This mesmerizing ad speaks for itself

I meant to publish this shout-out a few years back and found it in my drafts. It is worth posting for the world to see.

There is so much right in this ad. Oh lawdy, I'm mesmerized. 

I still use this ad as an example for great advertising. It’s called “Deng Thiak Adut Unlimited” for Western University in Australia.

Storytelling at its finest. No touting university-this, university-that.  I’ll leave it at that. Have a watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lfeX8h4vSo (It should pull up if you click the link, even though it appears unavailable below.)

Your next great career move is just 3 Ps away

As featured on MediaPost.com

We all know rock stars at their craft who are looking for jobs. A few of my own career friends come to mind. I’m confident they’ll soon find a new home at a company lucky enough to have them. 

But that’s easy to say when it’s not you.     

Inevitably, at some point, despite best efforts to stay positive, one experiences frustration—whether from having to say goodbye to a current job or during the search for a new job. But I believe you can embrace any situation, even this kind, and decide whether it’ll rock you—or reignite you. I’ve been in this situation before, and I can confidently say it ultimately reignited me and led me down a better path. If you’re willing to trust yourself and your destiny, this can happen for you too. In the meantime, there are a few things I’ve learned while looking for the next great opportunity: Stay patient, productive, and positive. 

Patient: Good things come to those who wait—and work for it.  

You can do all the right things to get hired and it still feels like you’re running full-speed into a wall. For go-getters like me, this is not an easy concept to accept. At some point, you start to realize it’s not just up to you. From what I’ve seen (now having been on the hiring side too), hiring decisions are never black and white. They’re oftentimes influenced by factors you have no insight into. In other words, just focus on doing your best. You could have a killer interview but the company still goes in another direction. Don’t take it personally if they don’t extend the offer. Keep interviewing, keep networking, and trust in your skills and strengths. At the right time, the right offer will come your way.  

Productive: An open mind opens doors. 

Before I found a home at my current agency, I did something I never thought I’d do. I went client side. Since I wasn’t sure when I’d have a new agency gig, I decided to try something new instead of risking boredom. I took an interim role managing the digital content and social channels for a university. Turns out, they loved that I had agency experience and gave me full permission to take risks and take their content to new levels of engagement. To be honest, I loved this job more than I anticipated. I delivered value to them while expanding my skill set at the same time. A win-win that ultimately led to a full-time offer and resume-building stories to be proud of. I decided to return to agency life, but still use my experience from that time to help me do my job better today. 

Positive: Don’t sell yourself short. 

I believe we all have something valuable to offer. But you have to believe it yourself. Once when I attended a required resume-building course, the defeat I witnessed from the group was eye-opening. Most of these people were twice my age with many years of experience. And yet, they felt they had nothing valuable to put in their resume, or from what I observed, their resume was selling their experience short.  

It doesn’t matter at your last job whether you were entry level or the CEO. With every job, you were entrusted with a role. A role that helps the company run. What matters during this season of job hunting is how you communicate the duties of that role. How did you demonstrate leadership or initiative? How did you solve problems? How did you contribute to the company culture? What did you do to ensure success with customers and clients? 

Take this temporary time to refresh your resume, personal website, business card, etc. Spend time crafting your story. Highlight the value you deliver and what you’ve helped companies achieve. Then, ask for feedback about it from other career-minded people. After reading your application materials, would they feel compelled to interview you, or skip you? 

With these three things in mind, you can positively direct the unknowns of job hunting to shape who you are and where you’re headed. So, keep your head up and embrace the adventure. Destiny will often surprise you with a career blessing you never expected.

Overcoming mediocrity [A parable involving skillet lasagna]

Feast your eyes on this mouthwatering skillet of goodness below, created by yours truly.

Not only does this lasagna look delicious, it tastes incredible. And I'm really proud of it because it represents a recent mastery over culinary woes.

Last weekend, I made it my mission to find the ultimate lasagna recipe. Having made another lasagna recently that ended up dry and flavorless, I said, there has to be a better way! While researching, I came across lasagna that can be made in a skillet. I took the base recipe, added my own adjustments and out came what will now be a staple recipe for our family.

