Every single year, people insist on doing the whole Secret Santa thing. Great, fun times. The thing to remember is that you might not know people from your work as well as you think and to remedy the atrocious gifts some people have received, there has been a growing tendency amongst all industries to jot down a list with what you’re interested in receiving. Combine this with a $20-$30 price limit and you got yourself a good thing right? Well not quite.
When the whole Secret Santa thing goes underway, what you’re pretty much setting up to at least a third of your group is a fancy exchange of gift cards. Some sappy things are said about the person in question, the token gift card is handed to a meager applause and everyone loses about 30 minutes of time in an activity that really goes against the purposes of the dynamic.
Here’s the thing. I actually do enjoy getting and giving good gifts and this year I have someone two figurines which truly echo her personality, I went a little over the pre-established budget and also printed a short story I made in memory of my dad. I knew this person and I was enthused and then some to get her as my secret gift person thingamajig. This person had insisted on receiving another gift card to add to her collection and consider it pushy or not, I didn’t want to be a part of that. It’s like a six word Facebook Wall post versus a well thought of message; I’m almost always going for the message. For my part, I received a gift card which was kind of hohum since I put my Amazon wishlist and the person could have actually saved money by picking out one or even two items, but I got the gift card, and there’s only one reason why I didn’t mind. It’s because she’s the newest member of the group, has been here less than two months and she still has stage fright.
But for other people who have been working a little longer, it’s a bit shocking to see the lame gift card exchange, even if it’s from the store they want because even though it’s convenient, it’s as impersonal as a Secret Santa gift can get. Heck, even cash is better than a gift card, simply because it’s cash and not a gift card and it doesn’t have an expiration date.
The sad part is when this same dynamic translates into a family scenario and you can’t help but ask yourself if you wouldn’t be better off taking a trip and “not being able to make it”. Regardless though, Santa was a sweet red velvety mofo with me this year and I truly can’t ask for more. Here’s hoping you got good stuff from the jolly albeit obese milk and cookie monster.
Dec 31, 2009
It’s a pink slip X-Mas
COMPANY MESSAGE:
“Christmas time is a time of being with loved ones. Many companies know this and that’s why they’re helping you be able to spend a lot more time with your family by giving you the pink slip. No thanks are necessary, we know you’ve worked hard for the last couple of years with us. You’ve missed birthdays, anniversaries, ballet recitals, pee wee football games, movies and your parents, so as part of our thanks to you, here’s your liquidation, the minimum Christmas Bonus allowed by law and a Merry Christmas.”
If the above statement sounds troubling, disturbing, disgusting and repulsive, well I don’t blame you. What I can do however, is let you know that this is the reality of a couple of people I know from the banking, insurance, and advertising agency. Sure I could just focus my message on the Ad biz, but then they’d say I’m biased and bitter over all the fun I had when I didn’t work freelance and was an owner of my time. But that wouldn’t be accurate nor reflect the current state of various people we all know.
However, what I CAN do is focus on my experience in ad agencies during the holidays since we had such great fun and I was part of such wonderful experiences. I remember all those times I was told that we had to be thankful for having a job and how we held hands and ate some lame Christmas lunch all together only to have it surging back into my mouth by finding out two people from my department were getting fired that very same day. Oh and how could I forget that time Christmas bonuses were handed right along with termination letters? That was a beauty. And I almost forgot that one time when three people had to get crossed off the Secret Santa list, since their secret was that they wouldn’t have a job by the end of the month. Fun times people.
So am I writing this because I got the axe? No. But I do know five people that have, and I can’t help but look back and fail to remember one Christmas where this wasn’t the case. Pretty sad, but then again, such is advertising at some agencies I guess. Cheers to all those who have been lucky enough to stray away from the crap.
“Christmas time is a time of being with loved ones. Many companies know this and that’s why they’re helping you be able to spend a lot more time with your family by giving you the pink slip. No thanks are necessary, we know you’ve worked hard for the last couple of years with us. You’ve missed birthdays, anniversaries, ballet recitals, pee wee football games, movies and your parents, so as part of our thanks to you, here’s your liquidation, the minimum Christmas Bonus allowed by law and a Merry Christmas.”
