Tee hee. Like these.
http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/enpa_slippers
http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/enpa_mask
And less so this one:
http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/enpa_popsicle
But still a nice campaign.
Advertising Agency: McCann-Erickson, Milan, Italy
Wednesday 27 May 2009
Thursday 7 May 2009
Friday 1 May 2009
Get orf my daughter
Letter requesting a man to cease his attentions, from a girl's Father (annoyed).
Sir,
I am astonished to learn that you have not yet understood that my daughter has no desire to be subjected to your attentions, and I am writing to point out again that she does not wish to see or speak to you. accordingly, I must ask you to desist from annoying her. There are ways of forcing you to cease, and I shall not hesitate to use them if you make it necessary.
Yours faithfully,
A. M Brown
Sir,
I am astonished to learn that you have not yet understood that my daughter has no desire to be subjected to your attentions, and I am writing to point out again that she does not wish to see or speak to you. accordingly, I must ask you to desist from annoying her. There are ways of forcing you to cease, and I shall not hesitate to use them if you make it necessary.
Yours faithfully,
A. M Brown
Reply to a love letter
Taken from the same book as below.
My dearest Danny,
Mummy is giving me some real old-fashioned looks over the breakfast table these days, and the postman is getting downright cheeky. Daddy goes on reading the paper and pretends not to notice - he is a dear - but I'm expecting him to ask you any moment now if your intentions are honourable. You have been warned!
I hate to think of you sticking at your desk with only old Smith to keep you company. You poor dear - but you aren't the only one you know. My desk isn't any more delightful than yours, and my old Jones is just as much a stick-in-the-mud as your old Smithy. But he did remark what a nice brooch I was wearing this morning. "Is it a new one, Miss Taylor?" he asked in that dry way of his - and he was dying to know who had given it to me.
Danny, dearest, I"m just as fed up waiting for the weekend as you are, but I feel a lot better when I get your letters. I've got quite a bundle now, and they've all been read scores of times.
You know I'm not very good at expressing my feelings, especially in letters - but you do know that I love you, don't you Danny? Because I do - oh, terribly.
Your own,
Joan.
My dearest Danny,
Mummy is giving me some real old-fashioned looks over the breakfast table these days, and the postman is getting downright cheeky. Daddy goes on reading the paper and pretends not to notice - he is a dear - but I'm expecting him to ask you any moment now if your intentions are honourable. You have been warned!
I hate to think of you sticking at your desk with only old Smith to keep you company. You poor dear - but you aren't the only one you know. My desk isn't any more delightful than yours, and my old Jones is just as much a stick-in-the-mud as your old Smithy. But he did remark what a nice brooch I was wearing this morning. "Is it a new one, Miss Taylor?" he asked in that dry way of his - and he was dying to know who had given it to me.
Danny, dearest, I"m just as fed up waiting for the weekend as you are, but I feel a lot better when I get your letters. I've got quite a bundle now, and they've all been read scores of times.
You know I'm not very good at expressing my feelings, especially in letters - but you do know that I love you, don't you Danny? Because I do - oh, terribly.
Your own,
Joan.
A DM blast from the past
Circular Letter Advertising Insurance. The earliest example of DM I can find, taken from 'The Complete Letter Writer' published by W Foulsham. Date unknown. (The only clue I have is a reference to King George VI so probably 1940s but poss as early as '37 as this date is given in an example).
Dear Sir,
If your house were burnt down to-morrow, would you be ruined?
If the gutter on your roof fell to the ground and injured a passery-by, would you have the money to compensate them?
If an aeroplane crashed on to your house and wrecked it, would your bank-balance be able to stand the strain of the repairs?
Many people sleep comfortably in their beds, in the belief that their policies cover them for everything. What a shock they might have , if one of these things happened!
You should talk these matters over with an expert who can explain to you exactly how you stand. May I come and help you in the matter? If you will send me a card, I will come at your conveniences. I have nothing to sell.
Yours faithfully,
H.P.J. Thornton.
Dear Sir,
If your house were burnt down to-morrow, would you be ruined?
