Navigating Our Multi-Screen Culture

There is no question that juggling attention between multiple screens is here to stay. In fact, according to a Google blog post, nearly 77% of television viewers also have another device in hand, many of whom are inspired to search by what they see on the television.

I am the 77%. As I sit here pounding the keyboard on my Macbook, I'm also watching an episode of Hell's Kitchen on my Roku device, while checking my iPad for email and social communications. It is second nature for me to do so, and truly helps me multitask. With that said, the juggling of it all can, and often does, decrease the attention paid to each platform. I missed Ramsay screaming at his underlings due to raw scallops, shoot! It raises the following question:

How can we make the simultaneous usage experience beneficial to the viewer and encourage increased attention through interactivity?

Take the television and iPad for example. If I'm a network and I know a good portion of our audience uses an iPad while viewing one of our episodes, I'd explore opportunities to engage them through both screens at the same time.

The History Channel has a show called the Ultimate Soldier Challenge where they pit elite military units against each other in grueling challenges. It's no different than typical reality shows chalked full of manipulated drama through timely cuts, however it is completely entertaining to watch these soldiers go head to head. As I sat there watching the show, I thought about how cool it would be to witness a point-of-view camera shot as the soldiers tore through a town gunning "bad guys" down from an ATV.

Now, on the television screen it just isn't practical to show one angle through the entirety of the show. That's where the iPad comes in. Imagine equipping the soldiers with GoPro cameras and providing different feeds for the viewer to choose from on the History Channel iPad app. Not only could I view the show as broadcasted, but also get a deeper look into it at the same time. Maybe there's a map of the town that I can follow the ATV through in real-time, who knows.

Sporting events provide another platform that lends itself well to multiple screen viewing. Take a baseball game for instance. Sometimes I want to see the game from the pitcher's perspective, other times from the batter's. It shouldn't be left to a cameraman or producer to decide which angle is right for the situation — I'm the consumer, aren't I always right? Probably not, but in this case I wouldn't mind choosing how I got to view a game.

It all boils down to the idea of starting with what people like, and working backward from there. The fact of the matter is that people are using multiple devices, we need to embrace it and search for interactive ways to take advantage of it.

Planners: The Jedi of Advertising

I've always held a firm belief that account planning cannot be taught in a textbook, but if someone were to author that textbook, it would probably be Mark Lewis, the Group Brand Strategy Director at SF-based Goodby, Silverstein & Partners. Mark visited the University of Oregon last week to inject a bit of knowledge about strategy and planning to the ad program. He opened himself up to a gamut of questions about the craft — from working with creatives to pitching bold business ideas to clients  — all of which he responded to with insightful answers.

The following points were takeaways that any planner or strategist can benefit from:

1. The briefing is more important than the brief. When it comes to writing a creative brief, there is little in the way of parameters. While there are a few key items that need to be included in every brief — the problem, the audience and the insight for creatives to use as a springboard — it's the last one that opens the door for possibilities; how do we educate and inspire through insight via the brief? It may be presented in writing form or take an entirely new approach altogether. Mark Lewis compared this to a script and a play; the script is damn important but nothing is more important than the play. He referred back to the day he briefed his team about Kingston Charcoal. His mission was to evoke the feelings of the backyard BBQ experience in his creatives. Instead of trying to do this with pen and paper, he threw some meat on the grill, cracked a few cold ones and at the end of the day told them that this was the environment and feeling they needed to recreate in their communications. Backyard brief...doesn't sound too bad does it?



2. Gone are the days of baton-passing, in are the days of synergy. The creative process used to be a series of handoffs up the agency hierarchy with little to no collaboration between departments. It was basically a track meet; once your leg was finished you just sat back and watched the rest of your team finish it up. Today's setting is much different, it requires collaboration between all facets of the agency. When asked about the planner's involvement throughout the creative process, Lewis responded that "you aren't doing your job as a planner if you aren't providing your creative team with a nugget of information everyday." Jeff Goodby related the planners role to that of a "fishing guide." To be successful, a planner must not only appreciate the creative process, but also open to being a part of it. 



