Christmas Culture

It's hard to believe that just ten days ago, I was hunched over a computer screen for 36 hours straight, stressing over nasty deadlines and nursing a quiet joy as my book 2.0 took shape. Now I sleep late, sing carols, and lounge about sipping peppermint tea and munching x-mas cookies (gluten-free).

The priorities of these two worlds are galaxies apart.

Here's a wonderful little find that filled my windows this holiday.
And this carol just gave me the giggles:


Merry Christmas and a happy holiday to all!

I <3 This Brand

Cordarounds!

(horizontal-wale corduroys)


Their blog (cordarounds.com/blog) is delightful fun, not to mention their customer emails. Tales of ninjas, high-seas adventures, and vengeance-themed attire grace their communications. Apparently they're perfect for sneaking around: "The meshing wales of these wonderpants allow for effortlessly swish-free sneakabouts -- no vrrt-vrrts, woosh-wooshes or other onomatopoeic tip-offs that you’re on the prowl."

I first stumbled upon this brand a few years ago while seeking a gift for a guy friend, and fell in love with the fresh marketing ideas and whimsical messaging. Then I promptly snapped up a pair of horizontal seersuckers.

Most impressive is how they've managed to craft an entire culture around these pants. You can read their blog, check out the recent Wired article, cruise their (occasional) eBay auctions, peruse the Flickr album, or even Facebook 'em.
(∆∆ A smart list of digital media, that.)



Who can't love a small business that takes a simple pair of horizontal-wale corduroy pants (with a fancy printed inner lining) and spins a yarn like this? It's just sheer awesomeness.

"And what makes these pants so valuable?

• The cotton of these fine seersucker trousers was grown and loomed exclusively on the International Space Station, then hand sewn by professional hand models, also in orbit, using fibers from the Shroud of Turin and Barry Bonds' 700th homerun baseball.

• King Tut's sarcophagus was melted down and molecularly compacted to form the 24 millimeter button of your trousers.

• Inspector #6 inspected the pants 6,000 times before proclaiming them flawless, then dying in ecstacy.

• Your Summerounds were washed in a bath of babies“ tears, warmed by a still-smoldering meteorite.

• They carry the scent of the small of Sophia Loren's back.

• They were serenaded by the ghost of Liberace.

• Finally, and we“re not sure how, at least eight Faberge eggs and a squadron of stealth fighters were destroyed in the production of your pants.

We know you would expect nothing less.

With love,
Your Faithful Servants at Cordarounds"

*fangirly swoon for the lovely writing*

Who needs designers?

Everyone knows that infomercials solve all the world's problems. And that every problem can be solved by massaging a cream on something. (Wish that worked for everything.)


Best part: the Emotionator. Because when I think of baby seals, I think of the Love Boat.

Talkin' bout my generation

You've gotta ask yourself.
Why is it that, in the age of communication, we're producing increasingly inarticulate youth?



The verbal trends of (some) young people are more than just mildly annoying. They hint at deeper issues:

1. We're not entirely sure what we really believe in. Not surprising. It's simply uncool to have, for example, deep religious beliefs. Because only the crazies do that.

2. We're afraid to give offense to someone who may believe differently. Welcome to the PC generation. Not "Personal Computer" but "Politically Correct." We'll argue over whether Brittany deserves to keep her kids. Whether that last Wes Anderson movie was good or not. But we're not gonna talk about the things that really matter, lest we alienate a friend or even a passerby. Play nice, kids.

3. We're less willing to act than ever before. Conformity is the order of the day, right from this generation's cradle. Raised in playpens in daycare centers. Two decades in schools, kennelled in rooms segregated by age. Then at last, free - to work in a small grey cubicle. Sure, this may be the "I" era: iPod, iPhone, iChat, I-Personalize everything I wear and consume (music, clothes, hair, shoes, bags, meals, etc) down to the nth detail. But the differences that matter, in beliefs and in actions, are strongly discouraged. So why bother?

Conviction, folks. In our business, it sells work. In life, it's what separates the legends from the onlookers. The successes from failures. And on occasion, it changes lives. Because convictions are what give life meaning. They make life worth living. And work worth selling.

Keep Your Friends Close...

And your enemies online.