If the above statement sounds troubling, disturbing, disgusting and repulsive, well I don’t blame you. What I can do however, is let you know that this is the reality of a couple of people I know from the banking, insurance, and advertising agency. Sure I could just focus my message on the Ad biz, but then they’d say I’m biased and bitter over all the fun I had when I didn’t work freelance and was an owner of my time. But that wouldn’t be accurate nor reflect the current state of various people we all know.
However, what I CAN do is focus on my experience in ad agencies during the holidays since we had such great fun and I was part of such wonderful experiences. I remember all those times I was told that we had to be thankful for having a job and how we held hands and ate some lame Christmas lunch all together only to have it surging back into my mouth by finding out two people from my department were getting fired that very same day. Oh and how could I forget that time Christmas bonuses were handed right along with termination letters? That was a beauty. And I almost forgot that one time when three people had to get crossed off the Secret Santa list, since their secret was that they wouldn’t have a job by the end of the month. Fun times people.
So am I writing this because I got the axe? No. But I do know five people that have, and I can’t help but look back and fail to remember one Christmas where this wasn’t the case. Pretty sad, but then again, such is advertising at some agencies I guess. Cheers to all those who have been lucky enough to stray away from the crap.
Labels:
ad sins,
agency mores,
bullshit,
getting fired,
late year firing,
messed up things
Objects on your monitor are less important than they appear
In the grand mythos we refer to as being a professional, sometimes we need a little reminder that what we do for a living really pales in comparison to the truly important things in life. Way too many people stress on the facts of life and how they learn them, brushing off their shirt collar and adjusting their cuffs while insisting that they have a clue of what’s truly important in life. Yet for however clear people insist their lives are, we really don’t have an idea of what truly matters until we either get slapped by reality, hit rock bottom or cross our eyes long enough to see the hidden image beyond our daily lives.
Advertising by rule of thumb breeds workaholics. Some might be lazy half asses, but they do that on the clock, at the office, out of their homes and inside their cubicles. Having worked in agencies for half a decade (which sounds longer than 5 years and closer to what it felt like), I was one of those people who always stayed late because we had to get things done. I’m still like that to a greater degree, but by the nature of my current employment, the hours aren’t as brutal or at least I don’t get out as late as what used to be my usual.
Thing is that the whole “we’re not curing cancer” statement we so prophesize in this blog is said for good reason; people don’t understand that we aren’t curing cancer. By people, I don’t just mean agency employees, creatives or execs; I’m talking clients, producers, traffic employees and yes, even people from the media department. Even marketing people sometimes need the reminder that what we’re doing truly pales in comparison to the grand scale of life.
So what is the grand scale of life? Well if you ask me, that entails things life family outings, calling a friend, being there for a sick loved one, taking better care of your health, being a decent uncle, being a good friend, doing stuff that satisfies you and fulfills you on a personal basis; you know, the REAL important stuff in life. Some people might laugh that I felt the need to dedicate a post to saying something that is so ridiculously obvious, but guess what, it isn’t.
People insist on staying late, working weekends, missing a picnic, not being there for your kid’s first step, and all for what? To possibly get an ad approved by a megalomaniacal pinprick that might possibly sell an extra cheeseburger or two? To develop a campaign to make a pitch to a company that might choose you as its new agency? To maybe make an ad that might win you a prize? That’s a whole lot of ifs, possiblys and maybes I don’t think any of us would rather have instead of a good surf, a great movie or a cup of coffee with an old friend.
So next time you’re stressing over your job and how you can’t make everyone happy, remember to always side with the things that will be there with you for the long run.
Advertising by rule of thumb breeds workaholics. Some might be lazy half asses, but they do that on the clock, at the office, out of their homes and inside their cubicles. Having worked in agencies for half a decade (which sounds longer than 5 years and closer to what it felt like), I was one of those people who always stayed late because we had to get things done. I’m still like that to a greater degree, but by the nature of my current employment, the hours aren’t as brutal or at least I don’t get out as late as what used to be my usual.