3. Just because we are in advertising, doesn't mean advertising is always the answer. The new agency model has to think bigger than advertising. An agency is exposed to a slew of research, data, consumer insight and marketing best practices. With all of this equipped, agencies should set out to solve business issues without being afraid to approach the client with new strategy. As Mark put it, we shouldn't "unmarry marketing tactics and business decisions," together they can achieve a lot. 

In three years of the ad program at the UO, I felt Mark's visit was one of the more insightful looks into planning and strategy I have experienced. It's agencies like GSP, and programs like the University of Oregon, that are helping to change the perception of what advertising is. 

Brand Bowl 47: The Millionth Recap

As if there aren't enough of these, I figured I'd recap of a handful of Super Bowl 47's commercials. I believe a handful of spots put the "Brand Bowl" on its back and made it worthy to the viewer, some below are not a part of those handful.


A-B InBev "Budweiser Black Crown" [Anomaly] - I don't mind the idea of launching a new product during the most watched sporting event in the country however the product better be good. A-B InBev should have saved the money from the spots and produced a good beer with it. On a side note, Anomaly's work on "Brotherhood" for Budweiser was outstanding.

Audi "Prom" [Venables, Bell & Partners] - Awesome. It managed to squeeze an excellent narrative into a minute piece that left you thinking what you should have done at prom back in the day. If Audi makes a limousine, there are going to be a lot of black eyes.

Even Nissan used it to build on.

Best Buy "Ask Amy" [CP+B Boulder] - The crew at CP+B used Ms. Poehler well in this spot. Light-hearted, fun and a great use of character. A good look for big box stores, which is hard to find — like the Cloud.

Blackberry - Next.

Cars.com "Wolf" [McGarryBowen] - There's always a humorous animal component to Super Bowl ads and this one definitely outdid Skechers' cheetah. Great way to bring the simple "no drama" message to life.

Coca-Cola "Security Camera" [Landia] - Completely refreshing, more so than the drink itself. Coke may not be great, but people can be. Thumbs up.

GoDaddy "Perfect Match" [Deutsch] - I was asked for my thoughts about this spot more so than any other ad in SB47. I'm not really for it or against it. It took a loosely-related "match" theme and brought it to life in a "what-the-f*ck" kind of way. I think the real winner here is Jesse Heiman.

Hyundai "Team" [Innocean USA] - More excellent work coming out of Innocean on behalf of Hyundai. The "Team" spot was memorable, well-casted and overall pretty badass for 10 year olds.

I wonder if this guy really laughed his ass off?

NFL Network "Leon Sandcastle" [Grey] - One of my favorite spots of the day. Deion Sanders played himself only as Deion could and the writing is superb. "You attracted to him? Obviously." Not sure if it will make a dent in NFL Network revenue but I'm sure the name Leon Sandcastle has already been cast on a newborn.

Oreo "Whisper Fight" [W+K Portland] - Big risk to whisper to 108 million Americans jabbering around their televisions but Oreo and W+K pulled it off. The Instagram call-to-action was fresh and executed extremely well. Outside of the spot is where Oreo really shined. Their timely content caused as much (if not more) of a stir than the whisper match — what a strong client/agency relationship.

Ram Trucks "Farmer" [Richards Group] - It shut the room up and made people pay attention. I thought it was a brilliant use of photography to support exceptional writing. "Farmer's" praise is best sung in the following tweet.

Samsung "The Big Pitch" [72andSunny] - Using celebrities might not be the most original strategy in the world but 72andSunny did it right by teaming Rudd, Rogen and Director Jon Favreau together to create this spot. The clips that didn't make it to the Super Bowl are just as solid and telling of a fun production. This is just a cherry on top of the great work produced for Samsung by 72andSunny, however I suspect most of the 72'ers still rock an iPhone.

Taco Bell "Viva Young" [Deutsch] - I won't beat a dead horse; despite the tagline, it was a home run for such an expensive ad buy. I was hoping to see some of the teaser footage of the old man ripping up a football field on his scooter would make it, but that's what YouTube is for.

Tide "Miracle Stain" [Saatchi & Saatchi] - My favorite spot of the entire Brand Bowl. The relevancy of it was crucial and production itself was damn funny. I would definitely try a "Stain-on-a-Stick!"

Volkswagen "Get Happy" [Deutsch] - Another good piece from the folks at VW and Deutsch. To all those criticizing it for the Jamaican theme, give it a rest.

