What if you could go back?

If I could go back….I would definitely have a pen and notebook with me at all times. Write everything down, No loose papers, and no lost notes. I always forget certain things after my critiques – always, and it really has hurt myself in moving forwards. Also, if I keep forgetting old notes, then I never could focus on then new ones, and again, not move forward.

I’ve noticed that it’s better for me to take my own pictures, because at least that way I could control what I really want to show. With my ‘don’t text and drive’ ads, my headlines were so strong, and I think I could have done better with the visual. I photographed it, but that brutal, gruesome truth that I really wanted to portray still wasn’t there. And I’m hoping to fix that in the summer. I’m going to really try and better my photography kill because that’s where I really see my ideas coming to life; the less Photoshop work I have to do, the better. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to slack off on Adobe programs. I will work on it some more.

I would also like to say to the past me that caffeine is your friend, and build that confidence I know I have for presentations. I nailed the Gelusil presentation, because we practiced and practiced and I let my inner me out; because most of you don’t know this (considering…), but I am NOT so ‘soft spoken’ as I appear to be, and I really want to fix that. And also at critiques, I usually don’t say anything, but that started with past classes when I was a Graphic Designer, and I really have to get over it.

On the copy writing subject, I do think that at times I would come up with something amazing - like my headlines for the 'don't text and drive', and the end result of my long copy, but it was no easy task getting to those points. I mean you'd think writing would be easy, because it should be something that should come naturally to you, especially when you're speaking like yourself to your audience, but boy is that idea easily confused. Copy is the one thing that I seriously struggled at some points. Although for the 'Print & Ink' project, the copy and headline that Alex, Curtis, and I came up with, I still thought they were genius, but again, they did have the inappropriate vibe, and it's something I've learned to watch out for.

I do like to write, but I don’t think it’s something I want to take as a career choice. I rally do enjoy my creative imagination, and I like to create things. The advertising world is a chance for me to take my over-active imagination and put it to good use. I know I have great ideas, but as Vivian said, I have to try and make sense out of them, and not just to myself. And I do love advertising, I really do, but I get why people think I’m not that into it. I talk to my family non-stop about advertising, and I’ve never been more content working in advertising that anything else, but again, that a part of me that I haven’t shown to a lot of people, and my people I mean the ad class, because I have no problem chatting it up with everyone else. So words of advise for everyone else, no one is ever what they seem to be.

So this summer, I already have planned certain projects that I am going to completely redo – because fixing these failed babies is kind of a waste of time. I’ve tried again and again to fix some of my ideas, but they still aren’t working, so the best thing to do is start from scratch and see where it goes from there. Although, some things, like my headlines for ‘don’t text and drive’ I will sure keep, and the art direction is what will be changed, (and I already have a few ideas). Also that UMBRA project, I can’t wait to work on it. More advertising in the summer makes me happy, especially since I have an internship to look forward to, and there I really hope to gain new experiences, and maybe there I’ll find my calling (in advertising).

Senior year...I am looking forward to it. Mostly because we are working on our own, and it gives me a chance to rely on myself a lot more, instead of others. How many people usually leave certain works to others, began they struggle too much to do it? I know I've done it, and it's not healthy in a growing advertising world. This will be a great opportunity to bring in my strengths, and improve my weaknesses. Also, hopefully in the summer, I would improve a lot more, so as when I start my senior year, I'll be all ready and willing to start working again!

Last note…I as talking to the guy from my internship, and he said that the fact that I go to an art school, studying/having a background in art & design is very rare apparently. He said that most interns are coming from just the marketing aspect, and he is quite scarce in the creative department :D I might have found my calling after all.

Use your words

Who does that remind you of? Really. "Use your words". First thing I thought of was Chase!



Did you get how I got Chase from this? ^_^
Well I thought this commercial was cute. But personally I don't like juice with bits of fruit in it. That's just gross. It's like having yogurt with bits of fruit in it, or orange juice with pulp! I don't like something disturbing me while I eat/drink something.

