Just what I've been looking forrrrrrr

Finally! I have something I actually can sit down and point out!

Have you seen the Verizon Commercial, "There's an app for that?" You must have, because they only show it every 4th ad on television. Well. They were. Guess their timing for the spots was poorly picked. WHY?! Because when this ad ran and ran and ran (along with another ad-- the Droid phone for Verizon), I thought to myself for weeks. Gee, the almighty AT&T sure is slow to respond to such blatant attacks on their brand and phones. WHAT are they waiting for!?!?





It turns out. AT&T picked the BEST time to retaliate. That time is now, beginning in this part of the country last week. I have to say, I am very impressed. This here, Thanksgiving week-- better yet, the week of BLACK FRIDAY, and they release these ads.

The only thing I find ridiculous is the use of Luke Wilson.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjwBHqa6lZI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrx2qEoND5I

Where Oh Where.

I know I haven't been around much, I just haven't had the time or the will. But I will be back!!

Here's a photo I did recently.

Ring Around the Rosie

I have found some extensions to my post about print and blogging-- the one here.

AdAge posted an article about the FTC's new endorsement rules, and it affects bloggers.

I understand why they are doing it, but if you read the end of the article where it says:

"Can I still give product to traditional outlets such as radio, newspapers and magazines?
Yes.

Why?
Ask the FTC"

Clearly they see the blogosphere as something inherently more powerful than traditional media. WHY? Are bloggers really that much more influential that a newspaper or radio personality touting their experience with products they were given by the brands to try and endorse? I know when I hear the voice of the FAT FAT DJ on the radio telling me to try some weight-loss pill even though I cannot see the results for myself, I totally believe it! HA!

ohhh boy.

In other news. When I was in college, every fall we would try to go to the corn field maze. Check out the site here at The Maize. AND THE MAZE IS AMAZING THIS YEAR!!!

via The Maize

Then I found an article about a corn maze in Massachusetts that did theirs with Stewie and Brian from Family Guy!! Check it out here

Bahda bababa....

I'm Lovin it.

Last time I wrote a big thing about Starbucks, this time I've delving into the world of McCafe. The way I viewed McDonald's while working at the agency and the global perception may be a bit different. Both good and bad, but mainly just different. The amount I enjoyed just doing work and being able to be a part of something on the account really transitioned over to the brand for me. It created a little more respect for the brand in my mind so to speak. Because I mean, I know what McDonald's is, I know they aren't really revered or respected for some of their characteristics. But in an advertising way, I think they do a marvelous job. They also show phenomenal social responsibility through multiple charities.

Maybe I got a little too close to be clear, which is a rookie mistake I'll bet. The Nash Attack commented about how she thought the current McCafe ad featuring Dwele, were not a real representation of the demographic, but instead a depiction of what others think African Americans want to see. I liked the ad, but thinking about what she said really got me to thinkin'. So I looked youtubed some McCafe commercials from around the globe and read up on the comments.



From what I can tell looking around on the Internet, Dwele is quite popular. The hip-hop, jazzy style is very in.

On the other hand, there are some McCafe commercials that I absolutely loathe. They insult the consumer in my opinion. "Hey if you're a regular person, then just come on in for some McCafe coffee and forget all of the uppity lingo of brands like Starbucks". But the thing is-- they characterize the regular person as an uneducated, uncultured, ignorant moneyless dumbass that buys McDonald's because it makes them feel more on their level. I'm sorry. If I were a brand, I'd be aiming a little higher, or at least making the consumer feel like they have some sort of chance to be someone. Here:



via a Boston Globe article
There's another one that's worse. Since when can't an intellectual person be cultured and a penny pincher? It's supposed to be a joke, I get it, but let's talk about a brand that did it WAY WAY WAY better than McDonald's-- Dunkin Donuts.



It's funny. It pokes fun at the competitor without poking fun at the consumer. And how can you not love a commercial narrated by John Goodman? Haha!

Anyway, this morning I tried the free sample of Starbucks Via that I received. It's good, for instant coffee. But I definitely can taste the difference. I made sure to drink a cup of regular coffee prior to consumption of the Via just to be sure. It definitely has a instant twang to it, but really isn't bad!! If you're one of those working people that rushes to work in the mornings, I'd recommend it.

For Every King A Crown

I saw an AMAZING ad for Crown Royal during the commercial break of The Tonight Show with Conan O'brien tonight and I can't find it online! It goes with the campaign in the ads below.

I'll write more about it when I find it.

The Middle Ground

I'm sorry, did anyone else think Vertical Horizon had fallen off the planet? I know I did. Apparently they have a new album out, and some of the stuff isn't too bad! It may be the 90s child in me, but I quite enjoy The Middle Ground



Speaking of grounds. Ad Age is featuring an article on Starbucks' new product today. The instant coffee called Via.

The chain is expecting between 8 million and 10 million consumers to visit its 7,500 company-run cafes in the U.S. and Canada to participate in a taste test that runs Friday through Monday. Participants will receive a "thank you" card good for a free coffee on their next visit, and $1 off their purchase of Via at any Starbucks.

They are doing an all out attack on various forms of tradition and social media. This includes inviting all of their facebook friends to the taste testing event.