And the best post-SB spot was Jell-O's "Surprise Pudding" - Take it or leave it San Fran!

To Miller 64!

I recently had my first experience of creating work for a big brand. It might not have been the most orthodox way in the ad world, but it is an experience that opened new doors and has me itching for more.

It came by way of an open assignment for Miller 64, the low-calorie beer from Miller-Coors. Their creative agency, Saatchi&Saatchi, turned to Poptent for a :30 spot promoting Miller 64 with a New Year's Resolution theme. 

Poptent is a crowdsource community that connects big brands with a network of indie film/commercial makers. The brands range in size and shape. Recent clients include Lays, 5 Hour Energy, Allstate, Trident and American express, to name a few.

The brand provides a brief and a creative toolkit (style guides, logos etc.) to the Poptent network. We were equipped with the Miller creative brief, toolkit and just enough time to brainstorm a concept, shoot, edit and submit it to the brand.

For a week straight we sat around the writers table, crafting the concept which led to rewriting the original song used by Miller, given to us for inspiration. We went into pre-production (casting, location scouting, etc.) which came down to the eleventh hour; a trend which seemed to continue throughout the entirety of the project.

On-set at St. Nicks Tree Farm (Oregon City, Or)

Finally it was time to shoot, for the sake of brevity let's say it was fun albeit stressful. We got it done and headed right into editing the following day. 48 hours and a couple of stiff backs later, we had it edited and ready to submit. Click the link below to view (can't be uploaded to a sharing site).

Miller 64: Resolutions

We had finally created our first work for a big brand — work we were proud of. It was on par with strategy, included the mandatory elements and was original yet reminiscent of previous campaign work. 309 creators accepted the brand, 21 actually submitted a spot and 1 was to be purchased for $7,500 — a pretty damn good deal for the brand considering average production costs for a national spot.

Assignment Details

Out of the 21 submissions, ours was selected as 1 of 5 finalists by the brand. While we didn't end up winning the big purchase, we were granted an Editor's Choice and invited to work on a private assignment for Black and Decker (complete) and Allstate (in post-production).

Finalist and Editor's Choice!

It wasn't about the possibility of money and awards. It was the experience of it all that I value second to none. I was able to live the dream for a few days and create work for both a national brand and an excellent advertising agency, all before graduating this March.

I guess the moral of the story is to create opportunities for yourself, you don't have to wait for a degree to gain valuable experience. And drink Miller 64!



Director: Jourdain May
Producer: Dan Drullinger
Writers: Reed Nelson, Dan Drullinger and Jourdain May

Bold and Cold: A Unique Approach to Air Conditioning

It has been a while, shoot - more than a while. I've been wanting to write again and found an advert that prompted me to do so. For those who can only accept a piece if it has social or digital components, this isn't not for you. It's no augmented reality campaign, it has no scannable-codes or automatic social check-ins.

What it does have is outstanding writing, exceptional production value and the keen ability to give its respective brand a voice - you know, that old traditional stuff. It takes a bold approach in an industry where the word "bold" probably isn't tossed around much: air conditioning.

It's titled "Summer Hater" and was produced by Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi for BGH, apparently a South American electronic company with an air conditioning division. I say apparently because it was difficult to find anything besides blog articles highlighting this ballsy advertising (whoops, someone missed the boat).

It's an oddly beautiful compilation of society on a hot day with a bitter old SOB muttering his hatred toward their ways. Basically, the Grinch meets those who probably used to drink Zima. The framing is brilliant - slightly reminiscent of a Wes Anderson film. The concept is unique and well-executed.

This isn't the first bit of audacity to come out of the agency-client corner. A previous ad featured dads of all ages (and shapes) stripped to their tidies while an in-store campaign once measured shoppers noses to determine if they qualified for a discount. I could only imagine the strategy sessions these ideas were born from.

It takes a strong client/agency relationship to consistently produce bold communications like these.

Enough blabbing, check out "Summer Hater" at AdAge or Creativity Online.

Innovation Meets the Ocean: Innocean USA

Every once in a while you stumble across some information that creates an epiphany, or an "aha" moment if you will - sometimes it sticks with you and you can't let it go, like my own "aha" moment last week.

