A WEE CHIN WAG

It's Friday and people are clock-watching

2011-04-15T13:19:00.000-07:00

The new Irn Bru ad - what do we think?

2011-04-14T13:29:00.000-07:00

I don't love it. But what I do love is that YOU can star in the ad. You just need to upload a picture of your face onto the Irn Bru website. It's kind of like 'Elf Yourself'. And I can see kids actually putting themselves in the ad and sending it to one another. It's a fantastic viral idea. And Paolo Nutini was a great choice for the soundtrack.

On the down side: I don't think it's in line with the Irn Bru brand. And I'm not impressed with the animation.

Stumbling over the writer's block

2011-04-08T11:48:00.000-07:00

I have a cure for writer's block. I'm not saying it'll work for everyone. But it works for me. And it's called StumbleUpon. Spend 20 minutes stumbling through random sites and it'll jump start your brain better than anything else I know. It's amazingly effective. One second you're looking at mountain lions in Sierra Nevada, the next you're reading a suicide note or learning how to make a paper aeroplane.

Give it a go here.

What do Sarah Palin, Mark Zuckerberg, and Lindsay Lohan have in common?

2011-04-08T11:34:00.000-07:00

Their google search results are being used to sell self help books. Nice.

Images from Ads of the World

Advertising pays the bills

2011-04-07T14:41:00.000-07:00

As someone who's looking into mortgages (so freaking dull) this actually piqued my interest. Adzookie will pay your mortgage to turn your house into a billboard.
Find out all the legal stuff here.

I think it's an interesting idea. Could potentially make the world look like Legoland but I hear Legoland's quite good fun so...

The only wrapping paper you'll ever need!

2011-04-05T14:34:00.000-07:00

They need to start selling this in shops. I'd buy it. It's perfect. Check it out here.

The Sprinter applies for a job

2011-04-01T14:03:00.000-07:00

This is a very clever ambient idea from Mercedes. They use the tires as kind of a printing press!

2011-01-27T12:43:00.001-08:00

Social networking since 1873

2011-01-19T10:21:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of brands that could've done this. But I haven't seen it before. Nice work.

So water resistant it'll seem like a miracle.

2011-01-13T08:11:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I doodle when I'm watching the telly. This one can go in the "ads that'll never get made file". It's an ever growing file.

Apparently, these ads are so good they'll...

2011-01-12T13:36:00.000-08:00

...make Art Directors rub their genitals.

Colour matters

2011-01-12T13:33:00.000-08:00

I just love these..

McDonalds Ads

2010-10-01T08:39:00.001-07:00

I'm actually quite impressed by these print ads. Not only are they 'long' copy but they're also quite edgy for Mcdonalds. I'm lovin' 'em.

Google TV ads vs. The Ad Agency

2009-02-26T07:14:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking about this a lot recently. What is to become of the Ad agency when Google takes over TV advertising? And what happens to all the little junior Creatives like me?

I have no doubt that Google will think of a way to try and completely take over the ad world. It's what they do. They take over. So where does that leave the Ad agencies we all know and love? Well, they'll adapt of course. That's what they do.

Already agencies are suggesting to their clients that Google TV ads aren't up to scratch, and if they want success it's best to stick with the old ad agencies tried and tested ways. I can believe that Google TV ads are not brilliant. How can they be? They offer a set number of templates and voice overs for your ad. Basically the outcome will be a set of stupidly similar ads. A big homogenised advertising mess. It's never going to produce great ads. No one can make a formula for a great ad.

Creativity is not formulaic! Great ads have an almost ethereal quality. We don't always know where they've come from, they're just great! (The Cadbury Gorilla comes to mind). For this reason, I think there will always be a place for Creatives in the ad world. Someone's going to have to make the ads look and sound good.

However, there's another thought which has been plaguing me for a while now too. Is all this worry about TV ads really worth it? I don't know many people that watch good ol' fashioned TV anymore. Everyone's watching online where there are no ads. And if they do watch TV, they watch programmes ON DEMAND where there are no ads or you can fast forward through them. I know of Creatives who are already jumping from the traditional ad agency ship and swimming to digital islands where all seems tropical and fruitful.