Sick of the sappy online network friendship crap? Plotting revenge on an ex-friend? You don't have to play nice anymore, thanks to a new Facebook application, Enemybook.

Differentiate your "real" friends from "online" friends (or outright enemies). Your target need not accept your enemy request for the listing to appear. And thanks to a handy online menu, you can define your hate in detail.

See what others are saying about Enemybook and its Friendster twin, Snubster. Or listen to an NPR interview with Enemybook's creator.

Or if you don't have any friends, just create your own profile on Hatebook.

Let the hate flow!

Topless Men: A Fashion Prank

Just brilliant. A hilarious response to advertising.



The old British dame's closing commentary is really cute.

Featured on the oh-so-delightful Manolo Shoe Blog.

About Tattoos

I don't want one. I really dislike the idea of permanently marking my body. My past experiences/past selves are already etched in my psyche, and I prefer to give myself room for change by keeping my skin tabula rasa.

But I do love beautiful, individual works of art.

(LOVE the concept here, even though the execution of the hand is slightly distorted.)

Thanks to a project on tattoos last year, I've become a walking paradox: a tattoo-less tattoo snob. I find the mindset fascinating, this urge to gather indelible art on one's skin. A collage of life-lessons, heiroglyphs of a personal mythology, a revelation of the inner self. Depending on placement (or mode of dress), tattoos aren't always intended for public consumption. Then the skin becomes an intimate canvas of secrets.

For centuries, tribal societies all over the world have used permanent skin-marking systems to signify social status, identity, belief system. Some say that tattoos can also be traced back to Europe's Middle Ages. Pilgrims to the Holy Land supposedly obtained a tattoo at each religious shrine they visited. In a world with no photos, no blogs, no proof beyond story and word, a mark was necessary to prove they had actually been there.

Although tattoos were accepted around the world, Americans still rejected them. To them, tattoos were the mark of rebels and outlaws, a rejection of societal norms. Yet today, they're considered trendy* and have gained acceptance in the main stream (especially among youth). What spurred this change? Tattoo reality shows are now commonplace. Tattoo blogs, societies, and online photo albums abound. In fact, it's not unheard of for mothers and daughters to go out and get matching tattoos. So why have Americans recently accepted tattoos?

Is it a result of globalization, the Internet, and faster international transportation, coalescing in a better understanding of other cultures? Possibly. Is this a rebellion of a younger generation against their parents? Not likely, given that the Woodstock Generation was largely defined by rebellion. Indeed, perhaps we're seeing more tattoo acceptance because parents who grew up in that era are more open to such things.

I have another theory, and it comes from the Middle Ages. At that time, works of art that taught personal human truths were protected in cathedrals as paintings or sculptures or stained glass, and whoever walked into those structures learned from them. But people don't stay in one place anymore. Our society is becoming nomadic (due to the way one builds a career these days by moving around frequently), and people seek ways to bring their life lessons with them. They crave something more permanent, and the only thing we're guaranteed to take with us in this life is the body. A living cathedral to a lifetime's lessons, which are portrayed in stunning works of art.







*Or they can remain an empty fashion statement. Butterflies, roses, arrow'd hearts and other cliches scream I'm a vapid trend-whore with no personality. Luckily, real artists have already raised the bar even for these, with gorgeous, evocative tattoos.

Guilty Before Proven Innocent

This summer, the WSJ published an article on how children in America are being taught to fear men. And another about how men are forced to cope with this social trend.

Fears about child sexual abuse have quietly evolved into a social poison. While child abuse is indeed a serious issue, is it worth alienating half the population over?

(This Virginia public service ad elicited controversy from men's rights groups, who pointed out the profiling inherent in the message which evokes a paranoia of men & fathers based solely on a "feeling.")

The WSJ articles sparked a chain of articulate reactions in the blogosphere. The main statistic points out that 89% of child sex abusers are men. And naturally, parents want to play the percentages to protect their kids. But as one writer responded, "Most predators are men, sure, but most men are not predators."

Online discussions ranged from men confessing how they actively avoid interacting with children for fear of suspicion. Men feeling helpless when approached by a lost child at a shopping mall, even refusing to help just to protect themselves. Male soccer coaches advised to never touch players, even injured ones. And it's not just single men under suspicion. Fathers who play with their own kids at the playground get dirty looks from nearby women. And god help you if you're a dad who needs to change his toddler's dirty diaper at the shopping mall - someone may actually call the cops.

