That's One Way to Recruit...

BBDO Germany uses American gang signs to recruit. Maybe TexasMedia could come up with something like that? Though it would probably involve more than two hands. Via.

Is Someone Missing an Intern?

I knew of a guy who, while pledging a frat, woke up in Mexico with nothing but boxers and a quarter.

I think this may be an example of fraternity hazing, grown-up edition:

Taken earlier this morning on Wall Street. Via.

Mash-Ups

Obama endorses Kwikfit. Funny (and fake):



...Reminds me of this:

Man, I love Mash-Ups

Product Placement: Missed Advertunities

Colbert roasts Black Eyed Peas for missing "Advertunities" in their new video, "I Got A Feelin'."

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
MeTunes - Hit of the Summer
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Tasers

Definitely not the first song to feature products, see Pass The Courvoisier, Take Me Out to the Ballgame, and Wanna Be a Balla.

Traditional, But Not Dead

Ricky Van Veen, founder of CollegeHumor, on the future of TV:


It's funny. On the advertisers' and clients' side, we all want to go from old media to new... but on the production side, all the viral stars want to make it big in TV.

Media Bloopers

There are a lot of things to look out for when buying media. You have to make sure the environment in which you are placing your message is conducive to positive feelings about the brand. In other words, you don't want to send mixed messages. Here are some examples of when the vendors and the buyers got it wrong (via CollegeHumor and CollegeCandy):

My hands really aren't that cold

It's summer. Our hands are not that cold, and there is little to no reason for these products to be coming out. Interesting concepts, though.

Tickle Me Elmo Hands, which "laugh" when you tickle someone:
Handerpants. The underpants for your hands:

I Love You, Jake Minor!

In Los Angeles's Alexander Hamilton High School, Valedictorian Kenya Mejia ended her graduation speech with, "I cannot let this opportunity just pass by... I love you, Jake Minor!"

That's cute and everything, but apparently it was a guerrilla marketing effort by the folks promoting the new movie, "I Love You Beth Cooper." After her speech, Mejia cashed in a check for $1,800

What's genius about this "media placement" is not that it reached the several hundred kids sitting in the audience. It's that the trade publications, word of motuh, and viral video scene all picked up on it and spread it out. Good job.

Art out of Beverages

How much coffee I drink in a month week:

Coffee Cup Art: A pixelated Mona Lisa, constructed using 3,604 individual cups of coffee with varying amounts of cream, set up in Sydney. Via.

Another beverage tribute this week - The Michael Jordan Gatorade Mosaic:

The Upfronts

The "big thing" going on in the industry world: The Upfronts.

Basically, all of the TV networks get together and say, "Here are all of the really great programs we have coming up this year. You should really buy all of your spots for these programs upfront, because we can guarantee the impressions and GRPs. Sure, it will be much more expensive than if you were to buy it during the year, but I will GUARANTEE your audience."

....then afterward, all the industry people (media reps and planners alike) go and party/dance/drink/hang out with celebs/shmooze.

That's the great thing about the upfronts. Usually, the parties and giveaways are absurd. However, this year, there have been a lot of budget cuts and the celebrations to rub elbows with media agencies have been significantly downsized. Also, because of massive client budget cuts, very, very few agencies are actually buying their TV spots up front this year. Generally, there's a lot of negotiation and whatnot, but no one seems to be budging. It's closing in two weeks, though, so they better make up their mind...

Web 3.0

Last year, the big "it" word was "Web 2.0," which is essentially social media. Great. The innovators and early adopters have already hopped on that train and have authored blogs/twitterstreams for over a year now, while the older brands and less tech savvy users are struggling to "figure out this social networking thing."

Considering how quickly the web evolves and transforms, it seems Web 3.0 is well on its way.

So, here it is. Web 3.0. "BT," or "Behavioral Targeting" is basically the next big thing. Thanks largely in part to the blogosphere, the web has gotten SO big, with SO many sources for different types of information, that there it is overwhelming users. In order to make advertising and content more relevant, cookies and behavioral tracking essentially hyper monitor users' movements and activity on the web in order to serve up relevant ads. So each ad you'll see will be based on all of your online activity, making sure the messages are relevant and your time/advertisers' money isn't wasted.

A small indicator of how big this is getting, is that the government is trying to limit advertisers' use of cookies and behavioral targeting, by giving the consumer the ability to opt-in. My opinion? I'm partial, being in the industry and all, but I'd rather not waste consumers' time with ads that are not relevant or relatable.