Here's the Ad, I couldn't embed it.
Starbucks Via Taste Test Ad

The best part is when the guy stands up in the middle of the town meeting and says "I can't taste the difference!... I CAN'T!" hahaha

I think it might be the smartest thing they've done in a while. My friend Nash and I have long seen Starbucks as a dying brand. It just got too big too fast, and you can go to a Starbucks location and watch the place kill itself. And the thing is, I know I read an article where they brought in their original guy and were trying to 'get back to their roots'. Remember when Starbucks used to be a warm inviting place, with comfy chairs, plenty of space, with intelligent, hardworking, kind employees, and the strong aroma of fresh ground coffee? Today it's a place that is over cluttered with it's POP items, overpriced mugs, stupid anecdotes and quotes strategically place all around the store, and incompetency. Everyone I've talked to about Starbucks tells me the biggest difference they see is in the service. No one wants to go to a coffee shop with 6 people working behind the counter trying to make coffee for 3 people and still managing to ruin the orders. I remember that was a big reason we used to go to Starbucks. They made your coffee lickety split, and without too much hassle.

Another problem?
Those print ads with the anecdotes and facts? They have a tone of arrogance that I don't see any of middle America being fooled by. They try to relate to their customers and say "Hey, we're friends here." To which I say-- When have we ever been friends? You sell me overpriced coffee and you sell it HARD. Too hard. You're pretending to be my friend to make more money. So fail fail fail with the print ads.



But here's where the Facebook thing comes in. People actually feel some sort of connection to the company, not just because they are friends with them on Facebook (because we all know how fake that can be) , but because they are getting some sort of tangible feedback with the invites and the offers. Capitalize on that while it lasts because nothing is good forever.

So sell your instant coffee and get people away from your store while you try to piece it back together!!

Yet. Even So. Are they behind McDonalds in the taste test concept? Struggling to reel their customers back in as more and more head next door to McDonalds?

Let me tell you two personal stories about this whole thing:
When my dad and I were driving to Lbk more recently, we stopped at a Starbucks to get our morning coffee fix. There is a sign (on the door at 8 or 9 am mind you!) that says, 'We will only be open from 2pm to 6 pm due to lack of employees" WOW. FATAL mistake. There was a McDonalds RIGHT NEXT DOOR. We watched several people try the Starbucks, realize it was closed and head to McDonalds, including ourselves.

Second. When I was interning at the Ad Agency, I volunteered to help with a lot of PR events on the McDonalds account. In one case, we were set up outside of a baseball game, giving out free samples of McDonalds McCafe Iced Coffee. Talking to people, connecting with people, getting them to try the product. There was no mention of Starbucks, or being better than them, it was just straight up-- "Check us out". That was over a month ago, and here comes Starbucks with their taste tests. A little late starting if you ask me.

Until next time! Hope they come out with syringes with which you can just inject caffeine right into your bloodstream. WHOO!

Me and The Big Empty

I created this blog because I felt like there was no other way to truly express myself fully. Not because I wanted people to read it, but because of the joy I felt getting the way I felt out of me and somewhere else. I was having a really rough time when I created it, sometimes I forget that when I blog about advertising and media... those things are a big part of me, but there's more to me as well.

The Big Empty is a short film on Wolphin #9 starring Selma Blair, it is one of my favorite films in existence. I think one other person knows this. Well until now.



It is based a short story, The Specialist by Alison Smith:

"Alice waited. She thought perhaps what she needed was rest. Perhaps what the ache wanted was to be left alone. So for an entire year she tried to ignore it. She did not see a single doctor. She swam up and down between the ropes. She shelved books. She rode the subway. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head against the plastic seat and waited for her life to change. Every night, she called for take-out from the pay phone on the corner. Every day, she gazed down at the neat lines of bills in the bookstore cash register.

Through it all, the ache zinged and popped. It burned and festered. And the pain of it began to eat away at her. At times, Alice felt certain there must be little left inside her. And that year, the-year-of-not-trying, something cold and hard slipped inside Alice and her heart became like a knife drawer. Sharp and shining, she kept it closed."

It's a love story really. The most interesting kind.

When I was little and in school, I always struggled with the subject of Math. This was because I was so completely consumed with needing to have a "why" explained to me, and a young elementary school teacher could not explain to me WHY math rules are. They used to just tell me, "It just is, don't ask questions and do the work." More plainly, how dare I ask why?! It just is. When I was older I had teachers that could explain to me in depth the exact why of Mathematics, and I excelled in the subject.

I will never understand the how or why of my relationships. I need to know why and how things can be said and done in the sincerest and best way for so long, and in an instant be taken back and called feigned or non-existent. I have never put on about who I am or what my feelings are, so I want to know why. Maybe there will never be a someone that understands enough to explain that to me.

"An intimate relationship is a particularly close interpersonal relationship. It is a relationship in which the participants know or trust one another very well or are confidants of one another, or a relationship in which there is physical or emotional intimacy.
Intimate relationships play a central role in the overall human experience. Humans have a universal need to belong which is satisfied when intimate relationships are formed. Intimate relationships consist of the people that we are attracted to, whom we like and love, romantic and sexual relationships, and those who we marry and provide emotional and personal support. Intimate relationships provide people with a social network of people that provide strong emotional attachments and fulfill our universal needs of belongingness and the need to be cared for."

