“Ideas are easy. It’s the execution that really separates the sheep from the goats.” Sue Grafton Narratives that don’t make sense. If you have been in advertising for more than 10 minutes you will have seen this before. Invariably over time you find these narratives have far more to do with making or saving moneyContinue reading “Advertising. Ideas. They are not for everyone.”
Author Archives: dbs81270
Advertising. What if the right answer is wrong?
“For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple and wrong.” H.L Mencken The thing about process is that it leaves very little room for madness, obsession and mistakes. To be human. My fear is that our business at the moment is having a lot of conversations about ways to get toContinue reading “Advertising. What if the right answer is wrong?”
Cannes. Strangers at the Circus.
“Great perils have this beauty, that they bring to light the fraternity of strangers.” Victor Hugo There were two boats in Cannes. They were part of the seemingly endless cavalcade of behemoth yachts moored in the South of France for the Cannes advertising festival of creativity. One belonged to some venture capitalists and was obscenelyContinue reading “Cannes. Strangers at the Circus.”
Advertising. The wisdom of taxi drivers.
“All the stories I’ll ever need are right here on Main Street.” Robert Cormier Many years ago, I was in New York for the first time. I was in a yellow cab I had seen in a hundred movies. It was like cinematic deja vu. From the journey, I remember two things. The first thingContinue reading “Advertising. The wisdom of taxi drivers.”
Perhaps a little more Roger Moore?
“Some are blessed with musical ability, others with good looks. Myself, I was blessed with modesty.” Roger Moore Ok, so this one isn’t really about advertising. Let me explain. I had been thinking a lot about inspiration lately. What it can do. Where it can take you. And the fact that these moments last andContinue reading “Perhaps a little more Roger Moore?”
Judging D&AD. The Hustle and Strive.
“First comes the sweat. Then comes the beauty if you’re lucky and have said your prayers.” George Balanchine Where do you find inspiration? As it happens, I found it on a windswept balcony overlooking Shoreditch. It is a part of London that is made of grit and questionable glamour. A suburb that has urban decayContinue reading “Judging D&AD. The Hustle and Strive.”
The Kool-Aid is strong with this one.
All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure. Mark Twain It would seem I was beaten to writing about the new Pepsi commercial by about 6 million people. Perhaps that is a good thing. It gave me time to think and look at what everybody has been sayingContinue reading “The Kool-Aid is strong with this one.”
Advertising. The postcard is never the place.
“Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.” Oscar Wilde “Maybe that’s what life is….a wink of the eye and winking stars.” Jack Kerouac I had been walking with my new friend Alexander Kalchev through Chinatown in San Francisco. I had visited these streets before in my head. As a young man I usedContinue reading “Advertising. The postcard is never the place.”
Advertising. We need to leave the gardens of Versailles.
“I know where there is more wisdom than is found in Napoleon, Voltaire, or all the ministers present and to come – in public opinion.” Charles Maurice de Talleyrand. French Foreign Minister. Talleyrand is a fascinating character. Depending on how you look at him he was a womaniser, liar and utterly immoral or heContinue reading “Advertising. We need to leave the gardens of Versailles.”
Has advertising lost its sense of humour?
“When humour goes, there goes civilisation.” Erma Bombeck There is a saying in Hollywood that comedies never win at the Oscars. It would seem the stats back it up. Guess how long it has been since a comedy won best picture at the Oscars? 40 years. Annie Hall won in 1977 and that was theContinue reading “Has advertising lost its sense of humour?”
Damon's Brain 