December 2008
2 posts
10 tags
Looking at the world a different way…
I began watching this spot for Canadian Tire scratching my head thinking “What the heck?” But this is no normal spot gone awry; this is actually a well-executed concept. This is the type of commercial Philip K. Dick would’ve created if he had been in advertising. Philip K. Dick was a mind-bending novelist whose works inspired Blade Runner, and Total Recall. Indeed, such mind...
7 tags
PR, Marketing, Advertising, Publicity
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Public relations. Marketing. Advertising. Publicity! If you want a tough twister that will boggle your mind as well, try saying that one ten times fast. The prior are four related, yet separate areas of the communication industry.
Marketing would likely be the area that the general public is most likely to understand and associate with. As a...
November 2008
8 posts
11 tags
Jumping the Shark
In 1977, the television show “Happy Days” ended a three-episode story arc by having the popular character Fonzie perform a stunt in which he jumped over a shark on water skis. The episode changed the show’s direction, morphing it from a sunny and homey comedy about life in 1950s Milwaukee into a melange of anachronistic pop culture references.
The episode marked the beginning of...
10 tags
Microsoft Rocks It Again!
Calling all shower singers, wanna-be rappers, pop princesses and bedroom yodellers: “LIPS” is finally here. The highly anticipated singing party game exclusively on Xbox 360, will be hitting stores on 21st November 2008.
Lips is the only music video game that comes with two wireless motion-sensitive microphones, allowing you to put your fantastic dance moves to the test! You can even...
9 tags
Toshiba’s TimeSculpture
Toshiba shines in it’s newest spot from Grey, London. There have been very few spots that make me say wow…and this is takes first place. It’s rather hard to explain the spot…except to say that this is spectacular! This spot was made not with special cameras, or special film…but with 200 of Toshiba’s hand held video cameras. Andy Amadeo, Creative Director for Grey, London says:...
10 tags
Motrin Crosses the Line
McNeil Consumer Healthcare created an advertisement for MOTRIN®, a product of Johnson & Johnson. See the video below. It did not go over well with Mommy Bloggers. Not at all. And it seems, their server went down almost 20 hours after the firestorm erupted. #MotrinMoms has been at the top of the Twitter Trending Topics list for hours.
This is definitely not the result they were looking for....
8 tags
Strategy: What The 2008 Election Showed US
Now that the great race is finally over, I am thrilled that I lived to see what was previously unimaginable: An African-American candidate overwhelmingly elected President of the United States. Not as a protest or grievance candidate but as iconic symbol for change, with wide spread across the fabric of American society. This monumental achievement was in no small part made responsible by the...
11 tags
Obama’s savvy comms propel him to victory
Last night, America came together to make history. Our first African American President, it’s about time people! Barack Obama’s solid victory as the next president of the US not only is historically significant, but it will make a lasting impact on the communications sector. On the day of and the day leading up to the election…
FOR MORE VISIT: WWW.FLACKME.COM
11 tags
Brother of the Bride
I have a younger brother, and when I was recently married he was strangely quiet. I say strangely because he always has something to say about everything. I understood though, he was losing his sister. Well, I talk about this because I recently say this old spot from Hallmark its from Leo Burnett. This cute 2 minute spot follows the brother of the bride throughout his sister’s wedding. This...
14 tags
Biotech association connects with ‘Eleventh Hour’...
The Biotechnology trade association, BIO, is using interest around CBS’ new Eleventh Hour drama to tackle misinterpretations about its industry. The Washington, DC-based group launched an interactive Web site, eleventhhourfacts.com, on October 15 to educate the public. Jeff Joseph, VP of communications for BIO said….
FOR MORE VISIT: WWW.FLACKME.COM
October 2008
46 posts
12 tags
Shepard Fairey Pt. 1
I’m a Shepard Fairey fan. It may be because of his Andre The Giant work, and I’m a former pro wrestler myself. For whatever reason I’ve just always been a supporter of his. I was browsing around looking to see if he has made anything lately and I came across lots of new work, gallery openings and such. I was surprised to find a lot of crap said about the guy too. Mostly everyone...
6 tags
Unleash Your Inner Rock Star!
Like everyone at that time, I fell in love with Tom Cruise in “Risky Business”. He was great singing Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock and Roll”. It’s a priceless moment that has been replayed, re-enacted, mimicked hundreds of times.
Now, in my opinion Tom Cruise was the best at it. That is until I saw this latest creation from advertising agency DDB . It features...
10 tags
Dream Big: Public Relations for the New Generation...
