. You're just going along all smooth and steady and then a rogue wave pins your rudder starboard and you just spin in circles for awhile. I've been feeling guilty about not posting so I decided to share one of my favorite campaigns from Unicef.

These popped up on Ads of the World a long time ago and I was moved by the message. This is clear, concise messaging at its best. Click on the images to see a bigger picture and read them. The copy will break your heart.

I think it's important to remember that ads can do more than just make us laugh. I'm loving W+K's Oldspice work right now, super stuff—really. But sometimes ads can land a sucker punch to your heart and these do that extremely well. Hope they inspire you like they did me.

In the Simplest of Terms

2010-02-09T09:49:00.000-08:00

Lots of people are talking about the Google Super Bowl ad. And what's one more sounding brass in the orchestra? Here's my take on this ad. I loved it. I thought it was genius and simple and effective and all around awesome. Google is a monument to simplicity. And this commercial holds a mirror to the Google philosophy of less is more.

The story telling is what makes my hair stand on end. Google gives the audience a simple love story told through a Google search box. A soft piano back track builds as the story progresses, but never overwhelms the emotional impact of the words being typed. The audience is given just enough information and allowed to fill in the blanks with their imagination. Thus projecting their own emotions and experiences into this story. A beautiful thing. (Side note: When he begins to spell the Louver as the Loove. That made me smile).

This ad cut through the clutter like a scalpel. I was still thinking about it when the Saints intercepted Manning in the fourth quarter. I thought about it again when my wife was making fun of me for having hot wing sauce all over my face. And two days later I'm still thinking about this ad. That's the power of a story. That's why I don't tell people I write advertisements—I tell stories that happen to have a product as the protagonist.

The Big Dream

2010-02-03T12:01:00.000-08:00

Ext. Miniature Forest—Day
Action Force Rolling Thunder Attack Tank Alpha toy bursts through a miniature treeline being pushed by a boy and his friend. It comes skidding to a stop as the boy slides the turret over 90 degrees preparing to fire.

Super (VO)
Prepare for the fight of your life with Action Force Rolling Thunder Attack Tank Alpha.

Boy 1
Rolling Thunder Attack Tank Alpha ready to fire.

Boy 2
Roger that. You are cleared hot.

Ext. Miniature Forest—Day
The tank fires it's projectile and smashes through an enemy enclosure. The boys celebrate with high fives and fist pumps.

Boy 1
Direct hit!

Boy 2
Alright!

Super (VO)
Action Force Rolling Thunder Attack Tank Alpha comes with real combat sounds and firing cannon. Feel the land tremble with heavy-duty real rubber tank treads. With the Action Force Rolling Thunder Attack Tank Alpha, fun keeps on roll'n.

Remember that scene in the movie "Big" where Tom Hanks is playing in his office with a bunch of toys? As a kid, I dreamed that my job would be cool like that. And it is, for the most part. But how cool would it be to write toy commercials?

I'm sure those involved in producing toy commercials are still caught up in the minutia of the details. Casting, managing the talent, finding a location, setting up, taking down. But you can't tell me that crews don't have fun making these things. Here are a few fun commercials for your viewing pleasure.

(These actors are better than the cast of G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra. By far.)

Dino Power!

2010-02-02T14:13:00.000-08:00

You can't get much more bad ass than riding a dinosaur mounted with lazers! I used to play with Dino-Riders all the time. My friend had the entire set and we would rain destruction upon our faux-Jurassic landscapes. Such an awesome rediscovery.

Doing commercials for toys in the late 80s would have been off the chain cool (more to come on this). Feast your eyes upon these celluloid jewels.

Lamezilla

2010-02-02T09:49:00.000-08:00

I look forward to the Winter X-Games. And this year was definitely worth watching. But some times the sponsors of the games can be a little off key. Take this Jeep commercial. Jeep and snowboarding seems like a logical combination. More so than Taco Bell and its sure to give you diarrhea five dollar box. But this Jeep commercial is anything but logical.

First off, who drives their Jeep to the top of a snow covered 14,000 foot mountain with the top off and the windows down? And when this mystery Eskimo Jeep driver gets to the top, he sends it off a cliff to shred some wicked pow. So how does he intend to get back to the top? Or does every Jeep driver own two Wranglers to substitute for a chairlift?

My final issue with this commercial is Jeep's new tag line. "i live. i ride. i am. Jeep." So lame I want to vomit out of my tear ducts. The lowercase "i" prefix needs to be retired. Unless your name is Apple, don't use it. The tag line doesn't even make sense. It's just a bunch of wanna-be self-actualization nonsense. Totally lame.

This commercial makes Jeep look disconnected from its audience at best and like an idiot at least.

Show and Tell—But More Show than Tell

2010-02-01T09:54:00.000-08:00

Product demonstration spots are generally reserved for the Oxi-clean crowd. With a loud coke-addicted (sorry Billy) pitchman doing his best Glen Beck impression. Although some companies (Apple being the only one off the top of my head) have pulled of decent product demos.

Craftsman tools isn't usually a company associated with popular interest. I mean, a hammer is a hammer after all. But I have to admit Craftsman's new demonstration ads are pretty entertaining. They play the man card pretty heavily, but when your product is power tools you can throw down the testosterone royal flush. Here are two spots for your enjoyment. (P.S. It's my secret dream to find an old abandoned warehouse somewhere and turn it into a mans play house. It's the simple things in life.)

