“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.”
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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?”
The Value of a Pencil
I have been lucky enough to judge D&AD three times and win two Black Pencils. A couple of years ago they asked me to write a story about the value of a pencil. This is what I wrote. “Price is what you pay, value is what you get.” Warren Buffet I apologise inContinue reading “The Value of a Pencil”
The great comfort of bad Super Bowl ads.
Originally posted on Damon's Brain:
“I’ve searched all the parks in all the cities and found no statues of committees.” Gilbert K. Chesterton Quick, name your top 10 Super Bowl ads from this year. I know, it’s a struggle. I am asking you to remember 10 out of a 100 or so ads whose…
Advertising. Are rules more important than ideas?
“It may well be that creativity is the last unfair advantage we’re legally allowed to take over our competitors.” Bill Bernbach This isn’t scientific. Just a hunch. A feeling. Remember those? It is a new year, so I decided to do a new little experiment. In a single day, I would observe what all theContinue reading “Advertising. Are rules more important than ideas?”
The beautiful stone in your shoe.
“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” Heraclitus I am lying in the middle of the Noosa River an hour outside of Brisbane. After a pretty crazy year where we were working right up to Xmas I was suddenly on vacation.Continue reading “The beautiful stone in your shoe.”
Advertising. The truth will set you free.
“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.” Marcus Aurelius Nothing reminds you of your love for advertising more than lying next to a man discussing the insertion of his catheter with his best friend. It has been an interesting two weeks. I had beenContinue reading “Advertising. The truth will set you free.”
Advertising. How to do impossible things.
“In order to attain the impossible, one must attempt the absurd.” Miguel de Cervantes It has been an interesting week. The world may run out of Guinness. As I write this Ireland have just beaten the All Blacks 40 – 29 in Chicago. It is the first time they have done this in 111 years.Continue reading “Advertising. How to do impossible things.”
Advertising. Fawlty Towers and the art of prediction.
“Most successful pundits are selected for being opinionated, because it’s interesting, and the penalties for incorrect predictions are negligible. You can make predictions, and a year later people won’t remember them.” Daniel Kahneman The legendary comedian John Cleese is being interviewed on the radio. He is explaining how arguably the most successful television series, FawltyContinue reading “Advertising. Fawlty Towers and the art of prediction.”
In defence of the often maligned creative.
“It ain’t what they call you, it’s what you answer to.” W.C. Fields When I got into this business 20 years ago creatives and creative departments where always called the cra… Source: In defence of the often maligned creative.
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