Direction of advertising

Auf Wiedersehen!

2009-06-29T13:48:00.001-04:00

I started this blog to provide a resource for people looking to come to the Brandcenter. I think its done that. And now its time for me to go. If you have any questions about the school, me, advertising or life itself. Please feel free to email me. Best of luck to every reader.

Jesse Bowen
jesseb@giantd.com

Quote of the day from Work day 1

2009-06-08T20:09:00.001-04:00

"I need to do some work in between these meetings."

I left my heart.

2009-05-21T14:13:00.003-04:00

I left my city by the bay by force two years ago. I loved it there. Great friends, good food, lots of fun. I was running every day, losing weight, loving life. But I was missing something. A job. A career. Something to pay the bills.

I left for the other side of the world, Richmond Virginia. I worked my ass off for two years. And for two years I had no idea where the hell I was going after. I never had to worry about it for most of the time because I was too busy working, but slowly the thought creeped back up.

NYC? LAX? ORD? SEA? SFO?

I had no dreams of being able to choose where I could go. There were no bidding wars on the horizon. No moving expenses, or dream apartments. It was really just what the hell was my next move?

But deep down I wanted to go home. The thing about California, and San Fran more specifically is that once you live there, its damn hard to go anywhere else, and I wanted to go back with my head high and a job. The returning hero.

I can happily say now that is what is happening. I've accepted a internship at Goodby, Silverstein and Partners. I couldn't imagine a better place to land, surrounded by more talented people to start my career again.

I left my heart there, but will be back shortly to reclaim it. Welcome home.

A sign on the job hunt.

2009-05-13T11:21:00.004-04:00

I was waiting in a SF coffee shop waiting for an interview. I was just spinning the cup thinking about what was going to happen in the next couple months, what I wanted, and dreaming a little and I looked at the cup and saw this:

"Failure's hard, but success is far more dangerous. If you're successful at the wrong thing, the mix of praise and money and opportunity can lock you in forever."

- Po Bronson

Job hunting is a lot of guess work. Its faith based hunting. You use your guts, head and heart to make decisions that affect you in ways you will only know 10 years from now. All my decisions are half chance. But I'm not worried about choosing the wrong path, because there isn't one. I love where I'm heading.

Big Day part two.

2009-04-23T17:25:00.002-04:00

That was an interesting day. Sitting around watching, waiting for people to come by is the most draining event I've had here. Its an emotional roller coaster watching people look around for people they're interested in and pass by your table.

I can't talk about specifics, but I was very happy with everyone that came to spend time to talk to me. And I really appreciate all the feedback I got both positive and constructive.

This was just a beginning conversation, no one has jobs to hand out willy nilly. I believe that today was a large reason why the Brandcenter is the best school for advertising. The connections into the industry and the ability for them to scout our work.

We're entering the final phase here, the get a job one and we're ready for it. I look forward to the most important few months in my early career yet. Ill post as much as I can.

Big day part one.

2009-04-21T00:43:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow is Recruiter Day. We have over 100 people coming to look through our blood sweat and tears. Its very exciting to be done but also damn scary. This is probably as far as I can take my education, unless I suddenly get a hankering to try something else. I'm on my own. In a bad market, with jobs and companies cutting at every turn.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

I think if you can make it in bad times, you should kick ass in the good times. As long as you have the work to back it up of course. And I think I do.

Its interesting to look at 42 pages of work which constitute 2 years of your life. Most authors could get 300 pages plus, or a painter produces a masterpiece, we get 42 pages of work.

I hope the recruiters enjoy the work as much as I had putting it together.

Top 10 Things You'll Hear from Teachers at the Brandcenter

2009-04-16T02:13:00.003-04:00

1. Where else does this go?
2. What's the big idea.
3. Keep going.
4. Seriously?!
5. I don't care what he said.
6. That's fucking cool.
7. So what are you trying to say here?
8. Mmmmmmm.....
9. You need to create culture!
10. How did you get in here?

The gloves are starting to come off.

2009-04-14T01:06:00.003-04:00

We have one week. One week to get our proverbial shit together. I admit I've gotten more together in the last week than any other week here. You don't have time to think and ponder and rethink you just have to trust your gut and do it and hope your training kicks in.

There are a few offers trickling in and its the most interesting thing to see people react. Some people ignore, some jump high, some casually glance. Me I casually glance. I'm a cautious person, taking things rarely on faith, but its so tempting to think about whether this email is the one for me, THE job for me.

But of course, there are 97 other people with similar plans sitting around a cold concrete table looking around the room. Who's the competition? Who's the best? Who is my biggest challenge? We live surrounded by competition. But the real truth is none of us are competition for each other.

Sure, you might not get that position, and it might sting the pride, but it doesn't mean a slim slice of shit against your career. My job is out there, I have no idea where it is, and who will give it to me. But every position that fills without me is good for me, because its one step closer to mine.

One week. 7 days.

Ahhh the corporate world.

2009-04-08T14:02:00.003-04:00

I sent a friend a youtube video of a comedian that reminds me of a mutual friend. I thought it would be funny and help a friend in a bad job with a hangover get over her bad day. Unfortunately you can't watch videos at this company, instead she has to email herself and watch it at home.

(Sigh)

I remember this world well. The emails from HR about not spending too much time on IM, or blocking videos and websites. I like to think I'm about to go into a world full of open websites without, silly corporate blockers, eyes peering over shoulders, time stamps and email storage.

So for anyone out there you wants to watch youtube and get paid, advertising is for you.

Heres the video FYI. Jimmy Carr. He's fantastic.

Army Regimented Work

2009-04-07T01:20:00.003-04:00

There is so much work to do. So much it hurts my little tall head. Recruiter lists got sent out today which made it even more real that this is all coming to an end. There's a good turnout and its exciting to be the center of attention of a group of people. People who haven't seen the work before. But its scary as well.

I've heard from some previous graduates that the session doesn't produce jobs. At least not immediately. Its a conversation starter, a formal meet and greet. Who knows what jobs are really out there? Its going to be a tough market out there, so I've also prepared some backup plans as well. I've been saving frequent flier miles for a lot of years and there's a lot of places where a tall norwegian boy could do well for a few months.

It feels good to have a backup plan. Takes the pressure off these next couple weeks. A little. But I've put the pressure back on. From now until the recruiter session my alarm goes off at 9:30 and I'm in bed at 1:30 am. Its gonna be a interesting few weeks, ill keep you posted.

1:30 am. Buenos Noches.

The Final Countdown!

2009-04-01T18:45:00.003-04:00

3 weeks left. That's it. Its time to go but that doesn't mean the end of fun. Well I guess it does for a while but the best part is in three weeks it will finally get warm and the river will start to fill up. So today is my list of the things I will miss most about the good old RIC:

1. Yuengling. (Why isn't this beer everywhere?)
2. Empty streets at night.
3. Halloween on Hanover Street.
4. Hipster bike jousting. (Oh what a joy)
5. Cheap everything.
6. An airport where you never have to wait in line for anything.
7. Beautiful old houses.
8. Sun decks.

This is a great city, I will miss you. So with three weeks left here's to lots of 1-8.

Please leave your key at the front desk.

2009-03-24T10:27:00.004-04:00

There's only about 7 weeks left here at the B.C. and its starting to show. People are starting to ask about job leads, who has jobs, internships, anything. A lady even asked me at the store if they were hiring where I was working. Unfortunately no.

It's all around us now. My parents ask me every time they call. And every time i say no they respond as best they can. "It's tough out there, but you'll find something." My dad is a little more direct. "You can wait tables if you can't find anything right?" Sigh....Yes.

But I'm trying to enjoy this time. Its the last I'll have as a student, a reckless, fun loving, innocent youth. I can run in the afternoon and drink on weekdays, I can blow work off because the weather is too nice and sleep in till 12. Everyone is working their asses off, but I get the feeling a lot of people are spinning their wheels.

Its all good to work hard to produce something, but when you work because you think you have to is when you produce nothing. People are glued to tables and screens instead of relaxing and remembering that this is the last hoorah for most of us.

So if you're out there staring at the same screen trying to force out that last idea, get up close your computer and come have a beer in the sun. Oh so sweet. Don't forget to leave your key on the desk on your way out.

The same old story.

2009-03-22T23:54:00.002-04:00

Advertising is dead, or is about to die. You hear this line about as many times as: Where else can this idea go? Which might actually be the problem. I came across this article on the death of advertising. Its a long read but has the same familiar elements:

1. Consumers don't care.
2. Ads are ineffective.
3. Traditional ads are disappearing.
4. Advertising hasn't figure out the web.

All are true. And a lot of what we hear here is that we are the link between old and new. The generation that will create new advertising and banish the evil static banner for all time! But the truth is it isn't dead, and it never will be. The falloff in advertising in my mind comes from one simple idea:

The loss of added value.