While traveling to Los Angeles last Thursday I surfed around agency sites located in Southern California to pass the time. A lot of brilliant agencies plant roots in LA including TBWA\Chiat\Day, Wong, Doody, Crandall, Wiener and 180LA, to name a few. I stumbled across a gem located just an hour south, practically on the beautiful Huntington Beach: Innocean USA.

Tell me the office morale isn't high.

Innocean USA is situated in a stunning office equipped with arguably the most beautiful view of any ad agency on the West Coast. Don't believe me? Check out their five-page office spread featured in Interior Design Magazine. Believe it or not it wasn't the sleek office that attracted me as much as it was the work produced.

Since focusing my efforts on advertising I have repeatedly looked to one company that I believe truly represents what the power of branding can achieve. Hyundai is a car company that I didn't give the time of day to in recent years, they were irrelevant to me. Over the past couple years I have watched Hyundai completely transform themselves into a relevant, consumer oriented and innovative automobile company. The cars look great, their customers are more than satisfied and the advertising transcends traditional thinking. Check out my previous post New Thinking New Possibilities: A Tribute to Hyundai for a more in-depth look at their branding efforts.

My epiphany moment came when I discovered that Innocean USA was the driving force behind this branding, which catapulted Hyundai to #1in brand loyalty. They were even behind the Equus Owner's Experience App - a new take on that traditional owner's manual that utilized the iPad found in every Equus's glove compartment. What's the best way to introduce a brand new car into the luxury market for the first time? Be progressive, think differently - Innocean USA: check and check.

After last Thursday I knew I had to make contact with them - thanks to Twitter and the Innocean team's engaging social media presence, I was able to do so. Working with that team on the Hyundai account would be a spectacular experience. Even if it was just sweeping up the creative scraps like an apprentice in a barbershop - I'd be obliged. Regardless of the outcome of my inquiry I am stoked to have found Innocean USA and cannot wait to see what is next for Hyundai.

Mud-Guns and Advertising

It is that time of year again, the political season full of bad ad's with too much copy and boring visuals. This may all be changing though with the new Romney - Santorum rivalry. I am not here to argue politics as I do not believe in doing so - just to highlight some of the new advertisements coming out of the aggressive political campaigns.

Typically when one candidate is knocking another with a television spot, you see unsightly pictures of the opponent parade across a screen to the sound of music only fitting for a daytime courtroom show. A stagnant voiceover points out all the candidates's wrongdoings in the past with the hopes of swaying voters with these overtly awful advertisements. You know, kind of like this one that the Romney supporters released against Santorum.

I had to dig a little deeper and see what Santorum had up his sleeve, and I was pleasantly surprised at what I found. His proponents recently aired a television spot, "Rombo," that had me engaged and laughing with it, not at it; an uncommon feat for most political ads. It features a man, who appears strikingly similar to Romney, hunting down a cardboard cutout of Santorum with an automatic weapon that shoots mud, or should I say slings it. After missing his target several times his mud-gun backfires on him leaving a nice little stain on his freshly pressed white button up. It is reported that even Romney liked the guy portraying him.

Sure there is some copy and a voiceover highlighting some negatives about Romney, but the tone is much different. By no means does any of this sway me one way or the other, but it does make the political season a little more interesting for me.

Just to show I am not biased towards Santorum's ads, check out one done by the Romney party that actually just focuses on Romney himself, done in an aesthetically pleasing manner.

The Wondrous and Brave Work of David&Goliath

I am very disappointed in myself for not being up on this sooner. I pride myself on being able to distinguish which agency handles a certain ad, but with the common practice of using multiple agencies for different parts of the same account, I am often wrong. This was the case for the recent Hardee's/Carl's Jr television spot, "Miss Turkey." You know, the one which shows a beautiful woman in a mini-burger print bathing suit.

There wasn't a question in my mind as to who did it - 72andSunny, boom! Am I dead wrong in assuming it was 72? I don't think so. The spot is outgoing, blunt and in your face - very 72-ish. Had to be them right? Wrong.

Turns out David&Goliath, although geographically close to 72andSunny, actually handled the spot. I dug a little deeper into the work of D&G only to be amazed at what I discovered - but should have already known.