Anyways, while the commercial was cute, it was weird connecting the bats with the fruit. I mean I know that there are fruit bats, and the minute I see a fruit and a bat next to it, I instantly think "fruit bat!". However, in this day and age, I don't think a lot of people make that connection. Bats connect to blood, which make people think of vampires, doesn't it? Maybe for some people. But the placement of the product in the fruit tree had a cute, nice touch to it, and technically the bats made the it picture perfect. But maybe something less creepy looking, like a bird or something. But then again, birds and other cuddly critters are too predictable, so the bats work out just fine in the end - if you can get past the vampire aspect.

Fun fact, fruit bats pollinate many fruits! (like mangos, bananas, and peaches)

Really?

Windows comes out with a new phone, Windows 7- after all, 7 is the lucky number right?. Lucky indeed, and this video is just plain hilarious.



As I was watching the video, I didn't like how one girl said "really", but then as I watched more of the video, other people said it, and it kind of just meshed well. It was random at first, but adding that one line, in a sea of speechless, zombie phone addicts, made a good balance. And that one scene, where the kid playing baseball throws the ball at his dad's head = priceless. Can't stop 'lol-ing'.

iSupport

Amnesty International Deutschland (Germany) presents this unique advertising commercial using the iPad from Apple. Amnesty is a global movement aiming to end severe abuses against human rights. So, what does the iPad have to do with abusing human rights? They took that touch screen movement technology of the iPad and translated it into "daily human right violations can't simply be wiped away".

Amnesty International Deutschland iPad ad (engl.) from TBWA Germany on Vimeo

When the Amnesty International square comes in, you would click it and it would take you to their website, where you can support them and learn more.
I thought the idea of using the touch screen technology to their own advantage was actually pretty cool. In advertsing, it's always cool to use what you got, and work with it, right? That's why those clever ambient advertising things are so effective. When I was watching, I really felt like the picture was going to come to life, like the person was going to move out of his corner, like the creepy ghost in the elevator from the movie "The Eye". All in all, I thought this was creative.

Agency: TBWA, Berlin, Germany

Zen of Social Media

‘The Zen of Social Media’ by Shama Hyder Kabani

The book was about understanding how people think when it comes to using social media, and then using it to your own gain. It said you should “alter your own attitude and how you market’, and then you’ll sure to succeed. It’s described as an effortless job, just gather a lot of people and go with the flow it says. I think that that part was right, because in this day and age, we there is always that competition (it may not be real, but it’s there) about who had the most followers, or who has the most friends, etc, and this kind of thinking puts you on top. If you think about it, the more people you connect with, the more you’re exposed to, and the more you know about how to spread things.

The good thing about social media is that it’s fast and easy. Before you’d tell a person or two about how awesome something is, and hopefully word would get around without any response on how they felt. But now it has become a whole new world, where people can find a Facebook or Twitter or blog page on practically anything, read about it, and comment. It gathers more customers, keeps them informed, and allows you to improve you product by their feedback (faster too). Also now, people have changed, and since then, you locating your demographic isn’t a one-way street, it’s many streets; streets that you can target at once, instead of searching one by one. I liked how it said that we are “savvier”, because we are. We don’t believe everything the TV tells us anymore. There are ways out there to get the truth, and we will goo far to get it.

I personally love the traditional media; it helps me have a ‘more natural’ grasp on things because it was physically there, or maybe having no control over it, made me feel I had control over it. With everything going online, I felt that the traditional stuff would be extinguished, but then again it was just a feeling. It’s has now become a vicious cycle of radio spots and direct mail leading you to Facebook or blog spots. They’ve added more to the torture, just in a more organized way.

Social media is ‘online platforms where people connect and communicate’. Examples are blogs and social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Youtube).
The point is to create a conversation with the consumers, not ‘a monologue’.
Why Social Media? Because it’s where the people are at, ALL the time. With cell phones have Internet now, almost everyone can and definitely will access their favorite social networking site, or blog, etc. Secondly, no one trusts advertising anymore, but we trust our friends. If you treat us badly, we’ll treat you badly. It’s as simple as that. Third, join the conversation. People are bound to talk about products, it’s kind of a automatic thing, so the best thing for us to do, is add your comments.

