Day of Deadlines February 26, 2008

There’s so much going on here today - sites launching, SOWs due, coffee to drink, people to harass, that I’m not sure where to start. I’m always fascinated by other interactive agencies’ sites. Ours is so boring and corporate I want to throw up every time I see it. But this one for Deadline Advertising is so very nice - love the way they incorporated video. I can see why they have an impressive list of film/tv studios on their client list. Take a look.

(via The FWA)

You Too Can Work At Our Shop February 10, 2008

Maybe my standards are too high. This week, I’ll take anyone who’s breathing and not a plagiarist. Some moron sent me his resume last week and it came with a stellar cover letter. I wonder from what book/website he lifted this. Here’s the first sentence:

“Today’s marketing professionals are integral strategists in the profitable resolve of complex entities. If you are in need of a multi-talented coordinator, with a cross-functional background as in advertising, marketing and communications with excellent communication skills…we should talk.”

This guy should be blacklisted from advertising, even if by the slimmest chance he wrote this himself. What a bunch of bullshit. He’ll fit right in.

Love You But You’re Green February 6, 2008

Finally, one “green” mark that everyone can use…seems every corporation under the sun is coming up with their own unrecognizable eco-logos. Instead, The Green Ads offers a new way to look at promoting your client’s desire to contribute to environmental causes…”The GREEN ADS are committed to funding ecological initiatives by donating a portion of each and every dollar spent through GREEN ADS certified advertising to the research and development of Green technology.” Basically like a Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval or JD Powers thing for the environment. Very clever. I already pitched it to 2 of our clients yesterday and they’re chomping at the bit to get involved. Check it out.

Anonymity Is Priceless February 5, 2008

Agency Spy asks why some advertising bloggers are anonymous, including me. Daily Biz pretty much sums it up (although I don’t have a handsome AE on which I have a crush), although I have a couple to add:

• I’d most definitely be fired. Immediately. You can’t really cut and paste internal emails on the internet and have your boss be okay with that.
• Some of my clients may not be cool with me calling them idiots. Some would, but they’re idiots.
• My co-workers would turn against me and make my life miserable. Not much change from the present though.
• And contrary to popular belief, I really like my company. If I were out of the closet, they probably wouldn’t really like me.
• I wouldn’t get to stay at The Viceroy every 3 weeks on the company dime. That’s reason enough.
• Could I wax poetic about interactive agencies without my opinions being associated with my shop? No. Do I wax poetic now? No. But I might.

Interviewing Gone Wrong February 4, 2008

I just interviewed a guy for a project manager position. Asked him a couple of the traditional interview questions along with some interactive knowledge ones. The traditional ones tripped him up.

Me: Tell me some of your strengths.
Candidate: I’m a great project manager and a marketing visionary. I see trends on the horizon and invariably they happen a year or two later. I have a knack for predicting the future of advertising and marketing.
Me: Really. Have you ever thought of opening your own consulting agency…cough…fortune telling business…cough? Starting a site called iseetrends.com?
Candidate: I thought of that already, but I think it would be more trouble than it’s worth.
Me: So what are some of your weaknesses?
Candidate: …………….hmmm…….I can’t think of any.
Me: You don’t have anything on which you want to improve?
Candidate: Not any that come to mind.
Me: Well, it was nice to meet you.

But It’s A Great Place To Work January 19, 2008

I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with me. I’m at the office this morning and so is our managing partner. He seems to be in a pretty good mood. I haven’t had a bonus in a few months, and in my fairly unstructured contract, I get bonuses whenever my team closes a large amount of new business or adds on existing. I closed a multi-million dollar project with an existing client a couple of weeks ago. So I saunter into his office with my cup of coffee and say, “Can we talk for a sec?” Why I think this sentence ever leads to anything good is beyond me. I actually said the same thing to a friend of mine earlier in the day, and that didn’t turn out as well as I thought, either. So obviously it makes total sense to say the same thing to someone else the next day. Here’s how the conversation with my boss went:

Me: So….remember we got that proposal signed after New Years?
Him: Of course. Good job.
Me: Ummm….so….bonus?
Him: I meant to talk to you people about that before Christmas. I think I’m going to restructure the bonus plans.
Me: But that wouldn’t affect this one, would it? That wouldn’t really be fair.
Him: Actually, yes. I’m trying to make our bottom line look as good as possible for the reporting this month. Sorry about that.
Me: You’re an ass.