Lessons learned:

• If you fail, try, try again. But maybe try a different recipe next time? If you've tried a recipe more than twice and it still isn't giving you the results you want, it might not be the recipe for you. There are endless amounts of recipes online that can give you the flavor, texture, and commitment criteria you're looking for. I didn't cook lasagna often enough to realize that it wasn't my cooking that was the problem, it was the recipe. 
• Go above and beyond where it counts. No doubt, cooking is time consuming. I'm always looking for the easiest option. Although, this one-pan skillet lasagna is fairly easy to make, I did decide to put in some extra care where it counts.
  • Load this baby up with fresh parmesan: For the first time ever, I grated fresh parmesan cheese to add to the mozzarella. Well, folks, I can tell you I'm never buying pre-grated parmesan ever again. The results of fresh added a complex, indulgent taste that I don't ever want to leave out of my lasagna ever again. And it only took a few extra minutes of time.
  • Go organic with the sauce: Besides the health benefits, it's thicker, tangier, and doesn't disappear or get watery when you cook it. I used to have major problems with the sauce doing just that.
  • Get an oven-safe fryer: I went out and bought one specifically for this recipe. Once you're done cooking the ingredients together on the stove, broil it in the oven for 3 minutes and your cheeses will melt and brown to absolute perfection. Game changer.

Just like cooking, not settling for mediocrity in business takes time, flexibility, passion and wisdom. 

• You have to want to find a newer, better, fresher solution.
• You have to put in the time and exercise the flexibility to think differently and uniquely to find a better solution.
• You have to have the instinct to know where to spend your time, energy, and extra effort.

The results will be worthwhile and delicious.

[Amazing] Lessons Await in Thailand

I'm lucky enough to have been able to travel quite a bit in the last few years. I've caught the travel bug with no plans of stopping.

Here's my husband and my two friends in the airport about to head to Thailand.

However, you must know, I wasn't always a world traveler. In fact, for half of my life, I was terrified of planes, and crashing in them. I'm thankful my dad decided to take my sister and I to New York in high school. At that time I was reluctant to fly but I think about how pivotal that decision was. If I hadn't taken that first step to overcome my fear, I would've missed out on a ton of incredible experiences thenceforth.

The funny thing about traveling is that is also reminds you just how much you're probably missing out on. The more you see, the more you realize you haven't seen. And then you decide you have to see all of it.

While we were in Thailand, we explored temples galore, but we also decided to find a church to see what one would be like. I took a picture of their sermon in a sentence. I think it's very fitting, wouldn't you say? 

So, without further ado, here are a few simple lessons that traveling will remind you of.

1. Sometimes, reality is what you make it.

Did I mention I'm still mildly terrified of planes? And traveling by ocean? Twice I got nervous on this trip. And it was all while commuting. This picture shows the boat that we took from one island to another before it started pounding rain. With waves crashing onto the deck periodically, I thought there was a 30% chance we might not make it. But I'd look at my friends who seemed fully engaged in their Netflix watching and thought, wow, they're being so strong. Same thing happened during some considerable turbulence on our way back to the states. While it took every ounce of my mental strength to not freak out, the rest of them were sleeping. To my surprise, both times, I was legitimately shocked to find out they weren't just being strong. They were not phased in the least. They did not feel they were in danger. This is comforting to me for next time or any time I think life or a certain situation is headed in one certain direction, a simple mind shift or chat with a friend with a different perspective can change everything.

2. The grass, er, water is greener on the other side.

There is beauty in going outside of your comfort zone. It almost always leads to something amazing. There is always something (many things) to appreciate when you visit new places and try new things. This picture is an incredible example. And that water in the Koh Phi Phi islands is that green. #NoFilter

3. Talk to strangers — We're all adults here.

When you were 4, sure, there was good reason not to. But now that we're adults, I believe strangers have a lot they can show us. If you're talking to a stranger, that most likely means you're engaging with someone who's probably different than you. That means you're going to get a different perspective. You'll learn to appreciate them for their differences. And often, you'll realize they're not really that different at all.

This picture represents one of the most moving parts of my trip. We motor biked off the beaten path and came across the entrance to some temples up on a hill. We decided to check it out. Though we thought it was an abandoned area, 20 minutes into exploring, a monk appeared and eagerly asked us if he could show us around. He was the sweetest. I was beyond thrilled that we could get to know a monk personally. We had visited a bunch of touristy temples without getting to actually meet any of the men in orange. Anyway, I was just overwhelmed with joy by his kindness. It was a pleasure to meet him.

4. Get cozy with the elephant in the room

Playing with elephants is the coolest. We also cozied up to tigers. Which, for most, seems initially intimidating. I personally wasn't scared, but it does mess with your mind. I'm hanging out with tigers. Bathing in waterfalls with elephants. No big deal. Throughout life, we are told to avoid certain people, certain situations, certain objects for that matter...sharp scissors, anyone? You know, sharp scissors help me cut with precision. And giant, powerful animals are now my pals. So, maybe it’s actually more harmful to blow out of proportion what you’re up against.….just sayin’.

