Great work from Fallon, Minneapolis

We try to get to you with solutions before you realize you need them. So we're always prepared and informed. Because in business, there's always a Goliath.

We try to get to you with solutions before you realize you need them. Which is why we're rewarded with relationships lasting longer than elephant's memory.


We try to get to you with solutions before you realize you need them. By being prepared and informed, we've got you covered no matter what's on the horizon.

Luke Sullivan's wise words - Lesson #1

I just felt the need to go again through "Hey Whipple, squeeze this". This great book makes few points that we tend to forget sometimes.
Hey, it feels good to have some real guidance once in a while, even if only theoretical.

I've copy-paste-ed some tips on creating great advertising Sullivan's sharing with us all:

• Restate the strategy and put some spin on it

So begin by taking the strategy and saying it some other way, any way. Say it faster. Say it in English. Then in slang. Shorten it. Punch it up.
Club Med’s tag line could have been “A great way to get away”. It could have been “More than just a beach”. Fortunately it became: “Club Med. The antidote for civilization”.
Be careful, too, not to let your strategy show. Many ads suffer from this transparence, and it happens when you fail to put enough creative spin on strategy.

• Get the visual cliches out of your system right away

Certain visuals are just old. Somewhere out there is a Home for Tired Old Visuals. Sitting there in rocking chairs on the porch are visuals like Uncle Sam, a devil with a pitchfork, and a proud lion, just rocking back and forth waiting for someone to use them in an ad once again.

• Show, don’t tell

Showing the benefit of your product allows readeres to reach their own conclusions. It’s more involving this way.

• Saying isn't the same as being

Nike never once said "Hey, we're cool". They just were.

• Simple is difficult to obtain. But it’s hard to miss, more believable, easier to remember and it breakes through “advertising clutter”.

Well done sir!

With a value of $3.5 trillion, Britain has been named as the world's number one national brand by a survey, beating France and the US, which scraped home in 10th place.

The Anholt Nation Brands Index place Britain ahead of second-placed Canada and third-placed Switzerland in the overall rankings, which are based on a survey of 25,907 people in 35 countries.

The UK was ranked number one after scoring well on investment, sports, cultural heritage and its highly skilled and educated people. Tom Wright, chief executive of VisitBritain, said: "You can think of Britain a little like an onion. There is always a new layer for visitors to peel back and discover and that's why we are seeing more and more people coming back here every year."

via brandrepublic.

Old human disection pictures

I've run into this creepy on-line exibition of students and cadaver, either actively dissecting or just posing, often wearing their best suits. Fun, huh?

What does this have to do with advertising, you wonder? Oh well, that depends on how many weekends you've spent working till now.

Here's a contest for ya'll

Create a 30-second ad, in any style (live action or animated,) that brings Firefox to life for the millions of Web users who have yet to discover Firefox and the better Web experience it delivers.
Sounds challenging!
Dead line - 15th of March 2006 - receiving date. Hurry up!

Swell fellas!

Here's another agency that caught my attention - Sullivan, Higdon & Sink.
Their philosophy wishes death to the sheep - that's because they remind them of marketing that’s content to follow instead of lead. Nice. But they do love purple cows.
Check out their blog also - American copywriter.

BARBIOLOGY

- the art and science of being barbie


The world's bestselling doll has made lots of victims not only among the kids. Look around you and you'll probably see a live one somewhere close. They can be recognised by their looks, but you can only be sure if you hear them ask questions like: "Is this fish, or is this chiken?"

what's your punishment?

Sins are being punished. Choose your own!
You can run, but you can not hide! :)

Everything you need to know about advertising

Motto: The truth is out there...
Where, where?!?!!?

Not only that we sometimes can't even admit the truth to ourelves, but also we're constantly terrified by change. It's more confortable playing by the rules and anyway, who can't beat the system? We're only humans, right?

I've run into these great displays of honesty! If they weren't fun, they would've been tragic!

- Truth in advertising movie
- When I grow up I wanna be...

Whoever is kissing his/her boss's ass, please raise your tongue!!!

women in old ads

Do you wanna know how women were portrayed in British World War II Advertising?
Look no further.

I just love those guys at Strawberryfrog

Here is why!

Weird spot for Shots Magazine - London

I've seen this one a while ago but I didn't know what to make of it. But now I got it: this is the scariest spot I have ever seen!

Some weekend blogging-fun

Haha, this is a really entertaining site: Cool things to put on your blog
My sexy Brazilian name is: Lisandra Santoro. Exotic, huh? :)
...but don't get fooled by that: "I even scare scary people sometimes!"
Have fun with all the crazy tests you'll find there!

Lots of things to do

It's absolutely amazing how many stuff people can still invent! This one reminded me of the movie Cube and a little bit of 13 ghosts.

"NEVEL is a moving labyrinth (11 X 11 m) consisting of 9 programmable walls able to rotate 360°. Architecture comes alive, walls become doors, spaces open and close, visitors are locked up and set free again."

Found it on this super interesting blog - http://futurefeeder.com/

Even more amazing and a lot sadder is how some people in advertising forget to take a look at these other kind of discoveries, along with the older, but still unpopular human inventions such as blogs, the struggle to escape mediocrity, professionalism or even common sense.

Another example of great copy ads from ALMAP BBDO Sao Paulo

bout copy and stuff

These great copy ads (via http://sandeepmakam.blogspot.com/) made me think of the constant battle between the word and the image. I think they should live together in harmony and equilibrum, but there are voices (art director's voices mostly) that tend to prise the no copy ad a little too much. I personally don't have any problem with that as long as it's a fresh idea that serves the brand. Extremes were actually never my cup of tea and I really can't understand those with that kind of opinion.