When I Grow Up, I Wanna Write like this Guy.

2010-01-28T09:45:00.000-08:00

I spend a lot of time gushing about things and stuff on this blog. Commercials, technology, the paradoxical notion of ideas. But yesterday I found some true inspiration. It's an article written for Outside Magazine about freezing to death.

I've never heard of the author, never read anything from him before or since—to my knowledge. But he is a true master of the language. He hooks you with a story and you are reeled to the surface having learned about the physiology of freezing to death.

We talk a lot about telling stories in advertising. And I make a real effort to be a story teller and not just a literate huckster. This author knows how to tell stories and communicate complex information while doing it. That's tough stuff.

Click the link and prepare to have your mind blown.

Cumulus Computing

2010-01-28T09:25:00.000-08:00

I bought a laptop from my office recently. It's an old G4 Powerbook, and I love it. But it didn't come loaded with a word processor and I have lost my Microsoft suite for Mac. Not having a word processor was a real problem, I am a writer by profession. So I weighed my options. Buying another Microsoft suite for Mac didn't sit well, and pirating a copy didn't seem like a good idea either. What was I to do?

Reading through Digg one morning I came across an article about updates to Google Docs. I had heard of Google Docs but never looked into it. I read further. Then the thunder bolt hit me. I can use Google Docs' word processor for free, and from anywhere in the world with an Internet connection. It was a big moment for me.

People talk about cloud computing all the time. I hadn't taken the time to really look into the possibilities of the service. Google Docs, Flickr, Vimeo, and even Facebook (to some extent) are all part of my personal cloud. Now I float my information and heavy media in the cloud instead of on my hard drive.

Having maxed out and burned up a hard drive or two in my days, I can appreciate the need for more digital elbow room. Computing from the cloud changes a lot of things for me. I'm not constantly transferring information between USB drives, or storing things on my iPod. My email inbox was a graveyard of old versions and single word subject lines. "Stuff." "Project." "Mine." I'm still sorting through pages of unopened email I sent to myself.

The cloud has set me and my stuff free. Now I don't need to worry so much about the size of my hard drive. I can start focusing on the size of my imagination. Cloud computing is definitely filed under "cool stuff."

The Right Type

2010-01-26T10:19:00.000-08:00

Kinetic type isn't new. But for some reason I really enjoy it. Don't know why. I just do. And even though I really don't care for this Ford commercial (I think Dennis Leary trying to be a tough guy is ridiculous), the type treatment is pretty cool.

Here are some other examples of kinetic type that I think are awesome. They're all type interpretations of sci-fi movies quotes. Enjoy.

A Clown that's Actually Funny

2010-01-25T14:15:00.000-08:00

I really dislike Walmart. I mean really. The last time I went into a Walmart (over two years ago), I walked out. But this commercial for Walmart is hilarious. It aired last night while I was watching the Vikings and Saints play (poor, poor Brett Favre). For your viewing pleasure, I present Clown:

A Glossy Future

2010-01-05T09:42:00.000-08:00

Taking a break for the holidays was refreshing. Spending time with the people and things you love and nothing else can really charge your inspiration batteries. For my first post of the new decade—I'm looking to the future.

People have been saying that print is dead for years. I'm not ready to chisel the epitaph just yet. The video below was produced by Bonnier Corp—a major producer and distributor of magazines and other printed media. The good people at Bonnier want to know what the magazine of the future will look like. Apparently the magazine of the future looks suspiciously like a tablet PC.

Mag+ from Bonnier on Vimeo.

Every now and then videos pop up with some industrial designer describing the thin form factor and intuitive gesture navigation of the future of print media. I've seen a newspaper tablet that you fold back and forth to simulate turning pages. A projector that creates a virtual screen between your hands when held out in front of you. And I've seen several of these tablet PC jobs now.

The idea is no doubt cool. And if this tablet was available to the consumer, the gizmo-geek in me wouldn't be able to resist. But there is something that all these digital-print devices skip entirely. Tactile sensation. A magazine made of paper and ink is tangible. Turning a page isn't just a visual experience. You feel the paper between your fingers as you turn the page. That's something a digital-print device like this can't simulate.

Designers are ignoring the real connection people feel to objects (which is ironic). The argument is that digital devices can bring so much more to the reading experience and I don't disagree with that. What I question is if that equates to value being added to the reading experience.

This may be the future of print media, and if it is I'm sure I'll adapt. But I'll miss the ink and page experience. I'll miss the texture of reading. And I'm willing to wager that many people will share my longing for reality. The future doesn't have to be all gloss and gesture does it?

Yay Inspiration!

2009-12-16T11:09:00.000-08:00

Lately, I haven't come across much inspiration. I've been experiencing an inspiration deficit I guess you could say. That all changed yesterday evening. The Denver Egotist is a regular virtual stop for me and for good reason. They consitently post amazing work.

Well the Egotist didn't disappoint. They had a link to this video for Google Chrome. BBH produced this piece and I think it's amazing. I had a total "wwhhaattt???" moment after about 5 seconds of watching. You'll see what I mean. A great spot, really innovative approach, and crazy entertaining to watch. Bravo BBH.

To continue my inspiration-drought liberation, I offer this little slice of heaven from Wieden and Honda. Not sure how to describe this but it's fantastic. The complexity of editing a piece like this makes my brain hurt. Pay particular attention to the way the sound track matches the cuts perfectly. So good. It's like a visual caramel apple dipped in more, even better caramel. Feast your eyes upon this.