5. It's a big-small world after all.

I'm continually being reminded of this. These photos are of people we met at the church we visited. I love how we felt an instant connection to these people and this place in a country across the world. We showed up to the church right from a shuttle bus and the pastors so generously offered to take us to breakfast even though church would soon start. They drove us there themselves. And then I took a picture with the worship team because I also sing on a worship band. I thought it was so neat that in this teeny little church, they were singing the exact same songs we'd choose to sing at our edgy, metropolis church. Instant connection.

6. The road less traveled has stunning views

We motor biked a lot. Just did our own thing. Rode where we wanted to ride. And that led us to the top of the temple pictured earlier where we met the kind monk. Because he eagerly offered to show us around, he told us that we were standing on ground and saw a view that only one other group of Americans has ever seen (at least in the past 20 years he’s lived there). Ahh!!! Amazingness. Touristy stuff is fun. But discovering your own treasures is even better.

I hope for anyone reading this that you'll go out and travel. Whether it's a small town a few hours away or a city across the world. They all have something to offer. Traveling is one of the most rewarding things I've come to be a fan of.

Also, if anyone needs the perfect itinerary for Thailand, you know where to find one!

Learning from mithun

I remember getting the call from Campbell-Mithun like it was yesterday. I was in my off-campus apartment with a friend and when I told him to hush, he knew it was the call I had wanted so badly.

          You’d like to offer me the position? 

          A full-time salary?

          Amazing benefits?

          I get to work for a top Minneapolis agency AND a fortune-500 company?

When’s the part where I wake up from this dream?

I was stoked. This was and is the college grad’s dream.

I immediately gained deep, well-rounded experience. I worked on a variety of brands in both digital and traditional advertising. I had the honor of presenting my own work and inspiring my clients with outside-the-box thinking. I was lucky enough to have had a few encouraging mentors. I thrived in the responsibility I was given.

Then, a year flew by. Already, I was deep inside the rollercoaster ride of advertising while many of my classmates were still looking for a job—any job, at this point. I was constantly reminded how lucky I was.

All that to say, mithun has a special place in my heart. 

Because of that, it’s hard for me to see mithun go the way it did.

Although, I can’t say I’m shocked. Even with a re-brand and efforts to revitalize the agency, it never quite felt like everyone was on the same page.

I believe that successful agencies are united in vision; thoughtful creativity wins. We are hired not to give our clients what they want, we are hired to give our clients what they need. That is what I’ve always tried to do. There is nothing more heartbreaking than having to walk away from an incredible idea because someone was scared—whether a client or a team member. 

I’ve witnessed fear, time and time again, to be the greatest hindrance to success. It’s a lesson with real consequences that I’ll never take lightly. Whether in agency life or in our personal lives, we must never be afraid to challenge our comfort levels, to dream bigger, to exude passion, to have compelling reasons for what you’re doing. Once in a while, we’ll fail to be brave, I know I have. But it’s our job to brave. You look a challenge straight in the face and you dance with it. You humble yourself and ask if you/we can do better. 

Early on I realized, without passion for creativity, great ideas won’t see the light of day.

That’s basically the point of some of the negative comments I’ve seen surface the internet lately about mithun. Therefore, I feel compelled to get this off my chest: I hear you. I know I’m not the only one who wanted more for mithun or for themselves, but it’s true that everyone must share the same passion and goals or it just won't happen.

Mithun is no more. But the daily lessons (both victorious and tough) are still very much alive in me. Ray Mithun’s philosophy, “Everything talks” is just as true now (if not more) than when he first said it. I think it’s worth holding onto.

I think anyone who wants to be in the cut-throat world of creative marketing should ask themselves every so often: What am I in this for? Do my actions reflect it? What am I waiting for? 

I tend to agree fortune favors the passionate, bold and brave.

Tiny Dancers and Insurance: Why the Heck Not?!

I just ADORE this ad for John Lewis Home Insurance created by London agency adam&eveDDB. Why? Well, let me count the ways.

Photo credit: John Lewis/YouTube

1. Music selection. SO powerful. Tiny Dancer is one of those songs you can't help but get all warm and nostalgic about. It's especially a great choice for the age of the people they are targeting. The right song choice can be everything. Make or break. It should be selected to enhance the commercial and they nailed it.