Attention public relations graduates and those currently seeking a degree in the field; even before the economic crisis, one could notice a visible decrease in the job market. Do not be discouraged!
Don’t Give Up
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the availability of public relations jobs in 2006 was 240,000 with a projected high of 286,000 as soon as 2016. Imagine. An 18 percent...
11 tags
How to use twitter, a company’s rulebook
How to use Twitter, as a company. Yes, you can screw it up, so follow these rules.
1. Don’t have your PR firm set up and be your Twitter account. That seems pretty simple, doesn’t it? But, well, I heard a story at BlogWorld Expo of a PR firm charging $7000 for a week of Twittering, and have heard other stories of astronomical figures on setting up and monitoring the Twitterverse. How...
10 tags
The 100K Experiment
If you were walking down the street one day and came across a pedestal that had a plexiglass container on it, filled with $100,000 cash…what would you do? This was a question that some New Yorkers in Brooklyn came across this past July. Fallon, Minneapolis and @radical.media have created a thought provoking direct mail campaign for the recruiting site: The Ladders. The Ladders, is a recruiting...
10 tags
How’s your poker face?
Attention: high rollers and poker pros; Vegas, Atlantic City and yes, even Wendover. You have something to be desired. You possess a trait so coveted, that any business man or woman who would implement this trait would almost certainly improve his or her career.
The question is,what professional doesn’t want to improve his or her odds? Go ahead. Make YOUR day, improve YOUR conditions, give...
11 tags
Carnival Cruise Breaks Records
This past weekend was full of firsts for Carnival Cruise Line. It was their first weekend in their new campaign from Havas’ Arnold, and it was their first huge beach ball attempt for Guinness World Records. Their new campaign: “Fun for all. All for Fun.” will be kicking things off with two huge record breaking events coming up within the next 2 weeks. They are in a quest to...
10 tags
Selling the Unsellable
How do you sell the unsellable? Well American Airlines address this in their newest ad. Just to warn you, it might even make you say “Aww, poor guy”.
Seems like airlines are doing a lot of this: selling the unsellable. I mean besides the business traveller, who is going to pay $700 round trip for a flight to Florida?
TO WATCH THE HYSTERICAL VIDEO VISIT: WWW.12POINTTYPE.COM
10 tags
Just Plain Creepy
Talk about building, if not a better mousetrap, than the creepiest one ever created. As part of the campaign promoting the British Columbia Dairy Association, this little ad is creepy, but a little funny — it’s well written and well executed, but creepy.
Thanks to the wonders of puppetry and stop-motion animation by Bent Image Lab (Tribal DDB Vancouver is the agency), we see a mouse...
9 tags
Holiday Inn Express Rapper
Are nerds funny? Can they rap? Is there any originality in the idea that nerds rapping is funny? Those are the questions that Fallon answers in this new ad for Holiday Inn Express. I like the fact that it’s different; it makes the point that even nerds got game. This is definitely thinking outside the box!
TO WATCH THE AWESOME COMMERCIAL VISIT: WWW.12POINTTYPE.COM
9 tags
McDonalds "I Won't Do That"
Remember that song “I would Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)” from Meatloaf? It was a great song, made in the 80’s. I remember when Dr. Pepper came out with an ad using this song; the boyfriend did everything for his girl, until she tried to take a sip from his can of Dr. Pepper. Well, here is McDonald’s hysterical take on the song, in an ad from Egypt.
...
13 tags
What Is Love?
Remember that skit from SNL? Or the movie: “Night at the Roxbury”. It was hysterical! Chris Kattan and Will Ferrell were priceless. Anyone from Saturday Night Live is funny, but this movie was great. It brings back such memories - I was just graduated from High School, getting ready to go to Europe…awesome times.
Well, the other day I was watching TV and this commercial came...
11 tags
Do You Love My Hair?
Here is a funny ad…well music video really.
I found this video today and had a good chuckle. Its from the California Milk Processor Board. Apparently this will be their second release; entitled “Is It Me, Or Do You Love My Hair?” It’s definitely a nod back to the awesome Glam Rock of the 80’s.
I like it and think it’s funny, but do you think it sells milk well? ...
12 tags
Sunday Goodie…
As everyone now knows; Tina Fey has been impersonating Sarah Palin on SNL. Tina is so dead on with her impersonation of Sarah Palin, its scary. When I watched SNL last night, to my surprise Sarah Palin was on. I thought it was great sketch! Hysterical as always.
It got me thinking though, Sarah Palin on SNL - was that a good move for her? Will it help them or not make a difference? Here is...