If the gutter on your roof fell to the ground and injured a passery-by, would you have the money to compensate them?
If an aeroplane crashed on to your house and wrecked it, would your bank-balance be able to stand the strain of the repairs?
Many people sleep comfortably in their beds, in the belief that their policies cover them for everything. What a shock they might have , if one of these things happened!
You should talk these matters over with an expert who can explain to you exactly how you stand. May I come and help you in the matter? If you will send me a card, I will come at your conveniences. I have nothing to sell.
Yours faithfully,
H.P.J. Thornton.
Thursday 30 April 2009
A suit? Blogging?
Yes, and he's rather good too.
As a creative, if you find a GOOD suit, hang on to them for dear life. They are as a rare as they are easy to spot. This guy sounds like he's one of them.
As a creative, if you find a GOOD suit, hang on to them for dear life. They are as a rare as they are easy to spot. This guy sounds like he's one of them.
Tuesday 28 April 2009
Monday 27 April 2009
RontreeCam
This blog is a trifle hard to keep going at the moment. So in lieu of writing increasingly boring posts, I've created a pictorial blog instead, which will run parallel to this one. So. If you want words, go to this one. And if you want pictures, go to this one. I'm aiming for a photo per day. Maybe more. We'll see how it works out.
Friday 24 April 2009
The cheques are on their way to HMRC
Well I'm still at the healthcare agency. They seem to be quite prompt at paying too, which is rather handy (although also rather depressing to see it all disappearing into HMRC's greasy grasp as soon as it hits my bank account). So I've been taking my accounts in hand. All dull but essential really. I seem to be collecting receipts in a manner that makes me feeling like I'm turning into my Nan.
Thursday 9 April 2009
Old friends and new hobbies
Working again this week at the healthcare agency which is fast becoming the middle of a Venn diagram where lives past and present overlap. Him Next Door is back from Antarctic adventures on the floor below me, I'm enjoying getting to know Betsy, the cheerful and talented art director I'm working with. Also caught up with Jake and Debs, a team I used to work with in this building, who are now freelancing at our old agency which is where Robbie works. The infamous Peter Kenny was also working here on Monday and Tuesday and I even bumped into the Gnome, PK's old art director, yesterday.
There must be something in the air, or chickens coming home to roost or something...
It's nice in many ways. Not only in terms of seeing old friends, it also makes me think about what I've done career wise, the number of people I've worked with, and how I've improved as a copywriter since I last worked in this building. Was also great to catch up with Peter over some beers and a big plate of chilli. We even discovered a shared love of the song Witchita Lineman - a rare occurance where our musical tastes are aligned.
In other news, I have developed an obsession with growing pumpkins. So expect to hear more about them.
There must be something in the air, or chickens coming home to roost or something...
It's nice in many ways. Not only in terms of seeing old friends, it also makes me think about what I've done career wise, the number of people I've worked with, and how I've improved as a copywriter since I last worked in this building. Was also great to catch up with Peter over some beers and a big plate of chilli. We even discovered a shared love of the song Witchita Lineman - a rare occurance where our musical tastes are aligned.
In other news, I have developed an obsession with growing pumpkins. So expect to hear more about them.
Saturday 4 April 2009
Friday 3 April 2009
My name is Peter Kenny
I've been signing into the IT system of the agency I'm working at as Peter Kenny all week, as it seemed simpler than them setting me up a new login. No dramas.
Until, however, I was moved from working on a Macbook, to a Mac G4. Signed off the Macbook, signed into the G4 - password wouldn't work.
Hmmm.
I have 2 phones on the desk.
Neither of them work.
So I go over to the desk in the corner which does have a working phone and call IT support.
Am then told they can't reset the login password without authorisation from lady called Jane because it's not in my name.
I call the lady called Jane who agrees to call IT to authorise this.
I then realise that IT can't call me back because a) The phones on my desk don't work and b) They don't know my name.
I give them 5 minutes, and call back.
Success! They have reset the password. I hang up and trot back to my desk.
Type it in.
It doesn't work.
I sigh and trot back to the desk with the phone and call IT.
