Category Archives: Insight

Generating creative heat when your life is on fire.

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Keeping a hot creative streak alive is hard enough when the corners of your life are mom-could-even-visit tidy.

So how are you supposed to keep generating smart, fresh work when life is laced with personal loss, financial struggle, or heartbreak? You know time will eventually change your situation and feelings—but your creative deadline is two days from now and you’re not sure you’ll even make it past lunch.

As creatives it’s vital for us to be connected to our positive and negative emotional experiences—it’s an important source for much of our creative inspiration. But when emotions are a crushing tsunami, how can you survive and begin to allow for an even flow of creative thinking?

According to Julia Cameron, author of the classic guide to creative recovery “The Artist’s Way”, survival lies in sanity, and sanity lies in paying attention:

‘The reward for attention is always healing…In times of pain, when the future is too terrifying to contemplate and the past too painful to remember, I have learned to pay attention to right now. The precise moment I was in was always the only safe place for me. Each moment, taken alone, was always bearable…’

Often getting into the moment is something you can do at your desk over a cup of coffee and a good blank stare out the window. Maybe you have to find a spot in the sun somewhere. Wherever you are, in that moment and then the next, focus your attention on something that delights you. The pool of sunlight that rakes across your desk, the smell of fresh cut grass through your studio window, the sound of kids laughing on the playground outside your building.

Cameron believes ‘…the quality of life is in proportion, always, to the capacity for delight. The capacity for delight is the gift of paying attention.’

I’ve just got to say, from my own experience, it’s finding delight in the moments surrounding a dark event that’s pulled me though a workday or work session with my creative partner—productively. A heightened radar for delight can even lead you to more inspiration than you’ve experience in quite a while—or even ever. Also, know that pain, once passed through, will lead to emotional knowledge you can write about, create an image of, or use to better understand a once foreign demographic you need to communicate to.

Bright new idea spots. To come.

If you’re in a place like this right now, I hope this is of some help to you.

How much can you tolerate?

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You need creative flow to rock new concepts. But we all have “flow-suckers” that we allow to drain our energies. They appear as (daily?) worries about tasks undone, things unsaid, etc.

In the coaching world we call them “tolerations.” Things you tolerate on some level every waking moment that take a drop or teaspoon or gallon from that creative body of water of yours. They weigh you down and hold you back from doing you best work and truly connecting with the people and experiences that nourish and inspire you.

And they keep you from growing.

A big one for me was the reoccurring worry-set around tax preparation and filing. As a freelancer I absolutely dread what my tax bill will be. So I have a tendency to procrastinate the visit to my accountant. Adding weight to the distraction and extending the fret-time long beyond tax season. Which caused me to delay planning a summer vacation, getting a new Mac, buying CS5— things that would support my creative production.

But the good news is every toleration is somehow fixable and as you take on each one you lighten up. You’ll feel more like the grown-up you really are, have a clearer head and notice the inspiring nuances in the life around you.

You know where I’m going with this.

So, what can you do? Simple. Identify the top three things you’re tolerating right now. Write them down. One of them might be a pivotal one that when dealt with can knock off some of the others. Once I saw what my tax toleration was doing to my overall energy, I took some constructive steps to deal with it. You can too. Step by step. One at a time. Then start on the next batch of three, or 10 or whatever.

In fact, why the hell wouldn’t you?

November’s 20 Minutes & a Beer now on Vimeo

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In case you missed last weeks mobile ad presentation from Butler/Till’s Mike Davis, we recorded and uploaded it to Vimeo. Watch it below or visit http://vimeo.com/17042914

20 Minutes & A Beer is an educational/social program started by the RAF as a way to showcase our local authorities on various topics that are relevant to our industry and market. On Tuesday November 16th at the Tap & Mallet, Mike Davis from Butler/Till gave a talk about trends and possibilities in the world of mobile advertising.

The RAF is the Rochester NY chapter of the National AAF and is a group dedicated to enriching the creative community through programs and sponsorships that educate, celebrate and inspire great work.

The Tap & Mallet is located at 381 Gregory Street, Rochester, NY 14620
(585) 473-0503

- Scott Wolf

In case you missed the last 20 Minutes and a Beer, we got it all on video.

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Chris Lyons and his freelance insights managed to pack the Tap & Mallet last week. So much so that many of us found ourselves standing in the back or at the bar because there just wasn’t enough room. In case you were one of those unlucky few, or you managed to get a good seat and just want to hear Chris’ presentation again, we captured it all on video and posted it to Vimeo just for you. Watch it below or visit http://vimeo.com/16175466

20 Minutes & A Beer is an educational/social program started by the RAF as a way to showcase our local authorities on various topics that are relevant to our industry and market. On Tuesday October 19th at the Tap & Mallet, Freelance Illustrator Chris Lyons gave a talk about working without a net: Making the jump to freelance.

