A Monument To An AdGuy... A Monument to Men From Phillips and Crispin Porter + Bogusky Europe.

Are you a vulnerable man?

If so, then this crazy new interactive concept which was recently launched by Phillips and created by Crispin Porter + Bogusky Europe wants you to create a statue of yourself. It's pretty simple, go to the "Male Monument" website, post and image and provide a creative reason as to why you're worthy of an actual tangible reproduction of the monument you create online.

Using either your webcam or upload a photo from your files you can create a "monument" to yourself including adding  pigeon on your shoulder. The site employs a simple face recognition software that has been used on other online applications such as the uber-successful CP+B effort for Old Navy "SuperModelquins" and recently the Burt's Bees Blender campaign by Baldwin& of Durham.

Judges from Philips and CP+B will select two winners, each of whom will win an 80cm (approx 33 inches) monument of their entry. The winners will be announced on June 15, 2010.

 

CREDITS: 

Executive Creative Director: Gustav Martner 

Content Manager: Louise Aslund Olow

Art Director: Mats Tellving, Mattias Berg

Copywriter: Tobias Gronberg, Mikael Andersson

Designer:Tobias Pettersson, Daniel Kvist

Senior Interactive Developer: Erik Sterner

Flash Developer: Mats Soderlund

Motion Designer: Jorgen Bengtsson

Flash Developer: Kristian Sallberg

Big Brains. Visionaries. Shift Disturbers.

Spring is in the air and there is that wonderful shift from cold to warm, dull shies to sunny skies and the return of “Shift Disturbers”. This has become the one event that now kicks off the “Spring Brain Cleaning”, an event that brings together visionaries from the worlds of advertising, art and design for a half-day of inspirational words from the gods of creativity, is coming to Toronto on May 25, 2010.
 

This year the speakers are truly a brilliant mix of exactly that, “big brains, visionaries, and shift disturbers”. With the ongoing “shift” and the need to create a “disturbance” that is now required in creative thinking. 

This years event includes keynote speaker Stefan Sagmeister, the über talented designer and founder of Sagmeister Inc, who will discuss achieving happiness through design and ensuring your work remains a “calling” rather than a chore. The very entertaining Nick Law EVP, CCO of New York’s R/GA, who will be speaking for the first time ever in Canada on the “ideas”, Cindy Gallop, founder and CEO of If We Ran The World, LLC will peer into the "The Future of Advertising" with some highly subjective and thought-provoking views and Robert Rasmussen ECD Tribal DDB New York will share his thinking on how to infuse “digitally lead thinking” into the message.

Nick Law EVP, Chief Creative Officer, R/GA

As Chief Creative Officer, North America, Nick Law is responsible for the overall creative vision of the agency. In his role, he guides creative teams consisting of visual designers, copywriters, and interaction designers, working in close collaboration across disciplines. He ensures that R/GA stays true to its legacy by fostering creative ideas in all team members, including those in technology and strategy. 

Nick joined R/GA in 2001 and has played a significant role in shaping R/GA’s creative vision. His background is extensive and diverse, spanning multiple marketing disciplines during 20 years at agencies in the United States and abroad. He began his career in design/corporate identity and then made the switch to advertising, working on both the traditional and interactive sides. 

Hear Nick Law and his story as a Creative Director on The Juice with Heidi Ehlers of Black Bag.

Cindy Gallop, Founder & CEO, If We Ran The World, LLC 

What is the future of advertising? Cindy Gallop, founder & CEO of IfWeRanTheWorld.com and former chairman, BBH New York, tackles the $64 million question with some highly subjective and thought-provoking views on the new marketing reality, the interface between creativity and technology, how ad agencies should be restructuring themselves. She explores what “social media” really means.  

Cindy Gallop took a risk when she entered advertising, and hasn't stopped taking them since. She began as a theater publicist in London, before she joined one of the fastest growing agencies in Europe, Bartle Bogle Hegarty. In 1998, she moved to New York, alone, and began building their US branch. Four years after that move, BBH US was named Adweek’s Eastern Agency of the Year.

In January 2010, Gallop will officially launch IfWeRanTheWorld, a simple, web platform designed to bring together human good intentions and corporate good intentions, and turn them into collective action.

She is nothing short of BRILLIANT.

I found this video of Cindy presenting at the “L2 Innovation Forum”. It is not only entertaining but it is extraordinary. Today, Cindy consults with luxury brands, but on a very selective basis. Her goal is make these clients not leaders, but owners. She demands that the client she works with be prepared to “blow shit up”. 

Stefan Sagmeister Founder, Sagmeister Inc.

Stefan Sagmeister formed the New York based Sagmeister Inc. in 1993 and has designed award winning work for clients as diverse as the Rolling Stones, HBO, and the Guggenheim Museum. 

In 2008, Stefan created a book titled “Things I Have Learned in My Life So Far”, which began as a diary under the same title. It includes statements such as “Complaining is silly. Either act or forget”. The book consists of 15 unbound signatures in a laser-cut slipcase. Shuffling the sequence of the signatures will produce 15 different covers and was published by Abrams. 