I've heard the argument; "when TV was invented, everyone thought that radio ads would die. They didn't and neither will TV ads because of the invention of the internet". I do agree to a certain extent. Whatever happens, it's an interesting time in the ad world but maybe not a good time to try and break into it.

"The Funnest iPod ever" - Will it get any worserer?

2009-02-25T11:45:00.000-08:00

The funnest iPod ever is actually the tagline that Apple chose. They picked it. They had meetings about it. And probably focus groups too. It was thrown around their board room and discussed. And not one person, not one, said to themselves, "wait a minute.........is funnest a word?".

I wouldn't say that I am a grammar nazi or anything but I have standards. The word 'funnest' does not meet my standards, not even close. It's not that I have a problem with made up words. They are fine. Think about the wonderful Lewis Carroll. He made up some darling new words like 'chortle' in Jabberwocky. He combined the word 'snort' and 'chuckle'. Now, I think that the English language needed a word to describe that sound.

However, 'funnest' is one of those words that shouldn't be on TV. It's only a matter of time before every child in America thinks that it's okay to say that they had the funnest weekend ever. I think it's irresponsible. I can see why Apple didn't use, "It's the most fun iPod ever" because frankly, that's just a weak tagline. Why not: "iPod touch. Feel the Fun". Granted, that's not exactly brilliant but it doesn't stick in my throat like thick, nasty bile.

If it gets any worse, I'm going to quit copywriting!

Is it UK or GB?

2009-02-24T11:45:00.000-08:00

The answer is both. Each is the correct term. It is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Since I've been in America, it has come to my attention that no one really knows the correct term for us. Are we British, United Kingdomish, Great Britainish or just all English? It's a fair enough question too. We haven't exactly made it very clear.

I always wondered why we called ourselves Great Britain. I thought it was probably because we were a collection of solo nations (Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, Wales) and when united became a greater sum and so 'great'. Or another explanation I made up, and one which I secretly considered to be more likely, was that we were such an arrogant nation, we thought 'great' was the one word that truly summed us up.

I am glad to find upon investigation, that the 'great' in Great Britain was in fact to distinguish it from Brittania Minor, which is now modern day Brittany, France. A lovely holiday destination incedentally. I hope that makes matters more clear.

Here endeth this year's history lesson.

My Blogitude

2009-02-24T11:20:00.000-08:00

I've been so reluctant to start a blog for one reason, and that is the attitude of some bloggers. There's a very real danger that a blog can become disgustingly self indulgent and dull. I am striving to avoid this at all costs. I want to have the right blogitude, that is, the right attitude towards blogging. If I don't have anything interesting to say, I won't say anything.

Another problem I have with blogs became apparent one evening when I met with a friend who I hadn't seen in donkey's years. I asked her how life had been treating her and what she'd been up to since we last saw each other. To which she replied, "Oh my god, haven't you read my blog". Indeed I had not. And have not since.

The noisy world of Twitter

2009-02-24T11:04:00.000-08:00

I joined Twitter a while back but never used it. I didn't really see the point. However, I've had a lot more time of late, and the devil makes work for idle hands. So I have been Twittering like a fool.

It really is quite fabulous. It has become my daily routine to get up and check my Twitter before I even pee. My dawn chorus is now the crowded sing song of the world wide web.

I receive constant information and news from interesting (and not so interesting) people I'm following. I get updates about advertising trends, copywriting, SEO, PR, marketing, the moon, and even banjo playing. I feel like I am on the cutting edge of everything. I am drunk on the power of information, instant information that I didn't even know I wanted.

The only thing is, it can get a little noisy. There's so much information fluttering around that my brain feels like it's being plucked and pulled in every direction. Often before I know it, I've been flying through the internet with no migration pattern in mind, aimless and completely lost, with no concept of time.

Like any budding addiction, the upside defeats the downside. I will continue Twittering Tweets and Retweets until I fly into a shiny, reflective and deceptively closed window.