Yes Virginia there's more to life than advertising. PEACE, RESPECT, UNDERSTANDING... but mostly LOVE!!!

I orginally posted this last Chrstmas (2011)... somehow I felt it deserves an encore.

I mostly hate this poster but it still makes me think.

Yes Virginia there's more to life than advertising. After all we in advertising created that fat man in the red suit to flog just about anything under the sun and most rocks. Yup, there's more.
It's that time of year again to take a moment to simply say "Thank You"... to share peace, respect, understanding and most important to share our LOVE.

My LOVE is my family. My wonderful wife who supports a billion hair-brained ideas I seem to create in my little corner of my brain. My two wonderful sons. Each becoming awesome people. My first born just finished his first semester (UPDATE: now in second year studying linguistics and communications) away from home at university... somehow he is becoming everything I ever imagined he might and more. My little one amazes me everyday... he embraces life faster then it seems to come at him. I love my family, and I thank them for being my anchor and keeping me humble.

Christmas brings a few great and not so great ads. Some advertising agencies send out their self promos to clients or simple create that piece that will hopefully have them taking that long walk to the award podium.

Christmas brings a few legendary, great and not so great ads... maybe next year I'll start in August assembling a "Best of Christmas" since a YouTube search brought about a zillion ads.

FOLGERS - Peter's Home

This Folger's spot still ranks as one of my favorite Christmas spots of all-time.
 


COCA-COLA -  Snow Globes



LUCKY STRIKE -  200 Merry Christmas Wishes

This spot is truly in it's own class of copywriting... after all Don Draper of course proclaimed that "Lucky Strikes, their toasted'.



... and Santa flogging Camels

Guinness - We Dream of White Christmas

Some advertising agencies send out their self promos to clients or simple create that piece that will hopefully have them taking that long walk to the award podium.
Here's a few that caught my eye this Christmas season.

RETHINK CANADA - Holiday Piñata Bash 2011

Rethink’s Holiday Piñata Bash 2011 offers up the cool concept of breaking a pinata, but the real experience breaks some cool interactive rules... you can “interact” with each YouTube film.



BLAMMO WORLDWIDE - "hohoholdonasec"



Fold7 - Santa 'The Creative Director" (NSFW or Kids - some liberal use of the F-word)



The very best came from Droga5 in the form of a "Press Release"... gather attention at minimum cost... isn't that the ultimate? Droga5 announced it had lost their own internal “Holiday Card”  assignment to rival ad agency McGarryBowen who have won their share of new business in 2011. Well written. See the Press Release here.

Thank you for following along. My blog has taken a back seat to my Twitter feed this past year. I hope to return to this space more often. (Update: Man has my blog taken a hit sine Twitter came into my life... this is the first post since January, and it's not even a new post)

Remember, take a moment (everyday) to simple say either these two or three little words: THANK YOU... or better yet I LOVE YOU.

HAPPY NEW YEAR. Let's Rock 2012 with Passion.

I have said often in my lectures there's something you can't teach... PASSION. It needs to be nurtured, it needs to be inspired and it needs to honest.

My love and passion for advertising is 24/7/365... and I love a leap year (hey, isn't 2012 is a leap year). Yup, that's one extra day to be passionate about the greatest biz in the world. The legendary (and one of the original "Mad Men") Jerry Della Famina said it best, "I honestly believe that advertising is the most fun you can have with your clothes on". (Read more great Della Famina quotes)

I'm not saying you can't have other interests outside of advertising, G-d knows I have too many, but you gotta love "it". If you're a student reading this you need to shift your mindset from "advertising student" to that of "Student of Advertising". That simple shift will inspire you to learn, love and build the passion that is needed to day.

Add to your reading an amazing view of what the future trends are ahead for the ad business by TBWA\ChiatDay CCO Rob Schwartz on his Forbes blog "Metal Potential" titled "5 Places To Strike Gold in 2012". Yes, we have all been blinded by all the bright shinny objects that are digital and spend our every waking moments wrapped into the world of Social Media. This year there are new places to discover and own. I am truly inspired by change and adopting.

So here's to 2012. Make yours. Rock it. Be awesome.

After all, only you can/will author your future.

I remind my students everyday of my personal mantra. It's pretty simple, 10 words, 2 letters each.

IF IT IS TO BE. IT IS UP TO ME.

Happy 2012. Make it yours, 24/7/366.