May
18
Here’s a taste of my latest post for FUSE Marketing Group. I dissect the true value of seemingly shallow advertising and talk about why it isn’t necessarily what you say, but how you say it….even if what you’re saying is complete fukakta bolognae. There’s a billboard near my house for a shoe company. On it …
Mar
17
Nothing gets you amped for St. Patty’s day quite like an overly bitter parody of the ad industry. Enjoy!
Mar
07
So, an advertising student and a commerce student walk into a coffee shop…..and a nun. Scratch the nun. The advertising student looks at the paper cup holding the latte. It’s uniquely black and neatly branded. The whole thing looks pretty sharp. “Nice design,” the advertising student remarks. The commerce student is slightly confused. Afterall, there’s …
Nov
04
Things I refuse to do just because I’m an advertising person and, more specifically, a writer: Boast about my unwavering preference for scotch Use the adjective ‘creative’ to describe myself or anything I do Say that I like reading about everything. Even physo-astro-zoology and shit. Wear skinny jeans (I’m down with skinny ties, though….wait – they’re …
Oct
06
I just wrote a guest post for Bryan Ricard’s radical blog. Check it out here. I ramble about the various lessons I’ve taken away from my introductory phase in the advertising world. I also make a bunch of self-deprecating jokes about being Canadian. All kinds of fun happening on that thing.
Sep
13
To be frank, a lot of marketing books are tiresome. Just about every one has a great core idea and some excellent insight, but by page 100 I feel like there’s no point in reading any further. I get it already. The thoughts become reiterations and my eyes begin to glaze over the redundant paragraphs. That …
Jun
29
Advertising and marketing folks are very guilty when it comes to the excessive use of buzz words. If you’re not careful, you’ll get swallowed up in the lexicon and end up sounding like a Klingon speaking robot when you chat with real people. So when you’re done discussing CPM, SM, S&M (whoops), B2b, and various other acronyms that the …
Apr
15
I’m a wannabe rock star. I love playing guitar and singing bad songs that I’ve written about girls, snowy roads, and other miscellaneous feelings that make the ladies think I’m sentimental. Playing guitar is kind of like advertising. Think about it. There’s tons of people that are still learning and basically sound like crap, even …
Jan
20
If you haven’t witnessed the cultural phenomenon that is Jersey Shore on MTV, you owe it to yourself to take a peak. The reality-style program is similar to the successful Real World series that documents a group of strangers that share a home and the ensuing drama, sex, and hilarity that follows. So what makes …
Jan
15
A lot of people make the assumption that big companies can prevent wild and creative thinking. The theory is that large corporations have rigorous standards, policies, and executives to accommodate – thus increasing the likelihood of your whacky idea getting slaughtered. Small business than, one would argue, have more marketing freedom, less restrictions, and provide …