Old People Aren’t Stupid or Old

I guess it has been said that wisdom comes with age. Unfortunately, that wisdom doesn’t translate to the BDAs of today. Over my Holiday weekend, I had the opportunity to just sit back, relax, and of course, watch TV. Without my DVR, this meant watching the traditional TV spots. Good for me to take a step back and have no control over my next moment’s destiny. I had to watch.

And damn, the ones that stood out are so insulting to the AARP group (which my mother is in). I mean, come on. Just because you are over 60 doesn’t mean you are stupid and will buy…well anything. I watched so many ads targeted at this age group that just don’t speak to this demographic.

You actually don’t get dumber with age (OK, technically, some of you do. Hopefully not the ones reading this - if so, click away now!). You actually have more life experience with age, right?

You probably understand what the ad is saying, even though you might not be able to work the remote with lightning-fast finger agility. You might not understand how your old dial up phone turned into a cable connection that lets you talk to, and find old friends. You don’t get that. But you aren’t stupid.

This age group doesn’t have to understand the technology. Take a look at history.  Do you think when Tesla lit up Chicago in 1893 people understood alternating current? Well, no, they didn’t. It hadn’t even been an idea. Revolutionized everything, but we take all that for granted when we flip the switch. But the crowd didn’t question it. It worked. Didn’t matter if you were 3 year’s old or 80 year’s old - when those lights lit up in Chicago, that must have been magical. Wish I could have been there.

That magic never dies. Don’t underestimate the power of a shift in technology and the understanding of how it may change your life, forever. This is the Internet. It is simply a technologically advanced medium. It’s only the start of something bigger, better.

But please remember, don’t insult the older people who may know so much more about what you are trying to sell and tell them. Focus more on the fact that they might just be a little bit ahead of what you are thinking.

Happy Thanksgiving

Hi All -

Sorry for the lack of posts the last few days, my Holiday connection is less than adequate. I will return soon with happy comments about something, or unhappy ones too, if that makes you happier!

Safe travels and all that!

Groupon Does it Right

Before getting started, I want to make it clear that I have no relationship to this site in any way. Stumbled upon it and have been a member for about four months. I must say, they got it right. There is no compensation in any way for this plug. When I see something done well, I like to give credit where credit is due.

A little about the Groupon site.

It provides one or two incredible offers each day. Not overdone. Just one email a day. Not only are the offers and coupons extremely valuable, the writing is edgy, fun and very creative. They have offers in most major DMAs, but not completely covering the entire country just yet. Definitely on the right track. Not sure how they accomplished it, but they have created a model that works. There are some copycat sites, but Groupon is by far superior.

The deals are incredible, and very diversified. Give it a shot, especially if you live in NYC. Won’t believe the deals you get!

Just my thought for the day. Trust me, it will save you some cash on some great things.

And, what happened to all my book recommendations?

A Little Help From My Friends

Hello everyone, hope you are enjoying your weekend. I’ve got a little issue that I need some help with. And, no not ankle advice. Turned out she is walking around just fine today, a little sore. But unfortunately, I can’t play anymore KISS songs for a while.

 

But here is where I need some help. I am an avid reader. I have my set of favorite authors, as I am sure you all do. But I am fresh out of books to read. I usually pick up a few from the NYT bestseller list to try out new authors, but I am just a sucker for my usual rat pack of writers. Please don’t judge my tastes - some are guilty pleasures. Some are just to sit back and escape into another reality, and some are for the pure craft of writing. They include but are not limited to: 

• Pat Conroy
• Tom Wolfe
• Nelson DeMille
• Lee Child – The Jack Reacher Series is Incredible
• Stephen King
• Carl Hiaasen
• Tom Clancy

The ankle girl likes Twilight and all the Vampire type books, but not my thing.

How does this all relate to advertising? Well many of these authors have had books made into movies, and we know how the movie industry has marketing down to a science. Product placement, which can be incredibly clever, is a whole different topic I will write about one of these days.

As most of us agree, rarely does a movie do justice to the book. If you are a reader, and you have that creative mind, conjuring up the action, images, settings, dialogue exchanges - all in your own little brain adds a dimension that a movie just steals away. A great movie does give you that 90 minutes of pure guilty escape to nowhere-land.

The marketing of books hasn’t changed much over the years. It is an incredibly competitive and cutthroat business, much like all the entertainment arts. As an aside, I am going to give you some insight into the entertainment engine with a friend who will be guest blogging with me in the near future. Look for that, it will be interesting. Especially if you are considering a career change to that field! But I am rambling, as I often do.