Good Movies in PDF Form

2009-12-15T12:33:00.000-08:00

I love to hunt but I hate the NRA. My weapons of choice are a keyboard and Google. I hunt blogs, and baby, blog hunt'n's good. Today I came across blog gold.

ScriptShadow is worth checking out. The author reviews pre-production movie scripts. Scripts that haven't even been purchased yet. What's most interesting to me about the blog is that the author treats scripts as their own medium.

I've read scripts before, but mostly with the intention of watching the movie later and comparing the two. Reading a script just for the enjoyment of a story has never occurred to me. I'm really interested in exploring this blog and discovering some cool stories and good story tellers.

And as a bonus, if one of the scripts I read gets produced I can impress people by telling them I know all about it. Knowing about a movie before everyone else is like hipster kryptonite. In your face you ironic sweater-wearing fixee-fiends

Say it with Pride: "It's a Hyundai!"

2009-12-10T13:56:00.000-08:00

Hyundai is a good example of a brand changing perceptions. For years Hyundai was the low-budget alternative to import cars. People didn't really expect all that much from them. They were cheap, ugly, and got good gas milage. And that's all people really cared about.

Now Hyundai is coming out as a real contender in the import market. They have an attractive line-up of cars and have really pushed the boundaries of how a major car manufacturer interacts with its customers. Hyundai Assurance changed the game.

I came across this cool video on Hyundai's microsite for the Genesis.

It's not just the video though. You can actually navigate around the parts and take a close up look at them. Hyundai offers call-out boxes for certain parts like the drivetrain, interior, headlights, and such things.

It's a really powerful image to see a car disected like that. I'm surprised this hasn't hit national television screens yet. Hyundai's doing a good job with this whole re-branding thing.

MasterBerry

2009-12-09T12:08:00.000-08:00

BlackBerry is trying to shake things up. I give them kudos for seeing the writing on the metaphorical Facebook wall for smartphones. It appears BlackBerry is trying to break out of the enterprise shell and show the general public that BlackBerry phones are fun for the whole family.

Enter their new TV campaign. I really liked the first one I saw—when I thought it was a MasterCard commercial. It wasn't until BlackBerry's word mark appeared in the last few frames that I realized it wasn't a MasterCard spot.

I thought those shades of yellow and orange were pretty well locked down on the ol' corporate logo front. BlackBerry thought differently I guess. Check out the two spots below. The first is the new BlackBerry effort and the second an older MasterCard spot.

I went from responding positively to the BlackBerry spot to being kind of ticked-off. I felt tricked. And now that I know it's a BlackBerry spot ripping off MasterCard's logo it makes me even more pissed.

All you need is love? I disagree. You could start with an original concept and a branding effort that doesn't latch on to an existing brand like a lamprey.

Make it Simple. Say it Simple.

2009-12-07T13:41:00.000-08:00

As a preface to this post: I am not a designer. I appreciate what I deem as good design and I enjoy objects, but I am not a designer by profession or practice. That being said, Philippe Starck is a designer. A fantastic, interesting, groundbreaking designer. I found this short video interview on Engadget. My favorite line from the interview: when presented with a pair of "modern" headphones "It's not design. It's marketing."

Design gets a lot of lip service. The general public is becoming aware of design now more than ever. Just go to your local Urban Outfitters and strike up a conversation about post-modernist loft furniture and watch the mob of Barnes & Noble-educated designers form. But design is more than looking pretty. Design is (in my opinion) more about function than art.

Writing and design are analogous. Writing is a battle between essential material and needless verbiage. The best writers are those that make every word important. There are no superfluous phrases or indulgent vocabularies. Just information well told.

Design/writing is the process of removing unnecessary parts. Design should work simply. And writing should communicate simply. Simple.

A Great Idea From AT&T—and it's Free!

2009-12-07T09:29:00.000-08:00

The AT&T and Verizon Wireless feud is big news. I have opted to stay out of it for the most part. I'm a little too close to the thing to be objective. But I came across an article in PC World this morning and thought I'd share it with you (and that's you singular because you're the only one reading this).

AT&T has released an app for the iPhone that encourages users to report areas of poor network performance (users can geomark the exact location). AT&T has essentially made their iPhone subscribers an extension of their network field force. Now that's great thinking on the part of AT&T.

The iPhone's success has been plagued by criticism of AT&T's network. Acknowledging the faults of the network is all fine and good, but giving your customers the power to report and (theoretically) improve poor network connections is awesome.
Hats off to you AT&T. Well played.

I Want to be a Nerf Herder When I Grow Up

2009-12-03T14:44:00.000-08:00

This clip isn't creatively inspirational. Maybe I could label it aspirational? Nerf has had a long history of making kids want to be in their commercials (pick me, pick me). I mean who wouldn't want to run around in a dimly lit warehouse with a bunch of your friends shooting foam darts at you? Sign me up twice thank you.

Nerf won't be holding casting calls for 27 year olds anytime soon so I'll have to settle for this video instead.

Family Guy Is Still Funny

2009-12-02T12:16:00.000-08:00

Family Guy is hilarious. Yes it crosses the line (often), can be too much, and can be a bit formulaic, but it's still funny as hell. My favorite Family Guy experience has been Blue Harvest, the Star Wars spoof. My love for Star Wars is deep but seeing Family Guy interpret the sacred George Lucas cannon is fantastic entertainment.

