#16: Fun DIY Outdoor Moss Writing

I just found this activity that brings the power of outdoor advertising right to your living room. It's called Moss Graffiti. It's a natural, non-harmful graffiti that uses moss and other ingredients to create a compound that grows on a wood or brick surface. And the best part is anyone can do it!

I envision that Moss Graffiti will make its presence felt in big cities due to its low cost and level of awesomeness. It's a great medium for weed killing solutions and eco- issues. I mean you're writing with plants after all.

That is all.

#15: Takeaways from Scott Bedbury

Today in class, we had the wonderful opportunity to hear brand expert Scott Bedbury talk about his experiences in the ad world and advice for us young creative strategists. Scott is a great inspiration in learning how to grow a brand's identity and connecting with people. He knows how to find what makes a brand special and unique, and how good brands conduct themselves with respect to customers. He brought to life brands like Nike and Starbucks in their early stages to transform them into the brands we see today. He's a wonderful public speaker and charismatic executive. Here are some takeaways from Bedbury's talk:

"We're not in the coffee business serving people, we're in the people business serving coffee." about Starbucks' philosophy

"Show up stupid- be forever curious."

"Be fully present in the moments that matter most."

The Triple Bottom Line
-impact on profit
-impact on environment
-impact on people

#14: Using What's Already There

This post isn't very long.

I just want to share with you a link to a collection of photos of clever uses of outdoor advertising.

These ads got a lot of attention from the local communities who saw them. They're interesting and cerebral. The medium is already in place, but now it looks brighter with some color and humor.

#13: Brand Artists

I turned in my paper today in class. It's entitled "Brand Artists." It focuses on solving brand issues by giving your brand a personality. Here's some ehttp://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=3356752902811974177&postID=5731538415944101738&from=pencilxcerpts:

"Inspiration sparks creativity, which sparks provocation, which sparks movements."

"You see, brands have personality. They're becoming more human. They talk, listen, laugh, flirt, coerce, observe, give and take."

"Good advertising solves problems. Every brand has issues."

"It's important to be interesting in this profession. And being interesting usually means having a different point of view."


Thanks for reading!

#12: Finally Some Sports Ads

In my first post I promised sports ads, and I've yet to deliver. So here's my apology post.

Let's first look at InventorSpot's list of 10 Amazing Sports Ads. They're mostly outdoor ads, which I love. Nothing says sports like being outside. I'm particularly fond of the #8, the ballet toll booth arm. Clever ads like these are in high demand. And going outdoor only adds to the viewing power. Unlike commercials, outdoor ads can be incredibly dynamic. You can harness the elements in your favor and make ads that can only be executed outdoors. I just really like outdoor advertising.

To strike a balance, here's Bleacher Report's 35 Best Sports Commercials of the New Millennium. I know 35 is a lot, but if you're like me you like to binge on videos from time to time.

There already exists a sports world with athletes in certain roles. And those roles change. So the key to using a sports figure in an ad is timing. The people who would be buying the product whose ads feature a sports figure probably already know who that person is and why they deserve to represent the product. Therefore, it's hard to stray from what's already been laid out. But there's also opportunities to play off of what people think about certain sports figures.

#11: Doritos Ads keep it Light and Funny

Here's a video from yesterday's Super Bowl.



And here's one from 2009

#10: Finding Inspiration

Inspiration is required for an effective process. I'm not talking about the type of inspiration that requires a slow walk by a river or even a warm shower. I'm talking about the every day inspiration that gets the creative juices flowing. Everyone's is different. Some people like looking at animal photos. Others listen to new music. But for me, I just need to laugh. Laughing makes me happy. And I produce my best work when I'm happy.

So here's a few sources, most of them well known, that I like to spend time viewing before tackling a creative endeavor:

5 Second Films- My favorite site. If you haven't seen these, they're short videos (5 seconds, as the name says) with a funny premise or take on an expression. I like this site because, like advertising, the message is short and succinct with an engaging and lasting response. Also, the makers are really funny.

The Onion- Spoof News Site. This site's been around a while, and for good reason. Most of the headlines they come up with are hilarious. They're usually topical and they're able to poke fun at a lot of things that might seem off limits or taboo. And as a hopeful copy writer, I use their headlines as inspiration for fresh and clever writing.

Reddit- The internet on opiates. A large community of users who post just about anything and everything on just about every topic. Collectively, the funniest group of people I've ever met. It's so scatter brained and bizarre at times that you might feel that you're going crazy. But that's okay. It's just the internet sinking in.

Ad Generator- This one has little notoriety. But it's still fun. It's called the Ad Generator. And basically it couples a photo with a random phrase or expression and sometimes it makes sense. I like this site because it's like the creative process at times. It produces a large number of ideas quickly and maybe something sticks.