In the 1950's advertising brought new time saving, money saving products into peoples minds for the first time. Who wouldn't want to save an hour cleaning their bathroom with new Dial? But now, we know. Soap cleans, saves time, got it. Get back to the show already! We're saturated in information and actually get to search and choose which we want to listen to or not.

So how does modern advertising tackle this problem? Added value. Product benefits, value propositions, history and other traditional advertising virtues are dead. People know more about your products than most of the people using them. You need to add value. Very few clients do this.

Nike lets you compete with runners around the world.
Apple gives you access to a world of music from anywhere.
HBO gives you TV you wouldn't see anywhere else.

What the hell does soap add? Or gum? Or banks for that matter? Give me something I have never had from you: Added value.

The real test.

2009-03-17T00:03:00.002-04:00

This school is tough. Really tough. Its tests pulls and pushes you to do better all the time. Everyone does this, each with differing success. Some use the time to better themselves, some fold under the pressure. This place is not for everyone. But the work is not the real test.

The real test is life. As much as we push and divide and neglect our lives they always come creeping back in. Sometimes unexpectedly, and that is the real test. Can you handle 18 hour work days and a social life, a best friend, a family, a girlfriend/boyfriend, everything else that pops up outside 9 to 5?

Im going through that test right now and its tough. Its tough to give your work the time it needs along with everything else that forces itself into your head. It doesn't help that this is the time where you really need to hunker down, but that's the real test. Anyone can make ads. Not everyone can have a life and make ads.

There aren't any positions available.

2009-03-09T14:11:00.002-04:00

Get used to that one. You will hear it a lot. Its true. Companies are shearing back hard, and marketing is the first thing to go. So what the hell do you do? Beg? Plead? Scream? Cry in despair?

The best thing to do is realize the truth that there are TONS of jobs out there. You heard it here first. TONS and TONS of jobs. The only problem is that they aren't advertised and even worse the companies themselves don't even know they exist, only you do.

Smart driven people are always needed. Always. No company is going to turn away someone that blows them away no matter how bad off they seem because the only real asset any company has is its talent. And no where else is this more evident in advertising. Ideas and talent are all they have.

So when you call or email or network and people say "I don't think we're hiring" what they're really saying is "You might suck." Try again, say "I understand. Do you think I could come in and show you my work?" Most times they will be happy to help and it gets your foot int he door, its your job to make sure it stays there.

Most people out there stop the minute they hear a company isn't hiring, instead focusing on the leads on craigslist or headhunters instead of focusing on what they really need to do, show companies why they can't afford not to have them on their payroll. Happy hunting.

Visions of the future.

2009-03-04T18:13:00.004-05:00

First: Microsoft's vision of the future from 2009

Second: AT&T's vision of the future from 1993:

Look forward to the future boys and girls.

You're welcome world.

2009-02-27T19:44:00.002-05:00

Commercials make people enjoy tv more. Read here.

In case you are too lazy to read here's the synopsis. If you ate your favorite ice cream every day all day for a month, do you think it would be your favorite anymore? How about your favorite song stuck on repeat, or living in paradise forever, like Richmond? Probably not.

Its called adaptation, which means breaking up good things helps you like them more. Remember movies and theater do this too for breaks, TV is just an imitator. So you're welcome world, now go buy some shit so I can get a job.

KISS and MACS

2009-02-18T00:29:00.003-05:00

KISS - Keep it simple stupid.

Its supposed to be the holy grail of advertising. Simple, concise, and easy to understand. Most campaigns are centered around this for many reasons. Information overload from competition, lack of information, and just plain easy communication are usually the reasons. Good examples of this is medicine ads. Sure you could take time to show why your asthma medication is better than the others but in reality people wouldn't know the difference, all they want to know is will it get rid of my asthma so I can dance in a field of flowers in my sundress.

But today we learned a new concept:

MACS - Make it complex stupid.

Making a concept complex and layered and heavy on information seems like the opposite of what you would want. Why would people wade through mountains of info with their free time? But brands do this all the time. Look at sports. Simple concepts. Put ball/puck/object through/over/past an object. A winner a loser. But it demands some complexity because people love sports. They are obsessed with stats, history, tradition, that make the experience richer and turns casual fans into the grandmas with the pins of 40 years of collection stapled to a jersey. Making it complex alone though isn't the answer you have to make people work for it, making people feel like they are part of a club that they belong alone.

Make tough products easy and digestable, and easy products complex and intricate.

I wish someone had put it like this 2 years ago, it probably would have helped.

Please feed the lions.

2009-02-10T19:10:00.003-05:00

When someone comes up to you and asks: "What do you think of this?" how do you respond?

Do you give honest feedback, not sparing details hoping to make it better?
Do you dumb it down tell them its good to help save a possible argument?
Or do you say I like it, because the worse their work is the better yours looks?

Most people would be the first two, Mark Fenske thinks its number three. And as much as I hate to admit it, he might be right. We use these little lies to help justify being a good friend or to save face, but sometimes it is that simple drive to be the best.

While it might seem like the lions don't really want to eat you. They might just be waiting.

But part of me also calls bull shit. I've heard a few times now that to achieve greatness in this industry, you need to sacrifice. Sacrifice family, friends, time, and morals to reach the upper echelon. This is a flat out lie. If you can't reach the top without violating every inch of your soul. You can keep the top.

So I've decided to be open and honest about work I see, becausewhile I might not be right about the work, I refuse to compete through capitulation, and am done listening to people telling you to sacrifice me for tiny gold statues.

The new workout.

2009-02-08T21:04:00.003-05:00

When you start working out with more weight or different machines I have usually beaten the shit out of myself after the first day. That bad curl up and die the next morning, hurts to cough, cursing the strong kinda hurt. Mark Fenske's workout is making it hard to laugh.

Fenske believes in one thing for his portfolio class: volume.

Instead of light reps over three weeks. Full projects are due every week. More weight less time. I was concerned when I first started. How in the hell could you produce quality in 2 weeks let along one. I thought I was going to leave in May with a portfolio full of one offs and puns.

But like everything I've learned here, everything the professors do here is for a reason. Doing work in half the time produces work twice as good. It focuses your mind, makes you think simpler, and produces work at volume. Now of course not all of it is good, I'd say 50% is bad but better than a lot of other things we've done.

If anything, there is one thing that I have learned here. When you force yourself to work hard, you surprise yourself with what you get back. Time for some more reps, gotta get ripped before May.

Ones I wish I had done.

2009-02-05T00:22:00.001-05:00

And finally enough superbowl. 4 days is enough. But I thought I would end with a post about the ones I would like to have had a hand in based on script, concept, or art direction. Enjoy.

Concept: Modesty goes a long way.

Script: Conan is always funny.

Art Direction: Beautiful. Simply beautiful.

Superbowl Missed Opportunity

2009-02-04T00:18:00.001-05:00

DORITOS!!

WHICH IS THE BEST:

Enough said. 3 wins.

Winners of the Winners

2009-02-03T00:01:00.003-05:00

Ahhh the winners. The risk takers, the inside tracks, the little men. Oh wait you paid 3 mm for your spot? Well congrats you titans of industry! Enjoy.

The big winner. Thank you Cash for gold. It goes to show that a company willing to make a splash and a cool commercial can make a splash. If I had any gold, I would give it to you, if I hadn't swallowed it out of fear of hobos coming for my family savings!

Crispin, you got it, damn you. You got it. What great branding for HULU. Once again an ad requiring knowledge of the porn machine known as the internet. This is great. I love HULU and 30 Rock, you make me want more, big balls for NBC as well. Alec Baldwin should be the face of GE as well, who wouldn't like that. People older than 32 you say? Oh ok.

CRISPIN!!! DAMN YOU!!! A classic commercial twisted. Tough ground but damn you, you did it. I applaud you and your lond haired god of a founder. I am your Kirk to your Kahn.

BOOOOOOGGGGGGUUUUSKKKKKKYYYY!!!!

Oh congrats TBWA. You got me. If you aren't on the internets or the tubes that connect to it, you probably won't get the SNL/Pepsi spots. But what's interesting to me is that agencies and clients are willing to try spots, high costs spots, that are targeted at me and younger, the guards are changing. MacPepSuber!!

Ok so these might be a little slanted toward my generation. They require an internet presence, pop culture knowledge and the ability to handle hard fast edits. Sorry grandma! The Superbowl is a place to roll out new cool ads, and this year was better than I hoped. You could feel a change between generations and styles, this could be the end of your JG Wentworths. SEE YOU IN HELL!

Worst of the Worst

2009-02-01T23:24:00.004-05:00

So im going to be one of 6,543,332 million blogs posting about the ads they saw during the Superbowl. So what am I going to offer that no one has? Sarcastic remarks. Today, worst of the day.

Oh man I wanted to love this. I loved the commercial. It was written well, shot well, paced right, made people stop. Until the end. Cars.com. So this accomplished man is retarded about finding a car? You mean he rode the bus until 30? Or he had a helicopter made of gold? But the real problem is you could have dropped anything, ANYTHING, into the end and it would have worked. As we sat there listening, GEICO would have been better. I mean compared to all that, what's simpler than finding car insurance?