Now Family Guy is releasing the Empire Strikes Back edition of Blue Harvest. Watch the trailer and enjoy. Personal favorite scene in the trailer, the Imperial Walker holding his knee after falling. It was hilarious when Peter did it, it's even more hilarious when a four story tall robot of destruction does it.

AT&T Is Going Down

2009-11-20T09:07:00.000-08:00

I love it when the world agrees with me. And by the world I mean a trade magazine. Apparently PC World shares my opinion on the AT&T attack ad starring Luke Wilson. That’s like a one two punch coming from my insanely popular blog (my mother doesn’t even read this) and PC World. Is AT&T still in business? Don't see how they could be.

The Dogs of War

2009-11-19T10:26:00.000-08:00

The network wars have begun. I’ve been keeping aloof from the whole thing because I’m a bit biased on the topic. I will say this, when Verizon Wireless first aired the “There’s a map for that” campaign, I hated it. I thought it was derivative (which it is), unimaginative, and capital L lame. Then AT&T went and threw a tantrum. Then I started liking “There’s a map for that” a lot more.

I’ve been following the legal dispute with interest. You can boil AT&T’s complaint down to a childish “But it’s not fair.” Verizon’s response has been pitch-perfect. They haven’t backed down and have kept pushing their campaign. Yes, I’ll admit the campaign makes sense to me now, and yes it’s decent.

AT&T has become its own worst enemy in all this. AT&T is a common trending topic on Twitter, usually not for good reasons. I think people see the law suite as a lame attempt to silence a competitor that is pointing out flaws. Today, a judge dismissed AT&T’s request to put a stop to Verizon’s current campaign. In response AT&T released its own commercial targeted directly at Verizon Wireless.

The AT&T commercial isn’t very compelling at all. A magnetic board with some softball “facts” about the AT&T network—oh and Luke Wilson. The new tagline for AT&T: “A better 3G experience.” Better than say, being able to connect to actual 3G in over 264 major cities nationwide? Verizon Wireless has been able to make that claim for the better part of a year now. If this is AT&T’s response to Verizon’s campaign, I foresee a difficult holiday season ahead for the home of the iPhone.

Advertising aside, I think AT&T can find itself in a world of hurt here. The iPhone won’t be exclusive much longer. AT&T needs to make some serious upgrades to their network. Verizon is a recognized leader when it comes to 3G networks, and they are already moving headlong into deploying a 4G network. What makes the Verizon campaign work is that it’s true. The Verizon network delivers on its promises. And people know it. AT&T needs to do some major revamping of their network first, then focus on ads. As things stand right now, AT&T looks like a poor-sport that doesn’t know how to admit defeat.

Stormtrooper PTO

2009-11-18T12:57:00.000-08:00

I don’t know why but action figure humor always gets me. A co-worker forwarded me a link to this Flickr page. Definitely worth checking out. What do Imperial Stormtroopers do when not committing genocide?

The Mayo-Wars

2009-11-13T13:10:00.000-08:00

A few weeks back I made a post about the ridiculous ads for Miracle Whip and Stephen Colbert’s awesome response to them. Well in an unexpected turn of events Miracle Whip responded to Colbert’s insults. They actually produced a spot specifically responding to Colbert. I am impressed.

Apparently Miracle Whip does have a sense of humor. They bought every TV spot during Colbert’s show to run the new ads. It was a genius move. Miracle Whip just went from lameness to greatness in my book. They took the seemingly bad publicity and turned it to their favor. Even making it part of their campaign. That’s impressive.

Instead of sending lawyers armed with cease and desist orders (I’m looking at you AT&T), Miracle Whip just made more ads, and changed their messaging slightly. They turned my initial rating of a FAIL to a SUCCEED. Good work Miracle Whip. Now, if you could just change your product to something half appetizing.

Here's the spot that ran during the Colbert Report.

Talk to Yourself

2009-11-09T09:50:00.000-08:00

I talk to myself a lot. I mean a lot a lot. From the moment I wake up to the moment I go to bed, I’m usually carrying on a conversation in my head. It used to freak me out. I thought that I might be going a bit crazy. But I started to realize that it’s not that uncommon for people to talk to themselves. I also realized that talking to myself is a big part of my creative process.

My good friend Kyle is a really talented artist. He created the octopus for this blog actually. I asked Kyle not long ago if he ever talks to himself. Kyle was understandably confused by the question and asked for a little clarity. I restated my question: “Do you ever talk to yourself as part of your creative process?” He replied, “Yeah. I do that now and again.” So that set me at ease. If my pretty normal friend Kyle does it then it can’t be too weird.

I’ve always talked to myself, even as a kid. And it wasn’t for lack of other people to talk to—I came from a family of six kids. There was always someone around to talk to, trust me. I just enjoyed exploring things internally and talking them out. And that’s something that has turned into a helpful tool. The ability to explore an idea and then debate it internally helps keep my mind focused. It helps me be creative.

So it’s strange, sure. But it works for me. I theorize that the majority of people have some kind of inner dialog going on. I’d encourage you to explore that inner relationship. Don’t be too creepy about it, but don’t be afraid to dig into your subconscious and see what comes up. If nothing else it’s a good excuse to stare at a blank wall for a few minutes.

