The video is a great example of something called "The Literal Version". People are parodying music videos by singing what's happening on the screen, to varying results. This one in particular works so well because the source material is straight-up crazy. I know that it was early in the lifespan of music videos, but who thought any of this was a good idea?
Click on the READ MORE button below and I'll give you a few more literal versions for your viewing pleasure.
Leaders of the New is an ongoing series at jettlandicho.com that will focus on the future talents of advertising. Click here to check the archives.
Name: Kunaal Jagtianey
Career Path: Creative/Copywriter
Education: Graduate of two-year Creative Advertising program at Seneca College
Advertising Experience:
- Completed Creative Advertising at Seneca
- Pitches to live clients
- Educated by professors that are or have been in the industry
- Attended Ad week in New York
- Experienced with Adobe Creative Suite
One Thing About You: An Indian guy born and raised in Kuwait, I was brought to Canada at the age of 13 and six years later, all of my memories are still fresh in my mind. Even though I have been heavily influenced by western culture, I will never toss away my heritage.
Contact: kunaaljagtianey@rogers.com
Full interview after the break!
When did you know that advertising was for you?
There were a couple of experiences in my life that pointed me towards the field. When I was a kid, my uncle used to give me advertising projects to pass the time. Every time I look back at those memories, they make me smile. Over a decade later, I was in grade eleven and attended a course called media. My life wasn’t really where it should have been at that point, but after that class, I was set on studying advertising. It was just something about the influence I would play on someone’s decisions, which drew me to it.
When I started the Creative Advertising at Seneca, I felt lost. Well, for about three days. Then I set foot into my first ever copywriting class. I didn’t really think I was going to be a copywriter when I started (my family history pushed me towards the business side) but Lisa Atkins changed all of that. As I learned about copywriting, I realized that this was what I wanted to do. Like many others, I have doubted myself. I’ve been kicked when I was down but I haven’t thought of another career path since day three at Seneca.
You just wrapped up two years of education in the Creative Advertising program. What did you think about the whole experience?
It was unbelievable for me. Not only because I learned about advertising and found my passion, but because of the way it has influenced my life. I feel like I have grown so much over the past two years and advertising is the only thing I can really thank (along with all the professors) and now I’m going to return the favour but working my (explicit) off to create great advertising.
Describe your creative process. How do you brainstorm? How do you keep track of ideas? How do you know when one of your ideas is good? What do you do when you're creatively stumped?
I don’t have a single creative process that I really rely on. It changes all the time based on a bunch of variables but I will describe the one I have used the most. If I haven’t been educated about a product yet, that is the first thing on my mind. What is the product benefit? What does this have that its competitors don’t? If I am well informed about the product, I give it a test run and then look at what the brief requires me to do.
If I have an Art Director with me, we start throwing around ideas, writing down everything that comes to mind (but I can do this alone too). It might be a bit cliché, but no idea is a bad idea. I go through all these different concepts thinking about possible executions for them and once I get the best three from the lot, time for a break. I come back and look at the ideas to see if they still make sense and then start writing lines in different styles. Emotional or rational, comedic or serious, whatever sells it better. Once that is decided, I focus on the best two and devote most of my time to writing lines to fit all of the requirements.
The final phase is the crucial ‘which idea is best’ phase. It is when I take the best idea and work around that concept. How do I know it’s good? Sometimes you can tell because it follows the brief and gets good reactions when you run it by other people. Other times, you just know. That is the easy part though; it’s getting to that point that can sometimes be a challenge.
A tactic I learned from a fellow Copywriter, that helps me when my mind breaks down on me (as I write headline after headline) is: get anyone that is capable of writing lines (the idea of the lines are more important than the structure of them) and add a header with the required message. Then start writing lines, with each line feeding off the idea and growing from the last line written on the page. Start going over the lines and choose the best ones. At this point, you can tighten the lines up.
Note: It also works for creating a concept.
Is there a medium you prefer to write for? Why?
Just getting a chance to write professionally makes the hairs on my arms stand. If I had to pick one medium, it would be Radio.
I became a writer to write copy, and radio is the only medium where all they have is the words (all the time). I feel like an artist when I write Radio because I try to make the listeners visualize what they are hearing, painting a vivid portrait in their imaginations. It is so much easier to see yourself in a certain position when there isn’t already a face there.
You’re a big fan of video games. What do you think about the current state of advergaming? If you ever get to a position where you could make a difference in that area, what would you do?
I see advergaming as an emerging medium right now. Everyone should be involved but only if they can do it subtly.