Thing is that the whole “we’re not curing cancer” statement we so prophesize in this blog is said for good reason; people don’t understand that we aren’t curing cancer. By people, I don’t just mean agency employees, creatives or execs; I’m talking clients, producers, traffic employees and yes, even people from the media department. Even marketing people sometimes need the reminder that what we’re doing truly pales in comparison to the grand scale of life.
So what is the grand scale of life? Well if you ask me, that entails things life family outings, calling a friend, being there for a sick loved one, taking better care of your health, being a decent uncle, being a good friend, doing stuff that satisfies you and fulfills you on a personal basis; you know, the REAL important stuff in life. Some people might laugh that I felt the need to dedicate a post to saying something that is so ridiculously obvious, but guess what, it isn’t.
People insist on staying late, working weekends, missing a picnic, not being there for your kid’s first step, and all for what? To possibly get an ad approved by a megalomaniacal pinprick that might possibly sell an extra cheeseburger or two? To develop a campaign to make a pitch to a company that might choose you as its new agency? To maybe make an ad that might win you a prize? That’s a whole lot of ifs, possiblys and maybes I don’t think any of us would rather have instead of a good surf, a great movie or a cup of coffee with an old friend.
So next time you’re stressing over your job and how you can’t make everyone happy, remember to always side with the things that will be there with you for the long run.
Fortune Cookie 500 #'s 346-350
On Mondays
Mondays are terrible because they remind you that you are not free.
On perfectionism
If working harder helps to work better, the same must apply to vacations.
On the Holidays
Off days exist to remind you the boon that awaits after a 5 day work week.
On The New Year
The New Year always seems to have very green grass.
On Resolutions
Making resolution about old resolutions probably means you didn't find the right solution for your resolution.
Mondays are terrible because they remind you that you are not free.
On perfectionism
If working harder helps to work better, the same must apply to vacations.
On the Holidays
Off days exist to remind you the boon that awaits after a 5 day work week.
On The New Year
The New Year always seems to have very green grass.
On Resolutions
Making resolution about old resolutions probably means you didn't find the right solution for your resolution.
Labels:
Fortune,
fortune cookies,
would be wisdom
Dec 25, 2009
Dec 23, 2009
Dec 21, 2009
Don't get him angry. You wouldn't like him when he's angry.
This comes via my friend Alberto. I howled laughing so hard, I decided to post it here so you can enjoy the fun... and the sweet anger.
Dec 19, 2009
Dec 18, 2009
Give your Dog a Huge Kiss today. I certainly will.
I've never cried so hard... I hope when my time comes, I will be this strong.
Last Minutes with ODEN from phos pictures on Vimeo.
Last Minutes with ODEN from phos pictures on Vimeo.
Dec 17, 2009
I went to The Cove and returned a sad Human Being.
I remember when I was little and a program called Flipper was the thing of my day. Like most of you out there, it made me want to swim and play with dolphins until today. Yes. One of my bucket list things was swimming with dolphins.
Not anymore. I will never, ever swim with dolphins if they are on captivity. Never.
Listen. During the year I usually ask you to send our little URL to anyone you know. I ask of you to recommend movies to see. I ask silly questions regarding men and some of you answer. I think this is the one thing I will ask of you that can actually make a difference: please rent this movie. You NEED to see this movie. When you are done watching it, spread the word around. Pass the trailer along. Buy the movie and just lend it to anyone who has a DVD player.
In Japan, they are murdering 23,000 dolphins when September comes. The ones that are not being killed are sold for 150,000 dollars, to be kept in "Swimming with Dolphins" programs. While we think that they enjoy swimming with Uncle Tommy, scientists know that actually, they hate it. Dolphins are self aware, get stress, depressed... just like we would get if we're stuck in a jail cell. You might see them jumping around but really, they are not having the time of their lives.