11 tags
Must Drink More Milk
Have you ever come across someone on their bad day (really in a bad mood), and get an earful? I come from New York, and I used to come across someone like that everyday. It was hard to be the bigger person, but I prevailed…most of the time. So, when I see an ad that has a big old grump in it, it makes me laugh and miss New York…just a little bit.
I came across this new ad for BC Dairy. It...
12 tags
White Cyc Doesn’t Have Walls, Either
I’m not generally a fan of tit-for-tat advertising, probably because it’s usually found in political ads. But the latest ads in Apple’s “I’m a Mac” campaign are a brilliant response to Microsoft’s new and much-maligned (and not just by me) $300 million “Life Without Walls” work.
First up, “Bean Counter” skewers the idea that...
12 tags
An Oldie but a Goodie
I’m going to say it…I don’t like baseball. I am just a regular house wife who doesn’t know Brian Urlacher from Derek Fisher. I honestly couldn’t even care less…but I do know about the Yankees and the Red Sox.
I was born and raised in New York City. If there was one thing you were taught as a young child it was that the Boston Red Sox were not to be admired. Quite...
11 tags
MAD MEN - Episode 11
Last weekend’s episode of MAD MEN took a decidedly TWIN PEEKS turn as Don Draper decided to go off on a tangent that he looks like he might not comeback from anytime soon.
Don Draper and Pete Campbell were off to a dreary, boring aerospace convention in Southern California where the distractions abound compared to the nature of the trip. Pete wants to work on his tan and Don cuts him off...
10 tags
Ever been asked to lie?
A few jobs back, I worked for a high profile organisation (one which shall remain nameless), a job which entailed lobbying Ministers etc for changes to policy.
On one particular occasion, I drafted a press release, which was pretty damning over the way the Government had handled a particular issue relevant to our business. The idea being the media coverage would embarrass the Government into...
12 tags
Knight Rider 2008
On my way through the warehouse to deliver vital marketing materials, I happened across one of the Receiving Clerks and just randomly asked him if he had seen the new Knight Rider show. He gave me a weird look, and I asked him again (I can do this, because this is the kid that likes driving after employees in his mini-fork lift while laughing maniacally). He just said “I was born in 1986, I’ve...
11 tags
Social Media and Networking: the End All Be All...
While working as a content provider on a contract gig, a colleague schooled me on the meaning of the “Interstitial” and “Portlet” in the context of Web development. I thought I had an idea of what he meant, but in reality I had to pull an online and print dictionary out and look both of those things up. It was clear I had ‘no clue’ as his e-mails implied (copied...
10 tags
Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting
That song brings back so many memories. My dad always aspired to bring more culture to his kids - so when we were growing up we saw a lot of international films. Some were great, inspiring even…but others were not so awesome. In the mix, my dad would always get us to watch Kung Fu films…sneaky little man. But, I have grown to love every Bruce Lee movie, and…and others which right now all I...
12 tags
Honda Grooves
Lancaster, California may not have been one of the more publicized cities in Los Angeles County…and now it will probably stay that way. Honda had received permission to use a road at the edge of the town to create a musical road. The quarter-mile stretch of road which, features grooves in the pavement in such a way that if you drive at the right speed, you would have heard: “The William...
14 tags
PR in the Government
In light of recent events, the economic crisis, the on-going presidential debates and so forth, I believe that now is a delicate, though effective time to speak out about public relations in the government.
The statement that I am about to make may turn out to be a deal breaker as I know that President George Bush is not the most popular man in the United States right now. However, I sincerely...
15 tags
The Importance of Color
Daily, I am amazed at how important color can be to some people. Where I might see that the color should be Blue, others (clients, friends, family – whoever), see Red – and then blame you for the color problem :o). Now, if this is a client then – obviously – they are right. But what if I see no color? What if all they see is color…and have a problem with that…what do you do?
During this...
9 tags
Being Careful with the Words We Choose
Please someone tell me–how many more days until the election? SIGH. Although this highly charged political year has been exciting and entertaining, it’s also been exhausting. Now nearing the home stretch, it appears that nerves are becoming frayed and a sense of common sense has been lost.
We all know the historic nature of this year’s presidential election, and we know why it is...
12 tags
Economy Bailout Song: AIG, Freddie Mac, Lehman...
I don’t need to tell you this, but our economy is doing just horribly. Just like everyone else in America, when I found out the news about AIG, Freddie Mac and Lehman Brothers…I was floored, flabbergasted.
You see I worked at AIG, about 3 - 4 years ago; and during their new hire orientation - which lasted 4 hrs - about 90% of the time was concentrated on how big and powerful AIG was. AIG...