That is the definition of an intimate relationship. You're welcome.

"I'm not empty you know, I just have an ache inside me"

Patrick Chewing

Let's talk about Snickers, (Mars). If you read this new AdAge article, Marketing: Mars Consolidates Brand Advertising Creative for 2010.

The most significant change under Mars' new plan is the return of the $30 million U.S. Snickers account to Omnicom Group's BBDO Worldwide from sibling TBWA/Chiat/Day, New York.

TBWA had handled Snickers' creative since 2006, and earned numerous creative awards for work under former top creative Gerry Graf. Its most recent iteration of the campaign, "Snickers Speak," was introduced under the office's new head creative, Mark Figliulo. The theme was a language dubbed "Snacklish," with outdoor executions telling customers to "Get a Degree in Snackomonics" and TV spots featuring rapper Master P and retired basketballer Patrick Ewing.

WHY on God's green earth would you change? The current ad campaign is phenomenal. And don't just believe me, here are some backups:

Let's All Just Agree the Snickers Ad Campaign Is the Best

It's a Snickers Ad By Any Other Name


Can't wait to see how this works out for Mars.

Here is a photo from my weekend in CS. More to come later on that trip.

Without Question

This is what I'd want my wedding dress to model after. Maybe in a more white. But whatever. Crystal Renn is fabulous. Google her.

We've Heard It All Before, And EVERYBODY Knows.

I guess...

I absolutely love this RAC mix of John Legend's Everybody Knows. If one artist consistently sings like he's singing because he loves music, like it's flowing from his heart, that artist is John Legend.





John Legend- Everybody Knows (RAC Mix)

I consider myself to be a decently confident person when it counts. Most of the time. Usually. I'm confident in the things that I know I'm good at-- confident almost to a fault. But in other areas in my life, I'm not always so sure about myself. It's something I'm trying to let go of. I think the need for Ego boosts, encouragement and reassurance can be healthy, not all the time, but sometimes. The expression of those things can be through actions and if it's important, words. It really reassures a human being of -'Hey, I do something that makes a difference'. Maybe you don't change the world, or save one, but maybe you make a difference for one person, two people--whatever. It's validation.


It's kin to that whole idea that if you simply acknowledge someone you pass in the hallway at work or on the streets, you could really make a day. It's the thing advertisers want to elicit through advertising-- that warm feeling that maybe the world isn't such a cold doomed place after all, and that you as the consumer have a position in it. The ideal feeling. It's the kind of feeling when you walk outside during Christmas time-- the warm smell, the cold air, people bundled up and with those they love.

Can you think back and remember moments of complete peace and bliss in your life? Because not having a job or a place to live or being angry with your current situation can best be healed in one of two ways: thinking about those wonderful times in the past or getting up and making new memories create that sentiment. I like both.

I slide off into advertisements I see lately. Hasbro and Mattel with ads about reconnecting with your family in tough financial times and playing games; having a Family Game Night and even food commercials that feature families spending more time together. What is it about situations like this that bring everyone back down to earth and simplicity? Especially in the past decade when money is ever important?

At Tech, we used to have game nights, they were some of the best nights. I remember specifically the Winter two years ago-- the time it snowed from Friday afternoon to Sunday night every weekend for like four weeks. Weekends stuck in the dorms, when we were forced to entertain ourselves with everything from video games, board games, to snowballs. We weren't happy to be stuck inside with no way to go anywhere, but we had FUN.



I've just remembered how last year, an external hard drive containing photos documenting all of these things, crashed. And the full fledged photographer in me sheds a serious tear. Someday I will have gathered the exorbitant amount of money needed to recover these files.

Anyway. I'm off to CS this weekend to enjoy the company of friends.
And in final news: This weekend is the Tech vs UT game... the daunting day approacheth...



He's ready, are you?

A Little Labor Day, before THE storm.

I Take For Granted That You Just Don't Care

Hello It's Me- Todd Rundgren

A fantastic song. But look how oddly this dude is dressed in this performance.



I was thinking about Newspaper supposedly being a dying medium. I prefer to think of it as an evolving one, much like the telephone or radio over time when T.V. took the throne. Radio. What started out as small as communication between ships grew into nightly entertainment for families all over to something we use as a soundtrack to our driving adventures. And now there is XM and even online adventures like AccuRadio (whether you consider it radio or not) they call themselves 'The Next Generation of Radio'.

Here's where I started wondering about Newspaper evolution. A quick Google search of this exact term brings tons of information and opinions to me.
John Katz, media critic, former EP of CBS Evening News;

"The newspaper needs to reinvent itself. . . . The object is not to replace, or put into a different format, but to gain a toehold in cyberspace and even absorb some of its values."

Why not give the complete experience to a reader, seeing as you have that ability. What's a scoop anymore when people are twittering events faster than anyone could report them. If a newspaper goes into Twitter, they should think of as a one on one communication tool, people may be seeing a tweet in mass, but they are all not sitting together looking at one screen. Don't just shoot off headlines, how typical! If I wanted that I'd keep your site up.

I went to a conference call when I was at the agency with this man: Peter Shankman and he talked about the best way to market yourself on twitter. Make it exciting, draw the follower in, give them a reason to click through your link and read the story. Your story.