So what is so damn important about 23,000 dead dolphins? They are being killed, all together, in a very cruel way. They hurdle them together and knife them, that cove fills full of blood. Why kill them? Because, in Japan, Dolphin meat, which is full of mercury and in fact, is very lethal, is passed for Whale meat (also a big messy fishing dilemma).
This is one of those films that you never forget. I will certainly never will erase that image. No matter if they are animals or human beings, seeing someone butchered and gasping for air is something so disturbing... And for what? I totally agree that people, you and I, must eat. But to kill an animal that is actually harmful to eat, instead of just letting them be free? That's just wrong.
I eat meat. I eat fish. I wear leather and sometimes fur. Yes, I admit all my un-Peta traits, full out of the closet. I truly believe that we were made to eat and wear of the land. It's the circle of life and we are definitively a part of it. But species like Dolphins or other animals that are not meant to be eaten or are harmful to be consumed should be off limits.
The question is... what is culturally right? In Japan they eat Whales. Great. In my country, they eat Pig's intestines filled with meat and rice, for God's sake. Who is right and who is wrong? What is tradition and what is murder? Ah. Now you get my point.
Anyway, The Cove has got to be one of those films which should be mandatory in class. Please, rent it. Do me a solid and watch it. Much love. Me.
Not anymore. I will never, ever swim with dolphins if they are on captivity. Never.
Listen. During the year I usually ask you to send our little URL to anyone you know. I ask of you to recommend movies to see. I ask silly questions regarding men and some of you answer. I think this is the one thing I will ask of you that can actually make a difference: please rent this movie. You NEED to see this movie. When you are done watching it, spread the word around. Pass the trailer along. Buy the movie and just lend it to anyone who has a DVD player.
In Japan, they are murdering 23,000 dolphins when September comes. The ones that are not being killed are sold for 150,000 dollars, to be kept in "Swimming with Dolphins" programs. While we think that they enjoy swimming with Uncle Tommy, scientists know that actually, they hate it. Dolphins are self aware, get stress, depressed... just like we would get if we're stuck in a jail cell. You might see them jumping around but really, they are not having the time of their lives.
So what is so damn important about 23,000 dead dolphins? They are being killed, all together, in a very cruel way. They hurdle them together and knife them, that cove fills full of blood. Why kill them? Because, in Japan, Dolphin meat, which is full of mercury and in fact, is very lethal, is passed for Whale meat (also a big messy fishing dilemma).
This is one of those films that you never forget. I will certainly never will erase that image. No matter if they are animals or human beings, seeing someone butchered and gasping for air is something so disturbing... And for what? I totally agree that people, you and I, must eat. But to kill an animal that is actually harmful to eat, instead of just letting them be free? That's just wrong.
I eat meat. I eat fish. I wear leather and sometimes fur. Yes, I admit all my un-Peta traits, full out of the closet. I truly believe that we were made to eat and wear of the land. It's the circle of life and we are definitively a part of it. But species like Dolphins or other animals that are not meant to be eaten or are harmful to be consumed should be off limits.
The question is... what is culturally right? In Japan they eat Whales. Great. In my country, they eat Pig's intestines filled with meat and rice, for God's sake. Who is right and who is wrong? What is tradition and what is murder? Ah. Now you get my point.
Anyway, The Cove has got to be one of those films which should be mandatory in class. Please, rent it. Do me a solid and watch it. Much love. Me.
Dec 15, 2009
Dec 12, 2009
Dec 11, 2009
An Open Letter to Alec Baldwin: Five Reasons not to Quit Acting that define Me.
So... Alec? You there? Hey man. Look. I know you might be tired. I get it. But please, for the love of something holy. Consider giving us a few years more. Oh? Don't have good reasons? By all means, I'll give you five!
In no particular order...
1) You sir, can act the shit out of movies.
Glengarry Glen Ross. Lord Yes. The Departed? Jesus, you can be my boss anyday. Prelude to a Kiss. I cannot watch you cry, it's so painful. Malice? You're the worst doctor ever. Long live God complexes.