Tela flora. Ok big buy for a small brand in a recession. I love the ambition but the message gets lost. Most people are drunk/high/crying because their team is at home (Put me in the third) to notice the difference. They try to say our flowers are better because they're hand delivered, flowers in a box are usually half dead. What I heard: Flowers are a bad present: Send Tela Flowers. This was top level execution.

Sigh. America please. Pretty please. Pretty pretty please, stop. Taking a shitty chick flick that lasts 95.5 minutes and replace Brad/Leo/Ruttiger with horses does not make me want beer. It makes the opposite, the repulsion of beer. Three cheers for Nattie Lite for not advertising again!

Once again these are my worst. I understand that being in school allows you not to have clients, budgets, revisions, roadblocks, and the countless things that come between you and a young advertising man in Virginia. I commend all that took this challenge, there is no worst in the superbowl. You all beat 96% of everything out there.

This is going to hurt me more than you.

2009-01-29T00:06:00.002-05:00

That's what parents say as explanation for pain. Problem is you always think it's a way for them to make it ok in their head. It takes a while but you realize they really don't want to hurt you, they just want you to do well. More than that they want you to do better then they ever did.

Same here. It has taken some time to realize here, but all the intimidation, yelling, late nights, conferences, reviews and pain were all just parental ass whoopings. They were for our own good. We will leave this place hungrier, smarter, and stronger than any other person competing against us.

So while I won't go as far to say that I'm glad they did it. I will say I understand, and thank you.

No one cares about Art Direction

2009-01-23T09:53:00.003-05:00

Unfortunately it's true. No one really cares. Consumers don't care. Creative directors don't care. Client's don't care. Writers don't care. Hell art directors probably don't give a shit from time to time. The only time people care: When it's piss poor.

I've come to realize the words on the page are the most important part, reluctantly I've discovered this. The words are what the client want and the consumer. They are the set in stone, legal binding contract between a consumer and a client. I admit that 50% off is more important to me than the stock photo of a lady twirling in a field of sunflowers, or the fact that that block legal copy is kerned properly makes it no more legal.

But if that lady spinning in the field looks like it was shot with a camera you give to your five year old, or god forbid they use Papyrus or Myraid pro as the font, then you can probably start preparing for a few angry emails. A lot of art directors are out there trying to make work that won't get noticed, because it lets them keep their jobs and keeps clients coming back.

The same is true for design, no one cares that people spend months trying to get their mouse to feel and look great, or that someone stared at lumps of clay for hours trying to make their phone look like a nuclear submarine. It only matters when your mouse feels like a brick, and your phone is closer to those paddle wheel boats in Central Park.

Thankfully there are not many of those that I have run into yet, but they're out there. But this same principle applies to work and book reviews. I've had my work looked through by some pretty talented eyes, who know how to spin circles around me, and I've heard comments about my art direction, drum role please......twice.

1. Your art direction is clean.
2. I like your art direction.

Ok well there's two ways to take these:

1. It's good keep doing what your doing.
2. You're not doing enough, and I'm being kind.

Its probably not one or the other. It's a hybrid between the two because if I was making work that blinded people I wouldn't be at school and if it was terrible I wouldn't be at school. I should be shooting for number 2 because as profitable as it can be to make spinning sunflower field work, no self respecting art director smiles at seeing their half off coupons on a bus seat in Detroit.

No one cares about art direction. Until it's amazing.

Sorry about not posting, I've been busy....

2009-01-21T23:19:00.005-05:00

.....with a few million friends in DC.

2009-01-16T22:13:00.001-05:00

BSSP Informational Interview

2009-01-16T15:48:00.002-05:00

Butler Shine Stern and Partners was the last stop on my SF tour. I have always heard great things about this shop, they were doing good work for years, and was a great place to get work done. From what I've heard it's a writers shop but I have always seen great art direction come out of there, so its probably all rumors.

I met up with Chris Hancock, a senior writer at BSSP. He took his time and peeled through my book page by page, stopping to listen to me fill in my gaps and overviews, gave great feedback and closed the book, gave some more overall feedback, looked at me and said.

"Please keep in touch."

Excuse me? Like you want to see more? Work? It was a weird feeling to have someone interested in your work since all you get is go back and do it again. It left me with a weird feeling on the walk back to the ferry to SF. Sitting, watching the bay, I realized that come graduation, that everything was going to work out all right

T.A.G. Informational Interview

2009-01-15T22:43:00.003-05:00

T.A.G. was not even on my radar. I had no idea what to expect. They won a Cannes Grand Prix for Halo 3 "Believe" campaign and were part of McCann thats all I knew. I showed up to McCann and they told me they were at their own office, so I trekked over and up the elevator in a back alley in a empty building. I was worried that T.A.G. was just a office with a secretary and one production artist surfing the web.

THe offices were the best I had seen. No offices or closed off spaces, loft style everyone looked relaxed and were hopping between the ping pong table and the xbox. After getting to look around I started to wonder where the rest of the team was. There were maybe 30 people there. How could thirty people put together a Cannes Grand Prix?

Sitting down with one of their two CD's John Patroulis I saw how. They had fun but worked their asses off. Everyone threw ideas around, and no one was left out, and it looked like a damn fun place to work. Aside from running the global Xbox account they were pitching accounts left and right and looked like they were headed for big things.

If they weren't on my radar before, they were a big green blip now.

Youd be stupid not to do this.

2009-01-14T22:25:00.004-05:00

President Obama got his official presidential portrait today. Now that in itself is not a big deal. However he is the first president to be officially photographed using a digital camera. Which camera company was used to shoot it. There is a HUGE quick marketing opportunity here.

"You're now gazing at President Barack Obama's just-released official portrait -- the first of a U.S. president ever taken with a digital camera. That means we can peek at the EXIF data -- this fine specimen of portraiture was snapped with a Canon EOS 5D Mark II on January 13th, 2009 at 5:38 pm with no flash, using a 105mm lens stopped to f/10 at a 1/125 exposure, with an ISO of 100 by newly crowned official White House photographer Pete Souza. Nice work, Souza -- but we think it could use a few lens flares." - Engadget

Dentsu is their agency. What are the odds they do nothing and never use this fact? I say 75%. These are the kind of gifts that land sometimes and if you don't use them, well wait until Nikon gets their hands on next years shoot.

Goodby Informational Interview

2009-01-13T19:39:00.003-05:00

Goodby Silverstein and Partners is a trip. Walking into the building is a trip itself. I sat in the lobby looking at their massive amount of awards lining the walls. Clios, Andys, Lions lined the entire lobby, but something wasn't right. Out of all the awards lining the walls there wasn't one award that wasn't a gold. No silvers, no bronzes, nothing. Every award they had on display was a category winner. Apparently they weren't too fond of their second place finishes.

The first people I spoke with were Stephan Copiz and Matt Roberts, both were in charge of the NBA which has won just about everything and is great work. Stephan is a great art director and had some great advice for art directors, which surprisingly was the only advice I got for an art director.

Have at least one campaign that's art direction heavy. Do something crazy, that hasn't been done art direction wise to show that you can art direct the hell out of something. It was the first time I had heard anything that wasn't idea idea idea.

Goodby was great, it didn't feel like an ad agency though, quiet and cubicled it felt like an insurance company, but considering the amazing work that comes out I imagine no one cares too much about that. It definitely is a place I would love to work, one day.

Cutwater Interview

2009-01-10T04:04:00.004-05:00

It's never too soon to start looking for a job, especially when jobs disappear like its 1931 again. So I contacted some people before I left Virgina and set up a meeting with two ex grads, Jay Lorenzini and Eric Boyd, from VCU who now work at Cutwater.

Cutwater was fromed as a satellite of TBWA and is now seperate and run by Chuck McBride. They currently (1/10/08), are AOR for Jeep, Lenscrafter and Ray-ban, along with doing some great projects for Levis and many other clients.

I took two of my current campaigns a nervous smile and tried it out. I was afraid I was going to get a bunch of people looking to rip young guys like me apart, exact some revenge. This was as far from the truth as possible. They were honest and dead on with my work and completely open for any questions and full of great advice on books. I spent over 40 minutes with them and really got a good feel for what VCU provided outside Richmond and what Cutwater was all about.

Cutwater is a fantastic place to work. They had just lost Levis to W+K recently and were still coming down from it. Lee Clow had flown in to look at their work to help glean and choose the best. The offices are very cool and surprisingly quiet, but it was obvious that they had massive amounts of talent.

I left high. I had exceeded my expectations for myself and Cutwater and left with great advice and contacts. I loved the work that they were doing and more importantly the people they had.

Tomorrow: Goodby Silverstein and Partners

Branding No No

2009-01-08T14:22:00.001-05:00

Don't mind if I stretch out.