Simple Is Hard

2009-10-27T10:24:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about simplicity lately. Over the weekend I watched Objectified, which is a fantastic movie and I recommend it to anyone with the slightest interest in design. I’m not a designer but I think many design principles apply to writing, especially a designer’s quest to simplify. What makes a good design work and what makes a good ad work is essentially the same thing. Simplicity. The less moving parts the better.

[Objectified movie trailer.]

Yesterday, I came across a presentation by Luke Sullivan the author of Hey Whipple, Squeeze This—an amazing book that I’ve read half a dozen times at least. The topic of his presentation, you guessed it, simplicity. I’ve included the video below. It’s a bit long but there are some great insights buried in there. Here’s one nugget I excavated yesterday.

Luke Sullivan gave an example of a car print ad. The ad shows the headline, an image of the car, some body copy, then a tagline and the logo. Pretty standard ad. Then he starts stripping elements away. First it’s the body copy because a good headline can do most of the heavy lifting. Then he takes the headline because sometimes an image can do all the necessary talking. Then the tagline gets canned. He has some strong opinions about taglines something like “If it’s not “Just Do It”, don’t.” So all that’s left now is the image and the logo. Finally he strips the logo because the logo can be incorporated into the image. So all you’re left with is an image, one simple thing that does all the work. The idea is to take away everything that isn’t necessary. You have to find the balance between superfluous and cryptic. And that’s hard.

I have a habit of over-writing. So I’ve rededicated myself to simplicity. I’ve decided to be brutal with my assignments. Anything that doesn’t have a good reason to go in gets kicked out. No questions asked. It’s been an interesting exercise.

Luke Sullivan from Mediastash.tv on Vimeo.

Cool Billboards. Not so Cool Web Site

2009-10-21T11:57:00.000-07:00

These billboards have caught my eye. They are clever concepts. At first I thought it was a local public service campaign. But after further investigation I discovered the billboards are part of a national campaign for the Ad Council from Y&R New York raising awareness about reckless driving among teens. A good subject to talk about. There are a few things about the campaign that need work though. With the billboards for example, I couldn’t read the URL in the bottom left corner. While driving home one evening I focused in on the billboard determined to read the tiny URL. I got it, and nearly slammed into the car in front of me. That would have been ironic.

Unfortunately the Web site wasn’t worth the near-miss on the highway. Speakuporelse.com is easy enough to navigate. The problem is, however, there just isn’t much to keep anyone around for very long. The tone of the campaign is totally lost in the Web site copy. All you get is a very parental lecture about tire pressure and proper steering techniques. Considering the audience, I’m pretty sure that kind of approach will get a big FAIL from teens. The “viral” videos are especially disappointing. They try too hard to be zany and off the wall.

It’s too bad really. The outdoor executions are good, despite the small URL. I wish Y&R New York could have carried the tone from the outdoor work through the rest of the campaign.

Miracle Whip: Don't Be so Lame

2009-10-20T10:27:00.000-07:00

Nothing says cool like mayonnaise. I saw this spot for Miracle Whip a few weeks ago and was completely entertained with how ridiculous it is. It’s clearly targeting the hipster set and trying to break through as the “cool” product to use. But come on, it’s coagulated fat with other mystery chemicals you spread on your club sandwich. If I ever find myself at a rooftop party with hipsters passing around a bottle of Miracle Whip, I’ll jump off. No questions asked. The concept is so asinine it hurts. Does Miracle Whip cause moments of impaired judgment? That would explain how this got approved.

This is a good example of an ad trying way too hard. The Levi’s Go Forth ads came close to trying too hard. Miracle Whip blasts passed that barrier and puts as much distance between itself and taste as it can. No pun intended.

I’m a proud member of the Colbert Nation. So you can imagine my delight when Colbert gave this Miracle Whip ad its deserved whipping. He even created his own ad defending mayo. Enjoy the video.

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

The Mayo-lution Will Not Be Televised

http://www.colbertnation.com/

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Michael Moore

Sometimes Being Cool Is Enough

2009-10-19T12:27:00.000-07:00

A new week is upon us. The fruits of our creative labors from last week have been sown and reaped and the fields of creativity lay barren before us. This weekend I came across two older campaigns. They have been around a little while now but I still enjoy them. So here they are. Enjoy.

Toyota Prius:

These commercials have been around for a minute or two. But I still enjoy them a great deal. The concept for the campaign is really interesting in its simplicity: “The world is made of people.” And they shot the commercials as a literal interpretation of that. The Prius, in my opinion, is the ugliest car to come down the production line since the Pontiac Aztec, but these commercials are beautiful. I love the waterfall especially. The way they make the whitecaps out of somersaulting people is ingenious. The video is a making of version with the actual spot playing after.

Levi's Go Forth:

I wasn’t sure what to think of these spots when I first saw them. They were a little too out there for me at first. I couldn’t make the connection between Walt Whitman and jeans. The jury is still out on that issue. But putting all that aside, these commercials are a visual treat. They do a good job of emoting and causing an experience. They ride the edge of trying too hard to be “arty” but I still think they’re well made visual experiences. How affective they are as advertisements may be a separate issue.

The Balloon Boy Invasion

2009-10-16T12:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a big day in social media. Thanks to a little boy and his parent’s weather balloon. I was amazed at how this story basically took over social (and traditional) media for the entire day. Here’s how I found out about it while sitting at my desk. I checked my Twitter page and noticed #Balloonboy as a trending topic. After clicking on that I learned there was a 6 year old boy floating away in a weather balloon that used to be tethered to his parent’s house. Then I went back to my Twitter page and looked at the trending topics again. Six out of ten trending topics were related to the balloon boy from Colorado. Impressive.