So anyway, as you can see, my short list of authors is just that – short. And I agree, not a lot of diversity. I have made an effort over the years to read my way through most of the classics like The Catcher in the Rye, Jane Eyre (had to), Portrait of Dorian Grey, Republic by Plato, 1984, Catch-22, Brave New World, A Clockwork Orange and of course Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead – just to name a few. Also loved both The Stand and Swansong. My book library is modestly extensive, and I usually am reading two at a time.

So my friends, some help. I can tell you I don’t like the James Patterson and John Grisham – bang a book-a-month out type writers. That is why Tom Wolfe is up there with my favorites, always conducting diligent research and writing epic type novels.

So what should I read next? What would you recommend to me? I like humor, some action if not overdone, dark humor, drama, nothing romance, and really interesting characters.

So in the spirit of Beatles week, I need a little help from my friends.

Thank you in advance!

Beth by Kiss

Ankle Angst

Ok, first let me say this has nothing to do about marketing or advertising. Although I could tangentially relate it, I won’t. You may not find it amusing, but to me, so ironically funny.

First a little background. I am a piano player, have been since I was a kid. Only for fun, just occasionally professionally. But I do play often, by ear, and with any song that I hear or comes to mind. Hence one plug for the show Glee. Great show.  The last one we saw showcased the KISS classic, “Beth.” I never was a KISS fan, but love sappy love songs (yeah, I do have to admit that here).

Anyway, the rendition the Glee cast did was excellent. I quickly picked it up on the culprit of this escapade, shown below.

I can’t sing. My fiancé can’t sing. We have tried, but we just suck at it. So I asked her to dance. She does yoga regularly and decided to do her own interpretive dance to the song while I was playing.

Started out fun and funny. We did it a few times, each time she got more inventive with her ‘routine.’ In the middle of the second time through, she told me she thought she hurt her ankle. But that didn’t stop either of us. We went on.

Third time through, she announced that her ankle really hurt. So I did show some concern after the chorus. We moved her to the couch. She actually sprained her ankle doing an impromptu yoga routine to “Beth.” Is that not funny?

We are debating going to the ER right now, but she is icing and hoping for the best. I, in my best doctor advice, figured icing and a black sock. That's OK, right?

What could be stranger than someone playing a KISS song on the piano (which is about the only KISS piano based song), and his fiancé dancing around and almost breaking her ankle?

Now that is funny, at least to me. And since it is the weekend, I shouldn’t have to write about advertising, right?

Got any similar stories? Ones you might not want to admit to? Please, get ‘em out!

T-Mobile/AT&T

Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery

Well, I might be wrong about this one, but I just don’t get it. Don’t get it at all. As you know, this blog is mainly about advertising and creativity. And I’m truly at a loss for words, but I will give it my best shot.

T-Mobile has this new spot about the 4G network. It is a rip-off of the famous Mac/PC ads. And why? First, it isn’t funny. Second, they aren’t really making fun of the iPhone (which is arguably the best phone on the market – it’s AT&T that sucks). And third, you have to watch it about five times to figure out what they are trying to say.

And last but not least, why not do something original? Why copy an idea? This isn’t funny or clever, it's just insulting. Here it is…

Just one still from the famous Mac/PC ads.

Why, why, why T-Mobile? My first concern about a PHONE is that I can make a CALL. Apps, videos, games, etc. come in a distant second. I can do everything else on my computer, but when I am trying to make a call, I just want it to go through so I can talk to someone. Very simple desire and I do believe the sole purpose of why the phone was invented. Why not capitalize on the fact that (at least everyone I know) is constantly complaining about AT&T coverage?

If I wanted to do an attack ad like this one attempts, but fails to do, I would have used the multimillion dollar ‘Orange Blanket” AT&T spot. Here for your reference…

And then I would have taken a few stills, maybe one like this with the caption “I just fell off the Hoover Dam and…hello! Damn! Hello! What happened to 97% coverage?" Yeah, right. Damn. "Does the other side of the dam have coverage? Can you spend a little money on a tower? I don't need the orange towels, I need to make a call"

Beatles on iTunes

Thank you Steve Jobs!

I read the news today, oh boy.

After a decade, iTunes is finally selling the Beatles songs. Got to wonder why it took so long. Just because the Beatles had some issues with trademarks and Apple? After all, I do believe they came before Apple was even a thought (aside from Newton). Mr. Jobs was around 11 when the Beatles were starting to reach their peak, right?