2009-01-06T14:07:00.004-05:00

Its been a good month. Lots of relaxing, food and sleep, but productive as well. I've officially 100% appled myself with an iphone and nike+ so I'm expecting my apple tee any day now. Took some vacation time in Mexico and found out that Mexican emergency rooms are exactly as you picture them but with just as good care as anywhere else for quite a lot less.

In my little ad world its been moving as well. I've been shopping meeting people, showing my little book to anyone who will listen. Places like Cutwater and BSSP have been kind enough. The first thing I ask when I go is for honesty about the job situation and my book, and while harsh it has been good. It definiely feels like the most constructive criticism I've gotten in or outside of school.

As for the job market, the honesty is a little less hopeful. Basically its fucked, not regular way but six ways to sunday on a bike without a seat over speedbumps way. (I'll let you visually drink that in.) But the reality is: we're good, fuck it great at what we do, young and cheap. How can you beat that?

One person told me that great agencies look at recessions as golden opportunites. They can invest in young talent and drop the dead weight. Time to lose some weight before May.

I've stumbled along some great blogs I'd like to pass on as well in case you don't have enough:

Jelly Helm's Blog is fantastic and usually not ad related, it feels like a perverse view into his daily life. If you don't know him he was an ex-adcenter teacher and W+K demi-god.

Design Boom good design trumps all.

It starts again on monday, more as it happens.

My next big project.

2008-12-09T14:51:00.003-05:00

“If I had my life to live over again I would try to make more mistakes
next time. I’d try not to be so perfect.
I’d relax more, I’d be sillier than I’ve been on this trip.
In fact, I know of very few things I’d take quite so seriously.
I’d be crazier, I’d take more chances, I’d take more trips,
I’d climb more mountains. I’d swim more rivers, and I’d watch more sunsets.
I’d eat more ice cream - and fewer beans.
Sure I’d have more actual troubles, but fewer imaginary ones.
You see, I was one of those people who lived sensibly, and prophilactically,
hour-after-hour, and day-after-day.
Oh, that doesn’t mean I didn’t have my moments.
But if I had it to do all over, I’d have more of those moments.
In fact, I’d try to have nothing but moments, one after another.
I was one of those people who never went anywhere without a thermometer,
a hot water bottle, a raincoat and a parachute.
If I had it to do all over again, I’d travel lighter next time.
I’d start barefoot earlier in the spring and I’d stay that way later in the fall.
I’d ride more merry-go-rounds, I’d pick more flowers, I’d hug more children,
I’d tell more people that I loved them,
If I had my life to live over again.
But, you see, I don’t.”

(Letter from an 84 year old)

I'm a cynic. Self admittedly so. It's not the best attitude and I would be the first to admit it. If I had to guess why I am, I'd say it would be laziness. It's easier to say no then to say yes. Its easier to break things down then build them up, to make better than avoid. Thats my goal for the break. It's time to think aobut the most important part of being a professional. Attitude.

No one likes a nay-sayer. The world could use one less.

Semester Review: 3

2008-12-08T20:56:00.003-05:00

75% there. This was a good semester. Tough trying and at sometimes fruitless but in the end it was a good semester. I saw lots of progress ended on a great note and am ready for a month off of informational interviews, sleeping and some intermittent work.

This was supposed to be the semester where you're supposed to put it all together, start to gain traction and get ready for June. It didn't start that way. I was working hard but wasn't getting anything out of it. It was a lot of art direction for very little good ideas. The professors said relax and simplify and it will come, but it didn't, until a couple weeks ago.

I stopped freaking out. Starting sleeping and working less, and the work got better. The more I lived a relaxed life the better the work got. I finally found some traction. And now I'm a little worried that I found some traction, will I be able to keep it with a month off.

Theres actually too much to work on to worry about that though. I've been busy reaching out and asking for time with former Adcenter/Brandcenter students in San Francisco, working on the One Show, D&ADs and, refining the work I already have.

My last semster will be full of the big boys. I have Charles Hall for International Brand Campaigns and Mark Fenske for Portfolio. It will be an interesting last few months. I've heard and seen the recent grads work, but I'm excited. The light at the end of the tunnel is slowly filling the screen and soon enough it will be May and this will all be over.

Slow down there big boy, one day at a time.

All nighters do nothing.

2008-12-07T02:03:00.002-05:00

It took me a year to figure this out. Spending 24 hours on any one thing is not productive, but it feels necessary sometimes here. The projects mount up and first your free time disappears, then your weekends, then your exercise, then your food, then all you have is work. It happens to everyone here. Everyone jokes about eating Hohos and Twinkies as three course meals and try to remember what a "weekend" was.

But after a year I've broken the spell. If I don't feel like working. I don't. That doesn't mean it doesn't get done. It just means I know myself a lot better after a year and a half here. I cannot do work by forcing work on projects. Shit in shit out.

It is such a fantastic transformation to see yourself not stress about things that drove you batshit a year ago. The real question is, will I be able to do this in the real world.

The name game.

2008-12-04T13:21:00.003-05:00

This business is all about connections, who you know, met and had beers with. Oh and skill I suppose. Brandcenter does a great job cultivating talent. No one will doubt that some amazing talent comes out of this school in each respective field that is taught here.

What they don't tell at least publicly is that what connections the school provides on the outside. We get a book of every contact that the Brandcenter has including alumni, speakers, creative directors, recruiters, media directors, and assorted other fields. This book is pure gold. It is filled with a wish list of contacts and resources.

I've started reaching out to some of the people on this list trying to get things rolling before May. Its a little intimidating basically warm calling people off a list. It reminds me of my old job of selling insurance. Cold/Warm calling is the most intimidating experience of any ones professional life. But every single person I've contacted has been happy to talk to me, quick to offer help, and willing to meet.

If there was one thing this school gives you that trumps everything else, is that fact that it opens doors that I never knew existed let alone never would have known how to get to.

A win by any other name.

2008-12-02T13:40:00.003-05:00

We won a pitch. Finally. It took a year and a half to win one. It feels good to win. Its why we are here, to win new business. So after all the work and time put in and a hard fought win over a lot of great pitches I should feel on top of the world but instead I feel exactly the same.

Well becuase the day you win one account there are 400 behind it that you have to pitch as well. I figure that you lose 9 of 10 pitches you participate in. Unless you work at CPB or W+K, pitches flow together, its great to win because you keep your job and maybe get a raise, if you lose usually no harm no foul. So I'm back pitching again today for Sigg water bottles, and tomorrow on to freezers, salsa, bronx zoo, dickies, One Show, D&AD, and portfolio. No rest for the weary.

Art Direction Fad #1: Kinetic Typography

2008-12-01T00:23:00.003-05:00

I've seen these videos on the web for a few years now. They have been used in movies for some time now, and all of a sudden they've become every art directors go to typography choice for TV commercials. They're great. They give the attitude of the voice over through type, not easy to do. Its just interesting to see every shop using it these days, as you have probably seen below:

Its a small world here in the ad world and everyone borrows good ideas and wears them out just as fast. Its too bad this will be worn out, I have always been a fan.

Comm Arts: FAIL

2008-11-23T13:08:00.003-05:00

I received the bible yesterday. The Comm Arts advertising annual, alot of people wait for this little white book. It usually is the difference between a pay raise, a promotion, or better offers. Its filled with the best work of the year from around the country.

The only problem with it this year is that it sucked. Hard.

It was filled with one offs, puns, and top of mind executions. It left me looking for more and a sinking feeling. Am I getting better at this or was this a bad year for advertising?

Part of it comes from the fact that I've seen a lot of the executions before through my wanderings on the interweb, the TV and other. And on the other hand we are trained to throw out the visual solutions in favor of a integrated campaigns with insight and substance.

Comm Arts you've let me down two years in a row. Hopefully I can do better.

If you're concerned and you know it clap your hands.

2008-11-19T17:35:00.003-05:00

CLAP CLAP.

I am lucky enough to get a month off between semesters. Last year was filled with traveling, recovering, forgetting what I learned in the previous 4 months. Those were the days.

This time around will be filled with informational interviews, award show work, and portfolio trimming. Of course there will be a few off days, a trip or two inside California, a few drinks with friends, but the main goal is to continue the networking, because my internal calendar is looking torwards may and beyond.

So anyone know any contacts in SF I could chit chat with, over a beer, desk, book, hanglider, kangaroo habitat?

Creative Interviewing

2008-11-17T15:54:00.003-05:00

This is a post from Dave Trott's blog. Great advice about clearing the clutter when interviewing.

When I got back from New York I didn’t know anything about advertising in London.

But I needed a job, so some mates helped me get a job in a merchant bank in the city.

I figured I didn’t want to go dragging myself all over London for interviews at different agencies.

Most of them wouldn’t have jobs anyway.

And I didn’t want any advice.

I’d just come back from New York, which in those days was light year’s ahead of London.

All I wanted to know was do you have a job?

So I figured I would make up lots of little portfolios and send them out.

I used the bank’s photocopier to make 50 copies of my portfolio.

Then I used the bank’s postal system to send them out.