David&Goliath does a whole hell of a lot more than their Effie-winning Kia Soul commercial featuring those hamsters. They are the geniuses behind the Blake Griffin - Kia Optima campaign, Bacardi&Cola spots and my personal favorite - the print ads for Monte Carlo's: The Pub Las Vegas, featuring brilliant copy.

David&Goliath has molded its agency after one simple characteristic: bravery. They are brave enough to push the limit, brave enough to push themselves and brave enough to make damn good work that sticks. This is a creative agency that anyone would be lucky to be a part of.

Three Books to the Wind

I don't know how but I have managed to find the time to read quite a bit in the past few weeks, and I am damn glad that I did. In a combined three days, I digested the pages of two books (well, one was on Kindle of iPad) am currently wrapping up my third.


The first was Brandwashed, written by former marketing guru now turned consumer advocate, Martin Lindstrom. He looks into and exposes all sorts of crazy marketing ploys and techniques - from data mining to prenatal exposure - used on consumers by big companies today, especially retail and grocery chains. I felt as if I were almost betraying the industry by reading this but I think it provided a good lesson on transparency. It also gave great insight to consumer behavior which (for the strategist in me) was just as exciting and wondrous as the tactics themselves.

While looking at my empty Kindle library, I realized that I was not getting the most out of my iPad user experience, so I began to shop. I stumbled upon the eBook version of George Parker's Confessions of a Mad Man. The summary describes Parker as one of the few surviving mad men who "has seen it all and done it all." It goes on to state, "a great deal of what he has seen and done would make the current TV show; “Mad Men,” look like Sesame Street"and boy was that right. He reams the "Big Dumb Agencies" (BDA's) in nearly every chapter while managing to use the phrases "cockney gits" and "douchenozzle" just as frequently, yet there is a lot to learn from his wisdom. If your in advertising, or just a fan of English humor in general, chances are you will dig this book and have a hard time putting it down. Check out his blog AdScam/TheHorror! too, it will rock your little socks off.

While I am still in the process of reading Alison Fendley's Saatchi & Saatchi: An Inside Story, I figured I'd share it anyway. It is a simple read about an extraordinary duo, Charles and Maurice Saatchi, and their contributions to the ad world and absurdly expensive way of living. It chronicles the shareholder revolt to remove the brothers from the company they built from the ground up.

Missing the Big Picture

I have noticed a big push for billboard advertising around the Portland metro area lately. Many vacant boards are trying to sell businesses on the idea that using this medium is the key to creating a "giant ad." I even saw one last week that simply said "Giant Ad." Let me be the first to say that I am not knocking billboard advertising; when done right I think it is a beautiful art. What I cannot stand behind is the idea that displaying your company name and tagline on a board for an entire freeway to see means you have created a "giant ad."

Downtown Portland 

An advertisement shouldn't be giant because of it's size; it should be giant because of the message it conveys, or the story it tells, no matter what medium is used. Some of the best spots are those that aren't thrown in your face. Remember the Sprint advertisement on the back of the Rolling Stones cover shortly after the death of Steve Jobs? It barely had any copy on top of plenty of white space. How about the Apple "1984" commercial? It only aired one time! Both are giant ads, regardless of the size or frequency. If your business literally wants a large advertisement, a billboard is a great way to go. All I am saying is to not get caught up in the actual size more so than the message that accompanies it.

Sprint Ad after death of Steve Jobs

[15] McGarrah Jessee Shines for Shiner

With all this talk of mobile and a shift towards digital media, traditional advertising can easily be overlooked. If this digital frenzy has done anything though, it has allowed me to appreciate great print pieces. Remember those? Check out what McGarrah Jessee and Shiner have teamed up to do and you will.

Shiner, of Spoetzl Brewery, is the oldest independent brewer in Texas based in the small city of Shiner. The company has stuck to its small town roots and remained traditional. Shiner prides itself in providing finely crafted beer for the hardworking individuals, much like the people that make it. The print ad seen here sums it all up. Note the simple copy that speaks volumes. It places value on the fact that the beer, as well as the individuals crafting it, is what makes the Shiner brand.