Robert Rasmussen Executive Creative Director Tribal DDB

He’s had a career that’s hard to categorize. He began as a designer, became an art director, and has worked at an envious chunk of the A List agencies – most recently as ECD of innovation at BBH New York, and prior to that, helming shift-disturbing projects like Nike Plus Human Race at R/GA. Along the way his contributions to the evolution of digital creative have been duly awarded, and his Weiden + Kennedy “Beta-7” Sega work was recently named one of the Best Non-TV Campaigns of the Decade by Advertising Age. 

Don’t miss the chance to hear Law, Gallop,Sagmeister and Rasmussen at Shift Disturbers 2010 as the share their unique POV on what you need to know now, and learn how to infuse digitally-led thinking.

Follow this link to order your tickets.

Heidi Ehlers is Joined by Nick Law of R/GA on "The Juice"

Nick Law Chief Creative Officer of R/GA New York takes time to chat with Heidi Ehlers of Black Bag for "THE JUICE" a 5 minute career chat with the world's best Creative Directors.

Nick serves as Chief Creative Officer, North America, and is responsible for the overall creative vision of the agency. In his role, he guides creative teams consisting of visual designers, copywriters, and interaction designers, working in close collaboration across disciplines. He ensures that R/GA stays true to its legacy by fostering creative ideas in all team members, including those in technology and strategy.

UPDATE: Another CP+B Home Run. Domino's 'Pizza Holdouts' Campaign.

Earlier this week I posted a blog piece on the CP+B "Pizza Holdouts" campaign and came across some additional insights form Domino's CMO Russell Weiner on the AdWeek article.

The campaign is now in full flight and has been creating a buzz and some very positive responses. With the various Posters, billboards, signage on trucks and even airplane banner ads that were plastered in the hometowns of three men identified as "holdouts" in order to get them to try Domino's pizza has many asking "was this real, did they actually go after these guys, are they actors playing roles, is the stunt real?"

After viewing the Domino's strategy, and the documentary, Domino's hopes consumers who have tried the pizza will spread the word to their friend and if these guys are for real, why not give Domino's a try.

In about a week, PizzaHoldouts.com will have a feature opportunities that allows consumers to nominate friends on social nets like Twitter and Facebook and coupon offerings to stop being "holdouts" and give the new pizza a try.

Insights offered from Domino's CMO Russell Weiner:

"We're going after the holdouts [meaning consumers who haven't yet tried the new Domino's pizza]," Weiner said

"We’re really confident that if people will try our new pizza, they will like it, and they'll even recommend it to their friends," said Domino's CMO Russell Weiner.

"We can't do this on our own and reach all the holdouts out there," said Weiner. "We need help from our pizza fans. We're asking consumers to tell their friends about it." Weiner added that those who participate would get rewarded with discounts for Domino's pizza.

Weiner didn't disclose the cost of this effort, but said it is in line with the overarching campaign. "Everything we’ve done so far this year has been about getting consumers to reconsider Domino's," he said. "Our goal continues to be about convincing people to try the new pizza."

CP+B holds the account worth $165 million.

Another CP+B Home Run. Domino's 'Pizza Holdouts' Launches Ultimate Personalized Campaign... and Profits Double.

Brilliant.

As part of Domino's ongoing reinvention campaign, Crispin Porter + Bogusky developed a new website that showcases an effort to target three individuals known to be "pizza holdouts" - people who hadn't yet tried Domino's new pizzas.

 Built on the concept of there are only a "handful" of people that haven't tried the new Domino's Pizza. They came to find three of them and the website and ads show how Domino's pulled out all the stops to bring pizza holdouts Bill Johnson, Charlie Tames and Scott Shoyer into the fold. If it is all true... what an effort.

The campaign has got it all. Facebook (462,000+ fans) and Twitter (12,300+ followers). But best of all your chance to become a "Taste Bud Bounty Hunter".

Oh yes about those profits, curious customers trying out the new pizza taste helped quarterly profits more than double to $23.6 million.

 Scott Shoyer - "Domino's Holdout"

:30 Second Spot - Scott Shoyer



Campaign Credits:

Agency: Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Boulder/Miami
Co-Executive Creative Directors: Rob Reilly, Andrew Keller
Group Creative Director: Tony Calcao
Creative Director: Craig Miller
Associate Creative Director: John Kieselhorst
Art Director: Kat Dudkiewicz
Copywriter: Ryan Raab
Integrated Producer: Sloan Schroeder

Tiger Woods Nike Spot. A Creepy Home Run.

Time sure moves fast.

Two weeks ago it seemed the world stopped for about 3 days when Nike launched a rather interesting "comeback" ad for Tiger Woods duringthe Masters Golf Tournament and now nowhere a word.
I took a week to post my thoughts and post my appearance on SUNTV just to see what the "big" picture would be.

What if Tiger won the Masters?

How would the days following the Masters treat the spot?

Well the answer can be summed up in five words, "He didn't and who cares".

Do you remember who actually won? No, it was Phil Mickelson and when it ended we saw what the PGA and the Masters organizers who needed to do for their own PR efforts, did so. As the ball found the cup, Phil's three small kids dashed out to the 18th green to greet dad and with his wife Amy and they hugged. It was a scene out of a Disney movie, really; Amy, a woman fighting breast cancer and all its medical meanness, weary, dabbing her cheeks with a napkin, waving to the crowd; Phil walking alongside her, teary-eyed himself. Only someone without a heart would find it hard to control their emotions. Tiger at that moment was being interviewed by CBS saying, "I never entered a tournament to lose". Cold.