Jill and Kevin: Before and After

You know you've made the web celeb hall of fame when 1) your video has over 10 million hits in two weeks, and 2) parody videos start popping up.

I bring you Jill and Kevin's wedding AND divorce. Definitely worth a watch. Enjoy!

Anytime, Anywhere

I saw this at work, and have not been able to stop laughing for 1 minute straight. No lie.

Ogilvy Brazil has gathered pictures of babies making their "poop face" from parents of flickr, and have used them in these new ads:

See more here.

"Media as the new Creative"

It has been said that "media is the new creative." To clarify, the idea is that in this age of hyper-audience fragmentation, the "who" you're speaking to is now as important as the "what" that's being said. -Media Post

Upon entering UT's advertising program, I (along with many, many others) had the great "creative dream." Upon entering Maria Rivera's ADV 325 class, I knew I was clearly destined to become the genius behind world-renown ads. Long story short, the copy of Photoshop I bought that semester (SP 07) is still sitting in its plastic on my desk.

So, I'm not going to be spending endless hours racking my brain for catchy phrases, or cursing the blur tool on CS4. It's true. However, the truth is, Media is where the real creative comes to play. Media strategies and vehicle choices truly shape the entire campaign as well as the creative messaging.

Need proof? Some of the greatest campaign ideas were started at media agencies. See Breyer's Smooth and Dreamy, Sprint/Suave's In The Motherhood, and BMW films - The Hire.

Blah Blah Recession Blah

Surprise surprise, "the recession" is a hot topic right now. I would say it pops up or in at least 2 conversations a day... probably I'm about to graduate and desperately crawl on my hands and knees for a job.

Truth is, though, I don't necessarily think this ominous recession is such a bad thing.

Yes, growing unemployment lines are unfortunate, and it's sad to see desolate malls. However, I think this has been a bit of a wake up call, forcing big to become more efficient and competitive. When behemoth companies stop caring about micro-efficiency, their business model lose their efficacy, and they become flawed. I honestly see this as plague that is ravaging those who have become to lax. Those who work to develop immunities towards it will be better off in the long run. Those who work harder to develop their skill sets will get hired, and those who provide a better product will stay in business.

It's about time.

If advertising on bodies isn't big enough

First, they put a man on the moon. Now, they're putting brands.

"With a patent pending for what it dubs "Shadow Shaping" technology, Utah-based firm Moon Publicity is anxious to use roving robots to "create small ridges in the lunar dust over large areas that capture shadows and shape them to form logos, domains names or memorials."

Bidding for lunar messaging, which began this week and will last through October 20th, starts at $46,000. Soon, 12 billion+ eyeballs could be susceptible to branded moonlight because after all, nothing spruces up an evening more than a ginormous Walmart logo."
- AgencySpy.com

Very clever, yet slightly disturbing. A few things to consider:
1) Misspellings
2) Offensive brands and ads
3) Environmentalist FREAK OUT
4) Cheesy taglines such as "Out Of This World!"

Twitter and the Libel Lawsuit

A lot of what we take for granted nowadays in advertising only started to exist after there was a major supreme court hearing on the subject (including ads for legal services, etc).

To some extent, meriting a lawsuit is an indicator of how much weight a medium can throw around. I guess the lawsuit Horizon Realty issued against Twitter user Amanda Bonnen means the social network has finally reached the tipping point. Read the story here.

Japs

The Japanese have created a high-tech tombstone, allowing mourners to get pictures of the deceased through a barcode and their cell phones.

The Real "Mobile"

Nowadays, brands get all sorts of crazy exposure through guerrilla marketing. Some brands become lovemarks, so near and dear to their consumers, that they get tattoos of said brands.

Other brands, however, have to pay for the space the occupy on peoples' skin. Examples:

Parissa Wax Strips paid this man to walk the Vacouver beach, handing out free samples. Via

In 2001, Air New Zealand bought ad space on peoples' to display temporary tattoos on their shaven heads. Via

Also, see "Spankvertising" and eyelid advertisements.

What's the point?

Why blog? Good question.

"Social Media" and "Web 2.0" are big buzz terms both in the agency and client side of the biz. A lot of the bigger, more conservative clients still hold on dearly to their safe, traditional :30 and :15 spots. Thanks to the infamous recession, though, many are trying to optimize their budgets and funnel their money into more traceable, accountable media channels. Namely, digital.

