Hi, I’m Whit, and I’m a comment junkie. I live for comments. Comments are evidence that people are listening. Comments are testimony that you’ve made someone, somewhere think about something enough that they feel compelled to agree or disagree with you. Comments beget more comments. I only post status updates on Facebook when I think they’re funny, thought-provoking, or controversial enough to generate comments. I plan to approach this blog the same way, so for my inaugural submission, I’m taking a shotgun approach to hedge my bets. Here’s a quick snapshot of all the things I thought about using as a subject, condensed to soundbyte-length. My “stream of consciousness” blog, if you will. Let’s see what gets some chatter going out there.
- Rochester is an ad community in dire need of a softball tournament, a battle of the bands, something – anything – to remind us that a community is exactly what we are. Seeing each other at the ADDY show and the occasional RAF social event isn’t enough. We need more. Friendly competition is good. Bragging rights are even better. This really needs to happen. I can put a softball, bowling, badminton, or water polo team together if you can. Okay, water polo might be tough, but you get the idea.
- Too many clients are mistaking social marketing websites for free places to park their logos instead of opportunities to give their brands meaning and bring them to life. From what I can tell, too many agencies nationwide are failing to educate and inspire them to think otherwise. Prove me wrong. Please.
- Any creative who says he or she hasn’t looked through creative annuals for inspiration is either a liar or a fool. Any account, production, PR, or media person who says they’ve never looked through a creative annual is probably telling the truth and is definitely not giving themselves an important tool for success.
- Rochester is without a doubt the most jingle happy community I have ever lived in. Professionally produced jingles don’t bother me; they’re effective as hell. Half-assed TV or radio station-produced jingles do. Got a favorite (or least favorite) jingle?
- Admit it, Fucillo Hyundai ads have made you laugh out loud at least once, even if you hate yourself for doing so. Say what you want – the spots may be stupid, but the guy selling more Hyundais than anyone else in the country is not.
- Local students who are aspiring art directors – get a copywriter to write the ads in your book. Aspiring copywriters – get an art director to art direct your book. All the kids coming out of programs like VCU and Miami Ad School do, and the difference shows.
- TV and the art of doing broadcast are not dead. You just have to go online to see what’s being done.
- iPhones are sweet. iPhone apps are sweet. iPhone apps that do something which is already programmed into my iPhone are stupid. Skype for iPhone? Why wouldn’t I just text you?
- I actually think I like GM’s new tagline, “May the best car win.” Big and bold, just like they want to be. Hope they can live up to it.
- Just noticed that America’s Funniest Videos is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Why is this show still on TV? Haven’t we already seen the funniest videos from America (or anywhere else in the world for that matter) on YouTube?
- There’s a new iPhone knockoff called the “myPhone”. Really? myPhone? That’s the best they could do? Reminds me of Cleo McDowell in “Coming to America”: “They got the Big Mac … I got the Big Mick.”
- There’s some fantastic work getting done in Rochester. Let’s do more.
Comments?
I have been a long time advocate for a Agency Battle of the Bands here in Rochester. I think it has the potential to be a kickoff event in September for the RAF every year. It would be a great way to showcase the talents of the individuals we work side by side with everyday.
Looks like we will have to make that happen in the fall of 2010.
Rochester? Jingle Happy? No Your kidding, I am shocked that you would think that. (read: with sarcasm) But, I will say my three kids know the lyrics and rhythms to all of them. Okay so I do too.
Nice post Whit. I look forward to more.
Fucillo ads are AWFUL. Especially that other weasly guy. I’m always reminded of the third Star Wars movie with Jabba the Hut and that little rat thing that sat next to him and snickered.
But he’s still likely top of mind if you asked someone to name a car dealer in Rochester.
At least he doesn’t have a jingle.
Love the random insightfulness of your blog, Whit. Couldn’t agree with you more about the jingles. They’re the worst and I hate the fact that I can remember most of them. And I think the idea of getting the ad community together more than once a year would be a great thing. 20-Minutes and a Beer was a good start but something like a friendly competitive sporting event would be awesome.
I was beginning to wonder if our wordpress platform actually prevented opinions. Great post. An alternative reaction on GM:
1) may the best car win – thanks GM, but its kind of always been that way, which explains the slide. also, does that mean your giving the federal $ back, since your professing a level playing field and all?
2) in introducing the new GM, they roll out a guy that looks mid 70s with stiff knees? to me, it confirms my worst notions about GM, including the hail mary guarantee (what, no employee discount?). somebody at the agency or GM wants to cozy up to the new boss.
maybe GM ought to take a page out of the Fucillo playbook – buy a car, enter to win a trip on Billy’s private jet. love that guy.
Thought #1 – WOW, I hope you have something left for your next post.
Thought #2 – battle of the bands has to include Karaoke, and I’m in!
ease up jingle bashers! i was just talking to another writer about this very topic. then last night, i learned in the flick ART & COPY that “we’ve only just begin” didn’t just begin as a carpenter hit. it was actually a jingle for a california bank trying to attract younger customers. c’mon guys! nobody doesn’t like a good jingle. i’d like to teach the world to sing a five dollar footlong jingle! the best part of waking up is michael bolton in your jingle. i wish i were an oscar meyer jingle. cuz i am stuck on jingles and jingles stuck on me! we need. more. jingles!
speaking of which, i am definitely in favor of a battle of the bands. may the best jingle win.
p.s. if it’s karaoke jingles, count me in!
I will bet that Paul Williams never wrote anything like, “We’ve on-ly just be-gun. Call 454-20-20″. I think singing phone numbers is a deal breaker for me with jingles. Or maybe it’s just the word, jingle.
Let’s not confuse the jingle with brand music. Coke is not in the same zip code as the Patio Enclosure lady.
Agreed. Fucillo ads are AWFUL. They have gone from huge to downright offensive. Despite being top of mind I would not shop there for a new car.
Great post. Completely agree on several points… especially on the need for more industry events/friendly competition.
Before I moved here, I was about to set up an agency dodgeball league in Boston (and this was before the renaissance of dodgeball thanks to Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn). Anyone up for resurrecting the physicality and mental-scars from junior high? Dodgeball, softball… as long as it ends at a bar.
Love the comments, people. LOVE ‘em! Didn’t expect jingles to be such a hot topic. Glad to see the agreement with regard to an ad community competition of some sort.
Joe – a September kickoff event is a great idea.
Scott – totally agree with you on Billy Fucillo’s smarmy cohort. I heard he’s actually his ad guy from Florida. I also love Billy’s Porsche you can occasionally see in some of the spots.
Matt – Good point about GM’s spotty vehicle history. Guess I’m just glad to see signs of life from the Ren Center. The auto biz is too critical to our economy to let it implode. We have to root for it.
Andrea – There’s always more in the tank. And I like the idea of a Karaoke-off.
Kate – Like I said, well-produced jingles are great and effective. It’s the bad ones from the TV and radio stations which get included as part of a media buy that make me crazy. And we have a lot of bad ones in this market.
John – Great call on the singing phone numbers comment.
Jeremy – never even considered Dodgeball. love it.
Hey now! Skype has it’s use. Like any modern exchange student or person with international friends, I swear by it! Try calling internationally with your normal minutes, and you’ll see the use quickly! Plus maybe some people really need to reach someone through Skype. Don’t knock it, since some of us need it.
just sayin’