This is way too intrusive and once it gets to that point, people stop listening (too much for a game they paid for). This on the other hand, adds realism and doesn’t give the player a chance to even think about the fact that we just advertised to them. I personally prefer this idea of advergaming adding to a sense of realism. You aren’t going to see the McDonalds logo spray painted on some random garage while walking down the street. However, you are going to see the interchanging ads at a hockey game. But console gaming is just one portion of it.
My favourite part about turning into a one-gadget world (see link) is the fact that we can blatantly advertise without raising suspicion from the user. Lets just say we are talking about the iPhone. The average user has put a lot of money into the device, so companies make games for free (kind of). Since I have already mentioned McDonalds once, I’ll do it again. McDonalds realizes that a large portion of the target owns an iPhone. Here are their two options. Sit on thumbs or take this amazing opportunity and advertise on this ‘do it all’ device. What they should do is put out a game or application at no cost to the downloader. Everywhere the user goes, this app follows. When they’re bored and all they have is their iPhone, guess what name pops up. That’s right, Ronald McDonalds hunt for the Big Mac Sauce recipe (or something more subtle like McDonalds bowling). If I were put in a position to help, I would do all of the above. Try to get advergaming to the point where the average Joe doesn’t realize we are advertising to him while he is playing a game, no matter where he is.
Do you have any other creative outlets besides writing copy?
Before I got into copywriting, I often wrote short stories. When I lived in Kuwait, I wasn’t the best English student. My flow was off when I wrote essays and I made simple grammatical errors. But then I got home and started writing these stories, and all of that didn’t matter. It was a way to express my thoughts on paper without being criticized for how I wrote, instead, being criticized for what I wrote. With time came mechanics and it made me a better writer. I don’t think I would be writing this interview if that portion of my past didn’t occur. Or maybe I would have been on the business side of things.
What do you hope to achieve before you retire?
I have answered this question at least ten times in the past month, with a different response each time. The first goal was being hired (set the bar low). The next time, I decided to set my sights a little bit higher with (award winning) Copywriter at a high caliber agency, and then it went to Creative Director followed by CEO in Canada (Alternatives are Mumbai, Dubai and New York). At this point in my life (19 years old) I think that all of my goals are achievable, but you never know what could change once I get a job.
What do you do for fun?
I am a big fan of keeping current, focusing on many popular TV shows so I can make conversation at the local watering hole. I also watch basketball religiously (go Cavs) and play when I get the chance.
I spend a chunk of my time on Advertising blogs, electronics/ basketball forums, music websites, and anything else that catches my interest. Even though I learn a great deal from these websites, it never feels like learning.
I am also an avid gamer, or used to be. Since I started college, most of my past times have taken a back seat but I see that as a sign of dedication rather than a loss.
The one thing I could never give up, is my dog Snickers. He just brightens up my day when I get a chance to see him. (I have friends too, but that is something that everyone talks about ‘I hang out with friends, blah blah blah.)
Kunaal's dog Snickers
E-Elevator Pitch: Sell yourself in 140 characters or less.
Seneca Advertising program+ diverse background + the obsession to advertise + the synonym button (funny on paper) = ready to start tomorrow
If you're an advertising student or are just starting out in the business and would like to be featured on Leaders of the New, send me an email at jettlandicho@gmail.com
Did they really have to put the word "Gay" in there? Why couldn't it just be "The Ballad of Tony"? It's pretty sad to think Rockstar would put that in there to turn a few heads and sell a few extra copies, but it wouldn't be too far I guess, we are talking about Rockstar. I'd like to see them release their next pack and call it "The Return of Straight Nico".
Today, Rockstar announced the title of the latest Grand Theft Auto IV expansion pack to the world. Everybody knew that an expansion pack was on the way, but the name or the theme behind the pack was unknown till now.
I don't need to tell you that the title of this expansion pack is going to raise a few eyebrows among the general population and the media (for better or worse), but before we jump into conclusions as to what this is about, let's put the whole thing into perspective.
From the Business Wire:Grand Theft Auto IV's second downloadable episode, The Ballad of Gay Tony injects Liberty City with an overdose of guns, glitz, and grime. As Luis Lopez, part-time hoodlum and full-time assistant to legendary nightclub impresario Tony Prince (aka "Gay Tony"), players will struggle with the competing loyalties of family and friends, and with the uncertainty about who is real and who is fake in a world in which everyone has a price.
Other than the fact that the main character works for a guy who goes by the nickname "Gay Tony", on the surface there doesn't seem to be anything..."gay" about it. While Rockstar is known for controversy, such as this video game existing in the first place, the Hot Coffee scandal and ESRB approved male full-frontal nudity (SFW), I don't see this product turning into anything you would expect anything with the word "Gay" to be about.