Explain situation.
They try and talk me through what's on my screen.
I can't see my screen from where I am, on the other side of the room.
They eventually agree to come up and do something to make it work.
An hour later it finally works and I log back into the system.
As Peter Kenny.
Until, however, I was moved from working on a Macbook, to a Mac G4. Signed off the Macbook, signed into the G4 - password wouldn't work.
Hmmm.
I have 2 phones on the desk.
Neither of them work.
So I go over to the desk in the corner which does have a working phone and call IT support.
Am then told they can't reset the login password without authorisation from lady called Jane because it's not in my name.
I call the lady called Jane who agrees to call IT to authorise this.
I then realise that IT can't call me back because a) The phones on my desk don't work and b) They don't know my name.
I give them 5 minutes, and call back.
Success! They have reset the password. I hang up and trot back to my desk.
Type it in.
It doesn't work.
I sigh and trot back to the desk with the phone and call IT.
Explain situation.
They try and talk me through what's on my screen.
I can't see my screen from where I am, on the other side of the room.
They eventually agree to come up and do something to make it work.
An hour later it finally works and I log back into the system.
As Peter Kenny.
Tuesday 31 March 2009
The more things change...
Thought it was about time for a wordy post as opposed to a picture post (the main reasons for which have simply been that I worked out* how to update my blog from my phone, which is handy as I can’t upload any of the photos from it to my Macbook).
I currently have a third week’s work as a Peter Kenny replacement which is working out nicely. It’s strange being back in this building, but pleasant bumping into lots of old faces (scattered across the 3 agencies now here) who greet me with a perplexed ‘What are YOU doing here?” followed by a hug. Nice.
Also, because Peter Kenny LOST the highly valued blackmarket key fob which would get me through locked doors, I spend quite a lot of time lurking on landings like an abandoned waif (until Betsy comes and lets me in).
I’m finding the work interesting too, and the first lot of concepts I’ve worked on have been received well by both the suits and the client. They’re very keen on meetings here though. Am sure I had a meeting about a meeting yesterday. And I definitely had one where there were about a zillion people on a teleconf call, one of whom spent 20 minutes (out of 45) telling us why it was really important to get through the meeting quickly as he didn’t have much time. Go figure.
*Accidentally stumbled across.
I currently have a third week’s work as a Peter Kenny replacement which is working out nicely. It’s strange being back in this building, but pleasant bumping into lots of old faces (scattered across the 3 agencies now here) who greet me with a perplexed ‘What are YOU doing here?” followed by a hug. Nice.
Also, because Peter Kenny LOST the highly valued blackmarket key fob which would get me through locked doors, I spend quite a lot of time lurking on landings like an abandoned waif (until Betsy comes and lets me in).
I’m finding the work interesting too, and the first lot of concepts I’ve worked on have been received well by both the suits and the client. They’re very keen on meetings here though. Am sure I had a meeting about a meeting yesterday. And I definitely had one where there were about a zillion people on a teleconf call, one of whom spent 20 minutes (out of 45) telling us why it was really important to get through the meeting quickly as he didn’t have much time. Go figure.
*Accidentally stumbled across.
Sunday 29 March 2009
Friday 20 March 2009
Thursday 19 March 2009
Wednesday 18 March 2009
Back in the saddle
Ooops, it’s been a while. Things have been a little quiet on the work front. I had a very strange couple of days at the beginning of the month with a short-notice gig over in Farringdon. (I am so used to not commuting anymore – an hour and a half each way in rush hour, hellish). It was through a designer I used to work with a few years ago who remembered a status update I did on Facebook a while ago which mentioned I’d gone freelance. Woo yay for Facebook.
Very odd but interesting company, not really an ad agency, but more of an ideas agency. My brief was to come in at the end of a very tight timescale and help create some new alcoholic drinks. But weirdly, it was all conceptual. So rather than know if something would actually taste nice, or it would actually be possible to create something ‘dark, sweet with smoky undertones’, it was more a case of well… just making it up really, and then trying to tie it to specific demographic groups (mainly within US males aged 21 – 24).
