So, winter has come again to Minneapolis. At least, it feels that way today with all the snow coming down and the temperature dropping from a beautiful 70 degrees to something cold that I don't want to focus on. In addition, it's now starting to get dark at 3:30 in the afternoon. Yes, that's right, 3:30. I'm trying to come to terms with all of it, but if it's anything like last winter which was my first winter in the Midwest (now nicknamed the Tundra), the temperature won't be decent again until around the end of May.
Because of all of this, I'm choosing to focus my love of cities with good advertising on Sao Paolo, Brazil. First of, I'm pretty sure the weather in Brazil is great. Hell, according to Wikipedia they haven't had snow since June 25, 1918 and that was just flurries! Not to mention it's not that far from Rio (about 300 miles - about the distance from Minneapolis to Madison) or the ocean (70 kilometers - In Minneapolis that might get you to... the middle of no where!) Plus, Sao Paolo is extremely ethnically diverse and the fourth largest urban area in the world.
And, finally to circle back to advertising, here are some ads coming out of Sao Paolo that I really like.
Line: "The sport you're looking for and much more. ESPN channels. We're crazy about sports, like you." Alt media campaign by Neogama/BBH, São Paulo, Brazil
A campaign with some great lines by Almap BBDO.
Another fun alt media campaign by age.
Hey, it's soccer so, of course, I love it.
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My alarm clock clearly has a mind of it's own. This morning my alarm went off at what I thought was it's normal time, 6:30 am.
Usually, it goes off, I lay in bed and listen to the news, snooze a little until 7:15 and then get up. However, something was off this morning. The news came on: "Good morning, it's 7:30 on Monday and this is NPR." What?!? It was supposed to be 6:30. My clock said 6:30, but the news said something different. I raced out of bed and ran over to my computer. Definitely 7:30.
This meant I was running late – definitely a negative for a Monday morning.
For the next 30 minutes, while I showered, let Blue (my dog) outside and got dressed, I tried to figure it out. Clearly, daylight savings time had started and no one told me. But then wouldn't it have been 5:30 am, not 7:30 am. Maybe it was a conspiracy and someone had changed my clock? That seemed unlikely since no one had been in my house except Blue. It must have been Blue! Wow! She's brilliant. No, that was unlikely.
I called my dad. He confirmed that daylight savings time had definitely not started and asked if maybe I reset my clock in my sleep. Nope.
Well, after thinking about this all day (yes, I know this shouldn't have been my primary focus, but it was important!) I realized my clock had reset itself on Saturday night at 2 am since that's when daylight savings time used to occur. That means that all day Sunday I was living my day an hour behind, which means that when I went to bed at 1am, it was actually 2! Well, at least I have an excuse for my total exhaustion all day!
So, a lot of people have been asking me about my post about volunteer work and wanted a follow-up to how things stand. Here's my best attempt though it will be brief.
Last Monday I went to the Center of Victims of Torture to discuss which volunteer opportunities would be the best fit both in terms of my interests and their needs. It was a great meeting and I'm really excited. The first step is going to be a lunch meeting next Friday between myself and their new Director of Communications.
In addition, they offered me some opportunities working with CVT's International Capacity Building project which works with 16 treatment centers throughout the world to expand their capacity to provide high-quality services to torture survivors; their International Services projects, primarily the New Tactics in Human Rights Project which uses an interactive social network to help human rights practitioners discuss tactics that are working or not working in the field; and, the Cambodia-Trauma Healing Initiative project which works closely with the Transcultural Psychosocial Organization of Cambodia and is close to my heart since I have a friend working for the prosecutor at the Khmer Rouge Tribunals.
I'm extremely excited about all the options and for the chance to combine my various skills into something that could be beneficial.
I saw this graphic on Daniel Case's blog, a really great blog for finding creative inspiration. Anyway, I felt this graphic fits exactly how I feel great advertising, design, or even, any mode of creative communication should work.
I don't really know how I feel about the HBO show, True Blood, but I do know I love the opening sequence by Digital Kitchen. There is something about it that just feels so Southern and so right. I have a weird addiction with watching it. Each time I see something totally new. Needless to say, I wish I came up with it and now I want to see everything by Digital Kitchen.
I was asked the other day what I think the worst commercial I've ever seen is. Now, of course, there are numerous really bad ones. Everyone has their own personal worst. There's the really bad Kia one where a choir is singing about being part of the rainbow. Or, the weird one and revolting one where stomachs are talking to you. Yet, for me, the worst hands down are the Quiznos commercials with the furry, rat-like things (I know these creatures have a specific name, but frankly I don't care). These ads are fairly old in ad terms, but they left such a bad feeling with me that I still shudder at the thought of them.
