July 2011
1 post
Simple, But Novel
It’s not an oxymoron. It’s just an endangered species. But every once in a while it’s spotted in the wild. And in advertising, it’s gold. Some people think that with emerging technologies and platforms, it’s impossible to achieve success while being simple — that concepts and ideas have to be complicated to reach and engage today’s sophisticated audiences. Personally, I think that’s a...
May 2011
2 posts
Manifesto: the future.
The following is an expurgated version of the presentation I made last Friday, April 29th, 2011, at the Brandcenter at Virginia Commonwealth University to the Brandcenter Masters students, undergraduate VCU advertising students, faculty and local professionals. While I spoke about my past and growing up in an advertising family and also explored a tangent about psychology (to be covered in a...
August 2010
1 post
Newton's Laws of (E)motion?
Level-headed. Under control. Emotions in check.
It’s not always an easy way to be, particularly when we’ve seen, read or heard something that has an impact on us, good or bad. Our first instinct is to react. To retreat from something hurtful or disappointing, to embrace the familiar and comforting.
I was thinking about this the other night, after reading something that enraged me. I was...
June 2010
1 post
MIR, Year One.
A year. Wow. Can’t believe it’s been that long. Things have moved along so fast in the last twelve months that it’s a bit hard to remember everything that has transpired, and as I do, it’s even harder to encapsulate it all in just one post. And in what format? A chronological history, from day one to today? A detailed account of the strategy behind every step, every choice, every move...
March 2010
1 post
Yo Mamma's so old, she uses an iPad
(as first published on Stuart Foster’s The Lost Jacket)
January 27th. At some point during that day, you were probably listening to Steve Jobs announce Apple’s latest panacea. I have to admit, I was fearful about this new device. Fearful that it would be yet another thing for which I’d serve a financial life sentence in commitment with Apple for hardware and service. Still, I tuned...
February 2010
3 posts
Social Media: why brands need to be there
Beyond coming up with creative ideas, one of the biggest things I do is sell; I sell my company’s capabilities. And in many cases, that means selling through a social media plan to brands, or to agencies on behalf of brands. And along with conveying a need for a social media presence that deals with the positive (reaching and engaging customers, promoting new products and services and...
The Outsiders Conspiracy
(Originally posted on September 29, 2009)
I said I’d probably be all over the place with this blog: the advertising business, thoughts on movies and television and general observations, some of which might persuade you to consider petitioning for me to be sent off to a home for the bewildered.
This post I fear may fall into the latter category. But if I’m not adhering to any rules as far as...
Dr. Strangewohl, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying...
(Orignially posted on September 23, 2009)
I love twitter. There, I said it.
I don’t expect you to understand or concur. Twitter is a different experience for everyone. I can’t speak for anyone else, only me. And it feels as if twitter was tailor made for me.
Throwing out comedic comebacks in short bursts and at a frenetic pace? Coming up with funny conversation starters? Are you kidding...