I applaud Rockstar for being progressive enough of a company to put that word in the title of arguably the most masculine game series out there. In the grand scheme of things, I don't see the problem in it. However, I'm sure that the media will and start laying ridiculous and untrue accusations about the product just because it has the word "gay" in it. That's to be expected at this point.
What really interests me though is the reaction from the gamers. From the people who actually buy Grand Theft Auto games. My perception of the people who play GTA games is that they are not the most open when it comes to that particular subject matter. Will the name of the game be a deterrent? So far I've been kind of surprised at how well overall the name has been received, but just to be a sensationalist, let's end this post with some of the user comments you would expect.
From Twitter:georgelab georgelab.com - Rockstar goes gay with GTAIV: The Ballad of Gay Tony DLC - http://tinyurl.com/plo9lx
SeanMHayes @JosephFrost I suppose. Where would Gay Tony get a helicopter from? I hope its not pink with frills, or in the shape of a massive cock.
DarrenWells "The Ballad of Gay Tony"? Oh, grow up, Rockstar Games. What next - "The March of Nazi Rapists"?
From Joystiq:Captain Planet @ May 26th 2009 7:13PM
Sources: Joystiq, Gaming Age, warzonegamer
As the era of new media continues to reshape the landscape, Brandweek reports on a medium that has been hit especially hard: radio.
How bad? According to this article, the radio industry suffered its worst quarter in history. As a whole, the industry fell a whopping 24%.
This story hit home with me on a personal level. I spent two years of my life training for a career in radio broadcasting and almost four years working in the radio industry. I have a lot of great memories of working in the business, much of which are trade secrets that I'll take to the grave. However, I ultimately got to a point where I wanted to try on some new hats.
Even back then, I knew that the medium I was pursuing a career in was heading towards some tough times due to the advent of the Internet and the iPod. I'm not sure if this recent news is a sign of the beginning of the end or just a rough quarter, but I know I'd be sad should the day come if/when traditional radio is no more.
Sources: Brandweek and thehometeam
Leaders of the New is an ongoing series at jettlandicho.com that will focus on the future talents of advertising. Click here to check the archives.
Name: Scott Boniface
Career Path: Copywriter
Education: Seneca College- Creative Advertising Diploma
Advertising Experience: 5-months of internship experience
One Thing About You: I do my best to remind myself daily that life’s too short for the negatives.
Contact: saboniface@hotmail.com, 647-404-3078
Full interview after the break!
When did you know that advertising was for you?
This question provokes a fantastic lie about how an ad, or tagline changed my life forever. Unlike some I don’t have that defining fork in the road that got me hyped on advertising. I was just psyched about the creative writing and sheer brilliance being showcased. Today I’m a groupie of great creative. There’s no better feeling than coming up with a great idea, or reveling in one you wish was yours. I do believe this is one of the best jobs in the world and am blessed to feel the passion everyday.
Describe your creative process. How do you brainstorm? How do you keep track of ideas? How do you know when one of your ideas is good? What do you do when you're creatively stumped.
I stare Hemmingway’s “white bull” in the eyes and jump on it’s back. Then ride it for a couple seconds until I get thrown on my ass. Then I get a coffee.
Joking aside, I think it’s crucial to immerse yourself with the product/service benefits, past advertising and as many google links as I possibly can. Then put my pencil to paper (Not fingers to keys) and start with some terrible unclear ideas I would never show anyone.
A great tactic I often try is one of Luke Sullivan’s tips for getting started. I’ve found it can almost always give you the initial tools needed to get the ideas flowing. “This is an ad about…” then I’ll just write until I’m out of things to say, and ways to say them.
Incubation is also a great tool. Doing anything to separate yourself from the problem at hand. You could watch a movie, ride a bike or do some jumping jacks, whatever your in the mood for. Then return with a fresh mind ready to tackle your previous thoughts. Narrow them down until only the strong survive.
You’ll know you have that bullet proof idea when you’re feeling giddy like a 5th grade school girl meeting The Jonas Brothers.
Good feeling… Good feeling…
How did you get from being a student to being an intern at Fjord?
Well, I would have never heard about the opportunity without Anthony Kalamut’s undeniable ear secured to the industry’s pulse.
I did my best to shake the nerves off, get my book ready and tried to show that I was capable and worthy of the opportunity being presented. I showed my book to the CD who has since become one of the nicest and most supportive people I’ve met in the industry thus far. I got a call back, started two weeks later and am still trying to prove my worth everyday.
Describe a day in the life of Scott Boniface at Fjord.
I stare at people on the GO train and wonder where it is they work, and some potential storylines of their life. Weird I know, but it’s something I’ve always done. Judge me if you must. You’ve done it, I’m sure of it.
I walk from Union to King & Spadina, usually with a big smile just feeling blessed to have the opportunity to come downtown everyday and do something I love.
