Remember the PlayStation “Double life” commercial? It was filled with characters, vivid faces, memorizing eyes. There were a million back stories to wonder about, odd
Category: Creative Thinking
Are Internal Ad Agencies the Stepsister or Cinderella?
Internal ad agencies are in an interesting position. They are often privy to more product insights, consumer understanding and corporate ambitions than an outside agency
Trailers for TV channels, more to it than you think
Making a TV trailer is much harder than making one for a movie. The movie launch tries to interest you in the story, the actors
Zombies in Adland
In the tradition of all things ghoulish at Halloween, I wanted to bring you three zombie ads to brighten your day. I like these for
Charity advertising, opening your wallet or your mind?
Years ago I worked on the RSPCA’s account in our agency. Historically, they had used dreadful images of abused and neglected animals to prompt donations
Creative Candy – Delicious ads with no nutritional value
In April I wrote a post on whether the creative idea or the message was the most important in an ad. I also wrote a
Creative passion – Love it, Own it, Let it go
Every creative person I know struggles with the question of when to fall on their sword for their work, when to accommodate the feedback and
Sexism in Advertising – Is It Ok If It’s Really Funny?
Across the pond they are all in a froth about milk. The Got Milk poster campaign is sexist. It’s also funny, memorable and the product
Feeling’s believing – Does Emotion Make Advertising More Effective?
I’m a softie. I know that. When I see an ad that makes me laugh or cry, I want to share it. So I’ve brought
Ummm, I’ve Forgotten Your Name…Ad Branding is the Biggest Challenge
I want to tell you about a couple of ads I saw. I loved them both. They tell a good story, good enough to repeat.
Spinning the Web – Marketing Web Based Services
We’ve come a long way from the advertising used during the dot.com bubble. Back then, ads for online services veered from functionally informative to vague
Are you calling me stupid or ugly? Can Fear Drive An Advertising Response?
There’s plenty of fear in today’s society. Fear of terrorist, losing face, losing your hair. Fear of smelling bad, losing your job, losing the plot.
Shouldn’t flaky just describe dandruff? – Dealing With A Creative Reputation
Why is it that creative people are so often stereotyped as flaky, flighty, difficult, unreliable or irresponsible? Do you think the first artists, who were
Should ad messages be literal?
Every day we’re faced with the marketing challenge of how to execute a message. Do you represent it literally? Use an analogy? Feature your target
Who’s driving, the message or the idea?
Imagine you are a creative director – easy for some of you. You’re sitting in your pitch area, listening to a few of your team