I was wondering how Nike would handle Tiger's comeback, but I never thought it would be with this "message".

Here's what it comes down to. The emotional side says, "totally creepy" and "poor taste". Rational side says, a total "grand slam home run".

What is brilliant is the media buying efforts. The spot aired only on ESPN and the Golf Channel during the opening round of the Masters. Both the first days of the tourney are lower costs for media placement, but the news worthy elements of the spot made it the massive "Home Run" that it became. Rumors have it that the spot achieve over $200 Million in "non-measured" media exposure with the first 48 hours of airing.

THE RATIONAL SIDE

The "first" spot after a crisis, the scandal, whatever you want to call it, how do you or would you kick start what is truly "the brand" for golf at Nike? Tiger is worth over $100 million every year and Nike has a lot invested in Tiger. Phil Knight, the founder of Nike, stated that his company would stand behind Tiger, and made that statement within days of the first news reports of his marital problems. Nike's presence in the golfing world, its relentless march to dominate, is due, in large part, to Tiger's winning ways. He's the most dominant golfer of our generation and he's "just doing it" in Nike golf gear, and Nike Golf is generating $725 million in sales, after less than 10 years in the golf business. That's a why they stood by... very basic, very simple and worth saving.

In response to queries regarding the ad, Nike issued a brief statement saying, "We support Tiger and his family. As he returns to competitive golf, the ad addresses his time away from the game using the powerful words of his father."

Simply put, do the math. It's worthy millions of dollars. The "event" took place at Thanksgiving", at that point production of the 2010 golf line for Nike was well under way of in foreign lands. Hat, shoes, clubs and balls. With the Golf Show season about to start in mid-December there was NO WAY out for Nike. Tiger is Nike golf. For Buick, American Express and others their brands didn't have such a deep connection.

It's the same reason that videogame maker Electronic Arts (EA Sports) who also launched a campaign and game the same week featuring Woods has remained. It is impossible to redesign, animate and repackage your entire golf game product. The campaign is a online effort to promote its latest game, "Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online." One banner ad showed Tiger Woods, in his familiar red shirt, doing a celebratory fist pump.

THE CREEPY SIDE

So Nike took the "we can make it right, but we can make it okay", really that's my take on it. Nike can't scold Tiger, nor should they. The Nike ad created by Wieden + Kennedy and in so many ways takes on a a "documentary" feel, rather than the typical a commercial one. It feels like remorse is in the air, damn, Tiger even manages to blinks a few times in this commercial. But it really comes down to the relationship he had with his late father Earl.Yup, that's where the spot takes a walk down "creepy street". Earl Woods who died in 2006, is summoned from beyond the grave to quiz his son. Earl says he wants to understand "what your thinking was" and "what your feelings are" and, as the camera comes in, even closer, Tiger blinks when his father asks, "if you learned anything." Sorry, beyond the grave appearance is one thing, asking him "if you learned anything"... please Earl, not buying it after you had your own skirt chasing moments. Yes, Earl Woods apparently had a checkered history in the fidelity department. The actual audio selected is truly creepy, the whole "Earl/Daddy" voice-over has been taken out of context, the audio used was originally Earl talking about the differences between he and his wife.

RELATED OPPORTUNITIES

You gotta love this "capture the moment" effort. Le Tigre, a polo shirt maker with no financial ties to Tiger Woods used a guerrilla marketing effort playing off the situation, Le Tigre unveiled this billboard in New York to coincide with Woods return during The Masters. The billboard features a red Le Tigre golf polo and the tagline "Golf's Original Tiger. For Those Who Play A Round."

 The billboard, located on the West Side of Manhattan. This is the second Le Tigre Tiger-related billboard. In December, a billboard featured the slogan "Golf Needs a Tiger. Let's Get Back on Course."

MY APPEARANCE ON SUNTV -  CANOE LIVE

I had the pleasure to be a guest "expert" on the nightly "live" news show Canoe Live that airs in Toronto on SUNTV. Host Jacqui Delaney offered up a summary before sending off to Martin Waxman of Pallette Public Relations (left) and myself on the right.  A little early miss identification, yup that's me in the blue rugby shirt - sorry mom they called on a non-teaching day and that's what I wore.

Enjoy the conversation.

On Earth Day April 22nd AXE Has A Plan to Save The World... Well At Least A Plan To Save Water Anyway.

What's not to love about AXE?


Unlimited sexual innuendo, double entendre and cheap giggles. It's all good... right?

Okay, I am likely to get killed here by feminist and non-forward thinkers.

With Earth Day only a few days away on April 22nd, this recent effort from AXE asks you, "can you 'Do The Earth A Favor & Save Water Now By Showering With 4 girls!".

A world without a "Fivesome" is just bad for the environment! 

In an attempt to raise awareness about the very serious issue of water conservation, AXE is encouraging Canadians to drop their towels at the door this April 22nd and give Showerpooling a try. Showerpooling promotes water conservation by encouraging groups of like-minded individuals to share their showers and save a valuable natural resource in the process.

Currently, only 35% of Canadians have tried Showerpooling, with Atlantic Canadians proving to be the most green-minded of us all, averaging 2.5 showerpools per week. Not sure if this information came from Stats Canada, but seems like Halifax may be the place to be.