Let me touch on another mistake I think has been made. Trusted news sources, selling out their entire being to have the latest updates for you on celebrity sightings and whereabouts! Quickest way to turn a lot of potential readers off and send them to a competitor. Leave that shit to whoremongers like Perez Hilton. Even I scroll through his site or link to some news he's posted once in a while. But that's his job!

Then I got to thinking, do newspapers pay people to be bloggers of news for them? I mean, of course they do. But do they do it in such a way that it might be considered seamless to the online readers' eyes? Is that considered ethical? Isn't half the appeal of bloggers and their opinion the fact that it is their opinion and not something they were paid generously to blog about?

It's a lot to think about, and I have barely scratched the surface. I may come back to this subject as I gather more information.

In other news, my favorite music branding blog Songs For Soap has not updated in almost 2 months! What the hell. It's an AdAge blog. Someone get on that. Hell I don't have a job, let me do it.

As for that, I've been out of school for 4 months now and still can't find a job. Not for lack of trying. I really really really wanted to work for the agency I interned at, but alas, that is not possible at this time or this economy.

Sometimes I feel like I have all of these plans and all of these things I want to do with my life, my future, but I can't begin to do them until I have some sort of job to get income going. So I'm just a girl dreaming about her future, stuck in her present. Now it's time for me to stop bitching and apply for more jobs.

Eyes Seal Shut in a Slumber

My absolute song of the moment :
New Drink for the Old Drunk- Crooked Fingers.

If you haven't heard it, get to listening.




I've always been better with print words. text. If I really sit down and think about something I want to write, it's fairly easy for me to write it well.

This is why I love advertising. Beauty and simplicity in words: I'm good with them. But then when I talk... it's harder. That's what a good ad does. It conveys a certain beauty through it simplicity. Don't try to con someone with a typical sell. You can't do it. The customer knows when you are lying. So use the truth and convey it in a way to draw the response that benefits the brand.

Find the simple story in the product and present it in an articulate, intelligent, and
persuasive way.
-Bill Bernbach, DDB

Simplicity is all. Simple logic, simple arguments, simple visual images. It you can’t
reduce your argument to a few crisp words and phrases, there’s something wrong with
your argument. There is nothing long-winded about ‘Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.’
-Maurice Saatchi, Saatchi & Saatchi

I took this strengths quest thing for free from Texas Tech, and one of the big things was 'You should think about writing a novel'. Gross. But kind of a cool thought.

Shimmery Summery

For most people I know, Summer 2009 has ended. Some have started fall classes at various universities, and a select few are off to start their new jobs. Select few. One to be exact.

But real summer isn't over yet, it's still lovely outside, everyone should enjoy it!

Most recently, I finished my internship at the ad agency uptown. Overall I want to say it was a good experience... really just more of a necessary one. My internship was in account services, and in this position, I figured out that I loathe account services. Kudos to anyone that has the ability to handle a client with precision and grace, because I would kill the first stupid ass client that crossed me the wrong way. So it was a learning experience for me! When I first graduated I really was unsure of the direction I wanted to take in the industry. I knew I was creative, I knew I WANTED to be in creative but I really didn't think I had the skill necessary to dive right into it out of college. I should have been a graphic design major or at least minor. But you know! Have the degree now...

I digress. After being at the agency, I realized there are a multitude of different positions in creative, and not all of them require immediate expert level experience.

Whenever someone asks me where I want to end up in advertising, I tell them my interest in music branding and that I want to be an art buyer. But not until last night, when I submersed myself in everything advertising did I see just how much I want to be an art buyer. So now I have a pin pointed goal!

So, the job search continues...

I found an interesting article on AdAge today about women in creative. Creativity Knows No Gender, but Agency Creative Departments Sure Do :

Despite all that, women have succeeded in becoming creative directors in advertising agencies. And research has sifted out the traits they share: great creative talent, a competitive nature, resilience and an outgoing personality. They are politically astute, primarily focused on career and/or childless.

Well that puts a damper on things... I know I say I hate children, but I always think I might have some one day...

Ew. ha.

Let's talk about that game DJ Hero. It's like Guitar Hero right, only you use a turn table to scratch through mixes done by legendary DJs, I assume there is a free style mode too? Check it out here:

and a video:



My point about mentioning this?

B and C TOTALLY had this idea first! Over a year ago, they had this idea for a hip hop rap type version of guitar hero, only they wanted to call it Urban Legend. B says playing DJ Hero would make me a traitor. I want to look at it this way, really this game is more of a DJing game, and less of a rapping game. So they still have a chance! But let's face it, their idea of the game will be created eventually.


Lately, despite the job situation, I've been so... effervescent. Bubbling over with joy. I don't know why. You know, things in life really go much better when I am just able to let go and take everything a little less seriously. If i don't over analyze or jump to conclusions, things go my way. I am so much happier too. Just going with the flow for a little while. I am trying to continue thinking this way, every once in a while I lose it, but so far so good!

I leave you with a photo, OF THE ANGRIEST MAN IN THE WORLD!!!!

In Advertising...

I've been bored at home lately so I began watching season 1 of Mad Men. It's a pretty good show so far.



Today I was reading this AdAge article , which talks about VW dropping Crispin Porter as it's agency. That's all well and good, I thought the efforts and campaigns of late were horrendous.

