http://www.adhole.com The rantings, ravings and shiv-based philosophy of a jaded-yet-bedazzled writer. Also, a vomiting of thoughts on advertising, media, politics, religion, monkeys, pop culture and -- wait for it -- more. Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:40:21 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Since the dawn of marketing communications (and approximately 16 seconds before that term was shortened into the insufferable mash-up "marcomm"), advertising agencies and clients alike have fallen into the same trap over and over and over again. No, not the starburst trap. No, not the underline-important-words trap. No, not the ... http://www.adhole.com/?p=310 We all have to start somewhere. For most people, their ignominious beginnings within the bowels of a corporation, law firm or nail salon are not immediately put on display and then saved in one form or another to be brought back years later at inopportune moments. Like when running for ... http://www.adhole.com/?p=309 Note: This post originally appeared nearly three and a half years ago. Sadly, I think it'll still bear repeating 30 years from now. The call to action must die. And we, fellow ad people, must kill it. How many times have you presented an ad to an account person, creative director or ... http://www.adhole.com/?p=308 The problem with reading an assortment of quality ad blogs (which are also free, making them, wait for it, a value) is that I’m often subjected to hideous advertising that I have either yet to see or would never see in the wild. “The wild” being Plano, Texas. Such was ... http://www.adhole.com/?p=307 According to this Ad Age article, AT&T is set to break a major rebranding campaign today during the opening round of the Masters golf tournament. (Yes, I realize I could be commenting on Nike’s new creeptacular Tiger Woods spot, but I think the 13.459 other ad blogs have it covered.) ... http://www.adhole.com/?p=305 When it comes to righteous (and generally justified) indignation, few things compare to the annual culture clash over the commercialization of Christmas (this column brought to you be the letter C). You’ve heard the pleas for holiday justice. “Jesus is the reason for the season!” “Put Christ back in Christmas.” ... http://www.adhole.com/?p=304 Leo Laporte of TWiT TV interviewed Wieden + Kennedy creative team Craig Allen and Eric Kallman about the production of their already-world-famous Old Spice spot “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” (which I blogged about two posts ago). The use of mostly practical effects makes it all the more ... http://www.adhole.com/?p=303 BBDO has been doing some truly stellar work for FedEx over the last several years. Consistent in tone and tone and message, the work proves that giving a campaign legs doesn’t require annoying schtick like the Aflac duck. Huzzah. Instead, the FedEx spots rely on witty, almost rapid-fire dialogue in ... http://www.adhole.com/?p=302 If Old Spice had ponied up the dough to run this during the Super Bowl two days ago, they wouldn’t have won the Ad Meter – they would have melted it into a gooey pile of shame with its confidence and mawnsomeness (manly awesomeness, duh). Is this guy the black Bruce ... http://www.adhole.com/?p=301 Apparently it’s not enough to just have a killer spot on the Super Bowl. Or even a lame spot. No, in this day and age, you have to build an integrated campaign that spans media channels, demographics and Twitter feeds to create, wait for it, synergy. While not every brand ... http://www.adhole.com/?p=300