Remind yourself on Earth Day that "Showerpooling. It’s not just environmentally friendly, it’s all kinds of friendly!"

Join the "ShoweringPooling" Facebook Group for AXE.

The campaign was developed by Zig Toronto.




CREDITS SHOWERPOOLING:
Client: Unilever Canada
Brand: AXE
Chief Creative Officer: Aaron Starkman
Executive Creative Officer: Martin Beauvais
Associate Creative Directors: Jason Hill and Michael Murray
Art Director: Jason Hill
Copywriter: Michael Murray
Designers: Andrew Cloutier and Dylan Royal 

AXE ANTHEM
While working on this piece I also came across another AXE message that just couldn't be ignored.
Ask yourself, "How do I fix myrself up after random nights of debauchery". Answer seems to keep up AXE.

Have you seen this crazy message from axe? Titled "Anthem", I am not sure why I am finding a combination of being so funny and a bit disturbing when a young man who used the AXE seems to forget anything. It's typical AXE branding, he becomes cool in the eyes of girls and finds himself in several odd situations. The spot features "Day and Night" by Kid Cud. This is the UNCUT version found on YouTube and may be strictly for those 18 up!



Song is "Day and Night" by Kid Cudi

Get Ready Calgary: The Art of Marketing is Coming

This is without a question a "Must See".


I had the pleasure of attending the Toronto Art of Marketing with my students and we all left inspired, motivated and had a better understanding of what will be ahead of us.

Highlights for me personally were author and creative director genius Sally Hogshead and social media guru Mitch Joel. Both will be attending the Calgary event.

The Art of Marketing event has a stellar group of speakers on tap. Best selling authors and industry influencers include Chip Heath on Strategy & Communications, Mitch Joel on Digital Marketing & Social Media, Max Lenderman on Branding & Experiential Marketing, Gary Vaynerchuk chats on the principlas of Personal Branding in the New Media Landscape, Chip Heath on Strategy & Communications, Sir Ken Robinson Innovation & Creativity and the brilliant creative thinking, career planning and insight strategist Sally Hogshead on Persuasion & Influence.
Building on the success of the SOLD OUT Toronto event, the one day conference features six internationally renowned bestselling authors and leaders who will share an exciting blend of cutting edge thinking and real world experience on today’s most critical marketing issues.

The program was developed to answer the questions that is currently being asked by advertisers and marketers, The Art of Marketing provided a clearer understanding of how marketing has changed, what role it now plays in the future.

The Calgary event will take place Monday, June 14th, at the EPCOR CENTRE for the Performing Artsand runs the full day.

Presented by The Art of Productions Inc. which designs and produces a collection of world class live events. Each event educates and entertains audiences from communities of interest by bringing together leading authorities and internationally renowned presenters. “The Art of…” programs are learning experiences where participants gain key concepts that can be applied to their professional and personal lives. Engaging and informative programming guarantees an educational and empowering experience.

The good people at The Art of Marketing wanted to make a special offer to those of you who are connected here in this community, so here's the deal: if you sign up to attend The Art Of Marketing  using this link you will get the special rate of $349 per person. Please use the promo code: RK28.

Tickets will likely go quickly, there are  two types of tickets available general admission seating which includes the full day conference and speakers fro $399.00 plus taxes. There is also VIP package that will include seating in the first 5 rows, lunch and copies of books from select speakers, this package is $499.00. The promo code will discount both packages.

I have no idea how the producers of this event can pull off a show like this with such a high-calibre list of speakers for only $349 a ticket (Canadian, no less), but that's your gain as you can easily see this truly a stellar group of speakers coming to Toronto.

THE SPEAKERS:

Mitch Joel - Digital Marketing & Social Media

The day will kick-off with Mitch Joel the President of Twist Image, one of Canada’s best Digital Marketing and Communications agency. When Google wanted to explain online marketing to the top brands in the world, they brought Mitch Joel to the Googleplex. Marketing Magazine dubbed him the "Rock Star of Digital Marketing" and called him, "one of North America's leading digital visionaries."
He is has been named one of the most influential authorities on Blog Marketing in the world. He is also a Blogger, Podcaster, passionate entrepreneur and speaker who connects with people worldwide by sharing his marketing insights on digital marketing and personal branding.
Currently Mitch has 14,320 followers on Twitter where he shares endless amounts of information. Mitch is without a doubt one of Canada's most influential contributors in Social Media.

Sally Hogshead - Persuasion & Influence

Sally Hogshead has it. Her message is very new and constantly timely. Business has changed, the world has changed, and Sally shows audiences how to stay ahead. She is about release on February 9th her newest book "Fascinate: Your 7 Triggers to Persuasion and Captivation". She is also the author of "Radical Careering - 100 Truths to Jumpstart Your Job, Career and Your Life." I have personally found great inspiration and assistance in my teaching my "career" planning classes in Sally through her blog and following her on Facebook and Twitter.
Her story is very unique, In her second year in advertising, Sally won more awards than any other copywriter in the U.S., and was called “the most successful junior copywriter of all time.” At age 27 she founded the West Coast office of Crispin Porter + Bogusky in the dual role of creative director/managing director. Her work has collected hundreds of honors, and been invited into showcases ranging from “Best Ads on TV” to The Smithsonian Museum of American History. In addition she was part of the team that won the $100,000 Grand Kelly prize for MINI Cooper.
Sally will deliver her unique style that has made her a fascinating speaker that electrifies audiences. Nine seconds. That’s the length of the average attention span today. Just nine seconds! People become distracted by the next product, the next ad, the next option. How can you possibly hold your customers’ interest long enough shape their opinion? She will share her thoughts and give answers on how can you break through the clutter to nail your next sales call, or motivate your internal team? For that matter, how can you influence any decisions?