I do wonder how much the lawyers made off of all this. Such a ridiculous thing. I mean, how much can Steve Jobs really control the universe? Doesn’t he read marketing reports that demonstrate the people (yeah, the customers Steve) wanted the songs years ago? And of course his quote, “It has been a long and winding road to get here.”

Great line Stevie, too bad Paul wrote it first. What a hack.

And also this gem, “In 1964, the band that changed everything came to America,” Apple said on its website. “Now they’re on iTunes.”

Imagine, being on iTunes is a bigger accomplishment! Damn, the arrogance, it's simply astounding.

I guess when you have so much money, the real issues of the people come second. I think Paul M. has enough money to create something bigger and better than iTunes, but then again, his attitude is probably just to get the music out there for new generations to hear. So buy the music on Amazon, just don't give Stevie the credit for something he kept from you.

So, I am now once again inspired. Many of you asked for another contest. So here goes, prize to be determined by originality.

Take a Beatles song, and bastardize it, social media it, trend it, let it make you cringe… as if you worked at Apple.

Here are some examples to get you started.

1. Yesterday, all my troubles were just a blog away…

2. When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Jobs comes to me...

3. Hey Jobs, Don’t make it bad, take my music, and make more money. Remember, to get it out of your head, animal names, don’t make OS better.

4. Ooh, I need your songs, babe.  Guess you’d know I do. Hope you need more money, so I can just use you.


Enjoy and be as obscure as you’d like to be. So much material to work with. You say you want a revolution, well, you know, Steve can change the world…

Right Side of the Brain

Three Simple Tools

Where does an idea come from? Ideas, or creativity, come from the right side of the brain according to most, take a look at the classic book for art newbies Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. So do creative people have bigger right brains? I doubt that. Maybe they can just tap into that side more often and more opportunistically than left-brain thinkers. But can the two be separated? I'll leave that up to the scientists.

But it is a known fact that the creative portion of our brains is on the right. So how do we tap into that? I have no idea, neither do the scientists. One thing that I do know is that once that access, that secret door, that maze of our minds leads us to a new thought, a new idea, a new…anything…we truly have a cathartic moment. We don’t usually recognize when it happens, it just happens.

I am going to take a second for a shameless plug for my partner, Savannah Gregory. She is an illustrator by heart, but got caught up in the advertising world. She does something that I feel is a lost art. She uses her brain with the assistance of a pencil and paper. She draws. Starting with only three tools – paper, pencil, brain. Only then does she use the computer and its various tools.

But in the digital age, these skills are rare, almost non-existent in the advertising business today. In my humble opinion, they are crucial. I learned Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign myself. I can put real heads on fake bodies, I can retouch some flab on a celebrity, even airbrush some flab out – but I can’t create something. Since it is Fall, I will use a Fall analogy.  I can use Photoshop to make leaves blood red, slowly and aimlessly falling in crimson colors, vibrant yellow, partially dying reddish brown – but I can’t make the trees do it themselves. In other words, true creativity comes from nature, the nature of the trees, the nature of the brain.

So back to the idea. If you want to work in advertising in a design capacity, start with the three tools mentioned above. The computer is a wonderful sublime helper to enliven, make the impossible possible, make the real surreal (too bad Salvador was only on the cusp of the computer era, but still you can learn from him here).

Take a look as these illustrations (again shameless plug). They were all done starting with paper and pencil. If you are in the business now, go back and hone these skills. If you want to be in the business, start with the three simple tools. If you want your children to be creative, give 'em the tools.

I can’t say or write enough about how much creativity starts with a simple inspiration and the access to that brain door where someone is on the other side trying to slam it closed, and you the owner is shoulder to door breaking it down.

Addendum:

Reading through some of the comments, can't believe I got a Lady Gaga one. Oh well. Life goes on..

All About Wax

When you delve into it, wax is just a strange word. As a male, wax usually is associated with our cars, as for females, usually means hair removal. We don’t think about it as a word so much, even though many of our cosmetics have it (spermaceti – extracted from sperm whales - insoluble in water). Today, in the East we have the Waxing Crescent moon. Which got me thinking about wax. Why a Waxing Moon? I understand Waning, makes since. But Waxing? And then the more mouth-play phrase, Waxing Gibbous. Sounds dirty, and inherently funny for some reason. But I am way off topic here. So let's get a little help from Harrison Ford to see how waxing his chest can help save the world.

Okay, what?! I appreciate the sentiment, but looks like old Harrison just wanted an excuse to show he’s still got it. And if it's to help the rainforest, shouldn't it have been a brazilian?