I did say that last line. Probably not the best idea, but most things I say are not thought about first. Ugh. Luckily, he’s used to me and didn’t blink an eye. Now I need to step up the job search process (meaning actually start looking again). With how goddamn cold it is, I’m thinking one of those hot interactive shops in Brazil.

I Know Whose Ads Are Gonna Get These January 18, 2008

How great is this site by the Design Police? 5 templates like this to download. Too bad there aren’t virtual ones with which you can tag online ads - - I can think of more than a few that deserve “Style Over Content” and “Severe Lack of Creativity”. Love it. I think I might sneak by some of the creatives’ Macs and slap some of these on their screens. Nah. I have no taste. I’m client side.

(via advertising/design goodness)

Someone’s A Little Cranky Today… January 18, 2008

…and it’s not me for once. Email string between our ECD, ACD and our head accountant, Helen, basically regarding an advertising awards ceremony our agency is attending (read from bottom):

From: Will
Sent: Friday, January 18, 2008 10:55 AM
To: Grant; Helen; Alexandra
Subject: Re: We’re Finalists!

I need a form for my mask on a stick?

From: Helen
Sent: Friday, January 18, 2008 10:45 AM
To: Will; Grant; Alexandra
Subject: Re: We’re Finalists!

On 1/18/08 10:45 AM, “Helen” wrote:

Will, Turn in the proper form. You will find it in your mailbox.

Helen
Lead Accountant

From: Will
Sent: Friday, January 18, 2008 8:07 AM
To: Grant; Jennifer; Alexandra
Subject: Re: Addy Finalist News!

I will be making a cut out of my head and putting it on a stick. When a representative party from the agency goes up on stage to accept the Best in Show award, please bring it along. Thanks.

From: Grant
Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 15:46:07
To: Alexandra; Jennifer
Subject: We’re Finalists!

On 1/17/08 6:33 PM, “Grant” wrote:
I will be attending. Will is out of town, unfortunately. Also, we may want to invite some clients to attend from a few of the entries. We can discuss who later. - Grant

Like A Bunch of Monkeys… January 9, 2008

….fucking a football. That’s what I think of certain departments in our agency sometimes. Ask them to do something and it’s a game of Who’s On First for a week.

Me: I need an hours estimate for XXX Beverage Company intranet.
Devs: They didn’t tell us the name of their first born children, so we can’t give you an answer.
Me: We know everything they know. At least give me a ballpark.
Devs: 800 hours.
Me: Seriously.
Devs: Unless we have full visibility into their back end, we can’t make an estimate.
Me: Sorry, not gonna happen.
Devs: We’re sorry too. Now go away. We’re creating a sex simulator for the DS.

Advertising Saves Lives January 9, 2008

And if you don’t believe it, read this article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch about two advertising execs, Brian Gordon from The Martin Agency and Barry Martin from The Idea Center, who saved a woman from a burning house on Monday. So all advertising people are NOT self-centered SOBs. Go figure!

Way Better Than Most Agency Sites January 7, 2008

Sometimes I don’t get why some digital agencies have boring, corporate sites (read: ours). digit london’s site is refreshing. And their work is not half bad either (read: really, really good).

Resolutions: One Week In January 6, 2008

Been pretty good with my resolutions so far. Especially the one which I resolved to never (well..almost never) drunk text. I was getting the feeling my texts were beginning to sound like what I imagine Britney’s do. So one week, no drunk texts. The secret? Leaving my blackberry in my car when I go out. Works like a charm although I have serious withdrawals from it for the first half hour.

This guy obviously did not make the same resolution as me. I used to work with him a few years ago on client side. I was passing by his office 2 weeks ago (my former company is my client, natch), said hello, gave him my card. Late Saturday night I get this Blackberry:

“Just dropping a note to say hello. And we should grab lunch or a bev sometime. Look to see what is outside this place. I is getting a little old. I am in chicago next week so maybe the next week we can work out something. Take care. M”

Nice guy, but I can just see him hunched over his bar stool at Chili’s drunkenly texting me while eating one of those greasy onion thingys. Ewww. I’ll help the guy out though. You know, Chili’s is the new golf course.

On a side note to Chili’s: Maybe you should seriously consider going back to GSD&M. In my opinion, Hill Holiday’s not cutting it just based on the superficial tour I took of your sites. The Honey Chipotle video….not necessary. In fact, scary. You can’t just throw a 30 second commercial into your site and expect that to automatically make it cool and engage customers. But you did - and how’s that working out for you?