Max Lenderman - Branding & Experiential Marketing

Max Lenderman of Crispin Porter + Bogusky is an outstanding writer and author, most notably "Brand New World: How Pauoers, Pirates and Oligarchs are Reshaping Business". Lenderman now serves as Director of OuterActive at Crispin, Porter + Bogusky, the most awarded advertising agency of the 21st century. He is the former Executive Creative Director at GMR Marketing, the largest experiential marketing company in North America, where his work has won numerous industry recognitions, the latest including the 2009 Effie Award and the 2007, 2008 and 2009 Ex Awards.He previously founded and ran Gearwerx Experiential Marketing, Canada’s premiere experiential marketing agency, with offices in Montreal and Toronto. In addition, Lenderman is a founding board member of the International Experiential Marketing Association (IXMA)
Lenderman’s breakthrough publication, Experience the Message: How Experiential Marketing is Changing the Brand World, was a Business Book of the Year Finalist in 2006. It was his latest book, Brand New World that caught my eye this past summer and I share as a visionary "must read" for my students in terms groundbreaking marketing strategies and the new business models.
He has been interviewed by dozens of news agencies on the branding, communication and strategic subjects, including The National Post, The Montreal Gazette, The Globe and Mail, Report on BusinessTV, CTV, NOW Maagzine, The Hour, Marketing Magazine, Profit Magazine, CBC Radio: The Sunday Edition, and is a former columnist for Strategy Magazine.

Gary Vaynerchuk - Personal Branding in the New Media Landscape

Online marketing trailblazer Gary Vaynerchuk  is an entrepreneur whose dual identity as both business guru and wine guy has made him known as the “Social Media Sommelier.” A self-trained wine expert, he revolutionized the wine industry with his video blog, Wine Library TV (affectionately known as The Thunder Show), and grew his family wine business from $4 million to $60 million in five years. What raised Vaynerchuk’s notoriety even more than his business acumen was his foresight combined with his pioneering, multi-faceted approach to personal branding and business. While his youthful following broke down barriers in the wine industry, the business world (and Web 2.0) admired him for creating a new generation of branding, focusing on the Internet and leveraging social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter.
As his viewership swelled to over 80,000 a day, and his family’s wine business grew to over $60 million a year, he made television appearances on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Ellen DeGeneres, NBC’s Today Show, CNBC’s Mad Money with Jim Cramer, and The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, was featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and has become a consultant for Fortune 100 companies, and a keynote speaker around the world.
In CRUSH IT! Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In On Your Passions how they can boost sales using the internet. He shows audiences how to find their passion, then step by step how to turn it into a flourishing, monetized business. Vaynerchuk’s speeches on personal branding, social media, and marketing at conferences such as FOWA, Strategic Profits, and South By Southwest have occasioned praise from established web denizens and earned him the admiration of countless bloggers and aspiring entrepreneurs. As the youngest winner of Marketwatch’s Business Award at 27, as well as being named to “Silicon Alley 100” - Silicon Alley Insider - 2008 and “101 Most Influential People in New Jersey” - New Jersey Monthly - 2009, Vaynerchuk is an icon in his industry  

Chip Heath - Strategy & Communications

Chip Heath is the Thrive Foundation of Youth Professor of Organizational Behavior in the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University. He is the co-author of the New York Times bestseller book Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die. Made to Stick has been translated into 29 languages, the last of which was Slovakian, and it was retired from the BusinessWeek bestseller list after a 24-month run. Chip is also a columnist for Fast Company magazine, and he has spoken and consulted on the topic of "making ideas stick" with organizations such as Nike, the Nature Conservancy, Microsoft, Ideo, and the American Heart Association. Chip's latest book, Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, written with his brother Dan, was released in February 2010 and is already a NY Times and Wall Street Journal best seller.

Chip's research examines why certain ideas—ranging from urban legends to folk medical cures, from Chicken Soup for the Soul stories to business strategy myths—survive and prosper in the social marketplace of ideas. These “naturally sticky” ideas spread without external help in the form of marketing dollars, PR assistance, or the attention of leaders. A few years back Chip designed a course, now a popular elective at Stanford, that asked whether it would be possible to use the principles of naturally sticky ideas to design messages that would be more effective. That course, How to Make Ideas Stick, has now been taught to hundreds of students including managers, teachers, doctors, journalists, venture capitalists, product designers, and film producers.

Chip's research has appeared in the Journal of Organizational Behavior, Quarterly Journal of Economics, Cognitive Psychology, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Journal of Consumer Behavior, Strategic Management Journal, Psychological Science, and the Journal of Risk and Uncertainty. Popular accounts of his research have appeared in Scientific American, the Financial Times, The Washington Post, Business Week, Psychology Today, and Vanity Fair. He has appeared on NPR and National Geographic specials.