2. Beautiful simplicity. I'm not talking about all the careful, detailed, incredible work that went into this ad and calling it simple. Not at all. It took really smart, thoughtful people to put this thing together. But the outcome is just so beautiful and easy to watch. You are swept away with her earnest, yet accident-prone dancing. You smirk a little with the bits of subtle humor throughout. And then you realize it's for an insurance company and you're like, "what the what?!". NICE! The commercial ends on, "If it matters to you, it matters to us." Perfect. Well done. I'm totally on board. When I'm a parent, it'd be nice to let my daughter do her thing without worrying about my new vase shattering on the floor. 

I got the message loud and clear, yet there was only one written message in the whole ad. That end line, "If it matters to you, it matters to us." The whole ad was created to tell one story. One selling point. One benefit. Simplifying your message oftentimes allows for a much more quality, compelling ad. It leaves room for you to get creative with it instead of worrying about the 50 things you want to cram in one ad. 

3. It's relatable. I WAS that girl. Dancing in my room. Dancing and singing in front of the mirror. Rocking out in my car. Moving furniture around to choreograph full-on dances in the living room. And I know I'm not the only one.  We've been that girl, know that girl, or are parenting that girl. And you can imagine many similar scenarios, whether girl or boy, of kids being kids. Rough-housing. Playing. The last thing you want to do is spoil their fun because you are worried about the houseplants. I enjoy interior designing and like things to look nice but I don't believe in houses acting like museums. They are meant to be lived in, where memories are made. 

The first time an insurance company ad ever caught my eye was Progressive's Mayhem commercials. Normally, insurance ads aren't something you're going to watch 20 times in a row. But this ad, I did do so. I will continue to do so. Rock on, adam&eveDBB for your amazing work and for selling this concept through. Rock on, John Lewis for taking a chance and letting the ad agency do what they do best—make your brand memorable. I won't be able to forget you, all the way from here in the United States.

Folks, if you haven't seen the ad, watch it here. I dare you to try not to fall in love with it!

Taco Bell Takes a Giant Chalupa on McDonald's. Again.

Every year, there's usually one or two commercials I go bananas over.  I watch them over and over — for FUN.

Taco Bell's new ad, "Routine Republic" by Deutsch makes me get SOOOOO NERDY. You guys, I have a CRUSH on this ad. Taco Bell is so clever at sizing up its competition, you can't help but love them for it. This time it's very Hunger Games/1984.

The ad opens in a dreary looking apartment with a shoddy TV playing eery McDonald's propaganda. 

"It's another PERFECT morning in the Routine Republic.

Where happiness is eating the SAME breakfast."

As the story continues to unfold and lifeless-looking people line up for cold, colorless burgers, you get the feeling that no one in this sad little world is actually happy, like the ad claims.

Older viewers will associate the general storyline with George Orwell's totalitarian 1984 world and the famous Apple commercial that followed. Younger viewers who love The Hunger Games series will immediately pick up on similar themes and artistic cues. And will love Taco Bell for it. Way to recycle an old-as-time theme and refresh it in a relevant way with current pop culture, Deutsch. Brilliantly done.

They were dead-on with everything. The setting, costuming, talent-picking etc., including the power of music and language. A perfectly pleasant, robotic voiceover shares her repetitive propaganda over sickeningly cheery patriotic band music. Until finally the characters break free and the ever-catchy "Hey Ho Let's Go" tag by the Ramones kicks in. It totally changes the mood. It's awesome. And you can't get either one out of your head.  

Oh, and will you all laugh out loud with me as the two main characters jump into the McDonald's Play Land ball pit before they escape the land of Same-Same-Same With A Smile? Their attention to McDonald's detail makes me want to stand up and cheer. The nod to clowns. The Play Land slide. The tinkering with an old Happy Meal toy. Little pot shots like these are glorious. 

Poking fun at McDonald's isn't a first for Taco Bell. I loved their first set of breakfast ads that outted all of the Ronald McDonalds in the land for preferring Taco Bell breakfast. Because they had such a major contender to compete with, they knew they had to do it big. But this new campaign takes the cake. 

This commercial is SO good, I kind of feel bad for McDonald's. They've seen better days and then Taco Bell takes a giant chalupa on them. Again. 

If I Could Sum You Up...

Our company is craving some humanality on our website.. humanality? I think I just made that up. Anyway, some of my co-workers are on the short list for continuing to avoid talking themselves up, much less writing anything at all.

Naturally, they come to me. "Kali, can you write my bio?"

They are joking. But sort of serious. I wiggle my eyebrows and silently accept the challenge. See, they see this assignment as jury duty. I see it as a whole bunch of fun. They're thinking too hard about it. I'm merely scratching the surface. The great thing about working for an advertising agency is that you don't need to drag on about your boring list of achievements. You can be as random as possible.