The lady I was working with had been flown in from San Francisco and just would not loosen her grip on the overall presentation document, which was riddled with typos and spelling mistakes. However she was really stressing about 10 mins before the client presentation, so I swooped in with an offer to proof it and hopefully got all the howlers out. Frustrating and challenging but also interesting. Would definitely like to work on another project although possibly with a different team…
Since then I’ve had an unexpectedly large monster of a tax bill which, although I can claim a lot of it back, I have to pay up front which is going to be really tight. Thankfully I have negotiated paying it in 3 installments over the next 3 months (first one went on Monday morning) and will just have to cross my fingers that my next 3 invoices get paid on time. Can just about manage it but it's wiped out my financial 'cushion' - and the tax I was saving for next year. First signs of the wolf at the door nipping at my heels.
I’m now filling in for the excellent Peter Kenny while he’s on holiday in Guernsey. It’s for a healthcare agency in the building I used to work in with PK and Him Next Door (HND). And it turns out the brief I’m working on was written by… HND (he works for a sister agency on the floor below) although he's on holiday at the moment, thus depriving me the opportunity to disagree with his proposition in person. It’s a funny old world.
Also means I can cycle to work along the river which is just ACE and a great way to start the day.
Very odd but interesting company, not really an ad agency, but more of an ideas agency. My brief was to come in at the end of a very tight timescale and help create some new alcoholic drinks. But weirdly, it was all conceptual. So rather than know if something would actually taste nice, or it would actually be possible to create something ‘dark, sweet with smoky undertones’, it was more a case of well… just making it up really, and then trying to tie it to specific demographic groups (mainly within US males aged 21 – 24).
The lady I was working with had been flown in from San Francisco and just would not loosen her grip on the overall presentation document, which was riddled with typos and spelling mistakes. However she was really stressing about 10 mins before the client presentation, so I swooped in with an offer to proof it and hopefully got all the howlers out. Frustrating and challenging but also interesting. Would definitely like to work on another project although possibly with a different team…
Since then I’ve had an unexpectedly large monster of a tax bill which, although I can claim a lot of it back, I have to pay up front which is going to be really tight. Thankfully I have negotiated paying it in 3 installments over the next 3 months (first one went on Monday morning) and will just have to cross my fingers that my next 3 invoices get paid on time. Can just about manage it but it's wiped out my financial 'cushion' - and the tax I was saving for next year. First signs of the wolf at the door nipping at my heels.
I’m now filling in for the excellent Peter Kenny while he’s on holiday in Guernsey. It’s for a healthcare agency in the building I used to work in with PK and Him Next Door (HND). And it turns out the brief I’m working on was written by… HND (he works for a sister agency on the floor below) although he's on holiday at the moment, thus depriving me the opportunity to disagree with his proposition in person. It’s a funny old world.
Also means I can cycle to work along the river which is just ACE and a great way to start the day.
Tuesday 24 February 2009
Be careful what you wish for
So for the past few weeks I've been bemoaning always picking up the shitty litle jobs no-one else wants to do. Not working as part of a team. Not having enough to get my teeth into. And now low and behold, a ruddy great monster of a job has landed. Only trouble being it's 20 concepts, due to be presented to the client tomorrow afternoon.
Fook.
It's quite nice to have an adrenaline kick actually, just perhaps not quite this much.
Fook.
It's quite nice to have an adrenaline kick actually, just perhaps not quite this much.
Monday 23 February 2009
When you least expect it
So, things have been a bit quiet recently, no surprise there. But it seems the times you least expect it is when things happen. Well, to me recently.
I was offered a full-time job last week. Great! You'd think in these difficult times. Well... I turned it down. It wasn't the right job and I'm old and ugly enough to know the difference. But about an hour after that I had an interesting phonecall that might lead to... something. Who knows?
Then at 4.30pm today I had a random facebook email from a friend I haven't seen in close to 3 years years asking if I was still freelance... and available. Yes and yes. Now I'm actually very excited about work tomorrow. Watch this space...