Chip has taught courses on Organizational Behavior, Negotiation, Strategy, and International Strategy. Prior to joining Stanford, Professor Heath taught at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. He received his B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University and his Ph.D. in Psychology from Stanford.

Sir Ken Robinson - Innovation & Creativity

Sir Ken Robinson, PhD is an internationally recognized leader in the development of creativity, innovation and human resources. He has worked with governments in Europe, Asia and the USA, with international agencies, Fortune 500 companies, and some of the world’s leading cultural organizations. In 1998, he led a national commission on creativity, education and the economy for the UK Government. ‘All Our Futures: Creativity, Culture and Education’ (The Robinson Report) was published to wide acclaim in 1999. He was the central figure in developing a strategy for creative and economic development as part of the Peace Process in Northern Ireland, working with the ministers for training, education enterprise and culture. He was one of four international advisors to the Singapore Government for its strategy to become the creative hub of South East Asia.

For twelve years, he was Professor of Education at the University of Warwick in the UK and is now Professor Emeritus. He has received honorary degrees from the Open University and the Central School of Speech and Drama; Birmingham City University, Rhode Island School of Design, Ringling College of Art and Design and the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. He has been honored with the Athena Award of the Rhode Island School of Design for services to the arts and education; the Peabody Medal for contributions to the arts and culture in the United States, and the Benjamin Franklin Medal of the Royal Society of Arts for outstanding contributions to cultural relations between the United Kingdom and the United States. In 2005 he was named as one of Time/Fortune/CNN’s Principal Voices. In 2003, he received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II for his services to the arts. He speaks to audiences throughout the world on the creative challenges facing business and education in the new global economies.

His new book, a New York Times Best Seller, 'The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything' (Penguin/Viking 2009) is being translated into sixteen languages.
Sir Ken was born in Liverpool, England as one of seven children. He is married to Therese (Lady) Robinson. They have two children, James and Kate, and live in Los Angeles, California.

The Art of Marketing - Calgary Monday, June 14th, 2010
9:00AM – 4:30PM
EPCOR CENTRE for the Performing Arts – Jack Singer Concert Hall
205 8th Avenue S.E.
https://www.theartofmarketing.ca/register

UPDATE - Heidi Ehlers: One Woman Army "THE JUICE" - 5 MINUTES W/ Leading Creative Directors

Since posting my blogspot on Heidi Ehlers of Black Bag last week, Heidi has posted a brilliant series of interviews titled The Juice - 5 Minute Career Chats With the World's Best CDs.

The Juice is a series of career chats with the world's best creative directors. The chats are mix of "what it takes to make it", "where the industry is headed", "the role of social media" and "how to standout".

Heidi chats with Scott Goodson founder of Strawberry Frog, Steffan Postaer, Andrew Simon Executive Creative Director of DDB Canada/Toronto, Kash Sree Pereira O’Dell’s new Executive Creative Director, and Chris Staples Co-Founder of Rethink Communications and Steffan Postaer Chairman/Chief Creative Officer Euro RSCG Chicago Group!

Really, rookie, newbie, old pro, whatever you are, if you want to hear "what it takes"... grab a coffee, relax, watch and learn.

Thanks Heidi.

Scott Goodson - Founder of Strawberry Frog

Andrew Simon - Executive Creative Director of DDB Canada/Toronto




Kash Sree - Executive Creative Director Pereira O’Dell




Chris Staples - Co-Founder Rethink Communications




Steffan Postaer - Chairman/Chief Creative Officer Euro RSCG Chicago Group

When The "Going" Gets Tough... Here's The Toughest of Them All: Heidi Ehlers - One Woman Army.

If you don't know Heidi Ehlers then you likely don't know "squat." Pure and pretty simple.

Heidi has been a dominant force in the creative talent attraction industry for more then 15 years, she is truly an "One Woman Army." She is the driving force behind her firm Black Bag and over the years, she has worked with some of the world's most respected and awarded companies to enhance their agencies in the acquisition of the best creative talent available. Junior to senior, and everything in-between. An expertise in the attraction and acquisition of "best" creative talent that brings the "best of creative" to the advertising industry we know and love.

She knows of what she speaks.

Heidi is one of us. Spending 12 solid years as a creative, and making it as a Creative Director by 28 after starting out as an junior copywriter trying to break in, she has also been agency principal. No matter what stage in the life cycle of a creative person, Heidi herself has experienced the many questions, possibilities, options, and the confusion that comes up with any decision to change jobs. No matter what is behind your change.

Recently I asked Heidi about what got her to this place? The answer was overwhelming, but rings so true for many creative people. Heidi explained, "I have interviewed thousands upon thousands of creative people. I ask about their goals and plans, and the future, and all the questions someone approaching their career strategically with a long term vision should be able to answer. Too frequently, I get a blank stare. One day I realized, these people just do not know because 'NO ONE' has ever had this conversation with them."

As an ex-creative she truly understands the difficulty of creativity, but even more she truly understands the difficulty so many have in selling themselves. I chatted last year with several agency people who noted, "Interesting you spend your career selling 'brands', yet the most important 'brand', 'brand you', often comes up fail."

Heidi knows what it takes to be "creative." Always an awards show annual junkie, she’s developed a perspective and an expertise on international creativity, in all forms, which rivals that of many of the people she meets.