Even worse, boys and girls are increasingly unable to develop healthy relationships with (and reactions to) males as a result of this conditioning. One blogger wrote, "The result is that some children come to view any unfamiliar man as a potential evildoer. These kinds of panic-stricken protections seem to do more harm than good; there's great potential to limit and damage kids' relationships with men (and vice versa) while doing little to actually protect against abuses."

A few writers pointed out that teaching children to fear men breeds an overconfidence in females. Especially in an era when female teachers are soliciting sexual relationships with male students, and statistics show that females are far more likely to murder their own children. But certainly, teaching children to fear females is equally perposterous. As another writer pointed out, "If we teach our children to fear everything, they won't develop the radar to know when something is actually wrong."

That's the biggest problem with the current attitude towards men. This isn't caution. This is a witch hunt. Men and boys are being taught that masculinity is not only unvalued in American society, it's vilified. The proof is in our education system: the high school graduation rates of boys have dropped dramatically, and fewer men than women are going to college. Only 9% of teachers are male, dropped from 18% in 1981.

There's fewer male role models, and boys are hurting. One blogger pointed out that because of the current environment, young males are forced to find social alternatives, groups where they can be accepted - such as gangs. And girls are hurting from having fewer opportunities to develop healthy relationships with men. And families are hurting as fathers are sent the message to never show affection, to be distant and unfamiliar.

A small response has already begun: male mentorship in the form of a book.

But is this a step in the right direction, or merely a thumb in the dam? There's got to be a better solution than this.

Danger for Dove

Dove better be careful.
Right on the heels of the Onslaught release, feminists are learning the inconvenient truth of Unilever's relationships to other brands besides Dove.

In the consumer's eyes, this information turns sincerity into hypocrisy.


Dove has delivered a groundbreaking emancipation to women in the last few years. Let's hope it's not completely ruined.

Welcome to My World

An amusing commentary on bad ads. Young consumers are far more savvy than advertising gives them credit for.


There's an entire series of these. In each one, a girl holds up a magazine ad and explains why she thinks it's illogical, insulting, vapid, boring, etc. They're pretty funny, and definitely worth a look: www.3iying.tv
Ad Rants and Jezebel have both posted reviews.

My goal: make communications that don't contribute to this clutter.

Because It's Obsolete

In December, the Magna Carta is going on the auction block.
I wish I were making this up.



This is the only copy of the Magna Carta in the United States, and it's up for sale.
The same copy that's been on display in the National Archives since 1985 (apparently on loan from Ross Perot). Signed in the year 1215, it's been the foundation of our right to a speedy trial, to know why we're imprisoned, and to confront our accusers (aka habeas corpus) since the Middle Ages. This document started the American colonial resistance against King George III, back when Declarations & Constitutions were mere whispers on the tongues of patriots. But in October 2006, the Military Commissions Act essentially erased our right to habeas corpus, making this document (and some parts of the Bill of Rights) obsolete. And exactly one year later, it's for sale.

Now, instead of a piece of our nation's freedom, I guess it's just a historical trinket. The funds are going to a good cause, so that must make it okay. Can't help but wonder, will the Bill of Rights share the same fate once it's legislated away? How about a copy of the Constitution? When it comes to our rights, is becoming a collector's item really any different from being relegated to the trash?

I wonder how one could advertise for this auction.

Death of an Author

So Robert Jordan died yesterday*, author of the fantasy book series, The Wheel of Time. An epic tale spanning over ten books, each about a thousand pages.

I started the series as a teenager, and then during my first year at UVA, Robert Jordan came to a book signing at the UVA bookstore. Buried somewhere among my old photos, there is a picture of us smiling together.

About two books ago, I stopped reading. Several years lapsed between the last books in the series, and I had forgotten many plot points during undergrad. I resolved that once the final book was released, I would take a week sometime, maybe during a vacation, and read the series from beginning to end.