Just a few minutes later, they all got emails:

Jeff— Awkward cravings for bananas and coke. Constantly run around the office.

Scott— Wear plaid shirts like it's my job. The rest of the time I do UX.

Nicky (If you knew her, you know she references "THE GIRLS", which can be confusing, because for some reason I often hear that phrase as a reference to... ya know, something else.)— "I like hanging out with The Girls. Uh, my two dogs. Not the other thing you’re thinking." We didn't send that one. But it gave us a laugh. I also liked, "I make it happen. No really, I'm in production." But we went with, "Coder. Developer. Designer. Basically, superwoman." Because she is.

Oh, and here's mine if you were curious: Kali— Give me chocolate and something fun to write.

They all started laughing and said "Done. Send." These wonderfully unique, complicated human beings enjoyed being reduced to a light-hearted sentence or two. Thank you Twitter.

Netflix Makes You Friends

(If you want the short and sweet Buzzfeed version I wrote, you'll wanna see this.)

“The lack of chemistry between couples can be overcome as long as everyone happens to love House of Cards.”

YES, Neftlix, YES. So much truth.

                                    Chirp. Chirp. Screenshot from the commercial.

I may or may not know from personal experience that Netflixing does in fact speed up bonding with couples. After you get into the initial, “What’s new with you” interview, what do you talk about next?  Well, you casually mention that you and the hubs binged on Netflix this weekend and it was the best, most unproductive thing to happen to you in a while.

“Oh really, what did you watch?” they ask, which is almost always followed by a, “We love Netflix too!” You tell them you can’t stop watching House of Cards. Totally addictive. Totally awful lives these characters are leading but you just. can’t. turn. away. You also thank God you don’t personally know anyone like them. Their eyes grow wider. “You like House of Cards too?” one of them pipes up. Now you’re all smiling. You know what comes next. Dessert will be served in front of the TV.

In the instance that your guests aren’t hooked on Netflix, it’s your job to help them see the light. So you go on about how House of Cards is full of brilliant writing and acting and it’s actually a Netflix original. Kevin Spacey is the lead character. So credible. You know what comes next. Dessert in front of the TV.

By the end of the evening, you feel like better friends. And this, my friends, is why I say Netflix will help your life. But since this is an advertising blog, I’m mostly here to assert that this is why you need GOOD copywriters to write the commercials we watch. Because, if we’re going to be bombarded with them, can’t they please be interesting to our personal lives?

Watch the whole thing. Really, you’ll love it. I don’t know the copywriter. (But I wish I did, because I’d love to tell him or her that he or she is awesome.) I also don’t know who thought up the idea for the commercial. But I DO know that good copywriters know how to take a general idea and put a unique spin on it that only copywriters can do. The art direction is also great, it adds to the humor, however, the words came first. So there.

“Can one man’s life be forever altered by plunging into the depths of a personal Netflix recommendation?”

“Yes it can.”

I love how it was worded like a philosophical question, with dramatic word choices like “forever”, “altered”, “plunging” and “depths”. I can very much speak to the plunging. Once you’re hooked, you sink real deep, real fast. I got my husband hooked on The Office after it ended and we got through all nine seasons of The Office in a pretty marginal amount of time that doesn’t need to be mentioned. And you know what? It bonded us “forever” (there’s that word) in a new way. The Office was a world my Bobby knew nothing about and it pained me for him to not know such humor. To have no one that was my husband to share it with. Now we can randomly spit out Office quotes at each other. I am no longer faced with a blank stare when I burst out, “You want a kooky-cookie!? Try my kooky-cookie!” Bob likes it when I do the “I’m Prison Mike!” impression. And lately, he’s been saying, “Conference Room. 5 minutes!” at the most random of times. I swear, until this Netflix binging, we were less-than-complete.

So there. Wieden + Kennedy, you’ve done it again. You’ve spoken right to me. You had/have my attention (which is why I’m writing this really long thing). And it solidifies my Netflix fandom.

Ironically, I’m finishing up a three-week Netflix fast (an obstaining) with Bobby. Because, once again as I said, I also know that Netflix is entertainment and a catalyst for connection. However it is not everything, because that would be sad. Variety is the spice of life. Read a book. Listen to a podcast. Go to a museum. Go on a date. Volunteer. And, yes, occasionally go ahead and binge on Netflix. It's just one more thing to talk about.