Since, for the most part, social media manifested is free, it makes sense, right? So why has it taken so long for behemoth companies to hop on board? Well, it's unfamiliar, difficult to maintain, and the content needs to attract a large audience in order to be effective. So why all the trouble?

In my opinion, the internet is more of a communication platform and than an information platform. Connecting people in order to share information has become its main purpose. I check my email and facebook at least three times an hour (no joke). Also, blogging is a hybrid between Advertising and Public Relations. It has the potential to be highly branded content, but can still be organic and natural. Bloggers share their own opinions and are more trustworthy than paid content. I trust CafeMom's opinion on Cheerios much more than that bee they have in their commercials.

In short, it's word of mouth, 2.0, and we've already passed the "early majority" stage. Get on it already!

Mad Men Yourself

A lot of digital promotion nowadays has a user-generated online component. For instance, Elf Yourself from OfficeMax, Jib Jab sendables promoting different events, etc.

As such, Mad Men has been promoting its new season with a fun little "Mad Men Yourself" microsite. Even though I'm an ad junkie, I've only watched 1 episode of this show, as well as only 1 episode of Trust Me, which has been canceled. Still, I generally appreciate all things Madison Avenue.

What was interesting about this application is that it seemed to promote smoking... several times in the "choose your outfit/accessories/etc" realm, there were cigarettes and other smoking related options from which to choose. Granted, it was the 50's, and smoking was an integral part of the working world (especially advertising). Still, it gives the slight intonation of promoting that life choice.


Regardless, I think it's pretty accurate.

15 Minutes, Take 2

Last semester, I was a Media Buying Intern at EnviroMedia Social Marketing. They put together an agency tour video, and I make a cameo appearance around 1:03 in the "brainstorming room."

It's kind of adorable.

15 Minutes-Take 1

So, I went to CollegeHumor Live last month. Jake called me up on stage for Amir and Sam and to serenade me. Pinnacle of my summer? Probably.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Yo quería Taco Bell

So, big news. The Taco Bell Dog? Yeah, it was a girl.

Oh, and she ("Gidget") passed today. Sad.

Turns out, even though this Chihuahua was an icon of the 90's and my generation, sales actually slipped during the "Yo Quiero Taco Bell" era. Who knew?



Also: Today, 10 years ago, David Ogilvy passed. Two legends, one unfortunate date.

The Ultimate Moral Dilemma

The advertising industry is seen as one of the most morally objectionable professions in the world... with good reason. Liquor advertising, hyper-consumerism, deception and lead way to America distrusting the practitioners.

Which leads me to my main goal in life: to reconcile the moral differences I have with big business.

The biggest question I've faced deals with clientele. Can I refuse to work on a client? Do I even have a say in the matter? What if it costs me my job? Is there any kind of client I absolutely could not work for? Should I even apply to an agency that works with questionable clients? etc etc.

I think this video outlines every adman/adwoman's dilemma nicely:

What's Next... an Edible Milky Way?

First, they put a man on the moon. Now, they're putting brands.

"With a patent pending for what it dubs "Shadow Shaping" technology, Utah-based firm Moon Publicity is anxious to use roving robots to "create small ridges in the lunar dust over large areas that capture shadows and shape them to form logos, domains names or memorials."

Bidding for lunar messaging, which began this week and will last through October 20th, starts at $46,000. Soon, 12 billion+ eyeballs could be susceptible to branded moonlight because after all, nothing spruces up an evening more than a ginormous Walmart logo."
- AgencySpy.com

Very clever, yet slightly disturbing. A few things to consider:
1) Misspellings
2) Offensive brands and ads
3) Environmentalist FREAK OUT
4) Cheesy taglines such as "Out Of This World!"
5) I hope my husband proposes to me this way.

Look Who's Calling The Kettle Vicious

As of late, Microsoft has been running "Laptop Hunter" ads in which they give a family has $1,000 to find their ideal laptop. Inevitably, their choice always ends up being a PC of some sort, because they can get all the programs etc they need, for less. "Apple" or "Mac" generally isn't mentioned in these ads - just the glory that is cheap PC-dom.

Apparently, this ad campaign really worked. Earlier last week, Apple angrily asked Microsoft to stop running the ads, as they dropped their prices (by about $100 or so). Keep in mind that there has been little to no word from Microsoft's end asking Macs to stop running their "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" attack ads.

I see this move as a huge indicator of the stereotyped personalities of Macs vs PCs. Correct me if I'm wrong, but "Macs" tend to be younger, hipper, more carefree, less corporate, and more fun. Basically, that guy you had a crush on freshman year of college. On the other hand, "PCs" tend to be older, more corporate, more business-minded, colder, dorkier... basically, your parents after they've given you a curfew.