2) You're Effin Hot.
Um. Sorry man. I just had to get that in there. You were extremely doable when you were younger and damn it, time passed by and you just got even more sexier. Like wine, you are, dear sir.
3) This might sting a bit, but I'm just going to lay it there: You are the most talented Brother.
OOOh. Sorry man. I went there. Yeah. I said it! You are Alec, King of Baldwins. Granted, Stephen kicked some ass in Usual Suspects but... come on man. You rule over all brothers. Oh and by the way. Kick William for starring at Sliver. I already kicked myself for having watched it.
4) I honestly think that the best is yet to come.
Like any good thing in life, you get better with age. Your Oscar worthy role is coming. I just know it.
5) You are so Hot.
Oh damn. I did mention this already. But did I mention I would gladly have your baby?
There you go, Alec. Please stay with us. We are not done. We need you. Ok. Maybe not all people in the world. Maybe just Me and some other chicks. But we count! Don't we?
Me love you long time. I have healthy ovaries. Um. Yeah. Just had to put that in there...
Dec 9, 2009
Total eclipse What the Fuck
Oh lord, my funny bone just jizzed.
Labels:
funny as hell,
GREAT video,
ha ha and then some
Fortune Cookie 500 #'s 341-345
On Mondays
Typical Mondays look cheery in comparison to one after a long.
On off days
Personal productivity should not have to wait for a holiday.
On mediocrity
Stupid is as stupid forwards.
On sucking
Corporate America is the breeding ground for vampires of the mediocre.
On ugh moments
In the event of hearing something stupid, thank God for headphones.
Typical Mondays look cheery in comparison to one after a long.
On off days
Personal productivity should not have to wait for a holiday.
On mediocrity
Stupid is as stupid forwards.
On sucking
Corporate America is the breeding ground for vampires of the mediocre.
On ugh moments
In the event of hearing something stupid, thank God for headphones.
Labels:
Fortune,
fortune cookies,
would be wisdom
Dec 8, 2009
America the Beautiful, the Documentary: A MUST SEE!
Last August, one night I had the worst stomach pains that I could remember. My doctor tried to know what was happening to me, so I had a very painful and intrusive study. I was supposed to get some meds, take care of myself, and report back. This wednesday, once again I will go under anesthesia and have another study... to find out what the hell is wrong with me. My system is all fucked up. Why? Diets.
The strong refusal of returning to a huge body and maintaining my weight no matter what has made me sick. Do I care? No. I take my meds and my labs because I know I deserve them. This is the result of many, many diets and other idiotic things I have done over the years, just to look my best. I've done ALL the diets and even some I came up with. Just carbs. Just soup. No carbs. No alcohol. 500 calories a day. Vegetarian only. Popped pills. Over trained. Diet pills. Diuretics. I can go on and on.
So you can see why America The Beautiful was my cup of tea.
The obsession all women have to look our best, to be skinny, have perfect skin, yada yada yada is just bizarre. And this documentary explains why we do what we do. it explains how advertising and the media has fucked up the image of the ideal woman and delivered it in every corner near you. It explains why a size zero is now, not enough. Baby sizes? Sorry, even I quit there.
The scariest part of the documentary, is the fact that this generation is going for the jugular. Now insted of starting a diet at the age of 15... some are starting at 4 years old. Yep. Fucking crazy. When you are supposed to be worried about the fate of the Jonas Brothers, instead they are counting carbs? Really? Whoa.
If you don't understand this way of thinking, I strongly recommend this documentary. Most of all, I recommend it to parents. You NEED to see this flick if you have a teen who's counting calories at the age of 8. There are ways to stop this shit. We need to return to a healthy body image and size.
So there you go, more Netflix queue ideas. And yes, it is funny, sad, amazing, interesting and deeply moving. Truly a must see.
Dec 7, 2009
Guilty pleasures of 2009
It’s that time of year again, when pop culture goes ballistic with year-end wrap ups that go something like “The best _____ of 2009” or “The Top ____ of the Year.” It’s human nature to sum up everything and analyze what’s happened.