I liked the “respect people online”. You wouldn’t want someone bugging you in real life about a business, let alone flooding you’re feed. Show some respect, and don’t spam, randomly add people, and respect their ‘virtual space’. There was something about not treating everything as a ‘shiny toy’. So like don’t grab at every opportunity, it may not work out. Research and learn, then move forward. I kind of don’t agree with using your real name. It said that people prefer to talk to someone real, they want to be able to connect with a specific person. Myself personally, I don’t care if I’m talking to Apple or John Smith, if either one screw up, it’s both that take the blame. And using your real name really puts the pressure on doesn’t it? And whose to say that you’re the only using that account? It could be a company deal working under your name. Yikes. I’m just saying. Also it’s true about being ‘proactive’. You shouldn’t wait and see what the sites do for you, because only you yourself can take action. Setting up an account is one thing, but you’re not going to create conversations, and connect with people, then what’s the point?

There is a lot more to this book, and I advise you to read it. This was but the first three chapters, and it had some really interesting stuff/facts about social media, and how it can help you/your product/company/etc. All in all, it was really interesting ans insightful. Although at times I did not agree, it’s really about trying things out, because we all learn from the things we do or don’t do.

Sudden Death

Android vs Apple vs Blackberry. Yes, the ultimate battle, but who will win? Dun dun dun....
I found these videos and I thought I'd share, just because well, they are quite funny, and the ending pulls it all together!

First: I present to you the Android kicking some Apple butt


I think Android could have done better. Just saying, that was a little bit lame.
Next, Blackberry decides to get in on the Apple "butt-kicking" action.


Oh wow. Well guess what Blackberry? Apple decided to hit ya back.


Oooo. Burn.
What better way to finish off than this: ( I thought this video was hilarious, and oh so true! Well, I'm not sure about the Blackberry part, but the Apple stuff is on target.


Have Fun?

Do the Android!

Androids...They look like strange looking cell phones to me, but then again I've never really physically seen or touched one. Suppose to be as good as the iPhone and what not. But anyways, I wanted to show you this funny video of the Android character. This green guy seems to have some pretty slick moves, and it's one interesting way to sell the product.



I'm pretty sure that there is a person in there, but then again those crazy Japanese people always inventing the craziest things, so that could be a robot, but I seriously doubt it. I thought it was so cute to see the Android guy breaking some moves! And if you saw the whole thing, at some point he sits down to rest or something, when someone goes over there, and suddenly he's up and dancing again. Can't you guys give the green guy a break? This I think is one of those things that really gets people talking... Speaking of "getting people talking", I saw these little Korean Android commercials, I thought I'd share.



Cute creepy little guy isn't he? And even though I don't speak Korean, I get it. It's really straight-forward; the whole "that's in me" kind of thing; but of course he makes it into a sandwich...and eats it. I thought it was cute.

Bad Writing Reflection~

A couple of days ago, I watched a documentary called 'Bad Writing'. These are a few extra thoughts on the film, aka my reflection.

What do you think the filmmaker was trying to communicate to the audience with this documentary? Did he have definite point of view?

I think the filmmaker was just trying to say that writing can be taught, but in a way that you have to bring it. He thought he was a big shot, and was put down by important, famous writers, so he realized that you are not what you think you are. It always good to have a little more insight, besides what your own teacher tells you. And that he learned the mistake he made, and making mistakes makes a better writer out of you. I didn’t quite get his point of view exactly, but he seemed to get what everyone was trying to tell him about the makings of a good writer.

What were the most important things you learned about writing from watching this film?

I learned that you can’t be taught good writing, but you sure can learn how to write well. Also that good writing comes from the heart, and not that whiny heart that know one cares about; I’m talking about the deep, harsh, tear-filled emotions you have bottled out, that you just need to let loose. I think I found a new way of expressing myself, without the anger. Someone had said that humor is a good way to start, and I disagree. I think true writing is in the sadness, and depression. That’s what really gets to people. Also I learned that just because you think it’s awesome, doesn’t mean it is – ‘Kill your babies’.

How can you take those learning’s and apply them to the practice of writing advertising campaigns?