I was offered a full-time job last week. Great! You'd think in these difficult times. Well... I turned it down. It wasn't the right job and I'm old and ugly enough to know the difference. But about an hour after that I had an interesting phonecall that might lead to... something. Who knows?
Then at 4.30pm today I had a random facebook email from a friend I haven't seen in close to 3 years years asking if I was still freelance... and available. Yes and yes. Now I'm actually very excited about work tomorrow. Watch this space...
Sunday 22 February 2009
It's been a while
Good, better, best,
May you never rest.
Until your good is better,
And your better best.
Anon
May you never rest.
Until your good is better,
And your better best.
Anon
Friday 30 January 2009
True social networking?
He’s not asking you for money, he’s asking you to show you care about someone you’ve never met.
People are doing it too. In fact, it's rather heartwarming.
I found it here. Nice blog.
People are doing it too. In fact, it's rather heartwarming.
I found it here. Nice blog.
Thursday 22 January 2009
Cabin fever...
... no, not the dodgy horror flick of a couple of years ago but me.
My trusty new car has turned out to be an absolute turkey. Have been having problems with the immobiliser for days - since, well, last Sunday when it started playing up, shortly after I'd crunched the side panel into a concrete pillar (um.... other story and the two are unconnected). The water dripping through the central roof console gave me a fair idea of what the problem might be.
Anyway, nice AA man rocked up on Monday to look at this. He took apart the central roof console, emptied it of water (while looking balefully at me like I'd done it on purpose) then went on to explain that the radio aerial leaked, which means that every time it rains, my immobiliser basically fills up with water. Which means the car won't go anywhere.
Anyway, this has dragged on all week. I simply can't bring myself to go through all the dreary details but it's still not working Luckily the agency I'm freelancing for up in Ricky have been fine with me working from home (they are in the middle of nowhere and almost impossible to get to by public transport which would be about a 4 hour round trip from here). But I'm going slowly mad in the process due to cabin fever.
I think I might need to get a full time job again. Anyone hiring out there?*
* The dull echo of my own voice bouncing back at me from a recession-filled void suggests not.
My trusty new car has turned out to be an absolute turkey. Have been having problems with the immobiliser for days - since, well, last Sunday when it started playing up, shortly after I'd crunched the side panel into a concrete pillar (um.... other story and the two are unconnected). The water dripping through the central roof console gave me a fair idea of what the problem might be.
Anyway, nice AA man rocked up on Monday to look at this. He took apart the central roof console, emptied it of water (while looking balefully at me like I'd done it on purpose) then went on to explain that the radio aerial leaked, which means that every time it rains, my immobiliser basically fills up with water. Which means the car won't go anywhere.
Anyway, this has dragged on all week. I simply can't bring myself to go through all the dreary details but it's still not working Luckily the agency I'm freelancing for up in Ricky have been fine with me working from home (they are in the middle of nowhere and almost impossible to get to by public transport which would be about a 4 hour round trip from here). But I'm going slowly mad in the process due to cabin fever.
I think I might need to get a full time job again. Anyone hiring out there?*
* The dull echo of my own voice bouncing back at me from a recession-filled void suggests not.
Friday 16 January 2009
Work ethics
It’s a funny game this freelancing business. When I think back to this time last year at my last agency… I was so overloaded with work, I didn’t get home before 9/10pm most nights. Well, every night. And I’m not slow either. In fact, I thrive under pressure and can write at a rate of knots when it’s down to the wire. On the rare occasions I had nothing to do, I’d water the plants, get the teas in or clean out the library*. I have a low boredom threshold. Or ADD.
I think that’s why one of the few issues I have with freelancing is… boredom. A lot of the time, I’m sat around waiting for something to be briefed in. I’m usually pretty honest about it too – if I have nothing to do I’ll openly let people know in the hope they’ll chuck me something else.
But if I’ve only been at a new gig for a couple of days, I don’t know the agency or the clients well enough to do ‘something’ proactive to fill the time in – or they’re unable (or unwilling) to give me access to info or systems to dig around in, in case I do a runner and take their information with me. Likewise helping out on pitches*.