So, to go along with the flow, I now present WAS readers with RestrictionsApply’s Top Guilty Pleasures of 2009:
Television: Drop Dead Diva. I wrote about this before. This show took me by surprise. It’s what happens when you let the wife take control of the remote on Sunday nights. One look at the more-than-a-handful of woman that is Jane the size 16 lawyer, and I was hooked. I never imagined that the Lifetime network would become frequent viewing.
Music: Taylor Swift. I have a 19 year-old stepdaughter and a 7 year-old girl. When the two get together, you get a 15 year-old force to be reckoned with. It’s amazing to what degree kids influence your pop culture tastes. Both girls can’t get enough Taylor Swift, or Lady GaGa for that matter, so when the Kanye/Swift fiasco broke out on MTV, I had no choice but to give the girl a chance on my iPod. She’s now in the Top 25 Most Played playlist…
Books: “Eat. Pray. Love.” by Elizabeth Gilbert. I’m not one to go down the self-help/memoir/pseudo intellectual/self-analyzing/academic ivory tower route when it comes to bedside reading, but this book was delicious. It’s the (true) story of a WASP woman scorned, who travels the world to discover herself. Along the way she provides insight as to everything that was wrong with her life and the people she surrounded herself with, nuggets of which connected with my own experiences and all of the hypocritical assholes I have to deal with day after day. If anything, rather than shedding light on how to live, the book taught me how NOT to live. I know, the book came out several years ago, but I read it in 2009 so... BTW, the book is being adapted into a movie starring Julia Roberts.
Movies: Fast & Furious. Hey, I have a weak spot for a dirty and sweaty Michelle Rodriguez, even if she’s in the film for less than 20 minutes…
So, to go along with the flow, I now present WAS readers with RestrictionsApply’s Top Guilty Pleasures of 2009:
Television: Drop Dead Diva. I wrote about this before. This show took me by surprise. It’s what happens when you let the wife take control of the remote on Sunday nights. One look at the more-than-a-handful of woman that is Jane the size 16 lawyer, and I was hooked. I never imagined that the Lifetime network would become frequent viewing.
Music: Taylor Swift. I have a 19 year-old stepdaughter and a 7 year-old girl. When the two get together, you get a 15 year-old force to be reckoned with. It’s amazing to what degree kids influence your pop culture tastes. Both girls can’t get enough Taylor Swift, or Lady GaGa for that matter, so when the Kanye/Swift fiasco broke out on MTV, I had no choice but to give the girl a chance on my iPod. She’s now in the Top 25 Most Played playlist…
Books: “Eat. Pray. Love.” by Elizabeth Gilbert. I’m not one to go down the self-help/memoir/pseudo intellectual/self-analyzing/academic ivory tower route when it comes to bedside reading, but this book was delicious. It’s the (true) story of a WASP woman scorned, who travels the world to discover herself. Along the way she provides insight as to everything that was wrong with her life and the people she surrounded herself with, nuggets of which connected with my own experiences and all of the hypocritical assholes I have to deal with day after day. If anything, rather than shedding light on how to live, the book taught me how NOT to live. I know, the book came out several years ago, but I read it in 2009 so... BTW, the book is being adapted into a movie starring Julia Roberts.
Movies: Fast & Furious. Hey, I have a weak spot for a dirty and sweaty Michelle Rodriguez, even if she’s in the film for less than 20 minutes…
Dec 4, 2009
Roland Emmerich has reached a new low: 2012.
I sit here in a state of awe. I am truly amazed, really. I remember... It is Friday, right? Yes. Still. I had 20 bucks in my bag. And I made one of the biggest mistakes since I don't know when.
Tonight, I decided to go see 2012. I believe I lost some serious IQ points in the process. Fuck.
How bad is this movie? Let's give you some of the basics:
1) Ignore all fucking logic if you want to enjoy this movie. Truly. This movie will make NO ABSOLUTE sense.