I just looked in The Yellow Pages under ‘advertising’.

In a week I had my answer.

18 replies, with 2 job offers.

That sounds good until you think about it.

That’s 30 people that didn’t even bother replying.

So that’s 48 rejections in all.

If I’d gone the conventional route of taking my book around to agencies, how long would that have taken?

Well, if you could manage an interview every other day, which would be quite a lot, it would take you over 4 months.

4 months of trudging around, paying tube fares, being told no.

How depressing is that?

This way I had the answers in a week.

I didn’t need to see the ones that didn’t have jobs.

And I could choose between the two jobs available.

The agencies were quite different.

They were both good, but one was press agency (BBDO, Creative Director Peter Mayle).

The other was a TV agency (BMP, Creative Director John Webster).

It was a tough decision, which one to take.

I figured, I’m a junior so all I can really do is press.

So I should go to the press agency, right?

Well think about it.

If I go to the press agency, all the seniors will be fighting for press.

So I won’t get much.

But if I go to the TV agency, all the seniors will be fighting for TV.

There won’t be any competition for press.

So I should get all the press the seniors don’t want to do.

So I picked the TV agency, BMP.

And that’s how it turned out.

I got as much press as I could do.

But if I had gone the conventional interview route, I wouldn’t have been able to choose.

Instead of getting all my answers in at once, I would have had them one at a time.

In which case I would have taken whichever job came up first.

Which is a weaker position be in.

We’re in advertising.

We wouldn’t give advice like that to a client.

We should take the advice we give other people.

Choose the fruits of your labor.

2008-11-16T19:49:00.002-05:00

We have a lot of projects to work on. Probably around the area of 10-11 each semester. Thats 40-44 during your two years here.

You typically only need 3-5 for a book so it shouldn't be too hard to find them out of those 44. Well it is, but you have to know what a book piece is when you see it, and know the duds as well. We spend a lot of time working on duds here. LOTS. Its so easy to lose the forest for the trees. Fall in love in your ideas or art direction and lose focus on the simple fact that you need to find the good work.

But what do you do about the duds?

Abandon them? Nope. You never know when a dud can become gold with a little tweeking.
Work even harder? Nope. If the idea is bad, no amount of fixing can make it good.
Start over? Sometimes. But you don't always have the luxury to start over when you're under the gun of another project.

At some point you need to see that your work might not work, finish it as best you can, and bury it for good. There's more projects waiting out there for you, concentrate on those.

Books

2008-11-14T00:50:00.003-05:00

The Brandcenter isn't a portfolio school.

But you need one to get a job, don't forget that. I've been away for a while working hard, feeling the time creep up on me as I see that May 15th date get closer and closer. So I thought I would discuss my book as of now.

If I was going to call it I could put a book together in two weeks. Yes two weeks with the work I have now. Would it get me a job? Who knows. I would like to think so, the problem is it wouldn't be the job I want. I have 2 pieces that I can see in my final portfolio, maybe three.

The only thing is I don't want them in my book. Its my goal to get rid of every single one of them. How? By replacing them with something better. As of this moment I have 6 months to replace 1.5 years worth of work. See you at the Brandcenter.

Sure its a recession but...

2008-10-31T01:56:00.002-04:00

...there are people still out there that want to spend money. I walked into Target today willing and checking account cleared willing to buy a newly reduced priced Xbox 360 and Tiger Woods 09 video game. I have spent the last 5 months deep in work and I needed to spend some hard earned cash on myself. Simple enough.

The problem is I didn't spend a dime today.

After wandering around for 25 minutes looking for any, I repeat, any employee, I gave up with the mindset that Target missed out on close to $400 dollars of sales simply because of lack of staff.

Hell i understand. Times are tough. Profits are slim. Hiring freezings, corporate reductions. Its all standard in times like these, but there is ONE thing you can't ignore. SALES.

You cannot, I repeat CANNOT, reduce sales force and hope to increase or keep existing sales. There are so much better ways to cut costs, but now when Targets sales numbers come out soon, they will be $400 lower, and while its not much, I guarantee I'm not the only customer who will never go back to Target again. Enjoy the recession Target.

Driving Mr Hegarty

2008-10-29T00:19:00.003-04:00

So I signed up to drive John Hegarty of BBH fame from the airport to his room at the Jefferson. In case you don't know John Hegarty is the H in BBH. And just in case you don't know. Its Sir John Hegarty. And just in case I worked for BBH this summer.

So this is a pretty big deal. I get 20 minutes with him in the car one on one and I need some suggestions for questions for him. Advertising related, non-advertising, crazy. Bring some questions on. Ill ask him the best.

McCain Wassssup.

2008-10-24T19:43:00.001-04:00

Worlds collide.

2008-10-17T19:33:00.001-04:00

Busy Busy Busy

2008-10-15T00:22:00.002-04:00

Whoo..

It was supposed to be easier this year. They lied. I work harder this year than last hands down, and I know why. The first year is filled with "make me three print executions."

This year is filled with "make me":
Print, radio, OOH, ambient, Point of sale, web, website, minisite, logo design, brand integrity, business plan, strategy, banners, and a great deck, and go present it.

In two weeks. For three classes.

Oh and top of that do some freelance projects. The thing is, its addicitng. At some point you start to lose track of days, hours, and weeks. It all becomes one long blurry day with short interruptions of an hour of TV here and there, but the pile of completed work starts to pile up next to you.

But its not all work here in the 804. I've been to some pretty cool events here. A awesome folk festival where I had my first deep fried oreo and soft serve root beer float, oh yeah and some music. I even got a chance to see Bill Clinton speak at our school to rally for Obama. Pretty awesome to see one of the world's best speakers in action. So back to work. Wish me well.

Profit tips in a depression.

2008-10-10T14:50:00.006-04:00

With the stock market crashing every day, companies in free fall and stock values being decapitated daily, its important to choose wisely during these strained economic times. But the good news is that there are a few stocks out there that are doing well, and will turn you a tidy depression profit.

1. Bindles Inc. (BIND)

"Keeping your last worldly possessions safe from competing hobos since 1932."

Quite possibly the worlds finest bindles. At over 400 thread count these bindles will keep your remaining possessions safe and away from the dirty clutches of your neighbor hobos as you cris-cross the rails of America aimlessly until the next world war.

2. Bean Time. (FART)

"Don't be so sad about a depression. Its bean time!"

What other meal quite fills you up more after watching your daughter feed an old malnourished man with her breast milk in an abandoned flooded barn? Beans of course, silly! Packed with protein, and syrup its bound to pick you up and fill you with that wholesome treat from yester year, most likely because our cans are still left over from the last depression.

3. Louisville Slugger (LSS)

"America's rioters choice."

What better way to show your appreciation to Wall street, corporate head, lobbyists, and the government than with a Louisville Slugger? Everyone knows that authentic sound of a slugger pinging off the skulls of greedy old white men. And while it might not make your bank give your money back, breaking and burning it down might make you sleep a little better.

So enjoy these free tips to help you ride the depression in style and with a little luck a few extra coins in your pocket!

Want to know how to be a success in advertising?

2008-10-08T13:08:00.003-04:00

Read this.

A great post from a succesful man hopping the pond to Europe.

In honor of my dad.

2008-10-06T19:26:00.001-04:00

Chi&Partners London

Choose your words wisely.

2008-10-06T01:02:00.003-04:00

The pope says advertising is killing religion. Well kinda. In a recent interview he says that modern culture is killing faith. He said:

"nations once rich in faith and vocations are losing their own identity under the harmful and destructive influence of a certain modern culture."

Its probably a tough time for the pope right now. Religion is on the decline in most of the western world. With increasing war, depression, human rights violations, and evil all under the name of leaders who claim to believe in god, its not surprising for this decline.

So I don't blame the pope for lashing out at what he doesn't understand. The only problem is that he's attacking himself. Religion is the original culture. Its more modern than any fad or trend. Its always changing, whether for better or worse.

More human culture has come from religion than anywhere else. He is missing a huge opportunity to use religion as the center of culture. Instead it sticks to what its good at. History and fear.

As a non-religious person I have a healthy bit of contempt for it. However, I believe that the best parts of humanity are also represented in religion. If I was in charge of rebranding religion I would build it around culture and the fact that it is the original seed of culture.

So Pope Leo, its time for a rebrand of religion. You can do this. The world needs you to do it cause lets be honest, condoms arent that bad.

Almost there....Come on.....

2008-10-02T19:04:00.003-04:00

So admittedly It's been hard being back. Not that its tougher or confusing or new. No its all me. My lazy ass has been unmotivated, as I've blogged about before. But I've finally turned a corner and now feel like I'm back in school again.

Sure it took 6 weeks but who's counting. Well the teachers are. There definitely feels like a little bit of the: "Come on guys, time to get moving" feeling coming from the school. But im definitely not the only one to feel a little lack of motivation.

It is a good feeling to be getting work done again then staring at blank screens. Hopefully this won't stop.