So, I try and fill these pockets of time as constructively as I can. It’s not exactly good form to curl up with a book… I read industry blogs and news. Check out agency websites. Catch up with the latest creative reviews. Chip away at the corporate website of the client I’m working for. Seek inspiration/new ideas/art/culture/anything. Think about other jobs I’m working on for friends. Or failing that, I update for my blog...
* Apart from the place I was at before Christmas who would cheer and chuck a brief – any brief – at me, including their agency Christmas card and new biz work. I think that’s one of the reasons I like them so much. Trust works both ways…
I think that’s why one of the few issues I have with freelancing is… boredom. A lot of the time, I’m sat around waiting for something to be briefed in. I’m usually pretty honest about it too – if I have nothing to do I’ll openly let people know in the hope they’ll chuck me something else.
But if I’ve only been at a new gig for a couple of days, I don’t know the agency or the clients well enough to do ‘something’ proactive to fill the time in – or they’re unable (or unwilling) to give me access to info or systems to dig around in, in case I do a runner and take their information with me. Likewise helping out on pitches*.
So, I try and fill these pockets of time as constructively as I can. It’s not exactly good form to curl up with a book… I read industry blogs and news. Check out agency websites. Catch up with the latest creative reviews. Chip away at the corporate website of the client I’m working for. Seek inspiration/new ideas/art/culture/anything. Think about other jobs I’m working on for friends. Or failing that, I update for my blog...
* Apart from the place I was at before Christmas who would cheer and chuck a brief – any brief – at me, including their agency Christmas card and new biz work. I think that’s one of the reasons I like them so much. Trust works both ways…
Wednesday 14 January 2009
Venn is recycling a good idea?
A term you sometimes hear in this game is ‘recycling’ but I’m not talking about tin cans or paper. When it comes to ideas, it’s usually a word that’s used instead of ‘nicked’ or ‘stolen’. Or sometimes it’s cloaked as ‘inspiration’.
Now I stumbled across the fabulous and rather clever Venn That Tune a couple of weeks ago. And of course, mentally filed the idea away for future use at some point (as… ahem… inspiration of course). However today I found that some other bugger has beaten me to it.
And again.
And once more for good luck.
Bah.
Now I stumbled across the fabulous and rather clever Venn That Tune a couple of weeks ago. And of course, mentally filed the idea away for future use at some point (as… ahem… inspiration of course). However today I found that some other bugger has beaten me to it.
And again.
And once more for good luck.
Bah.
Guess who's back?
Well I enjoyed giving myself December off so much I extended it into January, before realising that I really should be getting back to work. But my 5 weeks off included a trip to a longhouse in the middle of North Wales, for a jolly Christmas with the boys.
Now when going away with three gentlemen for a week, take care to select your companions carefully. Mine for example, were exemplary. Able to make me dinner*, make me laugh, buy me a lovely watercolour set for Christmas – oh and also quite importantly, able to stop me falling off a mountain (I discovered I may suffer from vertigo, just short of the summit of Snowdon on Boxing Day).
Anyway, currently working for a B2B tech agency so a return to familiar form. Here all this week and they’ve just asked me back for next week too.
Oh, and I bought a new car. Well, a new old car. Good job too. Otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to get home after Christmas, rescue my Mum from Gatwick airport (long story) or get to work this week.
* AND they cleaned up afterwards. The boys done good.
Now when going away with three gentlemen for a week, take care to select your companions carefully. Mine for example, were exemplary. Able to make me dinner*, make me laugh, buy me a lovely watercolour set for Christmas – oh and also quite importantly, able to stop me falling off a mountain (I discovered I may suffer from vertigo, just short of the summit of Snowdon on Boxing Day).
Anyway, currently working for a B2B tech agency so a return to familiar form. Here all this week and they’ve just asked me back for next week too.
Oh, and I bought a new car. Well, a new old car. Good job too. Otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to get home after Christmas, rescue my Mum from Gatwick airport (long story) or get to work this week.
* AND they cleaned up afterwards. The boys done good.
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