From Twitter I jumped onto Google News and found the live video feed from CNN. Then onto Facebook where my wall was full of balloon boy-centric comments. So the story continued to unfold. I followed the progress of the story from my Twitter feed—with pictures from the ground even. Then I saw this t-shirt pop up.

And this artwork. And even Kanye couldn't go without commenting on balloon boy. Now mind you this was on the very day the event was unfolding. Before Falcon (balloon boy) was found safely hiding in his parent’s attic.

When I got home for the evening I checked my local news—balloon boy was the leading story. I continued to watch as Jay Leno made the event a central part of his monologue. Conan later chimed in with similar jokes about balloon boy. Even Jimmy Fallon mentioned the kid.

What amazed me most about this was how fast the story melted into the pop-culture zeitgeist. This boy was made famous in a matter of hours. And he had already appeared on network television! (His family was part of Wife Swap for TLC just a few weeks ago.)

Social media is powerful stuff. There is an interesting case study locked somewhere within the balloon boy invasion of social media. Especially when you consider he had participated in traditional media (network television) and new media (everywhere you looked on the Internet) with drastically different results.

Creative Inspiration

2009-10-15T10:53:00.000-07:00

The main function of The RIP FILE is to show things that inspire me at the moment. Be it advertising (mostly advertising) or whatever. I found three very inspirational items last week and I’m just now getting to posting about it. It’s been a busy week.

Dyson bladeless fan:

Dyson of the cyclone vacuum fame has done it again. This guy is super interesting and creative. The story goes Dyson was working on a hand dryer and noticed that the high speed air leaving the dryer was sucking in surrounding air thus amplifying the volume of air leaving the dryer, which was useless for a hand dryer. But the phenomenon inspired Dyson to create this. It’s a fan with no blades and it’s supposed to be super efficient. Don’t ask me how it works cause my brain will melt. You can check out this article on Wired.com. They do a good job of explaining it. Those guys are smart and stuff.

The bladeless fan is such a great example of a guy following his creative impulse. A lot of people would have just treated the air sucking phenomenon as an unwanted side effect. But Dyson was willing to explore what this new discovery could do. Good example of following your creative instincts.

Multi-touch mouse:
I thought the Mighty Mouse was a big leap in desktop interaction. These guys have bested the conventional mouse by 10 (literally). All the touch screen stuff coming out lately is cool. I have a touch screen phone (not an iPhone unfortunately) and I like interacting with my technology this way. I even played with the HP touch screen desktop awhile back and it was interesting. But I kept asking myself “How can this be more than just a cool trick?”

These guys took the touch screen concept and used it to re-imagine the way we interact with information on a computer screen. It’s more than just the next evolution of the mouse; it’s a whole new way of organizing and interacting with information on your computer.

I hope this makes it to the consumer market someday. It’s a really cool idea, and a good example of redefining the status quo. If anything stifles creativity it’s sameness.

10/GUI from C. Miller on Vimeo.

Adam Savage obsessions:
Mythbusters is one of my favorite shows. The geekiness of that show is extremely entertaining and satisfying. So I found Adam Savage (one of the hosts) on Twitter and started following him. Turns out, the dude is crazy interesting and creative. I started researching him further and came up will all kinds of cool things that Adam has been involved in. My research led me to a site called Fora.tv (which has become one of my favorite sites) and found this presentation given by none other than Adam Savage. I’ve watched it several times. It’s a bit long but so worth the time. I highly recommend watching it.

Adam Savage’s willingness to test his creativity and push the envelop of authenticity is what inspires me most about the presentation. He doesn’t want to settle for close enough—it’s perfection or failure. That’s a dedicated dude. What I took away from the presentation was a desire to push ideas as far as they will go. Then strap on some retro-boosters and push it farther. That’s a lesson in creativity we can all benefit from.

[If the video doesn't launch check it out here.

Social Media will Save Us All

2009-10-14T14:46:00.000-07:00

Twitter has lied to us. Well maybe not directly, but the idea of Twitter has given us a false hope. Some people in the ad world would have us believe that social media will save us all. I just don’t see that happening. Brand managers want to believe that the world is taking to their Twitter and Facebook accounts to discuss how awesome their dish soap is. I haven’t seen dish soap as a trending topic and it hasn’t shown up on my wall either.

So what good social media anyway? A lot of very smart people are trying to figure out how social media fits into a media plan, or how it can add value to an existing campaign. Unfortunately the answers that have developed so far have been thinly disguised spam, or overtly pitch heavy posts. I venture the opinion that social media shouldn’t be treated like a cure-all ointment for marketing.

There have been successful uses of social media recently. Best Buy’s use of Twitter as a global help desk is a great example. That is an innovative idea and a useful application of social media. However, I do wonder what happens when a person’s computer crashes and he tries to Tweet Best Buy about it.

Brands have been lured by social media’s shinyness. They see subscription numbers and assume those numbers belong to potential customers. But that’s like putting a debit card kiosk in the middle of a crowd and expecting everyone to use it. Social media still needs content. Content that people actually want.