In 2003 Shiner challenged Austin-based advertising agency, McGarrah Jessee, to embrace the hometown feel while creating great ads, I assume. McGarrah Jessee did just that through: print, television, radio, packaging, design, digital and outdoor. The balance they created between traditional ads, digital and guerrilla marketing tactics has allowed them a healthy relationship with Shiner for the past eight years, and probably many more to come. The Shiner ads are simple and authentic yet unafraid of demonstrating a little boldness. When Austin City Music Festival decided not to serve Shiner, billboard ads were thrown up outside the venue to reassure consumers that "at least the beer lines will be shorter." Check the rest of them out here. 

Everything may be bigger in Texas, but Shiner and MC-J haven't forgotten the little guy.

[13] Story Behind the Chihuahua Awards

Weeks ago, in our Creative Strategist class, we were prompted with a challenge to create a project relevant to the ad industry that could be displayed outside of the classroom. Something professional, something well planned and something that could make a difference. We let the idea linger in our mind for the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, we were fortunate enough to see presentations from some of the legends of the industry, including Tracy Wong of Wong, Doody, Crandall, Wiener (WDCW). His lecture had one very important theme; good ideas can come from anywhere. "A Democracy of Good Ideas" as he would put it. Throughout the presentation Tracy dropped the names of a handful of people who did great work for various projects, all without expecting to be recognized. He would follow this up by saying they truly did deserve recognition. Tracy was one of many speakers that touched on the same note. That's when it hit us; "why don't we be the ones to recognize them?" The Chihuahua Awards were born.

It was an instant go, we said "let's do this" and hit the ground running. Our first thought was to show our appreciation through an award, much like the Jay Chiat Awards or the quickly approaching Rosey's. Our goal was simple; seek out those who go above and beyond in the advertising industry to let them know their stellar work is not going unnoticed.

Our team got a site up and running with an introduction to our project and an open nomination submission form that would provide agencies across the world a chance to recognize a colleague or two. How the agency interprets what qualifies an individual is up to them, we simply ask that they made a difference within the company or the industry. It could be an intern who willingly took on as many tasks as he could get or the person who puts the most smiles on faces around the office. The unsung heroes.

Almost immediately we started receiving some great feedback through social media including of the people that inspired this project. The submissions are coming in and will remain open until midnight December 1. We look forward to an opportunity for growth and most importantly an opportunity to make an impact on someones life. Our goal through this is to support the notion that good ideas really can come from anywhere, and do.

Head to www.chihuahuaawards.com and let us know what you think. Have a deserving individual in mind? Nominate them! Stay tuned for updates.

[12] Advertising & The Paradigm Paralysis

The word paradigm was being tossed around one of my journalism classes the other day in the midst of a PR discussion. We brushed around a definition settling with the idea that "a paradigm shows us what is important and what is not by establishing boundaries. It provides rules for helping us solve problems". Originating from the Greek word paradeigma, it refers to a "pattern, example or sample". In my eyes, a paradigm is a standard set of ways that people often blindly follow. This blind following, or the paradigm effect that comes when people filter out the information that doesn't fit it, paralyzes the average thinker.

Why does this carry any meaning to me or the advertising industry itself? Because it quickly occurred to me that the greats of the industry were not paralyzed by this. They are not the average thinker.

Prior to Bill Bernbach's arrival in the industry, the creative team structure fit snugly into a set pattern. Instead of following the common practice, Bernbach stepped outside of it and made a simple adjustment that would change advertising forever. By pairing copywriters and art directors together in the creative process, he not only broke the old but created a new paradigm.

Think Lee Clow (or his beard) keeps his thought process inside strict parameters? Check out the work TBWA\Chiat\Day has done and think again. Apple was founded upon the principles of breaking outside of the IBM paradigm. Coincidence they hired an agency that could help them do so? I think not.

The list of those who protect themselves against the paradigm paralysis could go on and on including individuals, agencies and accounts. Unfortunately this blog cannot.

[8] MINI-vation

MINI is one of those few car brands that go against the grain. You never see a Cooper jetting across a barren desert or sliding in figure eight patterns ahead of other cars in that class. You won't see many ads drawn out with selling points or claims to best of class. What you will see is creativity, innovation and thinking that was never inside a box to begin with. 

What you might see is actual cars on display through crazy cool guerrilla tactics. One may be scaling a building underneath a finger like a yo-yo. Another could be packaged neatly into a box similar to those containing toy figurines and placed in the middle of a plaza.  Some of them might not use a car at all. There might just be a cardboard box amongst a pile of trash that appears to have once housed a Cooper inside like a flat screen television or a new fridge.

