I'm done making ads

Or at least in the way that I've come to know/accept them as a consumer. What really struck me lately is that alot of the work that we do, or at least has been posted on the walls of our school, feel as if they're all the same executions, just with different content.

I admit that I was stuck in a rut these past 5 quarters. I was approaching advertising as a math problem, as something has only one solution. I was stuck in the "3 print pieces" land for a long time and really felt restricted by it, by my vocation. Yes, I am a copywriter, but writing without passion makes everything sound like Ben Stein in my head. I wasn't having fun. Balser and Hansen called me out on it and they were right. So to rectify this, I've just slowed down a little and I'm taking more time in the concepting process then just simply tossing together ideas and lines and seeing what shi* sticks. I feel as if I'm getting better ideas, not necessarily more ideas.

Point is, don't just stick to a format. Print pieces don't just have to be singles or spreads. Ambient is more than just bus shelters. If you have an idea that doesn't fit in a predefined category nicely, execute it how you envision it. Then you have something truly innovative.

Back that thing up (2x)

I can not, can not, stress this enough to my fellow creatives. Backup your work. And not just once, but twice. If you can, go for three times.

I know this from personal experience. I have an dual external hard drive enclosure that does RAID. Sparing your the tech details, basically there is a switch in the back that allows me to use both disks at the same time or separately. Well, I was moving files from my small laptop drive to one of the external drives while it was operating in single mode. Note: MOVING THEM. Not copying them like I should have. Well, so happens that one day I bump the switch in the back, freaking out the enclosure and screwing over my data. Quarters 1-4 were gone.

I still have a list of ADs I can contact and have made some effort to get my work back from them, though I'm sure they'll love me for it. I also have some files floating in my email, but it's still quite a hassle.

So to pass on what I've learned from a greater source, back up your work to at least two different places. Send copies to mom and dad, even if they live in Cambodia. You never know when your apartment might catch fire, some thief decides he'd like a new backpack, or in my case, be the victim of your own stupidity.

It's never too late to learn the basics

A tip of my imaginary hat to John Kang, a fellow writer who I worked briefly with on Liftoff Energy. First off, I know that two copywriters working together is not the most appealing circumstance, but he was gracious enough to take the role of art director, as he had more experience with it than I did. There is always the potential of writing styles conflicting if the roles aren't well defined.

Kang brought me back to the basics by making me really ask, "What makes this product unique?" He made me slow down and be more methodical in my thought process, more focused. To move from feature, to benefit of the feature, to benefit of the benefit. And as a result, I feel like I can create more insightful ads.

Class of September 09: Backbiters?

I've come across several people who aren't entirely enthralled with my class. We've been described as arrogant, self serving and cliquish. Do I think it's true? To some extent. I think most of us, myself included, are worried about their own personal careers. Probably so much so that we've built walls against certain relationships. We don't want to share our ideas at the risk of them being stolen or trampled on. We don't want to expose ourselves and get nothing in return. I think it's fear poorly hidden behind tenacity that makes us look cocky.

I love being at the Circus, don't get me wrong. But some days it feels like high school with just older people. I then figure maybe our professional environments might be similar and the only thing to do in both instances is to rise above and expect better out of ourselves individually.

We're all in this alone.

Don't over think it

"Don't over think it" has been the motto that has been drilled into my head and I freely admit that I have this problem. But you know what happens when people tell you not to think something? The harder you try, the more you think about it.

The first week of my 6th quarter has been going swimmingly on the surface, but in the depths is fear and dread. I know that I need a lot of work. No, rephrase that. A ginormous amount of work. My problems are that I lack a unified voice in many of my pieces, I haven't taken a more active part in the art direction of said pieces, and I don't have any long copy ads. I'm fearful that many of the ads I've worked on will be dumped by my initial partner and that I'll have to search for a new one. Granted, that might not be all bad, but I need to know that now before I come to the end of my education here and have to cobble together pieces less than sub-par.

Considering the market, knowing the quality of my work, can you blame me? I need to stop measuring my work compared to those around me. Yes, there are other talented people, but there is enough success to go around.

My kickass sick mail

Thursday I wasn't feeling good when I woke up, but I thought it would pass as the day progressed. It didn't. I tried toughing it out and faltered after the first group presented in the Fantasy Teams class. So I went home and slept. Before I did that, I sent the following email to to my evening class professor.


Subject: Tonight! Tonight! Tonight will be the night...

Body: That I won't be in class. Sorry (professor's name). The biohazard team wouldn't let me leave the building. However, I have sent my goodwill ambassador (my partner's name) to represent me. Her schizophrenia should cover us both nicely for presentation tonight.


I had great fun writing that. Now if only I could get paid for it.

My first Baddies

I have arrived home smelling of smoke and having been butt brushed way too many times by more guys than girls. But still, I couldn't be more pleased. I meet new people and had a great time.

I'm not sure if I've covered this in a previous post, but just so you understand were I'm coming from, I'm slightly agoraphobic, so this was an overwhelming success.

Taking it from the top, this wasn't a right off the bat type move, but a gradual occurrence of events. Previously, I'd been called into Dan's office on concern of my grades. I'm not flailing around and about to drown mind you, but last quarter was less then stellar. We talked and he said, "You have to get over the fear of the wood chipper." He also mentioned that I had a formulaic writing style. That I was attacking advertising as a math problem. "In advertising, the is no one answer. There are multiple answers." He was right.

My buddy, Chris H, has been telling me for the past couple of quarters that I "needed to loosen up." My partner Jes succinctly said that I "had a stick of half lit dynamite up (my) ass." And tonight Shana said, "Sometimes it feels like you're trying too hard." They're all right.

But that's why I went tonight. Sure, I don't drink or smoke, but I had an awesome time meeting new people and hanging out with old friends. I even got into the spirit of the baddies by writing some horrible ads. One for sticky title floors and the other for an alternative use for Smuckers. I don't know if anyone read them, but if they did, I hope they got a good chuckle.

Shana, a personal thanks to you. Without knowing that I had at least one view from someone other than myself, I would have probably dumped this whole blog. We all need a creative outlet other than our work and this is one of mine.

Personal note: Alot of people came up to me and asked if I drank. The answer is no. Yeah, my religion says stuff against drinking, but it's not a rule, just a health guideline. But that's not the reason. I have an addictive personality, so I don't want to risk it. Plus, I've seen how stupid people get on the stuff. I'm not saying that you shouldn't do it or that I'll think any differently of you if you do, I'm just saying it's not for me.