If you’re like me, you’ve probably been asking yourself, “Where have all the great ad taglines gone?” No? Well, you clearly do not watch as much television as I do. But go with me on this one.
Of course, we can all recite the classics:
“Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.”
BMW, “The Ultimate Driving Machine.”
Kentucky Fried Chicken, “Finger lickin’ good.”
“Every kiss begins with Kay.”<[Read More]
To my friends and peers in this industry, I want to start by saying: I see you.
I see the invisible pressures we carry. I see the anxiety that comes with trying to keep up in an industry that moves faster and faster every day. And I see a lot of you struggling silently—maybe feeling afraid that sharing how you are doing will make you appear weak or incapable.
But I also see something else: I see the humanity in all of us, the complexity behind the polished exteriors, and t[Read More]
The first time I ever saw a disabled person in advertising or marketing was in Minneapolis. Largely because I’m from here and was eight years old, but it was everyone’s favorite inclusive champion of people with disabilities who changed my life: Target. Growing up disabled means you’re low-hanging fruit to bullies, which meant my childhood was spent being tormented by one awful little girl in particular who happened to model for Target. Because of her pers[Read More]
Observations from a mostly retired but still fully functioning advertising mind
By Doug deGrood
About a year ago on LinkedIn, I shared a logo redesign my daughter Gigi and I did for the Killebrew-Thomson Memorial, a word-class golf fundraiser in Sun Valley, ID (and now Minneapolis) that has raised millions of dollars for leukemia and cancer research since 1977.
Back in winter of 2022, Hannah Stauts, their executive director, happened[Read More]
Observations from a mostly retired but still fully functioning advertising mind
This latest missive falls under the category of “This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you,” because it involves a beloved one-time employer of mine, who shall remain nameless.
Below is their recent job posting for an art director:
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES The person in this role must be able to concept and create visual asse[Read More]
Observations from a mostly retired but still fully functioning advertising mind
As an aspiring trumpeter growing up in the early 1980s, I learned firsthand the value of hero worship. Back then, every trumpeter I know, myself included, wanted to play like Maynard Ferguson. Maynard was renowned for his nosebleed-inducing high notes. Hitting a ‘double-G’ became every teenage trumpeter’s goal. I would attempt to play along w[Read More]
Observations from a mostly retired but still fully functioning advertising mind
My original headline for this latest missive was going to be: Body (Copy) Discovered in Edina Family’s Bedroom Closet. After all, who doesn’t love a good murder mystery? Spoiler alert: there’s no murder involved here, but there is an element of death. More to come.
How it all started: Last week, some wire shelving in one of our basement bedroom clo[Read More]
“James,” John Cevette said to me, “the timing is off. Let's take a moment and examine why this latest edit isn't working.”
He chose a compact disc from the rack and placed it in the player (yes, this was the mid-nineties). He played a classical piece. It had a build and a reprieve, another build and reprieve, and, finally, the crescendo and resolution. This example was to convey that the same principles applied in the timing of the edit for the TV ad the agency was producing.<[Read More]
Nikki Cron / The Underachievers Reunite in the Name of Achievement
Best of luck, Jenn. I'm rooting for you even if we've not met. Haven't met Cole either. But I can attest that the rest of this motley crew soars...[Read More]
Sara Rubinstein / The Underachievers Reunite in the Name of Achievement
Super talented Jen Russo- you deserve all the accolades and more. This team at Lacek was incredible and made so much beautiful work. Made my day...[Read More]
Jason S / The Underachievers Reunite in the Name of Achievement
6 of the most classy humans that I have ever been able to interacted with. Albeit short, the impact that each of you had, while I had the oppor...[Read More]