Sure, the plot had gotten out of control, with nearly 40 main characters at last count. And the last book I read (over 700 pages) took place during a single day, relived from each character's perspective. (that was painful.) But it started out solid, with a great plot and an intense cultural tapestry as involved as Tolkein's. Frankly, as a writer, I've been dying to know how he'd resolve the writing mess he'd gotten into - even more than how he'd resolve the plot.

Now, I may never know the ending. But I bet now he's finally figured it out, and would love to get his hands on a pen and some paper.

*If you're a Robert Jordan fan, go here for more info.

Compassion + Art = Change

It's a sad fact that blind people don't often get to experience art. Japanese volunteers are changing this.

The Illustrated Braille Club is a volunteer group that translates picture books, stories, even manga into Braille. They turn the images into dots, then print them on special paper that punches raised dots into the paper. They specialize in children's books, translating favorites like Peter Rabbit and Disney, so that kids who can't see can still connect with culture. Perhaps one day, galleries and art museums will feature dot-image translations of paintings for the blind. Or at least allow sturdier sculptures to become hands-on exhibits.

In related news, Tokyo University researchers have developed e-paper, an electronic Braille display surface that can alter itself in just 1 second. The current prototype is a portable card for fast and easy reading.

Feminine Hygiene Ad, 1940

Take a look. Just amazing.

Several things leap out at first glance:
• Lysol, as a feminine cleanser. "In the proper dilution", of course.
• Concept: It's not his fault you're filthy. The best thing you can do for your marriage is douse your crotch with disinfectant.
• The copy tone and themes (marital happiness, ignorance, daintiness, blame) suggests that it was written by a man.

Now, I could be wrong. Maybe a woman wrote this ad. But I doubt it. It lacks sympathy. There's no suggestion that a husband and wife might (gasp) actually talk with each other to determine the cause of bedroom problems. Not one hint to see a doctor about odors. Instead, the woman feels very alone in her troubles, not only in the visual but in the way the copy brings the reader to an answer. Not only blamed, she's isolated. What a great way to discuss health problems.

"But," you might ask, "isn't that the typical attitude towards female health issues before the sexual revolution?" Not necessarily.

Remember Lydia Pinkham's Vegetable Compound? Probably not, unless you lived in the 1880's or read about it somewhere. Ads for this product were written by a woman. Compare the tone to the Lysol ad.

The message is empowering: Women are not alone. No fear, no blame, no threats of a failing marriage. Just reassurance and a solution from a sympathetic friend. Feminism came pretty far in the sixty years after Miss Pinkham, right? Fortunately, these things seem to be cyclic, and now we have sites like Feministing.

I wonder where women will end up in another sixty years.

Katamari Playground

Every video gamer's dream: a playground based on the fantabulous Katamari Damacy.

Why a playground? Because this game designer thinks kids need more time outdoors. I couldn't agree more.

For BSG Lovers Only

Remember all those conversations we keep having about the new Battlestar Galactica: what the writers are aiming for, the religious overtones, who might be the next Cylon, etc? You all know who you are. Nerds, every one of us, and damn proud of it.

No worries, there's no spoilers. Just a few ideas on writing.

More on Brands

A friend pointed out this great video about the method by which many brands are begin created. The commentary towards the end is the best part.

It's a great insight into the "any publicity is good publicity" mentality. Unfortunately, this type of advertising is also foolish and short-sighted, a knee-jerk response to fractionating media and soaring production costs. Agencies are struggling to justify the high cost of a Superbowl spot, and aim to get maximum bang from the client's buck.

But instead of a smart strategy to create buzz, some agencies simply act on the fear that TV ads are becoming obsolete in the face of TiVo, iPods, and internet media. And the ads produced from this philosophy are pretty lame - often based on shock value, they're usually vapid. The Paris Hiltons of the ad world. Ads like this will only stand up to so many re-viewings, and then people will get irritated or bored with them (depending on how offensive they find it to be), and turn the channel. As a result, these ads have little long-term staying power and don't make a bigger statement that connects to the brand itself. Sure, they get remembered and discussed for a few days, but how many taboos can be broken before this transparent mechanism becomes repetitive? Consumers aren't stupid.

Why would brands want to associate themselves with a strongly unpleasant aftertaste in the consumer's mind? Wouldn't that engender a mental avoidance reaction?