Your average consumer isn't stupid

I've said it before, I'll say it again. Your average consumer isn't stupid.

Tired? Busy? Probably. Either that, or they're bored. 

Same reason you tune out ads. Besides your own, of course. 

Think about the last time you encountered a gabber. You checked out 10 minutes ago but he/she drags on... and on, showing no signs of retreat. Your eyes glaze over and you nod just to appear alert. 

I have been in the business long enough (it’s been a very eye-opening few years, haha) to realize we do a lot of unnecessary talking in ads. Eventually, people start plugging their ears.

When we try too hard to sell, we do the exact opposite. What we are really saying is that we can’t come up with a creative way to communicate a message that gets our target excited about the brand. We’re also saying we think our target is incompetent of drawing conclusions from a simple, well-done ad and that we have to spell out the obvious to them.

Ad language shouldn’t sound like it’s coming straight from a marketing brief. There is a difference between showing and telling. Your best friend can tell you that despite the fact that you’re on a budget, you need to check out a new store full of expensive clothes. However, for most people, it will go in one ear and swiftly out the other. Instead, she could show up looking stunning for your girls night out. The twinge of jealousy you’ll feel when eager males shower her with attention will leave a lasting impression. You know where you’re headed the next time you need an outfit.

We respond to ads (and people, places and things) that move us. 

To put it simply, we should be compelling, instead of selling. 

YES to Storytelling

So here’s my new obsession. The newer Kohl’s ads produced by local MPLS agency Peterson Milla Hooks really make me smile. It’s what it should be. It’s storytelling. Showing, not telling. When “The Surprise” aired last holiday, my first reaction was “Awwww!!!!!” and I quickly proceeded to show my co-workers. Watching it again, I thought, “Someone get me a granny, I want to make her day!”. Continuing to ponder, I thought, well that was risky, Kohl’s. No copy trying to sell product. In fact, there’s no copy at all. It wasn't necessary. Tacking on salesy writing doesn't work with this kind of spot. Does marketing-y writing in general move people? Especially Millennials? No. Research already shows we like the emotional stuff. (I'm seeing more and more of it.) And we like causes. The ad has both.

Now, school is back in session and so is Kohl’s with a new ad “First Day Journey,” which aligns with their “YES” campaign. Once again, bravo. It is an adorable 30-second journey of a 6-year-old’s first time navigating the big, unnerving school bus — right at eyelevel. I don’t need kids for this to hit close to home, though let it be known a mom friend of mine was the first to point out this ad. All I have to do is think back to my own first day of school. How exciting and nervewracking it was, all at the same time.

In the ad, girl steps onto a bus full of kiddie chaos and the copy reads, “Yes to the first-day outfit.” It’s a jungle in there. Confidence is key on the school bus. A good outfit helps. (That line, by the way, is the only very subtle mention of product.) The last line of copy reads, “Yes to a new friend.” Every mom prays for that. Every kid yearns for that. School sucks without friends, am I right? What helps? I remember feeling much more set for school knowing I had a cute outfit to wear. For some reason, it’s a big day with big fashion expectations. 

PMH gets it. The result? A Kohl’s that understands you. A memorable ad that beckons you — except you forget it’s an ad because it’s so beautifully done. Somehow you wind up at Kohl’s for back-to-school shopping. Coincidence? I think not.

Have you seen the back-to-school ad? What do you think?

Moving isn't fun for blogs either

My website has been updated and therefore the blog had to move. It seems like I have a whole lot to say on Dec. 5, when really they all have to appear with that same publish date because I moved them all on that day. Everything you see below has been written sometime during 2013. Alright, happy reading. 

My saltine crackers have been sexified

(1-21-13)

My thoughts on Target's "Everyday Collection" campaign, by Minneapolis agency mono. 

First, check out their new commercial. I love this copy excerpt from the Sunday ad:

Headline: Master Your Domain.

Body: Control is yours for the taking. On each tongue, a daily multivitamin. In each bathroom, a fresh roll. On each hand, a new latex glove. It's your abode. Be anything but humble.

I can't remember the last time doing laundry was sexy. Nor do I recall sporting stilettos as optimal around-the-house wear, especially while cleaning. My saltine crackers have been sexified and I'm infatuated with the concept. All this craziness is brought to you by Target.

Target's "Everyday Collection" has taken bold strides where no retailer (that i can think of) has gone before. Minneapolis advertising agency mono won this work recently and they've done a fantastic job.  The concept is brilliant, the art direction is clever and the copy is delicious. It's thrilling to see how a fresh eye can introduce a well-established brand into exciting new places (without compromising what that brand already is).