The RAF is the Rochester NY chapter of the National AAF and is a group dedicated to enriching the creative community through programs and sponsorships that educate, celebrate and inspire great work.

The Tap & Mallet is located at 381 Gregory Street, Rochester, NY 14620
(585) 473-0503

- Scott Wolf

10(+) Rules to Live By

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Have you checked out the new “Marketers’ Constitution” which the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) recently unveiled?

Their goal: Make sure the marketing profession continues to thrive and that it contributes meaninfully to society.

Here are the 10 principles they suggested:

1. Marketing must become increasingly targeted, focused, and personal.

2. Marketing must build real, tangible, and enduring brand value.

3. Marketing must become more effective, creative, insightful, and accountable.

4. Marketing must become more integrated and proficient in managing expanding media platforms.

5. The marketing supply chain must become more efficient and productive.

6. The marketing ecosystem—including agencies, media, and suppliers—must become increasingly capable.

7. Marketing professionals must become better, highly skilled, diverse leaders.

8. Marketing must be indisputably socially responsible.

9. Marketing must be unencumbered by inappropriate legislation or regulation.

10. The marketing discipline must be elevated and respected.

Sounds like a good set of mantras to me. I particularly like # 1, 3, 7, 8 and 10. Wouldn’t it be nice if all clients and agencies lived by these simple, yet profound rules? I’d like to add a few:

11. Marketing people need to have fun and not over-think—in order to stay in touch with real consumer behavior, thoughts and motivations.

12. Creativity should be celebrated and revered—it accelerates the connection between brands and consumers.

What do you think? What other “write in” bylaws should be added to the marketing constitution?

Recently discovered on twitter: Lee Clow’s Beard

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I had just about given up on Twitter for the 2nd time. My tweets have been inconsitent and lame (though not inconsistently lame) and I’ve generally found little value. Though I do know the exact travel schedule of many a branding exec. Which is obviously helpful.

Then I came across Lee Clow’s Beard. It’s a steady flow of insight of the “wish I said it that way” variety. Today’s: “Most people don’t have enough time to interact with their kids, let alone your brand. Respect that.”

Who on Twitter do you find uniquely worthwhile?

mj

And we’ll be right back …

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Been watching a lot of baseball on TV recently, it being the playoffs and all. Been seeing a lot of commercials over and over again, too … it being the playoffs and all. I like that there’s new work out, and some of it is pretty good. I just wish there was more of it to go around. Either that, or we need cool new ideas to get us through the inning breaks, like a “yo mama” contest between the managers. Tell me you wouldn’t stay tuned for that.

Bottom line? I don’t care if it’s the best spot I’ve ever seen in my life. Show it to me 20 or 30 times a night for a week straight, and it’s gonna start to suck. Am I the only one who thinks a media buy the size you see during the playoffs would support, if not demand, multiple executions for a campaign? How does this not happen?

Here’s a helpful Playoff Baseball Advertising Formula, humbly submitted:
staggering # of time slots / limited # of brands / minimal # of executions = burnout

My thoughts on the work from Round One:

  • I want to like the Blackberry ads more than I do. Maybe it’s the weird cover version of “All You Need is Love”. Maybe it’s that I only get to see the Blackberry actually doing something in, like, two edits of a 60-second spot. Maybe it’s the fact that I feel like I’ve seen this idea a million times before. Whatever it is, I wish it wasn’t a :60.
  • Staying with the handheld device category, I have fewer problems with the myTouch work, other than the exquisitely uninspired product name (which I mentioned, incorrectly, in my last post). I like the SNL veterans ensemble (note to Chevy Chase – the one character you seem to know how to play was funny in the ‘70s, funnier in the ‘80s, a lot less funny in the ‘90s, and is now just excruciating). I like the music, too, but I have to wonder what Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam’s price was to sell out. Wouldn’t have expected that one. The first spot with Phil Jackson and Jesse James is also good, but they’re both pretty much saying the same thing: “See? Different apps in motion? White psych? The name? We’re just like Apple!”
  • But speaking of Apple, they don’t always win. I’m not usually a huge fan of trying to call out a competitor’s advertising your own work, but the spot from Verizon taking on AT&T Wireless and the iPhone is great. They take direct aim at the iPhone’s singular competitive weakness – the painfully underwhelming 3G coverage from AT&T – and crush it with a payoff line that delivers a nice, big “eff you” to iPhone and its advertising: “There’s a map for that.” Love it. You sank my battleship.
  • I’m not sure, but I think there’s a new George Lopez talk show coming on TBS. What happened, folks? Have a bit of time left unsold? Do you have anything ELSE to promo? Please? Isn’t there an upcoming re-run of “The Office” or a “Family Guy Weekend” you can tease me with? No?
  • The new Marines stuff is pretty cool. Awesome editing. In fact, I do believe a Jay Advertising old boy named Justin Baum is currently working on that business down in the Atlanta. Go, JB!
  • Like the Bing work, too. Great theater, meaningful payoff. The first time I saw it, I wanted to back it up so I could watch it again, but I correctly assumed that it would re-appear soon.
  • This is probably worth its own blog, but can we talk about the Arby’s media strategy? I can get on board with a bookend strategy that shows me two spots at either end of a commercial break. Two different spots. Arby’s runs the exact same spot at either end of the break, and it’s a teeth-rattling retail number targeting everyone looking for four roast beef sandwiches for five bucks. I’m sure they have a good reason for the strategy, but I sure wish they’d produce a companion spot. They can’t be that expensive.