What interested me was one commenters nod to Bill Bernbach. He posted several quotations fromt he legendary advertiser; they are good reminders of what we should be striving for in this business-- (antiquated or not, what works, works.)

"1) The most powerful element in advertising is the truth.

2) Word of mouth is the best medium of all.

3) It is insight into human nature that is the key to the communicator's skill. For whereas the writer is concerned with what he puts into his writings, the communicator is concerned with what the reader gets out of it. He therefore becomes a student of how people read or listen.

4) Nobody counts the number of ads you run; they just remember the impression you make.

5) You can say the right thing about a product and nobody will listen. You've got to say it in such a way that people will feel it in their gut. Because if they don't feel it, nothing will happen.

6) Forget words like 'hard sell' and 'soft sell.' That will only confuse you. Just be sure your advertising is saying something with substance, something that will inform and serve the consumer, and be sure you're saying it like it's never been said before.

7) Just because your ad looks good is no insurance that it will get looked at. How many people do you know who are impeccably groomed... but dull?

8) No matter how skillful you are, you can't invent a product advantage that doesn't exist. And if you do, and it's just a gimmick, it's going to fall apart anyway.

9) Our job is to sell our clients' merchandise... not ourselves. Our job is to kill the cleverness that makes us shine instead of the product. Our job is to simplify, to tear away the unrelated, to pluck out the weeds that are smothering the product message.

10) Advertising doesn't create a product advantage. It can only convey it.

11) Advertising is fundamentally persuasion and persuasion happens to be not a science, but an art.

12) Properly practiced creativity must result in greater sales more economically achieved. Properly practiced creativity can lift your claims out of the swamp of sameness and make them accepted, believed, persuasive, urgent. "

I only hope that one day I am able to actually put these things into practice by actually working at a real agency...not just interning.

King David, King James...

King Leonidas better be next.

I find myself at a standstill.
I am doing my best to move on, I'm dating at least. Bottom line, my heart is still in Lubbock as I droll on in Dallas. I'm not sad about it or anything-- I say it matter of factly. I find myself purposely grafitfying the flaws of those I date so I end up hating them. Although, this last one wasn't very good anyway. I have a knack for dating creeps. They don't start out that way! They turn out to be so over time. Saying I wish I were still in school is an understatement.

I've been trying to find a side job while I continue on with my internship at this ad agency, hoping and praying all the while that I will get a job here soon. I've applied several places, there is one I'd really like-- a photography assistant for the weekends for weddings and other events. It sounds GREAT.

I'm also trying to sell some stuff on eBay, anything to make a little bit more money.

Although I don't get paid for my internship, it sure has its perks. Tomorrow I'm going to see a screening of Extract, the new Jason Bateman movie. It's written and directed by Mike Judge, whose work I usually enjoy.


And in 2 weeks, I am going to see Incubus in concert!!!!!1 Out of my top 5 favorite bands, I only need to see one more after this-- and that's Coldplay. YES. YES.

So beside being broke, life is all around good.

I leave you with my all-time favorite commercial:

The Holistic Approach.

"People's use of the internet is an extension of who they are offline. The interests they pursue offline will be what they seek online as well. Marketers should approach online consumers from a holistic approach. Instead of thinking of just eyeballs looking at a computer screen, marketers need to understand the complete individual they're targeting. What do they like to do offline? What gets them jazzed? How do they look for information? What kind of media do they like?"

Jackie Rousseau-Anderson - Forrester Analyst


via an AdAge article about a survey of American consumers showing Internet use leveling out.

It's what I think advertising should be, an attack on all fronts if you will. Although attacking makes it sound a little more morbid than I'd like. You catch my drift.

Here are two of my favorite ads right now. One is the extended Microsoft Bing! commercial; they show it at movie theaters prior to the film. (And don't think Bing is that great, but their ads are.)




The second is from the 'Go Forth' Levi's campaign. Levi's is a classic brand, and I've always loved their advertising. Bring back the blue jean 'craze'! I mean. Jeans are something today that are ingrained into all style. You can wear them in SO many situations. Dark, light (in any variant of wash!), short, long, ragged, holy, fringed, skinny, wide leg, etc, etc... That said-- who doesn't sell jeans these days? Levi's needs something to set them out as not only a brand of jeans, but THE brand. Maybe not over designer jeans, but Today's American's jean company. I think this campaign is a big step toward that, influencing the youth. Yet, does the lack of mainstream popularity hold some sort of mystery to the brand? I don't see why they aren't more popular. This campaign makes me want a pair.



Levi Strauss leads the apparel industry in trademark infringement cases-- it's amazing what you can find online http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=registration&entry=1139254

EDIT: I found this Adage Article while still surfing around for details on the campaign. Read the comments, I think it's amusing that the target audience commenters really did enjoy the concept, while industry naysayers and the older generations of agency workers believe it's crap. Guess we'll see.

Falling Hard

A lot of my college and high school friends have begun the typical post-college "let's all get married" summer. I know I don't have any desire to get married in any near future, but after countless weddings and showers and drunken receptions-- I feel...conflicted.

Ideally I want to build up my career, settle in my own place, and be by myself completely before I meet the person I want to marry. Even if I were to meet this person tomorrow, I'd want to wait for stability.