I arrive and elevate to the creative floor and say hello to the immense talent that fills the building, get a coffee/tea and start the day. Whether its for a brief, helping another writer or some portfolio work on the side. I try my best to dedicate my 8+ hours here a day to learning, growing and writing to the best of my ability.
I’m involved in briefings, conference calls, brainstorming sessions, preparing copy decks and mood boards. Anything they need/want/feel comfortable with me doing I’ll do with a big smile all the while.
Then I head home and stare at some more people on the GO train. But now… as they sleep. (Okay, that was creepy)
What’s the biggest difference between writing for traditional media versus writing for interactive? Do you have a preference?
While attracting attention is what advertising is all about, I feel that the interactive world also relies heavily on the CTA, which is actually the most challenging part. Why would anyone feel inclined to click that banner? I know when I’m online that’s the last thing I want to do. It’s challenging to break through the clutter in an interesting, innovative way when everyone’s so conditioned to online ads.
Although I don’t really have a preference, I know that the way the interactive world is taking charge it’s important to stay involved and updated on what’s being done, and more so, what’s possible.
You’re one of the biggest hip-hop fans I know. Do you have any sort of plans or ambitions of working on something hip-hop related in your advertising career? Has hip-hop influenced your approach to writing or your approach to life in general?
Haven’t thought much about it honestly. About a year ago I approached a couple websites I loved about possibly writing some album reviews or daily blogs but it never really fell through.
I would love to, because there really is nothing I know more about than hip-hop culture, from the very beginning till’ today. Its something that has always been a passion of mine, and it’s never going to stop. Not as long as true hip-hop stays alive.
In terms of my life, the culture has helped shape who I am today.
If you could give one piece of advice for any aspiring copywriters out there, what would it be?
Soak it up like a sponge, Continue to learn and grow daily.
What do you do for fun?
Skateboard, Listen to music, Writing (advertising, poetry, short stories) and I try my best to experience life for everything it offers in some way everyday. I just put my best foot forward and learn something new everyday.
E-Elevator Pitch: Sell yourself in 140 characters or less.
Scott Boniface- Creative Copywriter- Seneca College- Creative Advertising- 5 months+ of agency experience. Passion, Talent, Persistence.
If you're an advertising student or are just starting out in the business and would like to be featured on Leaders of the New, send me an email at jettlandicho@gmail.com
USA Today released a story yesterday about retail items that are bucking the economic downturn . While some of the items seem obvious (of course Kraft Dinner growth is in the double digits) but certain other products and industries that may not be obvious are shining right now too. Did you know that sales of condoms, laxatives and running shoes are actually increasing?
If you'd like to see what else is shaking things up in this downturn along with my *cough* expert analysis, hit that "READ MORE" button below.
Hershey reported sales up 20%
People are stressing out and are turning to "comfort food". For many, like myself, that's junkie stuff like chocolate. Speaking of, it was only last year when I realized that Hershey's Kisses are nothing more than large chocolate chips. Branding totally got me on that one.
Condom sales up 5%
The article says that maybe these hard times are putting people in the mood. I don't know about that, but I think that if I'm not in a financial position to raise a child, I would take more precautions to make sure I don't accidently become a parent. Just for fun and loosely related, I'd recommend checking out the Durex Sex Survey results for the state of lovemaking around the world. The latest one isn't as in-depth as in previous years, so if the latest version intrigues you, Google search older results.
match.com is seeing its best performance in 7 years
People in tough economic times need love, too. Maybe now more than ever. I don't really have anything other than that.
Home vegetable gardens projected to grow (no pun intended) 40% this year
I can see this coming from a couple of things. Seeds are a cheaper initial investment. They may be cheaper in the long run. Also, the trend towards natural and organic foods may have something to do with it.
Laxative sales up 11.5% in the last year
Um...
Images and statistics from USA Today
Leaders of the New is an ongoing series at jettlandicho.com that will focus on the future talents of advertising. Click here to check the archives.
Name: Ross Webster
Career Path: Account Executive
Education: Creative Advertising Graduate of Seneca College/Business Marketing Graduate of Humber College
Advertising Experience:
Internship at Integra Foundation
• Client relations
• Research
• Direct Mail
• Organize files
• Attend recording session (Susan Hayes looks exactly how she does on television)
2 years of the Creative Advertising Program at Seneca College
• Various agency pitches
• Volunteer for Marketing Week
• Numerous days of “burning the candle on both ends”
One Thing About You:
I love listening to great, thought-provoking music. Great musicians can paint a picture in their lyrics and are able to make you think. Some musicians that have influenced me have been Jay-Z, Common, Nas, Outkast, John Mayor, Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, Anthony Hamilton and Kanye West. (The list can get longer). Music keeps me focused, motivated, calmed and really clears my mind.