Since emotions are where you build up a story, it’s important to start there. You have to try to feel what it is your advertising, and once you have that mood and audience; you should be able to go off from that. For example, in my “don’t text and drive” campaign, I decided to go with something gruesome, because texting while driving could kill you, and showing a beat up old car is telling indirectly what will happen to you. I tried a more direct approach, and I think with the headline and art direction, it just said it. All in all, emotions are a powerful thing, and should be used well.

Bad Writing~

http://rss.coveritlive.com/rss.php?altcast_code=9b68ab642e

Hello Readers!

This blog is an event that will be covering my thoughts and opinions of the documentary "Bad Writing". It'll be a live event, so I'll be typing as I watch (so [please excuse any grammatical errors, they will be fixed afterward).

Just a quick thing about the documentary, "Bad Writing" is about a poet named Vernon Lott who set out to make sense of what good writing is by hunting down a bunch a famous writers.

At 6:30pm, it will begin. Stay tuned :)

Nationwide is on your ...side

You know what I hate…commercials with catchy tunes. They don’t necessarily have to be songs, no I’m talking about those ending tunes attached to their brand name; or maybe it’s during the commercial; regardless its there, and it catches on like the black plague in medieval times.

Nationwide, the insurance company. You may recognize the host man, and his catchy, one-line tune at the end of the commercials, that goes “Nationwide is on your side”. Imagine being in a Disney theme park, and just singing this over and over and OVER AND OVER AGAIN! Oh My God.

Sure it’s catchy, but that may be a good thing. Through all that annoyance, there is still the brand; the one brand that you remember above all others. So when I start looking at insurance, the one that is going to stand out is Nationwide. It’s the very thing advertising is for. To make you think of them above everyone else. A boy, does Nationwide hit that point hard.

T-Mobile should watch its Mouth

A Few posts back, I had talked about how T-mobile launched a new campaign, where they took Apple’s “Mac vs. PC” ads, and turned them into the all-new “T-Mobile vs. AT&T” campaign. Well T-mobile, while you were out there bad mouthing a great phone company, they decided to buy you. Oooo ouch. Someone should watch what he or she says.

AT&T bought T-Mobile USA for $39 Billion! I wonder what T-mobiles International users have to say about this? Mmm, well this buy is really bumping up AT&T’s status. This will make AT&T the largest! Going to 130 million subscribers compared to Verizon’s 90+ Million. Burnn!



So what’s the reason for AT&T sudden shopping spree? Apparently, they’ve been hated for their incapability to keep up with mobile data usage and thought to solve it by spending the $39 billion and saves years of struggle. AT&T is now ready for the 4G era!

“All about bolstering AT&T’s network and beginning the process of repairing its reputation.”

Yikes. If this means that I’m going to stop getting dropped calls, and whatever, then bring it on. (I’ve never had a problem with my iPhone – if you have, then prepare for some awesome changes? Hopefully!).



>> http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=13180110 <<
GO here for the story!!

Happy St Patrick's Day

Now celebrate with a Guinness Beer :)
...Or any other beer...

Have a Nyquil night

Nyquil: The cough syrup to make you sleep better at night.
I thought this general campaign was pretty funny, because it was simple, but you get the point across. All it is, is people sleeping. But how people really sleep. I don’t think people really sleep like perfect looking angels under a blanket; they look like a mess, but it’s the cold medicine that will make you less like a cold flu mess in the morning. Taking that funny, awkward, sleep styles, and saying “well at least you look better tomorrow”, of course speaking health wise, but it’s like hidden isn’t it?



Comparing it to the Gelusil campaign Mike and I did, we obviously took a whole different approach. We took the product and made it into its own character battling symptoms, whereas Nyquil is basically battling your good night’s sleep. A war nonetheless, against the enemy we call being sick.

Usually when you see products taking action against the thing causing it in commercials, you usually see the actual product fly, swirl, and dive into that “bad thing”, and it’s usually in a animation form. Though our print ads were cartoony, our viral video showed the real tablet tackling evil! However, even our ads are a step different from the usual “box, magical swirl” animations you usually see on TV, so it was a way of thinking, taken to a different level…

HOPpy Easter!!