2) The acting is far beyond bad and stupid. Stoopid stupid. I am ashamed of having watched it, I can't believe that some of the actors really want to be seen in public after being in this turd.
3) Spiderman 3 is the worst movie that I've seen. This qualifies for second place. Easy.
4) Would I tell you to go see it? Of course! Waste your money! This movie is so absolutely bad, you have to endure it! I double dog dare you.
So yeah. 2012 sucks. And by the way, this post doesn't even deserve a picture of the poster or even the trailer. Fuck that. That is how bad it is.
Tonight, I decided to go see 2012. I believe I lost some serious IQ points in the process. Fuck.
How bad is this movie? Let's give you some of the basics:
1) Ignore all fucking logic if you want to enjoy this movie. Truly. This movie will make NO ABSOLUTE sense.
2) The acting is far beyond bad and stupid. Stoopid stupid. I am ashamed of having watched it, I can't believe that some of the actors really want to be seen in public after being in this turd.
3) Spiderman 3 is the worst movie that I've seen. This qualifies for second place. Easy.
4) Would I tell you to go see it? Of course! Waste your money! This movie is so absolutely bad, you have to endure it! I double dog dare you.
So yeah. 2012 sucks. And by the way, this post doesn't even deserve a picture of the poster or even the trailer. Fuck that. That is how bad it is.
Dec 3, 2009
Power Up to videogame ads
By no measure am I a gamer. I respect videogames and am forever in awe at how much gaming has evolved since Frogger and Galaga, but I’m just not that into them. However, I cannot get enough of videogame advertising.
Talk about cutting edge and out of the box!
Talk about breaking conventions and paving your own way!
Talk about stopping power!
Is this the only segment that truly lets creatives show off their talents?
Like videogames themselves, videogame advertising has come a long way since the late 1980s. The people behind these ads have honed their communications skills to a near perfect science, capturing the particular attitude and idiosyncrasies of the gaming culture and just nailing it. Mood, tone, technological innovation, drama, story telling, anticipation, the sales pitch… these are the elements that regular advertising strives for but only videogame ads get right.
I don’t know how they do it (I can only assume videogame executives are just as wacky as creatives), but kudos to the men and women who really do break boundaries and aren’t scared to do something different. If anything, videogame ads show that game manufacturers speak their target audience’s language, something most clients can only hope for.
There are too many examples to cite, so I’ll just post a few of my favorites from way back when.
Enjoy.
Talk about cutting edge and out of the box!
Talk about breaking conventions and paving your own way!
Talk about stopping power!
Is this the only segment that truly lets creatives show off their talents?
Like videogames themselves, videogame advertising has come a long way since the late 1980s. The people behind these ads have honed their communications skills to a near perfect science, capturing the particular attitude and idiosyncrasies of the gaming culture and just nailing it. Mood, tone, technological innovation, drama, story telling, anticipation, the sales pitch… these are the elements that regular advertising strives for but only videogame ads get right.
I don’t know how they do it (I can only assume videogame executives are just as wacky as creatives), but kudos to the men and women who really do break boundaries and aren’t scared to do something different. If anything, videogame ads show that game manufacturers speak their target audience’s language, something most clients can only hope for.
There are too many examples to cite, so I’ll just post a few of my favorites from way back when.
Enjoy.
Dec 1, 2009
Fortune Cookie 500 #'s 336-340
On incompetence
Idiocy can forever be masked by flattery.
On mediocrity
Jobs well done are in short supply, cherish each one well.
On doing someone’s work for them
Tone and manner go a long way to define what has to be done versus what wants to have done.
On stupidity
A lap dog has no need to evolve.
On job descriptions
Who would have thought blind forwarding was a skill?
Idiocy can forever be masked by flattery.
On mediocrity
Jobs well done are in short supply, cherish each one well.
On doing someone’s work for them
Tone and manner go a long way to define what has to be done versus what wants to have done.
On stupidity
A lap dog has no need to evolve.
On job descriptions
Who would have thought blind forwarding was a skill?
Labels:
Fortune,
fortune cookies,
would be wisdom
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