Contact: rossmwebster@gmail.com / websterross@hotmail.com
Full interview after the break!
When did you know that advertising was for you?
I think ever since I was old enough to watch TV my father always told me, “I should be in advertising.” I always wondered about advertising and what it took for a commercial to air on TV. After my first semester agency pitch to Due North in the Creative Advertising Program (CAB) at Seneca, I was pretty certain that I wanted to be in advertising in some way, shape or form. After all the hours my group put in, down to actual pitch was fun and exciting, even the arguments and stress we had was an experience I’ve never been through, but it excited me and I knew I could handle it and wanted more (laughs).
One expression I’ll never forget you saying is, “Advertising is my hustle.” What do you mean by that?
(Laughs) I had a feeling this question would pop up. Well just to make sure I’m clear I would have to define hustle, because I know that there could be a negative stereotype which surrounds that word.
To me a hustle is something that someone has a great passion for and is something that person dedicates their time to. Ever 1996 I’ve listened to ever single Jay-Z album, and he chronicles his life as a hustler, in his music he would describe the amount of time and effort he put into his hustle. As I grew older I realized that it’s not only “drug dealers” who are “hustlers” but it can be anyone who is passionate about what they do. For example Michael Jordan, yes he’s greatest basketball player ever, but I would label him a “basketball hustler” because he spent so time to perfect his game, becoming basketball’s greatest player ever. Then he turned himself into brand (clothes, shoes, fragrances etc).
Both Jay-Z and MJ throughout their respective career have accomplished so much and they can adapt to the changing environment as well. So when I say, “Advertising is my hustle,” it means I’m trying my best to understand advertising as a whole, the history, the pioneers, all the aspects of advertising. I try to adapt and understand new media, and I embrace the challenges it throws at me. Obviously you may not find me on a Mac creating a logo, but I know I have a creative mind, and hey I can draw! (laughs). I read newsletters from various sources (Adage, Mediaweek, Brandweek etc.) and subscribe to Marketing Magazine to keep myself informed about what is happening in the advertising spectrum.
Lastly and most importantly, I have to mention that even though people like Jay-Z, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Quincy Jones, and other legends are great at what they do, they did because they loved and enjoyed what they did. I wouldn’t force to myself to be an “Ad Hustler” if I didn’t enjoy this, advertising in my opinion is a great art form with so much to offer. I really have to shout out Anthony Kalamut (CAB’s program co-ordinator). His class sessions were really inspiring and gave me confidence and drive. Shout out to all the other professors as well, “it takes a village”.
How did you get from being a student to being an intern at Integra?
Connections my friend. Billy Sharma (DM God) my professor and colleague connected me with the great people at Integra. He has a great reputation for recommending great interns, so I suppose his word is as good as gold. I went in for the interview, which was more like a casual gathering, and at the end of it I was offered the position.
Describe a day in the life of Ross Webster at Integra?
I’m sure you’ve heard this before but, everyday is totally different. At times it can be time consuming conducting client research, and other times could be spent proof reading newsletters, emails, and reading blogs. This past week Susan Hayes from Global came by Integra to record a story on one of the programs at Integra, and she interviewed a few people. Just seeing that whole process of a recording session was great because it’s not every day you get to see that whole process of an interview before it hits TV. The people I work with are great and caring people as well, they’re easy to work with and we spend all day laughing and telling stories (while we do work of course).
What’s unique about working for a not-for-profit company?
The distinctive part about working at Integra is their “cause”. Integra does work for children that have mental health issues, a LD (Learning Disability) and other behavioural problems. Integra has various programs that help and guide these children, which in turn helps them mentally and socially. I think that cause alone makes what I do really worth it. I’ve met some of the children that Integra helps and just talking to them, makes me happy to know I work for a company that cares and does something to help children.
You were networking so hard when we worked together at Marketing Week 2008. What is your whole mindset towards networking? How do you approach it?
This goes back to my mind set of “Advertising is my hustle” and that I have strong presentation skills. During that week as you know, we saw a lot of the industry’s top and best for example, Frank Palmer, Scott Goodson and Paul Lavoie just to name a few. I’m the type of person who doesn’t like to watch an opportunity pass me by, because I know if I don’t move on my instinct, I might regret it.
So I tried talking to as much people as possible, let them know I exist and that I’m here trying to make an impact. I remember in my 1st semester in CAB, right before our first agency pitch I was extremely nervous, but it occurred to me that I had nothing to be nervous about; I thought to myself “these people breathe the same air as me” (laugh) as weird as that may sound, it’s true. That helped me to relax, and make an awesome presentation.