If you dig way into the definition of wax, it can mean 'increasing.' Maybe I'm a little stupid and just didn’t know this. It goes way back to Galileo's discovery apparently supported by the Copernican theory (he wasn't much of a stud, check out the pic on the link!). Ok, so now really far from my point, but I have an inquisitive mind. And I really don’t have a point!

Since this blog is about advertising, I offer this up for your patience in letting me rant about something as mundane as wax. Loretta Lynn also hawked Crisco!  Enjoy…

Jingle Challenge II

Some thought my jingle post was a little too easy. Ok, let’s have Jingle Round II. This time, I put in one or two words, you fill in the rest. A bit harder. And to up the prize, if you live in New York City, I will buy you lunch (first to complete correctly with no typos).

If you don’t live in NYC, when you are in town, contact me and I’ll buy you lunch. Fair enough? But, only a 24-hour time limit on this challenge.

Ok, here goes. Simple rules. They are all fairly famous jingles, nothing too current. And one spans back to the 50’s, and according to Ad Age, ranked among the top ten of all time. Blanks represent the missing words. Just fill ‘em in…

1. ____, ____, ____, ____, __, ____ _ relief __ __!

2. ____ __ ____, ___ ___ __________ treat. (Hint: Think West Coast)

3. ______ your _______ with ______ ____ ___! (Hint: Twins)

4. ___, ___ about _ nice _______ _____? (Hint: Tropical)

5. ________ tastes ____ ____ a _________ should. (Hint: The 50s one)

6.  I _____ ___ ______ and ___ _____ (Hint: Those with pride)


And my subtle transition into what I may be challenging you with in the near future… TV theme songs…


____ ___ _____ __ ___ door,
_____ been ________ for ___
_____ the ______ are ____ and ____ and ___,
______ _______ too.



Enjoy

Jingles are Dead

Remember when jingles were an art form? I still do. They are so much more powerful than taglines such as,” I’m lovin’ it.” Talk about something that says absolutely nothing. Ah, but the jingle – associating melodies with your favorite brand. For some reason, they are mostly dead these days. Many advertisers take the cheap way out and just take a top 40 song and drop it behind the visuals. Of course you remember the song, but the brand? One recent great ad had a song by Pat Monahan as the soundtrack, Hey, Soul Sister.

Definitely a great song worth buying. But can you remember the brand? Let me help you out, it was Samsung. But also let me ask you this, if you put this track behind any ad for an HD TV, would it really matter? Is there anything unique about the song that talks to the product or its benefits? Well, no there isn’t. I’m willing to bet anything that if you take a great song and put it in a spot, it will do wonders for the song, but the product? Nope. No way.

So to prove my point, let me give you just a few lines of some famous jingles and you name the brand. The art of jingles – I do think it’s dead.

First one to answer all correctly wins the opportunity to come back and read my blog again tomorrow. What a prize!

1.    My baloney has…
2.    Sometimes you feel like…
3.    The best part of waking…
4.    Oh I’d love to be an..
5.    I am stuck..

It was hard to find ones that didn’t have the product name in the first few words, but there is your test. Please don’t use that thing called the Internet and cheat. Reach into your melodic right brain and see what lies in the crusty trenches.

Enjoy

Social Media?

Call Me Old School

I know, I know, you have to be a believer in social media to get any kind of job, have any kind of impact in marketing or advertising, right?  Truly is funny seeing that the term is less than five years old and advertising has been around since what, the beginning of time?

It isn’t a trend. It isn’t a viable strategy. It isn’t really anything – just a different way to communicate. What does that mean for a brand that wants to get their message out?

Hire a bunch of interns to get entrenched. They don’t need to know anything about your brand, your brand equity, your brand relationship - and last but not least, actually purchasing, using and liking your brand.

No. No. No. They just need some of their twithead friends (that they have followed to only increase their own following) to just SAY SOMETHING. The ultimate nothing.

Please, brand owners, don’t fall prey to something that can get you nothing. Go back to basics. Breathe, take a step back and try to understand the people that buy and like your product. No twithead is gonna change that. Nothing will replace the quality and care you put into your product. Nothing will replace the message that is inherent in your true brand. Nothing can trump quality.

So twit away. But don’t lose sight of your core brand benefits and your core audience. After all, remember that a tweet is just that – a random birdcall early in the morning, calling out to any birds that are close by and give you random nothingness in return. That will never change your product, will never change what your product stands for, will never change one single thing about the real reason consumers like your product.

I thought I thaw a tweety rat!