Some will disagree with me (including some mothers), but I think this campaign works. I was delighted to see something different in my Sunday mailer. 

Sure, it's larger than life. Yes, it's not necessarily a valid reflection of cleaning the bathroom. But, this campaign isn't about practicality. It's a celebration. On purpose. It transforms lackluster to-do lists and weekly routine into a glamorous spectacle.

Why didn't anyone think of this sooner? We skate through so many tasks that we have to do in order to get to the good stuff. The stuff we want to do. Or maybe, in your case, it's escaping into a few minutes of uninterrupted solitude. Many of us say, If only I had time to do this or that, I'd be so much happier. 

I hear it gets harder once you enter parenthood. See, I want to be a mom someday, but I'm not necessarily thrilled about parts of it, nor do I love the associated stereotypes. The career you poured x-amount of money and energy into dwindles. Your hair that once turned heads is now a functional bob. Your time is no longer yours. It's spent at PTA meetings. Scrubbing stains off clothes. Packing lunches. It's all stuff that sounds seemingly... mundane. 

It had me thinking. It sure would be nice if we could all just enjoy where we're at, even the less interesting parts, if we have to do it anyway. 

Say for instance, if I'm baking a cake, why (shot in the dark here) can't my Pillsbury cake mix erupt with a fantastic explosion of neon dust? Oh wait, it can. Target showed me this on TV. The commercial whispers, "dominate the PTA bake sale" with baking mixes so good, they're strut-worthy. I want in on this party!

The "Everyday Collection" not only stole my attention, it demanded it. I'm not a mother yet, but I found myself daydreaming about it, taking the Target aisles by storm with a purpose, shouting "I'm a woman mother, hear me roar!" 

 Target captures the "everyday" life of motherhood in a really kick ass way. Ask a mother if she has the best job in the world and she'll usually respond, yes. She knows it's the best kind of responsibility. Sometimes she might just need to be reminded. Much like any job we love, there's never a perfect day, and there's bound to be at least one aspect we aren't crazy about. Me? I'm doing exactly what I've dreamed of doing. Advertising copywriting. But that doesn't mean it doesn't come with its hiccups. It's never going to be an ideal job. Just one I love enough to look past the not-so-sunny parts.  

 A mother's ninja skills and dedication to her loved ones are often taken for granted. She selflessly gives of herself to bless her children with better, putting her loved ones needs before her own. She might not feel as "sexy” as she used to. But that’s according to the stereotypes the world deems "sexy".

 Some might see the ads as ridiculous fashion shows that are in no way equal to representing motherhood. I see it as a metaphor for the American mother, glorifying her for what she already does well (or wants to do) in a way that most people respond to when they think “sexy” — displayed for the masses by an extremely influential brand. In these ads, mothers are portrayed larger than life. They are Fierce, Bold and Savvy. How empowering to know someone is on their side. 

 I close with this, hopefully at one time or another we have felt on top of the world. Many times this is a result of doing something really well. I imagine, mothers find great satisfaction in learning to blossom in that calling. It’s not just advancing the corporate ladder or finding a man worthy of her left ring finger that gives her that confident, sexy glow. It’s the deeper calling of motherhood, and the talent she finds within herself to successfully raise her very own, that ought to make any woman feel, well, sexy.

Kiss your grades (and money) good-bye

4-30-13

Attention aspiring ad stars, marketers and PR wannabes:

Summer’s almost here. What are your plans? May I suggest reading this recent article I came across, 5 Reasons Why Your Education Didn’t Land You the Job. Does that change anything for you? Landing a copywriting job with a top Minneapolis agency the week I packed my college stuff into boxes was a dream come true, but it’s not the norm.

You want that dream job? You’ve got to fight for it. You’re kidding yourself if you think your degree alone will get you a foot in the door. A degree doesn’t tell us how qualified you are for the job. It tells us you took some classes, which anyone who forks over the money can do. Though college is great, and I certainly learned a lot, it pales in comparison to the experience you'll gain beyond the classroom.

 If a few less As and a little less money is what you must sacrifice to land yourself a job upon graduation, by all means, DO IT.* 

 This means doing beyond what is required of you. It’s anything and everything you can get your hands on that isn’t a test or paper.  In the real world, a test isn’t a sheet of paper with multiple-choice questions. It’s selling your line of copy in 30 seconds without breaking into hives. It’s designing an experience that makes your client do happy dances. It’s coming up with an idea the PR world hasn’t seen before. It’s strategizing a marketing idea that brings in real money.