Universal Pictures presents the all-new animated Easter comedy about a bunny wanting to be a rock star. Before you judge, I personally have to say that it’s better than it sounds! Check out the movie trailer at their website, http://www.iwantcandy.com/



While at the Grove in Los Angeles, California, there was a very “non-traditional” but traditional event going on. “HOPpy” Easter! Paint a mural of the cute little bunny with his buddies. Unfortunately, it had ended when I had arrived, but the idea I thought was extraordinarily cute.



Free of cost, kids were able to enjoy face painting, arts & crafts, finger painting, and take pictures with the characters from the film! Exciting? I think so. The exciting part though was the finger painting. Remember those art pieces, that are numbered, and you had to match the color on the number, and in the end you’d have a complete painting? Well they took that concept, and took it to a mural level. Displayed on a wall, was indeed the Hop Mural, where kids got to pick a spot, and use their FINGERS to blot in the colors. Talk about creative fun. When they finished their part, they got to sign their name on a long beige paper on the side.

I thought this was a really creative way to get something so fun, and just make it bigger. Also it makes sense. It’s the Easter bunny, you paint eggs, and here you’re painting a mural. Fun!



(My boyfriend - worked on the movie!)

Catching waves with the Montain

For all you skateboarders out there, time to step off the pavement, and into the waves. Tarp Surfing: All you need is a skateboard, a bid ol’ sheet of blue tarp, have someone lift one corner, and you’re off!



Mountain Dew took the Tarp Surfing activity, and turned it into their own with their tagline, “It’s different on the Mountain”. They created these gigantic fake barrels with sheets of blue nylon. Once pulled, they produced faux breaking waves. The beach minus the sand and sharks.

I would have liked them to use long boards instead, because then it would have looked more like surfing on the waves. There was a shot in there, where a girl had either a small surfboard in her hands, or a long board. But it gave it more of a “surfer dude” appeal. Besides that I thought it was awesome!

Thanks to Park Pictures Ad Agency ☺

Coca Cola is on fire!

Super Bowl 2011

Despite whatever everyone else thinks, I do like the Coca Cola tv ad with the dragons and fireworks. I remember when I first saw it, it turned into a giant guessing game. People assumed it was 'World of Warcraft', then a new 'Narnia' movie, and everyone kept thinking it had to belong to some soda brand. In the crowd you heard "Coke"... who would have thought that that one person was right?



I was mostly astounded by the animation. Sure the commercial was a little weird, where these little fuzzy guys won the battle by the coke making the dragon's flames into fireworks, but hey, it was entertaining. I think that's why it caught my attention, because it was out of the ordinary, and it was that strangeness that at least got me to REMEMBER the brand they were advertising. You aren't going to spend millions of dollars on a TV spot, and not have the audience remember you, are you? I'm just saying, there were a lot of cool commercials, but I don't know who they belong to.

It's pronounced: Chipotle!

I saw this and immediately though of Chase and how I am always correcting his pronunciation of "Zara". It's as if it were an "S" Chase!! :)
I really thought this was hilarious, because it happens in real life. I've seen many situations where Hispanics, or French, or Americans would correct other people's pronunciations. Of course, what's everyone's response? "We're in America". Yeah, okay, I'm going to say this here and now, and hopefully you get it through your skull. Doesn't matter WHERE you are, education is still education. I'm just saying. I understand how you probably can't pronounce Chipotle right, but hey one letter change isn't going to kill you. I love the ending, when the wannabe Hispanic/Spanish dude himself is corrected for saying "Culver" wrong. It was like a "in your face" kind of thing, and really completed the commercial. It could have been better if they actually used someone whose native tongue was Spanish, just because this guy looks kind of creepy. Like a White Matador. Regardless where we are, I am STILL going to correct my roommates when they pronounce "queso"...Come on! It isn't that hard! Spanish for how many years and you can't say cheese? At least you can smile.
PS. My bad when I was telling you how to say it. 'CH' sound, just with a little bit more 'T' in there. Us Nicaraguans... we got our own lingo :)

Guardian Guru

Clairol Nice 'N' Easy's Guardian Whatever....First time I saw this, and I thought of Dave's Guru. They are both similar, except this Guardian is a woman. She is honest, straight to the point, and gives you the solution...just like.. Yep.