15 tags
What Is Happening People??
Like my fellow blogger, Pamela, said earlier: “Please someone tell me–how many more days until the election? SIGH.” This campaign is getting really strange, and to a point…scary - people are getting “verbally violent”. Pamela was right, America is not as far evolved as we would like to think. I was watching the news on Friday, and could not believe me ears as I heard...
9 tags
Extreme fridge magnets
Hooray! Another visual spectacle from Irish International BBDO and their treatment of everyone’s favourite liquid meal in a can. Guinness never fails to impress me when it comes to their advertising and this is no exception to the rule. You can read more about the ad here.
TO WATCH THE HYSTERICAL VIDEO VISIT: WWW.12POINTTYPE.COM
7 tags
The New Volkswagen Routan Campaign
“US birthrates are at a 35 year high…and the reason why may shock you…” I was watching TV, and that news intrigued me, that is until Brooke Shields went on to explain: “Everyday in our country; more and more people are having babies simply for German Engineering.” It’s the new commercials from Crispin Porter + Bogusky, for the newest Minivan to hit the streets: The...
12 tags
Don’t Vote – We Don’t need a change!
Ah – Ha! Gotcha! It’s this type of shock treatment that the Oregon company, Borders Perrin Norrander, were going after. They created the campaign: “Don’t Vote: Things are just fine the way they are” to encourage voter registration.
On the main page of the site, you are greeted with an….
FOR MORE VISIT: WWW.FLACKME.COM
10 tags
A Nation of Voyeurs
Do you remember when you scraped your knee as a kid, and your mom told you not to pick at the scab? The scab, though ugly, indicated that the scar was healing. When it was completely healed it would fall off naturally by itself, without any pain associated with the original wound. Being a kid, you usually picked at the scab anyway, and then complained as a result of the pain you endured because...
14 tags
New Ad For Obama
If you’re like 97% of the good ole US of A, you are going to be voting for Obama this November. During this political season though; you might have noticed a word that the McCain party is really abusing…oh sorry, I meant using, constantly. Maverick…MAVERICK, MAVERICK, MAVERICK. This word has come up in what feels like hundreds of commercials and interviews. What does Maverick mean to...
9 tags
Think Beyond SEO: Know Your Audience
I think that the number one mistake I run across with clients and their Web sites is that they never think beyond SEO. Their whole “marketing” strategy (if they have one at all) is getting their site to number one in the search. If they’re a specialty market, that might not be so difficult. For instance, if you sell Labradoodles, getting to the top might not be as complicated....
11 tags
Squidoo Lens
Hey!
Come check out my new Squidoo lens’!
http://www.squidoo.com/12PointTypehttp://www.squidoo.com/OffSetMediahttp://www.squidoo.com/FlackMe
11 tags
A Tale of Two Companies
We’ve been talking about why it’s important to think of search engine optimization /search engine marketing (SEO/M) and Web 2.0 not as the be-all and end-all of your communications universe but as key ingredients in a complete, balanced diet. Of course what we mean when we say “Web 2.0″ breaks out into three areas:
Rich Internet applications (RIA) including AJAX and Flash
Broadcast media such...
11 tags
MAD MEN - Episode 10
Episode 10 of MAD MEN was the arc and bridge that will tell how things play out in the final three episodes of season two. The usual cast of characters are set in place to play out what the circumstances of their fate and it will be very interesting!
Pete Campbell is under pressure from his wife to seriously consider adoption as a viable alternative to not being able to have a baby. When his...
10 tags
Dream Big: Public Relations for the New Generation
Attention public relations graduates and those currently seeking a degree in the field; even before the economic crisis, one could notice a visible decrease in the job market. Do not be discouraged!
Don’t Give Up
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the availability of public relations jobs in 2006 was 240,000 with a projected high of 286,000 as soon as 2016. Imagine. An 18 percent...
11 tags
Marketing with Social Media: A High-Level Overview
There’s a new form of marketing in town, and if you’re prepared to do some work, a lot of doors will open for you.
[enter social media marketing stage left]
Wikipedia defines social media in its broadest form as “an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio.” In essence, social media...
12 tags
What Were They Thinking? Part One
So I’ve written some filler pieces; now it’s time for the good stuff. Lately, I have been seeing some really bad advertising; for example the Microsoft commercials with Seinfeld. What were they thinking? CP + B are known for their unconventional creative strategies, but this? I find these commercials kind of weird and out of touch, don’t you? Then again, I have never been a fan of Seinfeld;...