In the hopes of full disclosure, anyone who knows me even semi-well knows of my weird hatred for sandwiches. It's a well known fact that I buy into the idea of separate but equal with my sandwiches and will eat each element separately if given a chance. And before anyone asks, of course there are exceptions, but they are few and far between. However, this dislike of sandwiches did not fuel my immense hatred for these commercials.
First of all, how could any food establishment especially a fast food one think it's a good idea to have singing rat-like creatures in their ads? I mean seriously now I think: "Oh, Quiznos that's the rat food place." In fact, I've been unable to eat food from there since the ads aired. Second, the rat things are the most obnoxious things I've seen in years. These characters come from a man named Joel Veitch, who makes television shows for Britain's Channel 4 (according to his Web site, www.rathergood.com). However, that doesn't explain why any ad agency or more importantly, food establishment would want to use them. Just so everyone understands, I've included the ads below.
Trombonist Fred Wesley co-wrote two critical chapters in funk history. He was music director, arranger and a primary composer for James Brown from 1968 to 1975, then spent several years with George Clinton's Parliament/Funkadelic projects.
The legend's latest collaborators? Groovesect, a New Orleans instrumental funk band composed mostly of recent graduates from the Tulane and UNO jazz programs.Wesley guests on three songs from Groovesect's 2007 debut, "On the Brim," and subsequently toured with the band. Tonight he joins Groovesect onstage at the House of Blues, part of the first-ever Cutting Edge Music Business Conference showcase at the venue.
"I like to think if Fred thought we were bad musicians, he wouldn't do it," said Groovesect bassist Eric Vogel. "The fact that Fred wants to hang out and play gigs, that means the most to us. It's an honor. He could take a gig with anybody. He's Fred Wesley, one of the fathers of funk."
Wesley returns the compliment.
"They're a young band, but a good band," the trombonist said this week from his home in South Carolina. "They work hard. They rehearse like maniacs. They're very dedicated to the music. They want to learn funky music, and I'm here to help them."
Vogel and future Groovesect guitarist Danny Abel and keyboardist Nick Krawitz first crossed paths as members of Tulane's jazz band in the early 2000s. Abel eventually transferred to UNO and met drummer Colin Davis. The foursome worked the frat party circuit as a funk band called Soda Popinski.
In 2006, they rechristened themselves Groovesect. In 2007, they added saxophonist Tim "Sully" Sullivan, an alumnus of Aretha Franklin's band who moved to New Orleans to enroll in UNO's jazz graduate program. They also recruited acclaimed New Orleans percussionist Alfred "Uganda" Roberts, whose epic résumé includes Professor Longhair, Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, 101 Runners, Deacon John and Willie Tee & the Gaturs.
The alliance with Wesley instantly elevated Groovesect's national profile. The seeds of the collaboration were sown on Feb. 2, 2007. That night, Groovesect's manager, Justin Aliperti, promoted a sold-out James Brown tribute concert at Tipitina's featuring Wesley backed by local drummer Johnny Vidacovich and bassist George Porter Jr. The members of Groovesect opened the show, and asked Wesley to sit in for one song.
"He comes out for the one song, and ends up staying for three," Vogel said. "That began the relationship. And it's been fantastic ever since."
Wesley agreed to play on those same three songs on "On the Brim." And because his own Fred Wesley Group works mostly overseas, he was keen to tour with Groovesect. Billed either as "Groovesect featuring Fred Wesley" or "Fred Wesley featuring Groovesect," they jam on Groovesect originals and James Brown classics -- a particularly mind-blowing circumstance for the young musicians.
"In middle and high school, before I was even playing music, I listened to James Brown," Vogel said. "Then when you start to play your instrument, you learn those songs. All the horn lines that you hum in your head -- never in a million years did I think I'd be playing them with the man himself.
"Fred was the bandleader. To be taking cues from the leader . . . we play what Fred wants us to play. We take Fred's cues, just as he would take them from James. It's surreal."
Wesley runs a tight ship. "He shows us no mercy," Vogel said. "You hit a wrong note, you better believe Fred hears it. He's going to turn around, take a look at you for a second and set you straight."
He also encouraged his young charges to expand their repertoire into blues.
"We'd just been focused on the grooves, intense jams, funk and jazz," Vogel said. "All of his suggestions are crucial lessons. Everything he says is golden."
And not just on the bandstand.
"Going on the road with him, learning life lessons . . . I can't even explain everything he's done for us, as far as being a role model," Vogel said. "We want to be as good as we can and have as much fun as we can. There's nobody better to take those lessons from than Fred."
Wesley's history with New Orleans predates Groovesect by five decades. Growing up in Mobile, Ala., he often made the 150-mile commute to New Orleans to jam with the likes of drummer Smokey Johnson and saxophonists Red Tyler and Nat Perrilliat.
More recently, he appeared on the 2007 compilation "Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino" alongside his former JB Horns bandmates Maceo Parker and Pee Wee Ellis, Lenny Kravitz, the Rebirth Brass Band and Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews on "Whole Lotta Loving."