 If you have the opportunity to intern (or volunteer or do free work), do it. Just do it. Here’s why experience matters:

 Narrow in your passions

What is it that makes you excited about this line of work? You may know already. Finding an internship will also tell you. A wide variety of beyond-school experiences showed me what exactly I like to do and what I don’t. For example, I learned the value of writing press releases, but I realized I’d rather write ads. Use this time to discover where you want to go, otherwise someone who wants it more will snatch your jobs away. You’ll also (hopefully) get a realistic sense of what you’re good at. Don’t tell an interviewer you’d make a great account person, a great designer, and oh, you want to write. Sure, it’s valuable to have experiences (and skill) in different areas, but they want to know where your passion is and where you can really contribute.

 Show your stuff

They’ll want to see what you can do. It’s one thing to say you want to write headlines, but are you good at it? They won’t know until they see some. Having some sort of portfolio (of writing samples, marketing plans, designs etc.) is an expected way to showcase your talent. If it's too late to find an internship, volunteer your services somewhere or create a made-up campaign (or whatever is needed) so you can begin showing what you can do.

 Show you care

By building your list of experiences pre-graduation, it shows you’re passionately excited about this stuff. Excited enough to skip a weekend of partying or a paycheck. It shows you understand it’s a dog-eat-dog world out there and you’re going to do what you can to separate yourself from the crowd.

 So there you have it. Showing what you can do is essential (for interviewers). Learning what you can do is invaluable (for yourself). I hope you're not overwhelmed, but empowered to hustle! A full resume will get you a career, in which you can pay off your bills, start a living (beyond your parents' basement) and put those smarts to use!

*side notes

On grades: *Coming from someone who took serious pride in racking up As, to my dismay, I found out it doesn't matter a whole lot in the end if that's all you have going for you. (By no means am I telling you not to work hard in school. I'm saying you don't need to stress if you end up with a less-than-flawless GPA when you have aquired real world experience along the way.)

On money: *Even if you’re paying for school yourself (which I’ve been doing too), don’t let it be a hindrance to finding real world experience in the actual industry you want to be a part of. It’s a short-term sacrifice for long-term success :) 

Are we in the cloud yet?! Why Best Buy's Superbowl ad rocks

(2-6-13)

Unfortunately, I missed its debut during the Super Bowl. (Must’ve been upstairs indulging in cheese dip.) Days later I discovered Colorado agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky's Best Buy spot "Asking Amy (Extended Version)," featuring the hilarious Amy Poehler, while revisiting the ads on Adweek. (Taco Bell’s "Viva Young," Dorito’s "Fashionista Dad," and Volkswagen Beetle’s "Get Happy" are some of my other funny-favorites.)

The reason I like "Asking Amy" is because it’s not only humorous, it solves a problem. It doesn’t just sell product, it sells expertise — in an entertaining way.

I imagine many of the technology questions written into the script were inspired by real customers (minus the added bits of humor). I never knew what a dongle was until I began working at a place that used them. (Fun fact: My co-workers and I find it humorous to work the word into any conversation because, well, it's awkward.)

Amy’s character allows us to make fun of ourselves and the dumb questions we’ve asked (or were afraid to ask). It’s not that I've felt intimidated by the Blue Shirts. More than anything it’s my own pride that might hold me back from asking a question. Well, those days are over. Now I feel liberated to ask whatever dumb questions I want. They freaking encourage it! Maybe they’ll even think I’m funny if I try to do an Amy Poehler impression, screaming at the top of my lungs, “Are these noise-cancelling?!”

If Best Buy is targeting Mom, they’ve got this commercial spot on. You know darn well her kids know more about technology than she does and they’re probably her biggest influence. They “need” whatever technology spits out that week and poor mom is trying to keep up and make informed decisions, probably throwing out buzzwords she’s heard like “cloud” and “megapixels.”

An article from the Minneapolis Star Tribune says some say Best Buy might’ve missed the mark, not focusing enough on the Blue Shirts and their expertise. I completely disagree. Sometimes people are intimidated by know-it-alls. And that kind of commercial sounds boring. By embracing the clueless customer, rather, a caricature of a clueless customer, I feel like no question I ask will ever be as dumb as, “Is this screen touchy feely?” 

In reference to the hashtag promoted in the commercial #InfiniteAnswers, one critic questioned, “There were infinite questions but where were the infinite answers?” I think it’s implied that you’ll get answers to anything you ask. It’s just a matter of walking in there. And isn’t that their ultimate goal, to get more people in? Thanks to this commercial, one of those persons will be me.