The Good Old Days

If you are a Mad Men fan, you probably wonder about the really old ads, the golden age of television spots. Before the FDA became involved, it’s truly amazing what actually aired. No wonder cigarette ads were banned from TV. When they had the opportunity, they really pushed the boundaries.

There is a plethora of old cigarette advertising out there, you can find them if you dig around. I do find this one particulary entertaining. Flintstones. Cartoons, cigarettes and kids. Amazing! Imagine getting anything even remotely close to this approved in this new regulated world...

http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/

Thank You John Lewis

For all you ad critics out there, which encompasses just about anyone who sees or watches an ad, please have some sympathy. For those of us in the business, it really isn’t that easy to create a mediocre or even good ad. Creating a great ad is nearly impossible.

You see, it isn’t just one person with an idea. The ‘committee’ consists of a team of people with various opinions, from account execs, account planners, copywriters, creative directors – not to mention the clients – whose opinions matter the most because they are paying the bills. Few people in the process can push through something that is memorable, and for that matter, great. Typically, the fallback strategy is humor which can usually pacify just about everyone on the team if done right. But that is always the easy way out.

The other end of the spectrum is creating something that really touches your heart and draws you to the brand, not the ad. There have been endless studies of ads that stand out but the brand remains elusive, forgettable. But those ads that draw you in and capture a piece of you, they are truly the remarkable ones.

Take for instance this ad for the British company, John Lewis. You can’t not like this ad. I can understand why some may think it a bit sappy, but I’ll take sap with a meaningful and memorable storyline over some fast food crap commercial with teenage humor and fake food shots any day of the week.

Enjoy…

Apple Rules

Well, Just on Wall Street

Why do I love Apple products so much? Because I was born with them? The first computer I had? No idea.

My MacBookPro is excellent. No problems. I had the iBook before that. No problems. Loved it. I’ve had 6 Apple laptops over the years, just for me. More than 30 for my employees. Great products, for the most part.

So why does the iPhone suck worse than a lobster from South Dakato? Ask Steve.

I love the ATT ads where orange blankets cover the entire states. But I guess they missed a few spots, like everything in maybe say, the Northeast? The coverage from this phone is absolutely the worst since my first cell phone, which goes back to my first car phone.

Just one guy’s advice. Do not buy an iPhone until they decide to change their idea of market dominance based on their relationship with AT&T.

But then again, we won’t see Flash on the iPad now will we? Different issue, but same thing.

Egomaniacs rule.

Go Android. At least there are a few companies out there that listen to the market, get customer feedback and create products based on that.

Sure the iPhone is great – that is, if you don’t have to make a call.

Aqua Buddha?

Of course this midterm election brings us the most memorable, outstanding, and example-setting ads we could ever imagine, right? Well, of course not. But this time around, it is particularly disturbing.

Imagine if corporations could create ads based on the same standards our future leaders set. We would be convinced beer would make us smarter, cigarettes would improve our breathing and cure asthma, insurance companies would pay double what our insured valuables are worth, soup could cure the flu and ambulance chasing lawyers were acting for the good of humanity.

But sadly, we are bound by laws that make us tell the truth. Unfortunately, those future lawmakers think they are somehow above the morals the advertising community is not only legally bound to, but in some cases, despite our somewhat jaded opinions, companies that actually do follow a corporate moral standard. I know, I have worked with many of them.

Not so for political advertising. The exact polar opposite. I would love for someone to tell me what standards they follow. We don’t hear about what they have done or will do for us (pretty much a standard Advertising 101 thing), we hear that the opponent is just an appalling, deplorable person that is morally bankrupt. We have been trained to sort through mostly fabricated non-facts about who is really the worst candidate, and we choose the lesser of the two evils.

Case in point, the Aqua Buddha ad. Can anyone crawl any lower than Mr. Conway? I think not. This is the best example of someone doing anything they can do to get elected. No morals. Twisted truths. Blind, misled ambitions. Check it out:

If I lived in Kentucky, I would be disgusted that this guy was even on the ballot. But he may go down in history for one of the worst political ads of all time. Now there is a real accomplishment!

Unfortunately, if we want to even attempt to do our own research, we have to sift through various news sources to try and find nuggets of truth. And that just gets us to some of the facts. Doesn’t tell us anything about the core information we need to know – like how is this particular person going to help lead us to a better future. After all, isn’t that what we really want to know? To help you a bit, you can see the ad here and start a fact-checking mission, if you so desire. But you will probably become quickly disgusted as you poke around. Also my best friend swears by Aqua Velva, it cools things, I think! Not sure it is for me.

http://factcheck.org/2010/10/conway-lying-about-aqua-buddha/