So I look as today as the beginning of school. With only 26 weeks left until I'm done. Its time to get this shit rolling and get out of Richmond!

My little red headed child.

2008-10-01T11:45:00.004-04:00

I'm sorry blog and readers. I've treated this space badly. No updates. No culture. No nothing. I promise I'm here. Alive.

This blog has transformed over the year(s) and has changed from a how Brandcenter works into a how advertising works into a diary. It's a little wishy washy right now. Time to tighten it up. So I've decided to pick a format for the final push out of Richmond VA.

More updates to come on work here. I want to leave this a resource for students thinking about coming here, to have an inside view, one I didn't have.

Oh and don't worry Kelly. More culture to come.

The only burrito worth 3000 miles.

2008-09-22T20:09:00.002-04:00

I spent the most magical 15 minutes in San Francisco this weekend. For years I've been told about Cancun burrito in the mission. The oldest historical part of SF. I even lived there for two years and avoided it. The problem with it is its lower than 16th street.

Anything lower than that and you need a bandana and wife beater. Most of SF's drug trade comes through there with all the usual fun that comes with a flourishing drug trade. But this time I braved it. I trooped through the mission watching the streets get darker and emptier, cursing myself for my love of the perfect burrito.

But finally around the corner I finally came to it, a simple screen door with barred windows and the most amazing smell ever. Inside a group of Mexican men stood playing guitar and drinking beers. I entered and realized I was the only customer. All eyes suddenly turned on me.

White boy in the collared shirt slumming for burritos. But all that evaporated when I got my first bite of the best carne asada burrito I ever had. It was worth every dollar, and I got to see a part of SF I never would have gone to without a police escort. Ill be back soon Cancun. Just you wait.

Bridge Toll

2008-09-17T09:33:00.004-04:00

Agencies are business consultants, nothing more. They make recommendations on a companies business situation, based on up to date marketing information and most importantly a outside fresh perspective. Their solutions are supposed to fill gaps the company could not see themselves.

When businesses hire more traditional consultants to streamline or improve efficiency, I would wager to bet the companies institute 80-90% of the recommendations, because the consultants are seasoned professionals who understand how to make companies run better, with more profit. It would be stupid to ignore these recommendations.

Then why do so few companies take an agencies recomendation for marketing campaigns? Are agencies rolling over in favor of a happy client? Do clients not value agency opinions? Is marketing viewed as a necessary evil and used only when necessary? Sadly these are all true.

Because of the change in payment structure for agencies, they have become dancing monkeys, at least most of them. Instead of holding a retainer offering a solution, and asking for more for implementation, agencies crank out horrible shit that a CMO says his wife would like to see.

Its sad to see businesses avoid and ignore good advice they are recieving especially in an era where all "good business" advice they have paid for is beginning to mount in the american financial sector. While marketing is not the cure for bad business, its a start to changing course. Hell look at Microsoft now.

A little message from the Bob Slydell of advertising.

Another tool in the clients arsenal.

2008-09-14T01:51:00.003-04:00

I was watching HULU last night and was watching a horrible ad for Splenda and looked over at the bar on the left and saw this:
Two buttons where you can rate whether you liked the ad or not. I would love to be in on the client call when Splenda calls Pedone & Partners to tell them that NBC says that 98% of people hate their ads.

The sad part is HULU is a great place to showcase cool pieces of work with great stories. To use it to show the same ad 7 times in an hour makes me just pray for the variety that traditional television provides. Just another reason to make something people will enjoy I suppose.

I can now say I've lived richmond.

2008-09-12T12:58:00.004-04:00

Always on Display.

2008-09-10T01:01:00.005-04:00

Faces pressed to the glass. Photos flashing. People constantly watching. Your second year feels a lot like this. You're expected to know the easy tricks and avoid them and move bigger and better.

We had our first presentation for the Navy today for our brands class. In my humble opinion I thought we did really well for a branch we knew nothing about. Of course it wasn't perfect but our team was all around pleased with the output. (see creative below)

Which is a good start. There seemed to be a lot of relearning this whole team thing again in the whole class. Some teams clicked had eager eyes to present and some teams leaned and slumped questioning their own work without knowing it, which creates a problem.

All the eyes look to the second years to see what will happen. Will they knock it out? Fail? Humiliate us? And while most of us would probably say I don't care, I feel the looks and pressure, but in a good way. I didn't come to this school just to make a good book. I came for a better work ethic, and god knows I've found one better than the last.

The sense of freedom of being almost gone has its benefits, the ability to just relax and do things you like for one, but that sense of freedom has a cost. Not caring at all. I can see how easy it would be to shrug off criticism in favor of a "I like it so screw it" attitude. To not try to improve it because it looks perfect in your head, and I completely understand.

But hopefully the feeling of 100 sets of eyes in the back of mind help push me a little further. Enjoy the work, comments are always welcome.

Culture by online shopping

2008-09-04T15:01:00.004-04:00

So a little bird directed me to Ork Design. She makes typographic posters of metropolitan neighborhoods. you've probably seen them like this one of my hometown.

I was forwarded an article that did an interview with the owner of Ork Design. What struck me was this quote about working at home:

"Waking up and getting straight to working right away. I never knew my brain functioned at that moment in the day. Also, being barefoot all day. I really hate socks."

I love this because it reminds me of a time when i didn't work for 8 months and made tee shirts in my bathroom for myself. Most were inside jokes or funny ideas kicking around. But to be honest it was some of the best times I had in SF.

So I've decided to get back into this screen printing business for my first culture assignment. Sure it isn't new or different but it is something I've wanted to do again for some time.

I'm not talking to you....

2008-09-02T21:37:00.003-04:00

Ok so i've ignored this blog for long enough, but in my defense I've been busy. Ignore that tan and empty case of beer over there. I SAID DONT LOOK!! I promise I've been working, here look at my sketch book.

So what there's only a few notes. Quailty my friend. Quality. HEY LOOK OVER THERE!!

Sorry. But I've been busy. 4 clients this time. The NAVY, Stinger bug killers, Newspaper Association, and a freelance client. It feels like a lot but exciting as well. There's progress on all fronts and good stuff is starting to come out of my cobweb filled brain.

The most interesting point so far is the teacher/group meetings. We had our first today for the NAVY. We all sat and listened to recommendation and suggestions, made a few of our own and left. We met afterwards to digest and regroup. The difference happened when we all agreed that the direction suggested wasn't something we were interested in and we decided our own path.

While this might seem like a pretty easy decision there outside our humble building but for me it feels like the start of me doing work I want instead of homework. So long mindless drone. Hello indepenent free wheeling thinker!

Hey! What did i say about not looking at the empty beer bottles?

Sluggishness is the enemy of May.

2008-08-28T16:21:00.002-04:00

So its back on in all 5 gears here.

Except I can only get it to go into 3rd, and I need 4 and 5 from the start. I only have 9 months until I hope to do this for a salary. Part of me knows it will all come together and I will finish it, succeed and have a great book.

The other half worries. Teachers said we would come back sluggish, cautious, and flat out lazy. Seeing how advertising actually works sometimes takes the piss and vinegar out, and I can feel the rust, the sluggishness.

But its not all bad, the rust will pass, and thankfully I came back with something. Speed. I can feel my ability to plow through bad ideas quicker. Target on shreds of thoughts with potential. So hopefully this will help off set the rust until I can relearn how to drive my manual transmission again.

Artists beware.

2008-08-25T10:25:00.000-04:00

287. Give or take.

2008-08-20T16:50:00.003-04:00

One more glorious year of avoiding adulthood ahead.
One more year of infinite budgets, ideas, and clients.
One more year to live in a bubble called Brandcenter.

But as always the seeds of doubt are at foot. I've been thinking about where I want to go every day because I'll wake up tomorrow and it will be upon me. I think about my book about once a week because I'll cough and I'll be sitting in a cap and gown. I watch the economy every five mintues because nothing scares people entering the work world than a recession.

But wait, a recession is actually great for me.

I make half a peanut in terms of salary. A art director with 5 years experience makes enough peanuts to make Jimmy Carter nauseous. Agencies need art directors but not the large salaries. So in business terms I'm called a bargain.

So things look up as the numbers go down, or so I hope. This phenomenon has been reported on Agency Spy. Apparently people over 50 are getting the axe at unheard levels in favor of cheap and young. Guess ill start using anti aging cream this year.

A conversation between a creative and the rest of the world.

2008-08-14T16:08:00.001-04:00

(Click for larger view.)

I'm just missing the little umbrella.

2008-08-12T16:38:00.002-04:00

I've been back in Richmond for a week now and have thoroughly enjoyed being back.

Met a few of the incoming students and have been very impressed by the quality of their previous experiences and portfolios. Brandcenter's new policies which include two years previous experience, and a degree involving some form of design, will make the Brandcenter much more competitive in terms of Art Direction and will produce great ADs for years to come.