So social media isn’t the savior of the world. It’s the hero of the backyard bar-b-queue. For some clients it fits logically and comfortably in their existing brand. Companies that attempt to move their brand to be more “social” are making a huge mistake. Because if social media is anything it’s change. Next year Facebook could be the next Myspace, Twitter the next WinAmp. Nothing stays the same. Everything changes. And that’s the hook we hang our hats on.

Direct-to-DVD Gravy Train

2009-10-12T14:41:00.000-07:00

Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus. TransMorphers. Snakes on a Train (not making this up). These, my friends, are direct-to-DVD movies. Films written with the express intent of skipping the big screen and landing in a DVD player. They are, by and large, terrible. Although Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus had some hilarious moments, despite itself.

I’ve seen these movies hanging out in the DVD isle at my local Target and they got me thinking. Who writes this stuff? Somebody’s out there right now putting the finishing touches on a script about a man-eating amoeba running amuck in a sorority house. And they’ll get paid for doing it! The real question then isn’t “who’s writing this stuff;” it’s “how do I get on this gravy train?” Seriously, I could come up with an asinine concept and throw it in a script. I wouldn’t even charge much for it.

Hollywood screenwriters are well compensated, like in the tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars for a good script. Even if a direct-to-DVD screenwriter makes a couple grand for a script, that’s good money for an afternoons work.

If any direct-to-DVD producer is looking for fresh, young writing talent to pen his next Carmin Electra action movie, I’m available. And like your leading lady, I’m cheap. Holla at cha boy.

[I can't wait for the sequal! Even more Mega Shark vs. Even Gianter Octupus. Starring the woman who played Xena's sister-in-law, and a guy who onece bumped into Bruce Willis.]

Microsoft Advertising that doesn't Suck

2009-10-08T10:26:00.000-07:00

Being a Mac owner makes you a PC hater by default. It’s the unwritten code of Apple ownership. Some would say that Mac owners are pretentious, egotistical, and illogically attached to a computer system. Well, yeah—so?

Well I decided to put my Mac ego aside and venture to the dark side. When you think of PC you can’t escape the gravitational pull of Microsoft. For years, Microsoft has embodied everything Apple was against—in the mind of average Mac users anyway. In the advertising world Apple has had a decided edge on Microsoft. Apple's clean innovative packaging and colorful TV spots made Microsoft look drab and boring. Mac users around the world rejoiced with every new commercial.

Microsoft has staged a comeback, however. They have actually released some good advertising recently. Here’s a list of the Microsoft ads that I think are actually really good.

Microsoft 2010: The Movie
I know it’s kind of cheesy, it’s really cheesy actually, but I still like it. The movie trailer format reminds me of the BMW effort a few years back. And the inclusion of Clippy in the trailer was a stroke of genius. I always wondered what happened to that annoying paperclip.

Halo 3: Believe
When I saw this commercial the first time—I stopped watching TV, went to my computer, and watched it four more times in a row. It’s beautiful. The piano music in the background is just perfect. The spot won all kinds of awards for TAG San Francisco. And they deserved it.

Halo ODST: We are ODST
Another Halo commercial done by TAG San Francisco. Halo is still part of Microsoft so it counts. The game may be lack luster, but the advertising is so good. I think I enjoy this one so much because I want a live action Halo movie more than a pot of gold. There is going to be a series of these released. And if any Hollywood producer is looking for the way a Halo movie should look—ask TAG.

I'm a PC: Good News
This one may be controversial but hear me out. Yes, Microsoft ripped off the “I’m a Mac. I’m a PC” ads, but I think it was the appropriate response. Microsoft let the Mac campaign go far too long without answering, so they almost had to do something that responded directly. The first executions were a little rocky in my opinion. Showing a bunch of people declaring their dedication to PCs. There wasn’t a why in those commercials. The newer executions are much improved. I especially love the newest one. Finally Microsoft is giving reasons to be a PC.

So there they are. The Microsoft ads that don’t suck. I’m still not a convert. But it’s nice to see Microsoft is trying to suck less.

The Force is Strong with this Print

2009-10-07T13:07:00.000-07:00

It’s no secret that Darth Vader is an amazing villain. And I’m talking the James Earl Jones voiced version from the original. Hayden Christensen’s Vader doesn’t count—Vader wasn’t emo dude. He is such an iconic villain—modern societies boogieman made real. A few weeks ago I came across this print. It's the coolest print I’ve seen. Full Metal Jacket and Darth Vader together at last. I just placed an order. It’s going in a frame right above my desk. Stunning. Check it out at Josh Spear.

Plaid Shirt, Skinny Jeans, and Vans Slip-Ons

2009-10-06T11:51:00.000-07:00

My office is surrounded by investment firms, law offices, and accounting offices. And every now and then I head out to the plaza between the buildings to eat lunch. It’s easy to pick out the finance guys. They all coagulate in a corner sharing a step or two wearing trim blue or yellow dress shirts (no tie) with khaki pants. A jovial bunch for the most part. The lawyers are easy to spot as well. Usually cutting across the plaza with a BlackBerry shoved to their ear wearing a three button suit with white shirt and tie, usually carrying an over-priced leather briefcase. Accountants speckle the crowd here and there with their polo shirts and slacks usually alone but sometimes in twos (rarely in threes).

