We're Moving

This neighborhood just isn't what it used to be. Everyone we used to hang with when we were kids has moved out. The good bars have all closed up and the only music scene is downtown. So...we're moving. Packing up and heading across town. Here's our new blog.

VCU Brandcenter Traveling Info Sessions


Just got a note from VCU Brandcenter that they have an upcoming series of info sessions in a few different cities: Richmond, San Francisco, Chicago and Portland.

Here are the details and registration link. 

Body Copy Truth

I cam across these classics from Tim Delaney today. I was reminded of a truth:

Only about 2% of the general public will ever read your body copy. (If you're lucky.)

But over 98% of creative directors will read your body copy when you're interviewing for a job.

Creative directors want writers who can write.

So if you're a writer, use your book to prove it.





To clocks, bad ads and good ads are identical.

In Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This! Luke Sullivan reminds us that it takes just as long to make a bad commercial as it does to make a good commercial. Whether it's a brilliant, shining idea or a dripping wad of hair and toe jam, you're still going to have to do storyboards for it. And present it to the client. And walk through a director through the idea. And sit through a pre-pro. And sit in video village. And edit. And revision after revision after revision.

So don't cut corners on the idea. Make the idea solid. Because even if the client strips away your very best shots, and makes you change the music you love, and doesn't want to pay $1 million for the celebrity voiceover, you'll still have a strong idea.

If you spent the time to uncover it.

Know What You Need To Know

If you're doing an ad - even a spec ad for your student portfolio - know what you're advertising.

If you're advertising gum, go buy a pack and chew it. Chew it every day for a week.

If you're doing an ad for a car, go to the dealership and sit in it. Take it for a test drive.

If you're doing an ad for insurance, call them up and pretend like you're interested in buying some. You'll get a bunch of junk mail and follow-up phone calls. But you'll probably have a better ad in the end.

A lot of times, students (and even professionals) rely on the internet for research. We watch videos. We read articles. We sit through planners' consumer insights presentations. We think we're too busy for hands-on experience.

We're not.

Get to know your product. Use it. Live with it. See what you love and what you hate about it.

You can do a good ad without ever touching your product.

But without it, it's very difficult to do a great one.

Tough Room





This is an old "This American Life" about the writing room at The Onion. I was reminded of it the other day at work. It is an excellent example of the creative process at work and a pretty funny behind-the-scenes look at one of the most consistently funny publications in the country.





72U Summer Session

Our friend, Maria Scileppi, says 72U is "looking for Wonderful Weirdos." The application deadline for the program's summer session is February 10th.