But then I was thinking-- I've been in relationships, good and bad, and never once even wanted to be with any of them long enough to consider marriage. People I know met their significant other in high school or college and are so sure marriage is the next and only step that they don't even have to verbalize it--you can read it in their faces.

I've never felt that at all for someone. Are we as single women with a college degree heading out into the working world supposed to believe that there is something wrong with us if we don't have a "ring by spring"?

Even the person I'm dating now-- we barely know each other and have dated for a little bit.

A lot of people say, if you don't meet someone in college, chances of meeting someone afterward get slimmer by the year. So I find myself thinking-- What if this is as good as it's going to get?





Today I am a little girl again. Do I only think I know myself and what I want?

Or is it me trying to harden to the idea of what many might see as failure?

Take Good Notes

On Tuesdays and Thursdays I intern at this ad agency, and so far it's not as interesting as I thought (and WAS SO SURE) it was going to be. I know everyone has to pay their dues and be the intern that prints lunch menus for the office and makes copies for a while, but wow. I would love a real task.

I get to spend a fair amount of time doing 'research' on the Internet.

It feels weird for me to have moved back in with my parents. It's only temporary-- until I can secure a real paying job, but temporary is about all I can stand. I really miss being in West Texas.

I was watching The Tonight Show with Conan. Coco, if you will, last night. It was, as expected hilarious. During the show I saw a the new GM commercial, and I have to say I'm impressed. If there was ever a commercial to offer hope for something that may or may not survive--this ad did it.

I'm Back

That's right. After two months or more of blogging silence, I realized that I was sharing a little more information with my friends that ideal. I'm sure they don't mind listening to me tell the fascinating narrative that is my life, but I like to keep up the mystery.

I've graduated from Texas Tech University, at the worst time to graduate from college EVER. But it's not all moving back in the with the parents, endless job searching and binge eating because I am afraid I'll never have a real self-supported lifestyle! I actually am doing an internship at an Ad agency in Uptown Dallas right now. I really really hope it turns into a full time job at some point in the future. Why? Because I have a 5 year plan.

I've been trying to cultivate my photography business, but have yet to make any real money because all of the people I take out for sessions are engaged friends.
Another huge disadvantage to leaving the blogging world for a while? I've really fallen out of touch with the vast amount of information the Internet has to offer

anyway. wtf. gtg.

Relax.

I realized I was doing so well about posting and then I turned around and almost a month has passed since my last post! Ridiculous! Spring break and midterms haven't helped any, but I've finally found a few minutes to sit down and get something out.

This week is my Spring Break. B and I went to ATx for the week and drove to the DFw yesterday. I can honestly say that I enjoyed my trip. Austin was great, SXSW was in full swing and I had my fair share of the hippies. (I'm not rude; my best girl friends from high school are what most would call hippies, although they deny it.)

The best thing about road trips-- all of the inside jokes you make with the person/persons you travel with. I don't want to forget the things we made up:

-Social Dresses. This became our term for any and every girl in and around Austin wearing a dress that cut well above their knees, and usually well below the neck. The dress more often than not was made of cotton in funky colors and prints. The sluttier the dress the more "social" it was. 

-Hunting and eating horses. Funny and I have no idea why. We just talked about hunting some down and consuming them. 

- "We need more lemon pledge" This is from a Family Guy episode-- talking in this voice throughout the trip was mandatory. We were staying in a Red Roof Inn (which has become some sort of tradition apparently) and the woman cleaning our rooms talked this way. Yes, we might go to hell. 

- Any and every reference to UT losing to Tech this past football season

- Weirdies vs. Normies. It's a battle for the city, the capital, the world. These were how we classified the excessive amount of people congregating in Austin. You were either a weirdie or a normie depending on appearance, attitude and accessories. 

I know there were more but I'll have to edit and update this entry later. 

It is going to be very tragic for me when I have to leave this man. I know he cares for me and I know we'll still be in touch, but I am terrified of how horrible it will feel when I move away. He could care less about it, I know that. 

Something else vacation makes me realize-- I don't mind being away from technology and media. The two things that mean most to my career?!?! I didn't have television, movies, Internet, news, advertising, Facebook, email, text messaging or anything for a whole week and I absolutely loved it. We were outside, walking around, breathing wonderfully fresh air, exploring. We were able to talk, and lay around and joke, and be completely lazy in general. This scares me a little, and then I think maybe that's what a vacation is, getting away from EVERYTHING. Even though I love media and technology. The downside is being WAY behind when you return to reality. 

Advantages.

Let me tell you why the internet is one of the most amazing things to happen to humanity.

When my mother was my age, if you wanted to know something instantly, something obscure-- do you use the traditional media??? Think about it. It's the progress of communication. Writing letters that were delivered on horseback, reading huge volumes of books in the library, the postal service, mail traveling on boats...etc. You have newspapers, television, magazines, and telephones with which to get your information. BUT the Internet. Is. Instant. (Same goes for cell phones).

I was watching a rerun of Conan O'Brien tonight, and Seth Green was one of the guests.
He was telling one of those lame boring celebrity anecdotes. I guess that's all they do on late shows, that and promote their newest project. Anyway he was telling about an encounter with Jack White, and said that JW asked him "aren't you the cha-ching guy?"

I thought to myself, "hmma...what is that from?"

Unable to place it, I youtubed it and came up with this;




Wow. haha. Regardless of the serious hilarity here, my point.

I'm able to find out anything about any one, any event, any location, ANYTHING instantly!! Vast amounts of knowledge, at my fingertips. THRILLING.

One More Thing:

I absolutely hate the "25 things you don't know about me" note that facebook has been circulating. My roommate and I hate it so much, she posted a funny link to an article that was written ridiculing the chain note.

BUT the new thing: is. so. cute. to me. But I refuse to post it on FB. Yeah. I'm a snob. 

 - Go to "wikipedia." Hit “random... Read More”
or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to "Random quotations"
or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.

3 - Go to flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”
or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days
Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4 - Use photoshop or similar to put it all together.

Lady?

OK. I saw a few friends at some parties in Dallas and Austin smoking pipes with just tobacco about 2 months ago. The next big thing??

Trendwatch: Kids Smoking Pipes Without Crack!

Oh Gawker. 

Quicksand

Currently Listening to: Crying in the Chapel- Elvis Presley

So my friend G and I have started a photo blog. Soon I will post the link here when we get it really up and running. 

The above is picture is the first one I've posted there. I figured the photos could include artwork or things that I'm working on. The background is an actual photo I took, altered slightly. It was just some cheap work in InDesign, but I was feeling simplistic.

I mentioned in a previous entry that I was upset that I was unable to remember the things I wanted to blog about. I've taken to writing myself little notes. 

The other day I was sitting in my room, which is just my little personal corner. In this room I can close the door and enjoy an atmosphere I worked hard to create, and I've never felt more comfortable in a living space. I live on the second floor of a great little apartment with spiral staircases to our door. There are trees everywhere in this small courtyard containing a pool. Everything I could ask for in an apartment here. Here, let's get you visually involved. 

West Texas Sunsets. Shade Trees. It's great. 

My room--it's just a vision I've slowly put together over time. I've a handmade quilt, a hanging lamp that I got for $10!! Frames filled with Black and white versions of some of my favorite shots that I've taken, posters, a desk with my iMac desktop on it, a canvas art piece I created this summer, and this really great dark wicker chair I got at Pier 1 for $15, originally $150 but it had small damage. I've talked about this HERE. I have a walk-in closet where I store my many, many pairs of shoes and clothing. Here:

I sit in this chair, it's early afternoon, so the sunlight is pouring in at just the right angle. I was drinking tea out of on of my favorite glasses (more of a tumbler) from a set of my Great-Grandmother originally had. I remember visited her house as a child and drinking sweet tea from these direct from the 70s,  cream and pistachio colored glasses. I was just thinking how special the glasses were to me. Heritage. AND They are totally me. 

I began thinking about what I am going to do with my life, as I often do these days with graduation coming up. And I thought-- my surroundings are a demonstration of my creativity. Along with the memories I've gathered (and preserved), and the ideas that come from them. I thought about my memory, and how I know it will someday falter. So I decided, I would begin writing about things, soaking up the details-- to help cultivate more creativity in the future. And if I keep a good record, who knows. Publishing autobiographical essay collection is very in these days. 

And here we are. So expect something better. You know. 

shitlist for February (an addition):

One of the girls in my ad campaigns class. HOW dare you aspire to work in advertising when about %40 of your dialogue is consumed by the word "like". Great job, professional. Good luck in your interviews. I'm sorry. Ugh. 

I WONDER

What the hell do you do when everything that comes up on shuffle on your ipod is SHIT?! You clean house. An organized music library is the first step to an organized life. Too bad apple doesn't have some sort of way to manage your library from the internet. I could literally do this at school whilst bored. Maybe I should write Jobs a letter. Ha!

Find Me in the World.

I often find myself wishing I had an iphone for one reason. The internet. I'll have an entire situation that I want to blog about so that I don't forget it, but by the time I get to a place with Internet capabilities, I forget what I wanted to talk about. BLAST!

Anyway, I guess I can talk about Valentine's Day, and maybe add some things about my February shit list.

I actually spent my Valentines Day working. Waiting tables for the kinds of couples that sit on the same side of a booth or table. There's nothing like smiling and acting happy around that shit, praying for more than a $2 tip. I mean, I was happy. I had a good night, and made some money. Afterward the owner bought the wait staff and the kitchen all shots and drinks, it was great. Then I took one of the cooks home because he doesn't have a car. Little did I know, he thought that meant we were going to sleep together. WOW. Men really can be idiots. After that I went to B's for the night. It was a lovely enough evening overall.

February Shitlist:
-my ad campaigns group: give me a damn break. We've rescheduled 2 of our last three meetings, and still haven't met. AND the thing about working in a group with other Ad majors, having one in charge is-- no one agrees creatively. So, group members, any day you want to get your shit together is fine by me.

Bones

I've become addicted to a television show.

Sure, I have 2 major standbys-- The Office, and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but every once in a while... I get hooked on something and love it. Examples: The OC (seasons 1-3, the last 2? were horrible and I quit watching), Veronica Mars (loved that show), Grey's Anatomy (mainly out of the desire to fit in socially with the girls in my dorms, I stopped watching the moment it got too too soap opera-y. THINGS just get stupid!! Come on now. I also tried to get into lost, and did! for a while, but missed a few episodes and was, well, lost.