I remember talking to Frank Palmer (DDB) about what he thought about the changes in advertising, starting up an agency and other things, and after we finished talking, I realized, “I just talked to CEO of DDB Canada, if I can talk to him what’s stopping me from approaching anyone else?” Anthony Kalamut always reminded me, “What is the worst thing someone can tell you? No.”
What would be your dream client to work with? Why?
I don’t have a dream client to tell you the truth. I hope after having a more experience maybe I’ll gain a “favourite client”. But as of now, I think my dream client would a client that shares the same ideas and values that I have, they’ll be a client that’s fun. I wouldn’t mind working for Jay-Z though.
Before you retire, what do you hope to achieve?
I would be happy having a good reputation and have the respect of people and peers within the industry. Knowing that people respect my voice, thoughts and my ideas is something I would appreciate. I want to be accomplished and successful of course. I want that positive retention in my peers’ mind. I’ll be happy with just that.
What do you do for fun?
I like being around good people who are doing something with their life just as I am, and not sitting around waiting for their life to start. I love to play a good game of dominoes, because in order to win a game of dominoes you need strategy, and that won’t happen if you’re just matching the numbers together (laughs).
I love reading about the history of other countries and just history in general. I used to be a frequent movie goer but due to school I had to cut back, but I think I’ll be starting to go the movies once again. I also love to travel, especially to Barbados to see family and friends and of course to attend Crop Over (similar to Caribana in Toronto/Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago) but better. (laughs) I love to watch sports and attend sporting events, I would love to go to a tailgate party for the Steelers at Heinz Field, or sit courtside and watch Kobe and LeBron go head to head.
E-Elevator Pitch: Sell yourself in 140 characters or less.
Let me show how I can be a great asset to your team. I have great presentation skills, which is why I’m taking this chance to talk to you now. Most of histories greatest moments occurred because someone took a chance. I’m free labour; you’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain!
If you're an advertising student or are just starting out in the business and would like to be featured on Leaders of the New, send me an email at jettlandicho@gmail.com
Back in February at the Interactive Advertising Bureau's annual meeting, Payne [CEO of ShortTail] delivered a speech urging the industry to adopt bigger, bolder creative and to be less sensitive to user experience.I have no problems with bigger, bolder or creative. But being less sensitive to the user experience sounds like a huge no-no, especially in the world of online. Part of the reason why television and television advertising isn't working like it used to is because of the user experience. Consumers that want content and want it now will not sit through your 30-second advertisement. They'll flip the channel. Part of why the online world is big to consumers is the ability to avoid 30-second commercials.
Thanks to Mashable, I discovered this new application called Stweet. It's the unholy mash-up of Twitter and Google Maps street view so that you can see the latest tweet in that city and a view of approximately where the person was tweeting from. It works by syncing up with such mobile applications as Twitterfon and locating an approximate address of where you just tweeted. For some, part of the appeal of Twitter is having people care about each and every move you make. But do you really want people to know exactly where you are when you do it?
Right now the site is a bit buggy, with the feed dropping out every few minutes. Certain cities work better than others. I'm not sure if this will ever have any practical use as is, but it's a cool mash-up nonetheless. For now, I'll go back to randomly stalking New York tweeters for no other reason than the fact that I can now.
2 weeks ago, YouTube user djsteveporter posted this hilarious creation on YouTube. His remixing of the Slap Chop infomercial has been viewed over 1.5 million times, spawned almost 400 blog posts and 8,000 comments since release. Using a classic-era break beat and Auto-Tune, he makes an entire song and music video with the Slap Chop infomercial, starring Vince Shlomi, better known as the Sham Wow guy.
Digging into it a bit further, I discovered that the original Slap Chop infomercial has been remixed over 100 times, most of which are crude edits focused around the line, "You're gonna love my nuts!".
If you're the makers of Slap Chop, how do you feel? How do you react? Besides the fact that the star of the infomercial is in hot water for beating a prostitute, your brand is getting some serious online word-of-mouth that you may or may not want to associate your brand with. Do you get offended that people are "violating" the brand? Or are happy that people are getting some enjoyment out of it that might translate into sales, even if isn't how you originally planned?
In the age of new media, you can't really control this remixing of your brand, but if the community remembers you more for the song than someone editing your video so that your spokesperson says, "You're gonna love my nuts!" over and over, maybe it wouldn't hurt to ride this one out.