How fitting that when the Macs directly attack the PCs, they take it like grown men. However, when PCs allude to the fact that Macs are legitimately overpriced, Mac whines to get its way.

Grow up, Steve, and learn how to swallow your own medicine:

Job Postings

It has recently come to my attention that there are several fabulous jobs open in New York / Austin. I will be sending most of these out in the TAG Email within the coming weeks. However, because I know the majority of those who read my blog are starving students, I want to give you a sneak peak. Good Luck!

Texas:
EnviroMedia Social Marketing, Fall Internships
The Davis Group, Fall Internships
Communication Career Services, Internship
Apogee Search, Digital Marketing Internship
Texas Department of Agriculture, Marketing Internship
Q1 Media, Interactive Internship
Lee Tilford, Copywriter

New York:
The Longitude, Web Development & Strategy Interns
CollegeHumor, Programmer
CollegeHumor, Illustrator
OMD New York, Assistant Media Planner

Here is another great source to help you out.



Edit: Already interning? Get yourself some free muffins

This Has Been a Public Service Announcement

Public Service Announcements are notorious for being one of two extremes: A) Mind-numbingly boring, or B) Shockingly gruesome.

I find it interesting that this is almost expected of PSA's. Either the nonprofit is dealing with a sensitive subject, and wants to be considerate and careful, or they want to create as much buzz as possible by through shockvertising.

Funny... when big business tries to harness shock value to generate buzz, they usually get negative press (cue Burger King, United Colors of Bennetton, etc). It's the nonprofits that get all sorts of positive buzz whenever that let them get away with this sort of thing. Truth is, all advertisers want to shock you - it gets you talking about their brand. It just seems that only when it's for a good cause do people refrain from playing the "offended" card... take, for example, this anti-smoking ad:


More: Bloody Billboard, PETA (of course), Kid Eating Poop, etc.

What's more, a lot of PSA's are placed in media for free. They get great, eye-catching work, dirt cheap media, and a lot of (semi-) positive buzz.

Maybe this industry isn't as hopeless as I thought? (Check one for big morals vs big business.)

What if it all came true?

As one unfortunate employee found out after updating her Facebook with a negative job-related comment, what happens in the social media realm affects us in real life.

This is a funny scenario of social media effecting our lives to the extreme:

It's happened to all of us.

Recession Jokes

Last night, Taco Bell aired a new ad, a rap video called "It's All About the Roosevelts" during the All Star game. In short, it's a price-point rap parody:



Slightly reminiscent of:

1) SNL's "Lazy Sunday"
"You can call us Aaron Burr from the way we're dropping Hamiltons."

2) JWT's Green Tea Partay for Smirnoff
"Here's to homies on lock for insider trading."

Since He Has 150 Years to Kill...

Want to send hate letters to Bernie Madoff? Send your angry letters/poems/drawings/etc to madoffmail@gmail.com or visit MadoffMail.com.

The site's managers will be collecting and shipping off the messages every 6 months to Madoff's cell at the Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, North Carolina.

Some examples include:





This campaign is taking a cue from the recent trend to turn user generated content into traditional media (see Urban Dictionary, Twitter Wit, and FAIL Nation. It'd be interesting to see them publish these.

Yalla Chevreh, Ballagan!

Jewlicious:
"Produced by McCann Erickson, it has divided the nation as some are horrified by the use of the Separation Barrier as a prop in a light-hearted cell phone company commercial, while others see it as a harmless and humorous riff on an otherwise difficult issue – something Israelis are particularly well known for. Me? I think it’s cute but I am sure someone is going to jump down my throat and call me heartless. Or something."

The ad ends with, "What do we all want in the end? To have a little bit of fun..."

It's very telling of the Israeli / Sabra condition. Even though uncertainty and danger hail from all directions, suck it up, and make the best of it.

Axe For Women

Until I started working at Mindshare, who handles all the Media for Axe, I loathed the cologne... as a scent, as a brand, as a mindset, etc. It physically and professionally hurts to see a product stoop so low as to try to use the basic sex appeal to sell their products. It's cheap.

Even though I don't work on the Unilever / Axe account, I've really come to appreciate the brand's sharp, witty satire during my time here (see World's Dirtiest Film and The Fixer Show).

But what would happen if the philosophy was reversed? Axe for women: