The crew at Brains on Fire reveal themselves: …
Zen and the Art of Account Service
Here's a great piece of dialogue from this week's episode of Mad Men: Sterling: Wasn't even on the (org) chart. My name's on the wall out there. I like to think I'm rich, they can't hurt me. Cooper: That's a mistake. Sterling: I'm being punished for making my job look easy. Although, that kid Guy, he has a spark. He is a pure account man. Cooper: And what is that job all about? Sterling: I don't know. It's about …
Spotlight On NW Creative: Jelly Helm Breaks Work For Oregon Humanities
Jelly Helm left his high profile and well-paying, if not always comfortable, position at Wieden + Kennedy about a year ago. He says he's gaining momentum as a solo act now and that he feels great about his ability to provide a higher caliber of client service. The relationship with "clients" has been transformative. I feel uncomfortable even calling them clients. Partners? Part of the team? I know, ick, sounds like …
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Corporate America’s Best Storytellers Tell Some of Their Own
Darby and I went to see Art & Copy this afternoon. In a film full of interesting and accomplished spokespersons for our industry, Lee Clow's vision of putting the inmates in charge of the asylum is the one that's most attractive to me. The film confirms that Clow is the straightest shooter and the most unconventional, fearless leader in advertising. Hal Riney also has some powerful things to say in this documentary. …
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A Sales Promotion History Lesson
The Wall Street Journal is paying homage to one of the founders of Sales Promotion, Robert M. Sandelman, who died Sept. 13 at 81. His idea was to appeal directly to the consumer through mailings, coupons, rebates, demonstrations and in-store entertainment -- things that cut out the cost of broadcast or print ads. "Advertising is a selling message in a medium the client rents," Mr. Sandelman told the journal …
Beach Bums Basically Run This Thing
I'm glad Alex Bogusky is opening up in various social media channels of late. It's only natural for students of the business and fellow practitioners to wonder what makes a guy like Bogusky tick. Is he conditioned to win like a champion athlete? Or does he simply have a special gift for this business? I think the more Bogusky can tell us directly, the clearer the picture will be. Journalists and film makers (and …
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In Lieu of Headphones
Everyday I make not difficult decisions about what to post here. For instance, Bob Garfield recently wrote a book. AdPulp took a pass. Jeff Goodby recently wrote a response to said Garfield book. AdPulp took a pass. Ana Andjelic recently wrote a response to Goodby's response (that was picked up by AdAge). AdPulp took a pass. Here's what we're not taking a pass on--the response to the response to the response from …
Droga In Prada
The new lifestyle rag, WSJ Magazine, decided to dress David Droga up and pretend that it's 1963. Which might have been fine if the attending article had any substance to it. Here's the best that the writer can get from the ad man: This is not survival of the fittest--it's mutation of the species that is crucial for our industry. I'm confused by this. If the species successfully mutates in order to survive, the …