Round Two starts tonight. Fox coverage joins the party tomorrow. Here’s hoping for some great games. And new spots.

Simple, short, and sweet. Period. The end.

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Brevity is de rigueur for PR professionals, especially when it comes to pitching—both traditional journalists and bloggers. And while we’re now using social media to assist with these efforts, these tools have created an entirely new dimension of brevity.

A leader in the PR and social media world, Peter Shankman suggests that brevity is among his four “rules” for communications practitioners in effective social media engagement. If today’s average attention span is 2.7 seconds, then long gone are the days where journalists are reading much beyond your headline!

Surely strong writing helps to crack this nut. The trick is to balance brevity with clarity, as shorter may not always be better. Another challenge is to be brief without compromising captivation. It’s tough when you want to paint a full picture while filtering words that may give your pitch that “oomph” to sell in your idea.

It really boils down to basics for all communicators, not just PR practitioners. Strong writing is clear, concise, and balanced with compelling punches. Condense your idea(s) into a short but sweet message.

Well it was a valiant attempt to practice what I’m “preaching” here. My post was not quite as brief as I had intended, but hey—I’m not on Twitter now, am I?

Anyone have Twitter-esque thoughts on the importance of being brief in communications?

Craft in a digital world

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Digital has all the evangelists it needs, often seen walking down sidewalks staring at Iphones – i think they call it connecting. We could use the occasional skeptic.

So I was happy to come across Christopher Kimball’s piece in Thursday’s NY Times. Mr. Kimball is the publisher of Cooks Illustrated. The article reflects on Gourmet’s demise, but goes on to offer a smart and contrarian reaction to the dominant theology of our day: digital democratization.

The whole article is here. Think it over the next time you price your services or read about a national brand soliciting ideas through crowd sourcing.

Here’s a quote:

To survive (digital democratization), those of us who believe that inexperience rarely leads to wisdom need to swim against the tide, better define our brands, prove our worth, ask to be paid for what we do, and refuse to climb aboard this ship of fools, the one where everyone has an equal voice. Google “broccoli casserole” and make the first recipe you find. I guarantee it will be disappointing. The world needs fewer opinions and more thoughtful expertise — the kind that comes from real experience, the hard-won blood-on-the-floor kind. I like my reporters, my pilots, my pundits, my doctors, my teachers and my cooking instructors to have graduated from the school of hard knocks.

Advertising, the business of commercial communication in all its forms, is a craft. Experience matters. I wonder if the ad business itself believes this.

Cheers!
mj

Profiles Get an Upgrade

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Every so often, I go on a tear about something that’s being overused in our industry, and I get fixated on it. My latest gripe: the profile piece. You know, nice big picture of someone followed by an up-close-and-personal about how the product/organization/company changed their lives. Higher ed is plagued with them. It’s not the concept itself that is bad, it’s that most of them end up following a prescribed outline that ends up sounding inauthentic and canned. They’re no longer differentiating.

simonBut just as my grumbling was starting to bug even me, I came across a remedy that I think offers real value. The Simon School of Business recently (I think) redid their site, and their homepage caught my attention big time. What looked like another series of feature profiles is instead a series of hard facts that clearly define the Simon advantage. You still get the nice engaging people shot, but what’s behind it has a lot more tooth and relevance.

Today’s audience is more discerning than ever. Tell me what I need to know, and tell me why I should care. Once I’m engaged, the story telling can take me further, but I think we need to do a better job of making our case up front.