I have friends that watch the Real World, every. single. season. It's the same exact thing on repeat in hypersex every season! Give me a break. I'll watch it to make fun of everyone I hate on it, and because my best friend aspires to be on the show (ok.) I'll support it.

Bones, on Fox, my roommate got me to watch some of it because she was hooked, and now I am as well. Emily Deschanel is about, 10 times more awkward than her sister Zooey. It works for her though! And I love Zooey, I'll see anything she's in, with one exception-- The Happening. Her performance in that film was completely dead and lifeless. I don't care if her character was supposed to be detached, it wasn't good. Anywayyyyy. Emily. She's good as well. The entire cast of Bones is great, although I really don't like Cam.



I am attempting to write a speech for my worthless Public speaking class, farewell!

London Halflife

Middle-aged, do the low rise on the waist
London half-life
Middle-aged, you're the low riser
getting over myself today

And if you're compromised, Drive your car through the rain
And if you've been beaten, Drive your car through the rain 
Until you wash off the buzz
Don't pull over 'till you're sure one that wanted the floor
one that won't know the street, one that wanted to land
on the heart with his feet up
oh watch out, you're only better off with half your life
otherwise wasted
House of cards, you fall hard

-Metric

There used to be a man, Shambu, who used to comment on my blogs and give me good advice on things that were going on in my life. It was great to have someone unbiased talking to me, and it was nice to make friends. I know people read this but I always wonder why no one ever comments anymore. Not that I'm complaining, I just think it's interesting to connect with other people. So if you're out there, don't be afraid!!! 

Happiness is a Warm Gun

One of the best days to sit outside and people watch on campus is the first day back after a break. This is the optimal time because a) everyone comes to campus during the first few days of school, because everyone hopes this semester will be different than the last, and that they'll actually come to class once in a while. And b) people dress to impress. Whether it's in the new clothing they received for Christmas or just a fresh clean start to the school year-- self expression is in full swing. It's really a beautiful day.

Sooner or later, people stop coming to class, girls and boys dress in what ever they rolled out of bed wearing that morning, and are in such a routine mode that all self expression is lost.

I went and bought a few new books to read the other day. I always feel burnt out on reading textbooks and materials for class that I don't have any sort of will to read for leisure. I love reading. I was one of the huge AR nerds all through school. I can zip through books in no time, hungry for more. So I have decided to make time to read. If I spend a few hours a night reading, I'll feel intelligent again.

I've started with a collection of biographical essays by Jen Lancaster. It's called "Bright Lights, Big Ass", a book about the city life not being everything Carrie Bradshaw makes it out to be.

Something interesting she's done in the book-- she has little inserts of emails she has sent her friends. There is one in particular I like: She sends an email shitlist, of things/places/people that have reserved their own special spot on her shitlist. I thought I might try this.

Shitlist for January ( so far)

2 sorostitutes- I know that daddy pays for your every whim and fancy. So when you come into a restaurant and see a college student just like you working his or her ass off just to pay the bills, maybe a 12 cent tip isn't the best choice. Especially if the waitress kisses your ass throughout the course of your meal, simply hoping to make ends meet. You've already done her a great diservice by coming in 10 minutes before close. Just remember, these people, that serve you-- can spit in your food if they see you in the place again.

The Maintenance man- this is a small apartment complex. If I call in and request that my leaking bathtub faucet (profusely leaking!) be fixed because it's upping the bill for everyone else, please get your ass over here ASAP. I also have a job and cannot wait here all day and night wondering if today is the day you're going to grace me with your presence.

Texas Tech University Student Business Services- Since when has giving someone the money you own them become a series of beaucratic steps designed to do nothing more than charge the student more by bringing in a third party, in turn keeping their money tied up in paper work?? How does it cost less to have someone send out credit cards than it does to mail someone a fucking check? If I tried to pay my tuition with some kind of voucher or gift card, Texas Tech would throw a fit. They always want their money when they want it, how ludicrous to deny that right to all of the people keep Texas Tech in business. Shouldn't it be less obvious that it's all one big business lie? Shouldn't the students be proud of their schools?

That's it for now. Maybe I'll add to it next time.

One More Thing

As we were driving to atx, I noticed that there were a ton of empty billboards along the highway, with numbers plastered on them where one could call and buy the ad space. I've often thought about how, in an economic down, advertising is the first thing to go. Which is actually a dumbass idea, because you should continue to advertise while your competitors aren't. Buuuuut advertising is the first to make a comeback as well.

I also saw 2 billboards that I thought about during the trip.

I couldn't find a photo of this one, but it was for Starbucks. It said "Ladies and Gentlemen, start your blinkers." This is a rather old ad, I'd seen it many times before in the past several years. What I was thinking about was-- how clever this ad was when it was released, and how dated and uninterested I found it at the time. I don't think this kind of ad would fly today if it were presented to a client.

The other one I found interesting was an ad for the new McCafe
branch of McDonalds. In some of my ad classes we've discussed how McDonald's could easily break into the market that Starbucks so highly dominated. They can do it by recreating an atmosphere like the one Starbucks offered, with good coffee, only providing it at a cheaper cost to the customer. So they're trying it out here! I had heard about it happening overseas, but it's cool that it's coming around in the states.