I love awards shows. They never fail to inspire and they remind me why I got into this business in the first place – to use the strategies and tactics of advertising for good. Cannes Lions recently released their list of award-winning campaigns, and this year the winning entry for the Grand Prix for Good is Read More...

Last weekend, I finally got around to watching POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold.  It was a mind bender for sure, since the movie itself is a critique about product placement in movies even as the entire documentary is being financed by product placement.

There once was a time when memorable campaigns were built on the backs of big television budgets. The creative idea – big, brilliant and buzzworthy – was rooted in the television script. And even though more and more digital channels have come online over the past 10-15 years, there’s been a tendency in this industry Read More...

To prepare for Earth Day last week, a few of us got together to talk about a revolutionary idea. What if we took all the paper out of all the printers?  What would happen? Mutiny?  Riots?  Chaos?  Probably.  But what about adaptation?  If necessity is the mother of all invention, and we forced ourselves to Read More...

What do you do if you see something happening in the world or in your community that you don’t think is right? Like finding out from the New York Times that the reason the Grand Canyon decided not to go forward with its ban on the sale of disposable bottled water in Grand Canyon National Park was Read More...

Recently, I’ve come across a couple photography websites that have made me realize the simple power of two photographs to tell a story. Dear Photograph.  It’s a powerfully nostalgic concept that captures a picture within a picture, relying on crowdsourced submissions. Back To The Future.  This is a personal project by photographer Irina Werning.  Instead Read More...

In advertising, we talk a lot about branding. In Austin, we talk a lot about BBQ. Since SXSW is just around the corner, let’s explore the brilliant (but deceptively simple) branding of Franklin’s BBQ. Franklin’s BBQ doesn’t take reservations. The full restaurant and long lines are its primary ads. The menu is simple and straightforward. Read More...

Here’s an example of how powerful brand positioning can be. This is what Gold’s Gym has historically been known for.  The logo implies it’s a place for bodybuilders – people so strong that the barbells actually bend under the pressure of all that weight! Now look at today’s campaign: Know Your Own Strength, whose manifesto Read More...

An interesting thing is happening in Raleigh, North Carolina.  A man by the name of Matt Tomasulo has taken it upon himself to create and post directional signs around Raleigh’s downtown area to get people to walk more. I first saw the news story on BBC News a few days ago.  At that time (Tuesday), Read More...

When I tell people I went to TEDx Austin last weekend, the most common thing I get asked is, “ What’s the coolest thing you heard?”  Or, “Who was the best presenter?” It’s a tough question.  It’s a little like going to the Mother’s Day brunch at Fonda San Miguel and then being asked, “What Read More...