I would love to keep posting but honestly I've had a extremely relaxed week and will get back to posting once I'm done doing the following:

Three levels of advice

2008-08-06T19:06:00.006-04:00

Level One: Mark Roddy ECD of BBH NYC.

"I want people with big ideas. BIG ideas. Look at Droga five. Ideas like Tap Project and the phones for public school students in NYC. People at my level want those ideas and at times are a little afraid because they don't know where to get them from."

Level Two: Paul Foulkes CD of BBH NYC.

"I have alot of friends who are creative directors who hire these kids out of Miami or Crispin and their book are filled with cool ambient and OOH, but they can't make a print ad for their lives. I want people who can do cool stuff we all do. You just have to remember 85% of the time I just need a damn print ad, radio ad, coupon. Show me you can do the simple as well."

Level Three: Victoria Weeks AD at BBDO SF.

"You should put in your book what you want to be hired to do."

All good advice. Now go do it.

Note: These are not direct quotes but summations of conversations I had with these people during the summer.

Seuss in the major of NYC

2008-08-04T20:18:00.007-04:00

I took my spot at a desk on the 19th floor.
The first couple weeks turned out to be quite a bore.
After 51 one layouts and not one OK.
My Airborne layout was approved, not a single more Nay.
I learned about agencies the way that they work,
I regretfully learned undergrads can be jerks.
Everyone was a creative, a writer, a pro,
Until I asked for help and was met with the familiar no.
But I loved my time living, in the city that never sleeps.
And now I'm moving back to the city that barely peeps.
The best lesson i learned from my 8 weeks as a pro,
Is my skills as an art director have a long way to grow.
But that is the challenge of this industry of ads,
To always get better, build an army of comrades.
I look forward to my time when I'll be back and on top.
Walk back with a book, that will make jaws from ocean to ocean drop.
So goodbye New York, you treated me so well,
But Richmond is calling, so god speed, and farewell.

Fung Shui

2008-07-24T15:36:00.002-04:00

I asked a writer if he could come up with 20 lines for outdoor billboards today.

He said: "Of course! Can you decorate them?"

It's official, art direction is now something that guys like this do:

My first baby.

2008-07-22T19:02:00.002-04:00

Signed off my first ad today. A beautiful 10.125 x 8.134 FSI for Airborne. I hope that it lives a good life saving people money on placebo pills.

How would you like your lemon sir?

2008-07-21T18:23:00.003-04:00

Straight up or twisted?

Straight up has its advantages. It looks right, uncrushed, slowly leaking out into the surrounding liquid inside its natural lemony case. The problem is, it doesn't do anything. Why use a lemon at all why not a yellow ice cube. The whole point is the juice inside right?

The same comes in advertising. Playing the straight man has its advantages. Its easy, looks nice, and its what's expected. However, its the twist we all want. The pow after the expected. Most ads are the straight man.

Here's my product, here's a look, what it does, where to get it, thank you. This is the way its been since people started selling hand made clubs to fellow cavemen, and hell it works, a lot of shitty jewelry goes out the door of QVC that way.

The best brands have that twist. Its the twist that we buy what we buy. There are very few products that we need. The twist is what makes us switch to apple, buy at Banana Republic, try Axe deodarant, order a Stoly and coke. The twist.

So how do you create a twist?

Hit them where they don't expect it. That doesn't mean putting your message on urinal cakes or write them in the sky. Its usually the company that says something first, that shocks, angers, excites, or shames you that you reach for at your stores. Our homes are filled with them. The apples. The targets. The ESPN's. We fill our lives with the twists and glean out the straight ups.

Now if I only knew how to do it time after time. Suggestions?

Zach Galifinakis: Absolut Vodka 3

2008-07-16T13:48:00.002-04:00

The best of the three yet:

Take head, bang against wall, repeat.

2008-07-10T11:19:00.003-04:00

I've been working on the same project for 2 weeks now. Sounds nice right?

Stable, hands on kind of work.

It is except its one ad. And as im writing this Im on my 38th version of it.

But Jesse thats not that bad? You're getting work and updates and a real feel of the process of making an ad. You are correct sir maybe too correct, it isn't that bad.

Well it wouldn't be, if it was anything else. Except that this time its a coupon, a FSI or free standing insert. The ones that fall everywhere when you pick up a sunday paper or magazine and you curse.

38 kids. Its been tossed between CD's for 25 of those. Then to client for 12 of those. And after work yesterday I thought that would be it, but no the best was yet to come. The CMO took my beautiful hand carved add to a focus group for testing. Perfectly normal right? No. This focus group was her showing it to random people at STARBUCKS asking if they got it. Apparently people dont know how to read over the rims of their venti frappa douchbag latte assholes.

So I sit here staring at the same FSI that greets me every morning. Hello good friend!!

The realities of a recession inside an agency.

2008-07-03T11:55:00.004-04:00

Recession.

The ugly 800 lb. gorilla/elephant sitting in everyone's corner, that we all are plugging our ears and shutting our eyes trying to avoid at all costs. We're headed torwards one whether we like it or not.

No matter where you are in the world, from street sweeper to king, intern art director to ECD you feel the pinch inside the ad world. Here on the 19th floor its slowly becoming evident. When you walk around a lot of people are web surfing, chatting, playing GTA, longer lunches, etc. There just isn't enough work to go around. The firm is pitching hard and strong trying to remedy this but the general feeling is still the same: what next?

What next in terms of:

Am i expendable?
Will we get more work?
When did i last kiss butt at work?
How does my resume look?

People are simmering and grumpy. Unlike any other industry when employees in ad world don't work they get pissed, because they really, really, want to work. Its the only way to move up in the world.

From a lowly intern prospective its interesting and probably a valueable lesson once im on the inside. Watching people scheme shuffle and position themselves is just as important as the work they do. As they say you're only as good as your last work. More importantly if this recession gets worse how does it affect me in 365 days when im out with a book and resume?

A professor at school told me during one review. That I was in a perfect position and that he was jealous of where I stood. I would be going into a market in semi freefall with clients slashing marketing budgets and fewer companies wanting to advertise at all. Obviously a great time to get in. Right?

he continued to explain that a talented AD from Brandcenter could do as comperable work of a higher salaried person for half the cost. Recessions are gold for Juniors and freelancers, murder for middle to high experienced people.

I have a year to see what happens but so far it's been a interesting fly on the wall here on the 19th floor in NYC.

Welcome to Thailand!!

2008-06-29T23:46:00.002-04:00

A good tip on headlines.

2008-06-27T11:27:00.001-04:00

This tip comes from one of the fine gentlemen at BBH London. He is a CD writer there and has a fantastic blog at http://scampblog.blogspot.com/. Its full of great tips and stories from advertising. Great for us up and comers.

Here's a good quote I liked regarding how a headline should be used:

"In fact, many of the world’s best headline-writers are quite open about their secret weapon – a great art director.

With a really well art-directed headline, the idea and the execution are seamless. I like ideas where the headline is written in a place where type naturally occurs. Which means that your headline can be a photographed object - a visual element in its own right, which just happens to have type on it - rather than a boring old typeset headline."

Charles hall, a professor at VCU, is adamant about this point and so am I. Headlines by themselves make it an ad instead of an interesting communication. Sometimes plopping down a headline is easy and gets it out the door, but by taking a few hours you can turn it into something people will actually read.

Dorky morky lorky review.

2008-06-25T22:13:00.003-04:00

So today was my first real concept review with a CD. We have quite a contingent of swedish CDs here at BBH. You feel right at home. Well you would if youre norwegian like me or from Minnesota. But truth be told I was a little worried.

We were one of two teams. The other being an old Adcenter alum and a Creative Circus alum. our client was for NYC tourism and these guys have worked on the client for the last 6 months. We know how to talk to Don Just without shitting at the same time. So we sat down and listened to our competition lay out their case. Silent we stood listening. The CD gave comments, suggestions, tweaks. And then it was our turn.

We presented. Some clearly, some not so much. Some short some deep with logic. And at the end he looked at us and said in a thick Swedish accent. "I luke yur ideaas vury much." (insert swedish chef accent). I walked out beaming.

I had realized the important thing. We are just as good as the pros. Well not all the way but in this industry a cool idea from a youngin is just as good as anyone else no matter the pay or title. We walked out beaming even though our ideas were well beyond the 275K budget and not usable. Our competition grabbed us and said:

"Good job guys, youre gonna do fine."

Can't go better than that.

Tomorrow. Our GLBT conecpt presentation. (Thats Gay, Lesbian, Bi, Trans for the unknown.)

Update.

2008-06-23T20:13:00.002-04:00

I have worked my ass off.
I have gone to a photo shoot.
I have seen professional work.
I have seen a company party.
I have been bored for a week.
I have been swamped for a week.
I have worked with amazing people.
I have seen cool rewards.
I have respect for this industry.
I have learned the subway.
I have seen the world's capital.
I have not learned everything.
I have not learned enough to not go back.
I have not produced anything.
I have not missed Richmond.
I have not paid for more than one 12 dollar martini.
I want to keep going.