This is like that kid in high school who always makes trouble to get attention - eventually, people just get sick of him.

And then they ignore him.

Waves of Stupidity

Right on the heels of the Mooninite debacle in Boston comes another ad campaign pursuing short-term gains, long-term losses.

Not all buzz is good buzz. The Mooninite issue may have built Turner's adult cartoon rebel-brand, Aqua Teen Hunger Force on Adult Swim, but this act carries larger losses. In the post 9-11 environment, where any bag or package left lying around is suspect (even when it's not a box of wires), randomly placed signage with no messaging is foolish. The response didn't help, either.

Devil's advocate says that the person who mistakes a simple circuit board for an explosive device ought to be the one emerging with egg on his face. And sure, light-boards are a clever stunt to boost talk and an ingenious way to provoke free press coverage. Shutting down the city of Boston only cost Turner 750K, an extremely cost-effective campaign for the broadcasting giant. But at what long-term cost?

This Mooninite stunt will contribute to increasingly strict legislation, not only for free speech and travel (as if airport security isn't bad enough), but also for marketers everywhere. For those taking notes, that's big trouble for the ad industry. As a side issue, many parents don't want their kids watching Cartoon Network's daytime shows anymore, because of the channel's association with Adult Swim. Ouch - looks like Cartoon Network alienated some of their consumers.

And just as the vilification of advertising began to calm down, the Superbowl brought America the Snickers Kiss ad, sparking controversy and anger on the part of many gay rights advocacy groups. Again, this ad has created buzz, but at what cost? And again, a funny and interesting idea, but loosely concepted and poorly executed.

The outcome of the ad is that being a "true man" means dirt-stupid stunts to prove bravado (such as drinking engine fluid) and a high tolerance for pain (wrench-whacking, chest-hair ripping). All in response to an artifical "kiss" that was just a touching of lips without intent. If a man and woman accidentally touched lips, would they start ripping out hair and slamming eachother with wrenches? Gay rights advocates are up in arms, saying that the ad promotes homophobia. Others have no desire to see two men kiss during prime-time family TV. Politically, it's a lose-lose situation.

And Snickers may be the biggest loser of all.
From the Washington Post:
But Steve Hall, a former ad executive who writes the Adrants.com newsletter and blog, says the Snickers commercial has harmed the candymaker's image with all consumers.

"Can you imagine the looks one will now receive from the checkout clerk when they buy a Snickers bar?" he wrote yesterday. " . . . There's plenty of other perfectly good candy choices with far less embarrassment attached to them."

Lesson: "Induces humiliation" is not a good takeaway emotion to associate with your product.

Knowledge is Sexy.

I 'm still in love with www.experienceoldspice.com. Especially the testing and training sections. The questions change each time you take the test. (And Bruce Campbell certainly doesn't hurt.)

Great strategy for Old Spice to position themselves against their competition, reinforce their core customers, and - please, god - win other consumers away from Tag and AXE. A high-five for W&K: brilliant & imaginative storytelling entwined with useful facts. Very smart campaign, everyone's talking about it.

Take that, all you sleazy eurotrash AXE boys in your thick clouds of odor.

Setting the Mood

Wow, what a piece from Modernista! in 2003. I'm not a huge fan of this product, but strategically and emotively, this ad is very smart. It evokes beautiful moods and memories to create a story that helps to erase common stigmas around a brand.

Tomorrow, I meet with a Modernista! copywriter (and Adcenter alumna). I'm excited about the work showcased on their website: creative prowess + strategic messaging = awesome.

Downright prescient, George.

As a piece of communication, I'm impressed by this translation of George Washington's Farewell Address into the modern vernacular. Just fantastic, making Washington's parting thoughts accessible to an everyday audience. His 1796 caveats and insights still apply to America today.

SMART.

A fantastic article on consumer profiling and narrow-mindedness in society. We're all consumers, it's a 5-minute read, and there's some excellent points. She articulates something that's bugged me from the beginning of grad school: the way people are pigeonholed through marketer profiling.

Tech Toy of the Day: Google Vision

Google Vision: an electronic map on a pocket-sized device with a retractable, transparent LCD screen.

AWESOME. No longer will we be forced to stop and ask random (creepy?) strangers for directions.