I, like lots of other folks, was very saddened to hear of the closing of Cliff Freeman & Partners. But what struck me was how few agencies do what Cliff Freeman did--keep a style of advertising for many years, through many clients. No, it didn't last forever, but can an agency even attempt to create a signature creative style anymore? Most agencies attempt to do it all, style-wise: serious-minded work, goofball …
We Don’t Need No Advertising Education
A few months ago, I incurred the wrath of some advertising professors who took exception to my Talent Zoo column about advertising education. One university department head sent me a snarky note at 11:00 at night and called me "vapid," while another professor dug up my resume in an attempt to play "gotcha" with my own educational background. Not exactly Socratic debating techniques. While I said that advertising …
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The Presentation Skills Of Steve Jobs: Tips From The Master
I've said it before on AdPulp, and it bears repeating: If you really want to get ahead in the advertising industry (or any industry for that matter), develop your presentation skills. It takes practice, it takes skill, and it takes a flair for the dramatic. Of course, it helps to be presenting something insanely great. Much has been made of Steve Jobs' semi-annual presentations when Apple introduces new products, and …
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The Progressive Insurance Girl: Love Her Or Hate Her?
Even these days, a campaign with plenty of cash behind it will infiltrate the consciousness of America. So it is with the campaign featuring "Flo," The Progressive Insurance girl, played by actress Stephanie Courtney. I see these ads all the time. (And you can see all of them here.) I'm just curious what our readers think of this campaign. Like it? Hate it? Don't care? It ain't going away, that's for sure. …
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Are The BDAs Really That B Anymore?
Amidst the flurry of stories floating around the Deutsch-Lowe merger, this Ad Age article caught my eye for a very surprising fact: According to one person close to the matter, Lowe in New York has 150 people and Deutsch about 250, and cuts of about 10% -- some 40 people -- are expected in the coming days, mostly for non-client-facing roles. A spokeswoman said the matter of redundancies is under review. 250 at …
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Capitalism: An Advertising Story
It's hard to watch these stories about people who are struggling in the economy. And I get the impression that even people who are doing OK are very cautious about spending. That's a problem for the advertising industry. When people can't buy what we sell, we're in trouble: We don't need Socialism with a capital S, but we do need the balance that maintains a vibrant middle class. A little spreadin' the wealth helps …
VW Wants You To Have Fun Climbing Stairs
Other than a peripheral connection to "fun," I don't get why this helps VW, but this idea is clever as hell. There will be more to come at TheFunTheory.com As the YouTube page suggests, "We believe that the easiest way to change people's behaviour for the better is by making it fun to do. We call it The fun theory." Which is true. But is it really going to make people think VW is more fun? Will it make consumers …
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Photographers Fight The Issue Of Pilfering
Everyone who works in a creative field is fighting the theft of ideas and work. The American Society of Media Photographers is tacking it with this spot and a new site, Don'tScrewUs.Org. I'm not even a professional photographer, but I was reluctant to put my nicer photographs on Flickr in the fear that someone might lift one and it would end up on some lame banner ad. In a way that's wishful thinking, I suppose. But …
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