In the words of media literacy researcher Martine Courant Rife, that's like typing up a quote from a book, taking it outside, chiseling the words in a rock, photographing the rock, scanning the photo, and running OCR on it. And for what?"I'm not sure what the real answer is to copywrites in the 21st century. But it seems like both the MPAA and the RIAA strike-out every single time they've tried to impose their power on the new world of media, whether that's suing children for downloading, trying to make people feel bad for getting a movie for free, and now this. If they want to be seen as the protectors of intelligent property rather than out-of-touch executives on a power trip, they'll need to come up with some better solutions than what they've shown during the last decade.
Leaders of the New is an ongoing series at jettlandicho.com that will focus on the future talents of advertising. Click here to check the archives.
Name: Keely Powell
Career Path: Radio writing and production
Education: Seneca College
Advertising Experience: Volunteer at ihaveanidea.org portfolio night 6, adweek NYC ‘08, Planet In Focus and Burt’s Bees winners of Seneca College student campaign competition.
One Thing About You: At one point in my life I had 9 body piercings at the same time.
Contact: keelypowell@gmail.com
Full interview after the break!
When did you know that advertising was for you?
I don’t know when I knew that advertising was for me. I still don’t even really know if I’m for advertising. I fell hard for it when I began at Seneca. And then, as these things tend to happen to people my age, I hit a pivotal moment in my life and where I was going and I had to make a lot of realizations about myself. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel as strongly about advertising after that but I persevered and I decided to find a path for myself to proud of, to back up the education I’ve received, and to revive the strong feelings of love and admiration I used to feel for advertising. Which is a good segway into the next question:
You’ve told me that you want to specialize in radio advertising. Why?
Radio advertising just happened to be the niche I discovered for myself. It is the area of advertising into which I feel I fit best. It just makes sense to me. Now not many people know this but before I decided to come to Seneca College’s Creative Advertising program, I juggled my post-secondary education options between graphic design and radio broadcast and before that point in my life I also had a strong passion for literature and writing.
So since I have always been interested in broadcast and I’ve always loved writing, the Seneca College Creative Advertising program brought that all of my interests together and taught me that I love writing scripts for radio commercials. Specializing in radio advertising and radio production seemed like an incredibly lucky opportunity for me to stumble upon, but really it was the choices I made for myself that led me to where I can be happy and enjoy working for the rest of my life.
Radio, unlike other forms of media, doesn’t have the luxury of visuals to convey the message. What do you do to compensate for that?
Sounds. Effects. Ideas. It’s the clever mixing of internal thoughts and external noise into a perfect form that makes radio interesting and intelligent to write and create. It’s no disadvantage to have to work without visual aids; it is a challenge, an accomplishment.
Describe your creative process. How do you brainstorm? How do you keep track of ideas? How do you know when one of your ideas is good? What do you do when you're creatively stumped?
I brainstorm on the bus and the subway. I brainstorm when I’m not stressed or busy with other things, when I can focus my energy on brainstorming. I keep track of ideas by writing them down with a pen on paper. I can’t work on a computer until I’m through with the heavy thinking and planning process. Some people I know go through their whole creative process on a computer and come up with great work. But I can’t do that. To me, computers are necessary only for research, typing stuff up, editing and revising good work. And I never know when an idea is good. I just work and I think and I write until I’ve come up with something I like and something that works. Then I take it to a friend and I ask for their opinion and go from there.
Every idea is a good idea. Some ideas just need to be cleaned off and fixed up first. And if, after the idea’s been cleaned off and fixed up, it doesn’t work for what I need it for, then oh well. Lastly, if I am creatively stumped, usually I go for a walk or a bike ride.
Do you want to just be a radio copywriter, or venture into the production side?
Well Jett,I don’t want to “just” be anything, but I know that’s not what you meant, so I’ll say: I don’t think I can be 100% happy with the radio I write until I am also producing the spots myself. Think of it this way: A chef can’t create a 5 star meal without knowing what’s in the kitchen first. Plus I am the kind of person who likes to have the reins in my hands when it comes to my own work. Unfortunately right now I have little to no experience or knowledge when it comes to radio recording and production equipment. But! I am currently working on scheduling a day to go in to Think Music to observe the recording and post-production of a radio spot, in order learn the basics and ask some questions.
Outside of advertising, do you express yourself creativity in any other ways?
Yes, I write poetry and short stories. I’ve got one short story in the planning and organizing phase right now and an outline for another idea I want to write about. I bake delicious cakes and cookies (and crepes) from scratch recipes I’ve mostly made up. I like to decorate and design space. And I’m not much for drawing, but I enjoy creating other kinds of art.
What is your biggest accomplishment so far in life? What do you hope to achieve someday?
My biggest accomplishment so far in life, eh? Never flunking out of school regardless of how tempting it seemed at times. In high school I was a big slacker and didn’t really care for much other than partying. But now, on the other hand, I’ve got high hopes; I want to write and be known for writing novels, and also, I want to bring back the old time radio show. (ie. Cloak and Dagger)
What do you do for fun?