Her current study is that of success, and how do you make it happen.

Currently she is writing a book entitled Diary of a Creative Director. The book has become "life's project" that started back in 2005 as a series of video interviews with an eye to ultimately become a book. She wanted to know what does it take to achieve uber-success as a "creative."
 She has explored how people think and do they actually behave differently than the majority? The Diary of a Creative Director video series has featured David Droga, Ari Merkin, Tony Granger, Neil French and Erik Vervroegen to name a few.

I asked Heidi what inspired her to first start the video series and now has evolved into a book. "I thought, 'I would LOVE to ask the same questions to the world's best CD's... and I will bet you they don't answer these questions the same way,' so Diary of a Creative Director was born." It started when she interviewed David Droga and Lee Garfinkel at Second City Theatre in Toronto. "We filled the house - because I gave a LOT of free tickets to students, why? because most people expected their agency to pay the $75, and if the agency didn't pay, they didn't make the investment. How do you not invest in your own success? How much did your jeans cost?"

The series continued at Cannes. "That was different, people from all over the world were dying to hear what Marcello Serpa, Tony Granger, and Erik Vervroegen had to say. Not just because of the guests - although that was some rock star stage - it was because it was Cannes. The smart people go there to learn. Diary of a Creative was a packed house in the largest theatre in Cannes.  It was the third highest attended seminar in Cannes in 2007."

Recently Heidi has taken the interviews on road, having one-on-one visits. "I like the visits." She just returned from Boulder and San Fransisco where she sat down with Alex Bogusky and Jeff Goodby. Before she left, I asked her if there is any one creative director that stands above others, who she has found most fascinating. "There is not one Creative Director I have interviewed who was more fascinating than any other. They are all such interesting people. I learn so much from each of them. Each interview has an insight in it that comes at a question from a completely unexpected way.  Every one of them."

Personally, each time I have had the privilege to sit down with some of the industry leaders, I have walked away truly inspired. I asked Heidi what has this experience meant to her, "I find the conversations inspiring, they are all about possibility, they are so honest, real, and raw.  She added, "Every single one of them is with someone with a lot of heart. What they share is incredibly generous. That's the part I find most staggering".

So how will the book work in the long run? Heidi sees it this way, "I thought a book could get the message to the largest number of people, it will cause change at the individual level, cause a group of individuals to join excited and courageous companies, create more companies filled with intentional like minded individuals, have a bunch of companies transform an industry."

I for one await the release of Diary of a Creative.

Heidi has taken what she has learned from the interviews, coupled it with her own personal experience and observations, created through Camp BLACK BAG: The Boot Camp for Your Career. This  program helps teach creative people what most of them don’t inherently know: "How to plan and mostly implement it into a great career." After 15 years and learning from them, all these conversations have laid the foundation and is the basis for the curriculum for Camp BLACK BAG. Heidi adds, "having heard over 30,000 career stories in the past 15 years, is the basis of learning and expertise for my career consulting and talent consulting business." Heidi really loves this business, "More people making more money in an industry that has re-found it chutzpah, but it all starts with the individual. As you always tell your students Anthony, 'IF IT IS TO BE, IT IS UP TO ME.'"

This past fall I had the pleasure of hosting Heidi with my soon-to-be graduating class. What she brought was more than just information to my future AdLanders, she brought a dialogue. Her address was based around the concept of what it takes to be a "Rock Star" Creative Director. The class was engaged for 2 hours, searching within themselves to see if they actually have what it takes. She gave questions rather than just giving answers. Many took the insights and began to use them the following night at the Advertising and Design Club of Canada award show. Her commitment to young talent was evident that night when she recognized some of those students and asked them, "How is your evening was going... did you connect with who wanted to... did you meet who you wanted to meet?"

If you are at the crossroads in your career or just starting out, do yourself a massive favour, no, better yet, be what Heidi has been all her life, "curious," "passionate" and filled with desire to be better and check out Black Bag, subscribe to the BlackBlog, join the Facebook group and dammit, start using Twitter and follow this, "One Woman Army."

Thanks Heidi for inspiring me to do better with my future AdLanders.

Welcome to Toronto ReThink. "Smackdown Challenge"... or How My Students Pulled an Attention Getting Stunt.

The Boomtown Rats echoed the universal cry of, "I Don't Like Mondays" back in 1979, but nothing could be further from the truth this past Monday (Monday April 5th, 2010) when my students pulled off a pretty cool and very successful stunt in welcoming Rethink Communications to Toronto.

Success can be measured in many ways, but when 50+ Seneca College Creative Advertising students gathered outside 110 Spadina Avenue, new home of Rethink Toronto, they welcomed us with open arms. We in turn provided some pretty awesome "branded" cupcakes, a makeshift "ping-pong" table (theirs had yet to arrive), paddles and even delivered a unique bouquet of "ping-pong" balls (designed and created by Dayla Ledger).

I planted a seed to my students with a simple challenge: "Let's get Rethink's attention, let them know we are the advertising program in Toronto, and we get it." I wanted them to prove they are not just advertising students, but "students of advertising."