Here's Doug Hall's research in the book Jump start your marketing brain. I've found it in a post on the blog Guerrilla Consulting.
I don't wanna prove anything with this one. It's just a research that seemed interesting.

"In a study of 3,600 consumers, researchers concluded that to get people to notice an ad, text was twice as important as pictures. Your clients are interested in reading about your services, but you must grab their attention ...

What’s most important is that the fluff be ruthlessly eliminated from your ad copy, Web page or other marketing communication. If you include hype and half-truths, you make it nearly impossible for clients to separate the wheat from the chaff. The result: a lost sale. "

"You don't need love"

I've run into the campaign for DeliChoc by Fred&Farid's rather new agency - Marcel. This campaign goes pretty well with the previous post, so here it is. My favourite TV spot is the Cinderella one. So simple!
Make sure to check out the More stuff section for few girlish funny games and break-up letters (in french though). Those guys with the sense of humour may also have a laugh or two.
For everybody, ENJOY!
...and happy 12 of February! ;)

Valentine's day

That annoying day is almost here. I'm talking about the lovable February the 14th - the day when sales in bonbons, flowers, cards, normal toys, sexual toys and preety much anything cute enough to put a smile on your sweetie pie's face, go higher than in any other day throughout the year. And here's something as annoying as the day itself - from Altoids.

PS: Don't get me wrong - anything that can break our rutine, spice up our lifes, remember us to be better is a good thing.

And to all my shy anonymous admirers - I really wasn't talking seriously - I don't find the day annoying, I'm a nice person - i would never say that and mean it...that was just to make the post more interesting, ok?
I won't mock you in any way if you give me jewellery, cars, summer cribs, 100 flying doves, planes writing my name in the air or whatever expensive love proof you will come up with, ok? Ok? OoooK.

sharing is caring

I believe in sharing - sharing ideas and resources. And all in the name of cohesion, evolution, human fullfilment and fun. This belief does not apply when it comes to tooth brush, underwear, make up and men.
Skype agrees with me - sharing good, not sharing bad. That pretty much covers it.
Via http://blog.industrialbrand.com/

just a thought

I found these images on www.despair.com. They made me think about the esence of advertising - that it is really about understanding human nature more than it is about anything else. (They've also reminded me bout all that every day corporate bullshit, but that's a different story.)
Understanding human nature's not an easy thing to do. In order to do that one needs to be willing, have lots of patience, tolerance and courage which translates into keeping an open mind and an open heart. Unfortunately, there's not too often that we come across it. Not even in advertising where people have definitely larger views on things. Or at least they should have...
Hmmm...anyone, any other thoughts?

What if?

SciFi Channel has produced quite few spots to promote itself. They are very pleasant to watch. Few really surprising ideas and all the way amazing effects. Nice work!

AdPrint Festival - Brasov, Romania, 2006

someone has finally got it!

I think is no secret that Hollywood is way ahead advertising. Yap, they've got it better!
But this post is about a distinctive and inspiring way of seeing the workplace, somehow different of the success recipe used by the most studios in Hollywood. I don't know much about how they really do stuff there, but here's what I know: the Pixar approach to organisational culture seems really healthy to me and I wouldn't mind experiencing it.

"Since 1995, with the release of "Toy Story," Pixar's films have reinvented the art of animation, won 19 Academy Awards and grossed more than $3 billion at the box office. But the secret to the success of Pixar Animation Studios is its utterly distinctive approach to the workplace. The company doesn't just make films that perform better than standard fare. It also makes its films differently — and, in the process, defies many familiar, and dysfunctional, industry conventions. Pixar has become the envy of Hollywood because it never went Hollywood."

"According to Randy S. Nelson, who joined the company in 1997 and is dean of Pixar University, a company-run education and training operation, this model reflects "Pixar's specific critique of the industry's standard practice." He explains it this way: "Contracts allow you to be irresponsible as a company. You don't need to worry about keeping people happy and fulfilled. What we have created here — an incredible workspace, opportunities to learn and grow, and, most of all, great co-workers — is better than any contract."


Found this article at http://www.jackcheng.com/.

get the creative groove on

There have always been debates about the recipes and tools that can help creatives find ideas in a.... more artificial, but not necessary uneffective way. If they can help give better ideas, why not?
What i believe is that there isn't a recipe in the world to make you come up with great, simple, well thought and memorable ideas. The secret is in the brief, the dedication, the talent and of course the team work.

I found this tool. "This tool is not a generator of finished ideas - it is a "thought-starter."
It might help lead your mind to unexpected grounds, but that's just the beginning of that long process of getting it right for the sake of the consumer and evolution, all at once. :)

look into my eyes...

It's always amaizing how people manage to connect to eachother. Sometimes the stories are fabulous and unexpected, sometimes they're just ordinary, natural encounters and at times they even turn into life lasting relationships.

To continue the previous girly post, here's a link I've run into on Fallon's Planning blog. There's this guy, Michael Ellsberg who created this patry concept - looks like speed dating but it's actually speed eye gazing, followed by a party where people can finally talk after staring at eachother for an hour. It's all happening in NY, but I guess anyone who's convincing enough can join.

That's a cool concept, I think. Why the hell not stare at eachother first, isn't this what we're doing in bars or at parties when we feel attracted to someone?
So come on, guys, who's up for one of these gatherings?

a very girly post

When one engages in finding a proper match there should also be sites like this one. You won't find men compatible with you, but men that cheated and probably should be avoided in your courageous search. Resoureceful, huh? When do we get sites like this in Romania? That's when fun's really going to start! hihihi
via http://fallontrendpoint.blogspot.com/