Ever driven by a billboard that actually interacts with you via a chip inside your key fob? Well if your a MINI-owning San Franciscan you might have. A few months into owning his first Cooper, my father received a stencil in the mail that said "MINI PARKING ONLY". I hadn't seen a smile on his face like that since the birth of my little sister. Needless to say it was his first MINI, but not his last. That is what MINI is great at, not just creating and maintaining a loyal relationship but growing it. MINI appeals to those who think differently, those who are passionate about the brands they love.

Want to see more of these ads? Check them out.

What could be cooler then these ads? The rigorous process that MINI exec Jim McDowell designed for agencies to compete for the account in front of one another.

The Day That Re-Affirmed My Love For Advertising

In front of me, just past the Surf Board Bar, stood a full hardwood basketball court complete with a rack of balls and a custom, full feature scoreboard. A woman passed in front of me loosely gripping one end of a leash while the other snugly hugged the neck of her pug dog. This may not seem like such an odd picture but I wasn't in any gym or park, I was in an office. An office building full of professionals who are good at what they do, damn good. I was within the walls of TBWA\Chiat\Day - Los Angeles, the third highest-rated advertising agency in the world according to the 2011 Pencil Rankings.

The American Division of TBWA Worldwide, TBWA\Chiat\Day was formed after a 1995 merger of the TBWA and Chiat\Day agencies. They have offices located in New York, Nashville and Los Angeles and a lengthy list of big name clients including Nissan, Gatorade and Apple. A friend of mine had relocated to Los Angeles in an attempt to work for the company after obtaining an advertising degree from the University of Oregon. It took some persistence and tough skin but Colleen soon found herself hired on with TBWA\Chiat\Day as an assistant on the Nissan account and hasn't looked back since. At TBWA\Chiat\Day personnel is hired by individual account, Apple differs from Gatorade, Absolut and Infiniti differ and so on.

Guest Pass

Colleen, now a near Account Exec for Nissan, invited me out to the office for lunch last week. It was a little trek from downtown Los Angeles located just near the 405, not too far from LAX. I got there in decent time and pulled up to a friendly security guard who directed me to guest parking in front of the main entrance. It was unlike any office I had ever seen before. I ascended up a set of stairs that led to a reception area where I was warmly greeted by a woman at the front desk. As I told her I was waiting for Colleen, she created a name-badge for me. Even the guest pass was outside of the box, it was vibrant with colors and somehow managed to mention scooters on it. I expressed what a beautiful office it was to the young lady behind the desk. She gently laughed at me with the you-haven't-seen-nothin-yet kind of tone. She was right, I hadn't seen anything yet.

Front Entrance

Colleen met me and led me through the breezeway that hovered about fifteen feet above the parking lot and connected the reception area and the Costco-sized office building. The space was bustling with people. Some hustling from place to place, others casually strolling through the terrain of desks, mobile whiteboards full of marker and park benches, yes park benches. A tree-lined park sat smack dab in the middle of the office and had visitors conversing over sandwiches from the cafe upstairs. Colleen told me it was the meeting place for interviews and such.

She gave me the grand tour showing me the account segregated areas, the eateries and the basketball court of course. I was amazed. The energy in the entire building was upbeat and the vibe was fresh, granted it was a Friday. This wasn't an office full of employees, it was a collaborative environment of creative genius upheld by individuals with one goal; to kick ass at their jobs. Sample work of various accounts lined the walls, Apple computers graced each desk. The former Chief Creative Officer and now Chairman and Global Director of TBWA\Worldwide, Lee Clow is notorious in the advertising community. His office sat on the ground floor visible to all. It was very simple and transparent. Much different than those of Roger Sterling and Don Draper on AMC's hit show Mad Men. Although he was not present inside, I still stopped to take a look at it. What an honor to be standing in front of it and yet it felt so normal. That was the best part about it, one could not look at the office or it's environment and pick out the company hierarchy, from execs to assistants.

After deciding to make the move from the business school to the school of journalism and communications to focus on advertising so late into my academic career, I felt shaky about my decision. I needed something to reassure my passion and desire for this industry. I found that something the day I visited TBWA\Chiat\Day. For that, I could not be happier.


RD