Bike! I love my bike. And read. I love to read. And I’m writing short stories in my free time, so that’s pretty fun too.
E-Elevator Pitch: Sell yourself in 140 characters or less.
Script+sound+sales=radioKeely
If you're an advertising student or are just starting out in the business and would like to be featured on Leaders of the New, send me an email at jettlandicho@gmail.com
I just finished writing an email for work purposes, and during that process I wanted to use the expression "pique your interest". It was then I realized I wasn't exactly sure how to spell the word in that context. Was it "peak", "peek", "pique", or something entirely different?
So what's a guy to do? Google search, of course. It's here where I found a great blog entry from Cicada Song about people using the expression. The correct spelling is "pique", but do more people use it correctly or incorrectly? Her Google search results:
"peaked her interest" = 455Fascinating results. Not only do the majority of people on the Internet not know how to properly spell out the expression, but weren't even close. At least with "peaked", it sort of reads like you raised interest, which is sort of what "piqued" means (check the definition here) but "peeked" has nothing to do with anything in the way "piqued your interest" is supposed to.
"peaked his interest" = 965
"peaked their interest" = 857,000
"peeked her interest" = 428,000
"peeked his interest" = 342,000
"peeked their interest" = 238,000
"piqued her interest" = 27,000
"piqued his interest" = 45,300
"piqued their interest" = 18,900
One of the podcasts I subscribe to is BBC's Documentaries podcast. Like 60 Minutes, the stories they cover really open up my mind to a lot of different subject matter that I normally wouldn't delve into on my own, such as the trafficking of children, how people living in the oppressive USSR got a hold of Beatles music in the 60's and the threat of the Yiddish language disappearing.
However, the episode I do want to discuss today is a subject that has become increasingly relevant to us all: the economy. It's supposedly not just the poor people being hurt in this downturn; rich people are feeling the pressure too. The BBC put together a piece called The Rich in Retreat, which is one of my favourite pieces from the BBC to date, regardless of my feelings towards that segment of the population.
The struggles of lower and middle class citizens have been well-documented in the media. For a lot of us, we don't need the media to tell us that things are bad. We can see the effects of the downturn in our everyday lives, whether that's those around us our ourselves who are suffering. But there's another side to the story that the average person would probably detest more than ever: the life of the wealthy in this downturn. The actions of AIG a few months ago didn't help, and the disdain towards the wealthy is more fierce than ever.
This podcast tries to get into the hearts and minds of the wealthy during this crunch. It includes interviews with those who live in the upper-crust, while covering the struggles they go through and the personal greed that ultimately caused this financial crisis in the first place. One of the highlights of this piece is an interview with a multi-millionaire who ended up in jail after being convicted of fraud and tax evasion.
After hearing their stories, do you feel bad for them? Do you hate them even more? Do you think they really understand the problems that the average person is feeling right now?
Give it a listen by clicking on the picture below, and come to your own conclusions. I'd love to hear what you think as well. Drop me a comment on the blog and let's discuss.Assignment - Rich in Retreat
If you'd like to hear more BBC Documentaries podcasts, you can check out their web page, or subscribe to it on iTunes.
Images from Connect Michigan and the BBC
(thank you to Steff for sending this to me)
Web developer Mindrally has put together a site called "Without Advertising", where users are given the statement, "Without Advertising," and asked to fill in the blank. I had come up with something similar when my group pitched Zig a month ago. I'm still not sure exactly what they're trying to achieve with this particular site, and a lot of people are just posting irrelevant comments to mess with the system, but just "for the lulz", I pulled out a few choice comments, which you can read below.
I left a comment on there, too:
The idea of personal branding is extremely important to me. I started this blog as one way to control my personal brand, so that there were other things to find out about me besides a fake Amazon review under my name. I also started Leaders of the New as a way for other future advertisers to control their personal brand.
Yesterday, Mashable (which is quickly becoming one of my favourite blogs) posted an article about 5 ways to control your personal brand right now. If you have any sort of interest in controlling your personal brand, it's a must-read.
Thanks to the article, I signed up for a Google Profile, which will help bring up direct information about you when people try and search for you. For current and potential Leaders of the New, it wouldn't be a bad idea to post the link to your interview on your Google Profile.
I'm not going to run through all 5 tips, because the article explains it a lot better than I could. The one other thing I wanted to mention is that the E-elevator pitch is real, and happening right now.
There is a service called twtjobs, that allows users to create and distribute a resume through Twitter in 140 characters or less. When I first came up with the e-elevator pitch, I half meant it as a joke. Now it's real. Should I brush up my current pitch?
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