Angela Kinsey is THE guardian girlfriend - protecting your hair-do from a hair-don't. Adding highlights, shades, and the perfect color to make your hair totally glamorous. Kind of weird seeing her so upbeat, apart from her usually gloomy look, isn't it? She even came out in the end, with the extra "ding"-- "button".
Psst. Bloopers :P

It's calling me....

AdZone 2010!
Hulu has compiled some of the best ads of 2010 into a playlist conveniantely for us :) Sorry NetFlix, but I still think Hulu is better. Free and it has a cuter logo (besides the point..but still).



Just enjoy.
I'd love to sit here and just watch all of them, but I clicked on one. Google.
Loved it. A search engine story, it was just cute, and clever, and made me smile at the end, like an "aw" smile. Google and Bing have that story ad to promote their search engines, and I really think it works. It really shows how much Google works for searching just about anything. Oh and Bing -- I love the one with the guy asking this girl on a date. It grabbed my attention long enough to actually check out Bing. And I do use it...when Google isn't working for me, and when I want to just learn something a little extra without really looking for it...
(I can't find the Bing commercial)

Can you hear that?

Aired February 3rd, 2008, this commercial was aired for PepsiCo EnAble. Coincidentally, the two men that are in the car, are PepsiCo’s employees, and are deaf. The character that plays ‘Bob’, has worked for PepsiCo in Dallas for 27 years, but is not deaf. He got caught up in the deaf community through a church that his wife and himself attended, where the services were performed in sign language.

Clay Broussard, the manager at PepsiCo proposed the idea for this ad, He said “this is the PepsiCo flavor of that joke”.

The commercial itself introduces the hearing impaired culture to the community. Now think about it, you’re getting all excited and noisy when you watch the Super Bowl, volume to the max, when it’s a commercial break, and you don’t hear anything. How funny would it have been to see people checking to making sure they didn’t accidentally put their TV’s on mute? It might take someone a good 5 to 10 seconds to put the pieces together.






The commercial displays 2 guys on their way to their friend’s house to watch the Super Bowl, what do you know that the commercial has no sound, of course, because the whole point is the fact that they are deaf. Well on their way, they start arguing because they can’t find Bob’s house. So the one driving get’s an idea. He’ll honk the horn. While every house starts lighting up, one in the bunch reminds dark and motionless. Oh, they fond Bob’s house!

I have to honestly say I didn’t get it at first. I was thinking “Oh well how can they tell it’s his house?” then it hit me. They whole point of this commercial is to send awareness of the deaf community, and there I was missing the entire point. Sixty seconds of totally silence, is like an eternity to the never-ending noise of the Super Bowl, don’t you think? They used something so popular and common in deaf culture, and literally turned into an ad. That’s using your head.

Italian Flag Jap Girl say what?

The Japanese have a lot of strange things, and I think this is definitely one of them.
This ad appears to be a commercial for pizza or pizza flavored poky, which is a common snack among the Japanese. I don't understand what is going on, but it appears these 2 anorexic sumo wrestlers and a woman are dancing back and forth onto an Italian flag..And they are like, dancing steps in the middle of it, which they aren't even following. If you listen closely, it really sounds like they are yelling "Supreme Vagina", but according to the comments page, she is saying "Supreme Bonjourno" .. I feel bad for any Italian that sees this. If this is their way of selling pizza flavored snacks, then go ahead, but let's keep it PG.

Snickers satisifies

Snickers: A delicious, peanut, chocolate treat - now with peanut butter. It not only satisfies our taste buds, but those of any species.



Like, wow. I really loved the new approach on the focus group. Definitely not what I was expecting, but I did get to the conclusion a lot faster than I would have hoped. I thought Snickers was going about this in such an interesting way, I just wish it would have delayed the "Shark" reveal; kept me guessing. The way the sharks describe what the people tasted like, was not something I was quite impressed by. I think it could have been better, if it actually described more the chocolate versus peanut butter taste, and in the end give the big reveal of the two combined. It was just too obvious. However, its lack of interesting conversation, was replaced buy a focus group of sharks, in a most hilarious manner. Such a high level of imagination, and great animation.
(I rhymed)
Courtesy of: BBDO, NY, USA.