Post-Parliament, Wesley joined the Count Basie Orchestra and released jazz albums as a solo artist and with his Fred Wesley Group. He essentially retired from funk until, around 1990, former James Brown Band vocalist Bobby Byrd suggested he was missing out on the music's renewed popularity.
"I had no idea it would last this long and be this popular," Wesley said.
In the coming weeks, he'll tour as part of an African music tribute to Brown, followed by a long fall tour with bassist Bootsy Collins' Brown tribute. (That show comes to the House of Blues on Oct. 25.)
But in Groovesect, he's found a mutually satisfying partnership with young players who learn from him, even as they provide a fresh perspective on his own legacy.
"I'll find time for Groovesect," Wesley said, "and I'll find time to do my own thing."
_________________________
GROOVESECT Featuring Fred Wesley
With: Opening acts Elliot Cohn and Henry Turner Jr. & Flavor.
When: Tonight at 9.
Where: House of Blues, 225 Decatur St., 504.529.2624.
Tickets: $8.50-$18.50, plus service charges.
To hear music from Groovesect's "On the Brim" CD, go to www.nola.com/music.
Hill Holliday, an agency I interned for back in 2000 and absolutely loved (in fact, this agency is what started my love for advertising), just came out with some ads that I really like. The client is the Rock and Roll Forever Foundation and I just think these ads are a perfect fit.
Copy says: "Foo Fighters … pretty much exist thanks to Vernon and Gladys Presley who unwittingly changed the course of history in December of 1946 when they bought their son a guitar even though he specifically asked for a bicycle instead."
Copy says: "Jimmy Page is A God … but wouldn’t be if not for Lester William Polsfuss, also known as Les Paul, who created the first solid-body electric guitar – an idea he came up with when he noticed the unique way in which railroad ties carried vibrations – making the sound of Rock and Roll possible."
Copy says: "The White Stripes Rock … thanks to Ike Turner who in 1951 created Rock and Roll’s signature distorted guitar sound when he stuffed some paper inside a broken amp that fell off the top of his car on his way to record “Rocket 88”."
Advertising Agency: Hill Holliday
Art Director: Mike Shaughnessy
Copywriter: Scott Noble
Digital Artist: Scott Woolwine
Photographer: Bruce Peterson
Published: June 2008
I recently got the results of my end of the semester critique. I did pretty well, but in typical me fashion, I always want to do a lot better than I did. Anyway, one of the campaigns they wanted to see me push forward is my campaign for Jostens. In general, Jostens is a company known for high school and college class rings, but one cool thing about the company is that they actually create rings for fantasy sports leagues too. So, I decided to explore that angle. It seemed like a great way of looking at the company that was totally different. Here's the work I art directed. We are in the process of reworking them, but I would still love to get some feedback.
Art Director - Judy Abel
Copywriter - Sean Jervey
Recently the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued their guidelines for blogging, podcasts, and photoblogging for the 2008 Beijing Games.
The guidelines are rules for blogging and any other user-generated content and actually start "8 days prior to the Opening Ceremony of the Games until 3 days after the Closing Ceremony of the Games." The guidelines state directly that: "The IOC considers blogging, in accordance to these Guidelines, as a legitimate form of personal expression and not as a form of journalism." Since the IOC does not consider blogging a form of journalism, it will not be allowed. The IOC goes on to define a blog as a personal diary and directly states that as a personal diary blog entries are prohibited from containing interviews, videos or stories about people at the games. In addition, athletes and other "Accredited Persons" (media respresentatives, officials and staff) are banned from podcasting or photoblogging.
I have always enjoyed the Olympics in the past and have been fascinated by certain athletes and teams. Allowing the athletes, staff, officials, media representatives and the attendees to blog about their experiences at the Games would make them into a much richer experience for those of us who aren't attending the Games for a variety of reasons.
A large part of me wonders if the real reason behind the decision to ban podcasting and photoblogging is an agreement between the Chinese government and the IOC to impose the censorship for the citizens of
And to quote some questions by one of my coworkers:
Is the IOC trying to control something that is inherently uncontrollable, based on an outdated notion of commercial ownership of the event? Will citizen journalists step up and continue to blog despite the prohibition against it? Will the IOC truly sue thousands of people? And, how will they find the people? Will internet providers, mobile companies and actual governments turn over the offending users' personal information to the IOC?
Seems highly unlikely.
Another important question is how the IOC will deal with the mainstream media blogs that currently exist. For example, ESPN has a blog, ESPN Olympics Blog. NBC has a number of blogs about the Olympics on their NBC Olympics website. The New York Times also has a blog dedicated to the 2008 Games. Based on the IOC guidelines for the blogging, are these blogs in direct violation of the rules? Will these mainstream media outlets be sued for violating the prohibition on writing blogs containing interviews, videos or stories about people at the games?
I guess only time will tell.
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