Then there are the people from my office. They stick out like teenagers crashing a job fair. What amuses me are the professional “uniforms.” People that work in finance look like they work in finance. Their dress shirts say “We’re serious if your serious,” while their lack of necktie says “but we still know how to get zany.” The lawyers outfit just says “Don’t screw with me. I can afford this suit because I learned how to be superior in law school.” And the accountant’s uniform says “Yeah, I like numbers, and yes my fantasy football league is killing it on ESPN.com!”

The ad uniform tells people that “We are creative and don’t want to be tied down by a monkey suit.” Skinny jeans, plaid shirts, and Vans slip-ons (add black rimmed glasses for the visually impaired) make a statement in understatement. I enjoy my professional uniform. But sometimes I wear a necktie just to throw people off. Every time I do people ask:

“Job interview?”

“Na, just throwing a wrench in the machine.”

Subaru's Dual Personality Disorder

2009-10-05T10:46:00.000-07:00

Stumbled on an article in BrandWeek this morning about Subaru. Apparently Subaru is one car company that hasn’t been eviscerated by the recession. Instead they have actually grown. Subaru experienced a 4% jump in sales while the rest of the auto industry suffered an average 32% decline, according to the BrandWeek article.

Now, I’ve been a devoted Subaru customer for years. Something about the car company has appealed to me and I’ll never be without an all-wheel-drive Subaru in my garage. I can point to my pragmatism as a buying motivator when it comes to cars. And the BrandWeek article points out that this is a common thread among Subaru loyalists. The article quotes Subaru CMO Timothy Mahoney as saying “We know who we are, and we do it consistently.” Timothy Mahoney may know who Subaru is, but he may need to rethink his marketing strategy to reflect his view.

Subaru has a history of schizophrenic advertising. It’s been a company without a firm brand direction since the early 90’s—in my opinion. When Subaru launched its flagship car, the Legacy, around 1990 it was positioned as the next Honda Accord and Toyota Camery. And it wasn’t. It was much more, but Subaru decided to focus on attacking Honda and Toyota and forgot the superiority of its car's engineering. That initial push from Subaru and Wieden and Kennedy didn’t turn out so well. Eventually Subaru started focusing on its car’s mechanical superiority. We began hearing more about all-wheel-drive, anti-lock brakes, dual airbags, horizontally opposed boxer engines, and “the wheels that slip to the wheels that grip.” All standard features on Subaru’s. Then it slipped back to competing with Honda and Toyota in the MPG wars.

Today we still have a schism when it comes to Subaru ads. I’m a big fan of the “Love” campaign being presented by Carmichael Lynch. But I’m a fan of the campaign because I’m a Subaru owner and loyalist. I get it. My criticism of the “Love” campaign is the same for the overall Subaru approach to advertising—make up your mind. Are you a fine-tuned performance machine with safety ratings Volvo would kill for? Or are you an economical sub-luxury brand for the up and coming hipster with a mortgage and 1.3 children?

I’m happy to see Subaru doing well through these biblical disaster movie times. I do worry, however, that Subaru may be relying too much on existing customers. What I would like to see is Subaru pick an image and own it. Either engineering superiority or economical practicality. Subaru owners are more likely to be repeat customers—but Subaru can’t continue to dip from the same well. Eventually it’ll go dry.

Saturn Goes Supernova

2009-10-02T10:29:00.000-07:00

Irony is great for punch-lines and cocktail parties—not so much with a company’s advertising. The meltdown of the American auto industry was frightening to watch. My agency was left twisting in the wind when GM decided to be insolvent. But one GM brand tried to reassure its customers.

Saturn produced a campaign called “We’re still here.” It followed the announcement that Penske was going to purchase the brand and save it from the GM black hole. The spot was charming and direct, but unconvincing. I didn’t think Saturn was going to survive. Call it a hunch.

My hunch was correct. GM announced earlier this week that Penske had backed out and the Saturn brand was going to be dropped. Saturn wasn’t able to escape the gravity of GM’s event horizon—it’s being sucked into the maw of obscurity.

Deutsch Los Angeles took over Saturn’s advertising in 2007, and did some great work. I particularly enjoyed the Saturn Vue spots. But Deutsch made one large mistake—they believed the product hype. So note to advertisers, if your going to make a campaign and call it “We’re still here,” the brand better still be here next year.

Find more videos like this on ImSaturn

Work That's Doing it for Me Right Now

2009-10-01T14:35:00.000-07:00

The world is full of crappy advertising. Just terrible, awful rubbish. And it kills me that people get paid for producing that crap. Fortunately, there are some bright spots in the ad world.

First, some local advertising that I think is awesome. I see these billboards everyday on my drive home. The billboards are great. Richter7 really did a nice job of putting a face behind the safety glasses. The art direction is fantastic and the headlines are right to the point. Great work.

[Crappy picture taken at 70 mph, but you get the idea.]

Not sure who’s responsible for this campaign but I enjoy it a great deal. Really simple execution. The photography is amazing. Just a nice ad that makes you feel good when you see it and peaks interest in Montana (which is no simple task believe you me).

And now from the ad world at large:

I love miniature things. Honey I Shrunk the Kids is high on my Netflix queue and I still own Micro Machines. So it’s no surprise that I enjoy this TV spot for LG’s new phone. It’s a cool idea and a well executed ad.

Ok, ordinarily I’m not into cartoon characters associated with brands. Call it a Joe Camel gag reflex. But for some reason the Weight Watchers hungry monster is hilarious to me. I think it’s the eyes and the fact that its arms come out of where its ears should be. I dig it.