Its been a good two weeks. Alot of fun and a great look into the industry. Please send more.

My NYC :30 Subway Pitch

2008-06-18T19:32:00.004-04:00

Can I have everyone's attention please!
My name is Jesse Bowen.
I was born into a middle class family, with little to a lot of hope.
I had 6 minus 5 siblings and rarely had 3rds for dinner.
I flunked out of engineering and switched to art.
I am currently 40,000 in debt to the government for student loans.
I have a job, but I do live in New York.
I cannot afford 12 dollar martinis.
I have been degraded to buying happy hour drinks and tall boys from bodegas.
I have even sunk so low as to buy Kraft mac and cheese again.
(Dramatic Pause)
Im not looking for a handout, just a little help to get me through the week.
Anything will help, except pennies, you can keep those.
Nickels and dimes for that matter too.
Do bars take nickels? Never mind....
Besides those I'll take anything.
I have zero children who need their daddies support.
Please save a man from eating mac and cheese with a tall boy.
God bless you.

Where does the time go Mr. T?

2008-06-15T21:19:00.002-04:00

We all wish we had more time to "pity the fool" and less time dealing with "jibba jabba" but in the end its all for not. Its busy here in NYC im finally getting busy and getting work produced. Im surprised how easy it can be in the real world. Instead of rewriting and doing layouts 10 times it usually goes through on the 2nd.

Its about mass production sometimes here in the real world, and not raw creativity. This is the exact reason people go back to Richmond and become lethargic. Agencies dont expect brillance. In the end its a business, and you forget that sometimes.

Genius. Pure Genius.

2008-06-14T22:53:00.000-04:00

Font of the year!!

2008-06-10T21:22:00.002-04:00

Here it is the ED Award winner font of the year!!! PF Centro Pro.

I don't agree with this choice however. I believe a little font called Papyrus should have got the nod. Its won the Asian Food/Massage/Spa/Vacation/Candle store font of the year for 15 years running and that deserves a shot damn it.

Can't Beat the Real Thing.

2008-06-09T17:05:00.004-04:00

So i realized with billions of web pages out there. There are only 25 i visit, and I visited them all today. We waited and shook hands and learned to bill clients and make expense reports, (bill it suckas), and in the end we didn't have a thing to do yet. Where would we land?

So hey do you guys want to work on a tag for us?

YEAH buddy!!

We furiously scribbled and pondered for their 8 am client meeting ready with the possibilities of stardom. I figured it would be a late night working out tags. That was until we were informed that they were due 45 mintues later for the CD to look at and craft.

Lesson learned. This isn't a large cement slab where infinite time exists. This is a world full of deadlines and compromises, rush jobs and stop gaps. Thats where the intens come in. YEAH!!!

View from the office...

2008-06-07T02:42:00.001-04:00

New York the first day.

2008-06-05T22:07:00.003-04:00

So its the first day here in NYC and its been overwhelming. This city is CRAZY!! Maybe its because ive been stuck in Richmond for 9 months but its cool to be around. So with all the events to do in this city what to do first? I present this:

Yes thats right I went and saw the Colbert Report. His guest was Pat Buchannan of all people who looked like the oldest man alive. It was amazing though!! You could tell he loved what he did, and loved his show.

He watched all the clips and laughed along. So thank you Mr. Colbert for welcoming me to my home away from home. More to come. Enjoy.

Amnesty International: Petition

2008-06-03T20:35:00.003-04:00

Is it just me or has Amnesty Intl. been a great client to work on for the last year. There has been constant great work done for them, or is our world just going to hell faster?

TBWA Paris

My name is Weezer

2008-05-27T00:05:00.001-04:00

Im still making good music....
And even better videos....
Come sit next to me...
(you get the idea)

Im out.

2008-05-15T04:09:00.001-04:00

See you in NYC in 3 weeks.

Portfolio Review

2008-05-12T18:57:00.001-04:00

JWT London

And so we've reached the end.

2008-05-10T01:53:00.003-04:00

Remember when your mom said these days would go quickly?

She was wrong. These go quicker.

I've worked harder thank I've ever worked here before and with all that here are my grades:

Art Direction: B
Brand Concept: B
Development: B

I worked my ass off, but still came short. This year has meant more for me than any year before. I came to realize that I can be good at what I do, as long as I work my ass off. I realized there are so many talented people out there. I know that I have so much furhter to go. This year has hardened me and made me a machine. I don't think any school makes people work harder.

Its not all positives here though. I lost my faith along the way this semester. Wayne Gibson said it best. I came to him looking for approval on everything, instead of following my instinct on what is right or good, I searched for approval, and my work suffered. I earned my B because of this. I need to get my head straight and relearn my voice, my opinion, because that is all people will pay for in 358 days.

I learned that I am not the easiest to work with. I will dig my heels in, argue and push. But on the other side, I can do great work when I work my ass off. This first year was a gigantic lesson in welcome to advertising, and where you fit in. I still don't know where I will fit in. I'll tell you when I'm done with advertising.

In my opinion I failed this year. I wanted nothing but perfection from myself. I couldn't get it.

I never will.

These mythical homerun campaigns we all search for only happen when we least expect it, now and inside agencies. I am human, and will fail more than I succeed.

I could talk forever about what happened this year, but the only thing I know after this year is one thing:

This school has kicked me, beat me, bruised me, and knocked me out, but damn it I'm addicted for the full ride. Bring on the second year.

And I say unto you Art Directors..

2008-05-07T03:24:00.002-04:00

Zach Galifinakis Absolut Part 2

2008-05-05T20:00:00.003-04:00

In case you missed the first part. This is part two. rumor has it that Absolut got wind of it and axed the second part. I wonder why they would think that? I still love it.

129.

2008-05-04T02:50:00.003-04:00

Days this semster.

Work:

DO NOT PUBLISH WITHOUT MY APPROVAL.

T minus:

2008-05-01T02:18:00.001-04:00

16 Days until freedom. No more concepting or art directing...

For two weeks until I get to do it in NYC!

Exciting!

Back to work.

Coming next week. Year in review post and work! Yeah!

Brandcenter is not a school for Art Direction.

2008-04-26T17:15:00.004-04:00

I've debated posting this but I believe it and it's important to put out there.

This school does not train art directors. There are no art direction courses. No photoshop. No illustrator. No anything. You get one technology class the first semester with a few tips and tricks and then a pat on the back and good luck.

This school trains writers and writes who can art direct. Besides Rick Boyko and Wayne Gibson the rest of the teachers I've had have been writers. I don't get judged on my art direction much in the open. It's always and I mean always this phrase:

Where's your big idea?

This is a good idea. This trains creative directors. The sad thing is that not everyone is going to be a creative director. Some people just want to be art directors, and I think that by not teaching art direction it handicaps more than it helps.

Miami teaches art direction. Year after year they get good visual ads coming from South Beach. Portfolio school teaches art direction. Chicago portfolio school teaches it too. I love the program. I want to learn to be as dangerous as possible, but it would be nice to have a little direct teaching every once and a while

The Final countdown.

2008-04-26T01:14:00.004-04:00

No not the awesome Europe song made re famous by the man to the left, but the last two weeks here at the Brandcenter. And shame on you if you don't know this man.

Its busting ass time for the art directors and cruise time for copywriters. Not really. Everyone is busting their asses to finish work in the las few classes still running. It makes it hard to focus as the weather gets nice and the cold beers call.

On top of this most of us have been preparing for internships in far away cities. It's been a bad year for internships as only a few from the west coast have come through with spots. I dont know whether its the economy, laziness, or anything else. It pisses me off about the professionalism of some of these shops, and their lack of contact with the school one way or another.

I'm defnitely stressed out and will promise to put as much work up here for all to see when its all said and done.

A few of the things I'm looking forward to:

May 17th (all done)
First years
Summer in NYC
Heading back to CA for a while
Catching up on sleep, maybe not.

Dream Job Factory

2008-04-23T15:07:00.003-04:00

As the year winds down here, and we start to soak in what happened in the last year, as a first year student you begin to think ahead, for the day you will leave here too, and look for that first job.

Brandcenter trains people. No doubt about it. Trains them hard fast and smart. We are definitely sought after and wanted, but as more and more students go through competing schools it is harder and harder to prove your wealth.

It definitely feels like the attitude here is to get out and land that dream job. Everyone here drinks the cool aid. Everyone. We dream of those jobs where we fly around the world for photo shoots, meeting celebs, and the other perks about this industry. There's a problem here though.

Not everyone is going to get those jobs, actually few to none will. The navy lures people in with promises of jets and far away locations but for every fighter pilot in the Navy there are 150 people there to ensure that the plane stays in the sky and cooks that clean up behind the scenes at the 5 star hotels.

We all have high goals and dreams here. I do as well, but I came here to get away from mind numbing labor, and along the way it changed from finding a job that made me happy into a job that would make people drool over. I don't know if that's a good thing, but it's where I'm at.