Research lead the team of students to make note of a simple Rethink office "culture" item, which is their boardroom table. On the Rethink website they make it clear, "we don't have a fancy oak boardroom table. We have a ping-pong table instead. Partly, this is because ping-pong tables are much less expensive than fancy oak tables". From that simple nugget an idea was born by Dmitry Zelikman. He suggested that whatever we do, it should be based around the ping-pong insight/concept. The idea grew legs from a team of second semester students: Cory Woods, Adam Bercovici and John Kazakis. They mobilized a team of students to shoot the video and created posters to be posted outside their offices on lampposts and doorways.

Social media played the biggest role in the overall planning and execution of the stunt. First we created a video for YouTube. It was posted it, then sent it around to all the students within the program, posted it on everyone's Facebook page and then used Twitter. The students sent "Tweets" to @rethinknow, @rethinkTO, @ChrisStaplesVan, @pema and @drelebre with a link to the video and a message that referred to calling them out for a ping-pong "SmackDown" on the streets or in their office. The messaging was planned and timed to be done in unison, and it took off. Within hours, Rethink tweeted back, "GAME ON!"

We arrived at Rethink shortly before 8:30am, warming-up with an "impromptu" sidewalk game of ping-pong. We had planned for a full ping-pong table for the day but weather was working against us so we turned to "Plan B", bringing a simple folding table, took over the sidewalk and began with everyone taking their turn. Rallying back and forth over a net being held by classmates, keeping the ball from heading into oncoming traffic and letting passersby get on their work days, but not without a smile or laugh. I couldn't believe the enthusiasm and excitement, especially for a Monday morning.

Shortly after 9:00am, Dré Lebre was strolling down Spadina Avenue ready for his day at the new digs with Starbucks in hand, much to his surprise there we were. Stunned, smiling and almost speechless, he greeted us with a big smile and shook his head. Success! We not only got their attention, we followed through.

It was wonderful that the students had the opportunity to not only meet Dré Labre but also Pema Hegan. They invited us in sharing and congratulating us on our experience, talked a bit about the path of Rethink TO and even played some ping pong with us.

I often ask my students to accept a couple of simple concepts to success and that lives within them. I introduced them to a simple expression, 10 words, 2 letters each: "IF IT IS TO BE, IT IS UP TO ME." If you want something to happen, you control its success and control any failures. I ask them to always ask questions,  and I remind them that “what’s the worst that can happen or what's the worst thing that they can say?” You just never know what can or will happen unless you give it a shot.

By spending the morning at Rethink the students could see that there are really positive people in this business. They proved to themselves that anything can be done regardless of obstacles.

Thank you Rethink for letting us invade your office and we all hope it was just as exciting for you as much as it was for us putting together.

BTW, now that your "boardroom" table has arrived... when are you ready for that "SmackDown"?

More photos are available on my Facebook page and at Flickr Album.

YouTube - SmackDown Challenge Video

The Very Sexy Aminal Kingdom Comes To Life. Orangina and Beyond...

Orangina 'Naturally Juicy' by FFL Paris

Recently a student of mine Kateryna Topol posted a piece on my Facebook page from Campaign titled "Top 10 surreal TV Ads".

I was sent down memory lane quickly back to the Fall 2007 and long before a world of a million bloggers who would have had this spot "viral" in a matter of minutes.  Surreal is putting it mildly, I asked my classes back then "what on earth were they smoking". Regardless I felt the need to revisit the campaign.

Sexy. Is that wrong to say that?

Yes I just said sexy, and I do find the spot(s) pretty sexy and suggestive (duh). Interesting method of delivering the main USP here: "Unique blending of juice and soda". I guess the images here are a unique blend of relationships.

The original spot titled "Naturally Juicy" was created by FFL Paris for worldwide beverage brand "Oragina". The spots are a highly unusual and animated to support the brand claim to be the only drink that is both a soda and a fruit juice.

The ad, were first released in cinemas before making their debut on TV in November 2007 and tell relates a love story between a doe and a manly bear... an unusual pairing not unlike the paring of natural fruit juice and carbonated soda, and the rest of spot is pure "party" excitement of flavor. The campaign was expanded to include several other "pairings" and other "lifestyles" of the animal kingdom.

FFL Paris employed Psyop, a group of US directors who gained prominence through their work for MTV to give the ad its distinctive look. Their methods combines computer generated images with traditional cinematographic techniques and I have included a short film on the making of the spot.
The campaign expanded out to include other spots that would include "human" and "animal" engagement. Strangest must be the "Cougar" dominatrix, nothing mild in terms of S&M fantasy. In addition there were a series of shorter spots for individual Flavors.

Interesting to note that Kateryna's thoughts on the overall spots was pretty insightful, "...good take on it I guess,  new product + competitive market = extreme idea". Agreed.

After doing a little searching for more of the campaigns spots on YouTube, I came across several other similar spots for everything from a beer to a lottery to a jeep. I am sure there are others out there.

Making of Orangina 'Naturally Juicy' 

A behind-the-scenes mini-documentary on the making of the "Naturally Juicy" commercial.

Orangina "Red Bloody" [S&M Fantasies]

Orangina "CowBoy"

Orangina "Indian"

Foxy Bingo - 2008

UK's leading online bingo site's new TV ad 2008. Offering all new users a FREE £10 when registering. No deposit required. Great ad with excellent soundtrack.



Cascade Beer - "The Natural Order"

Jeep "Singing Animals" - 2007