El Gaffney

M-E-T-H (no O-D), DAN

2009-07-01T14:49:29Z

I’ve just about given up on putting a thoughtful or thought-provoking post up here. No time. (Oddly enough, the Old School line that went through my head — “I don’t know if we’ll have enough time” — would have been appropriate given I hit up Bed, Bath and Beyond on the regular lately.) So I’ve been reduced to what are essentially blown-out tweets. Slashies: Tweets-slash-Posts - and not the other way around! In case you’re not “following me,” this Bruno interview, Daily Show clip and a capella version of I’m On A Boat have been worthy of broadcasting to my 300 friends.

This guy, Dan Meth in case you didn’t click the link you lazy bassmaster, deserved a blog mention. (Mostly, I just wanted an excuse to write my witty title.) I saw this yesterday and immediately wanted to buy it and put it up on my wall.

So good. He also does “pop cultural charts” like one about the topics of early Early Beach Boys Hit Songs (cars, girls and surf) and illustrations like one of Ivan Drago and his four bad-ass lines of dialog (”if he dies he dies”).

My kind of art.

That’s So College

2009-06-16T19:54:42Z

Two videos that leave me in awe of college students. (Sorry no Asher Roth below.)

Mike Posner is a senior at Duke (via Shut Up We’re Blogging)

Bang-yao Lui is a senior at Savannah College of Art and Design (via Brand Flakes for Breakfast)

And of course, there are these recent Harvard grads who started Unithrive (a non-profit loan program at Harvard) featured in the Sunday Times.

What I’m Getting Into This Morning

2009-05-30T13:33:13Z

A non-typical post but I’m waiting for movers - so why not?

TrueHoop

We Love You So
(Lauren Epstein passed this on a while back)

(Phil Chang posted on Facebook earlier this week but I can’t get enough)

And this
(Not just because of the mention in “Motherlover”)

Non Ads By Ad People

2009-05-19T15:25:20Z

I feel like I’ve witnessed some pretty great non-advertising ideas brought to life by people in this office over these past couple of weeks. From in our stairwell to on top of our building to outside 150 Varick, these people aren’t just indulging their interests, they’re doing things that create our agency’s culture.

- Keiji creating art and upping the inspiration and fun with his “GRRRanimals of WKNY” mural:

The truth of the matter is that there are somewhere around 160 people in our office, and there are somewhere around 100 creatures on the stairwell. What that means is that many of the animals are really amalgams of several different people, groups of people, and so forth. Yes, it’s true that some of the creatures are more direct reference to specific individuals, but for the most part the animals are mixes. Literally months of thought have gone into the careful analysis of the bestial representations of various people in the office, and I think in short its best to consider the value of an animal in a more eastern way—that is to say, its all good, even if you’re a pig or a rat. Also frankly, if you think about it, you’re probaby not a dragon, or a liger or like a griffon or something.

Stairwell V2 from Keiji Ando on Vimeo.

- Nick completing his “100 Bands in 100 Days” project and inviting us all to his final show:

The fact that I can find live music in downtown Hartford, CT on a random Monday night amazes me. How I can still see Les Paul, the 93-year old man who invented the solid body electric guitar, every Monday night, have him flick me off for a picture and meet him afterwards amazes me. The fact that I can be asked on stage to perform with a band that’s been together for over 20 years, to a sold out crowd in NYC amazes me. And the fact that I can see 100 consecutive days of live music and still love music amazes me.

- Phil taking pictures of WKNYers in a project (that didn’t start as a project at all) called Rooftop at Seven:

Well I shot Sara and then Heather and those went well so I was like fuck it. LET’S GO.

Three very different projects that transform employees to people (or co-workers to friends) and make me feel more connected to the place and people around here. Not human resource sanctioned or agency funded necessarily (except for Keiji’s paint I think) but permitted (if not encouraged) and extremely valuable.

What Disintermediation?

2009-05-06T04:03:53Z

Sorry for the big, grown-up word in the subject of this post: I learned it in business school…when I read about business school…in a book. (reference DirecTV “Charge More”)

Yesterday afternoon I saw a tweet from ESPN RISE asked if anyone had questions for Donald Faison of Dr. Turk on Scrubs fame. I posed: Best hairstyle in sports? Look at Lawrence’s head. It’s da bomb! Cause I’m keepin’ it real. Cause I’m keepin’ it real. (reference Clueless script)

Well, today he responded to me (right after dirtydave998):

How to Get an Entry Level Job in Advertising

2009-04-03T18:26:59Z

We have groups of students come in to get an inside look at an advertising agency (and drop off their books/portfolios) fairly often here. Last week I spoke a bit with prospective planners in the graduating class of Miami Ad School. That’s when I decided I should write this post. Today’s when I’m actually getting around to it.

I had fully intended to write a list of advice for those children hoping to be advertising’s future. As recently as when I interrupted myself writing that first paragraph to type this fun use of “JOB”:

Embrace the best of what it means to be JUNIOR
Find OPPORTUNITIES where they’re not obvious
Take a BOLD approach 1 out of every 3 attempts

But I’m realizing more and more that my opinion may not be as valuable as I think it is. It seems they’ve heard it all before, and though I make it a point NOT to talk about the difficulty of finding a job in this economy, I don’t get the sense that I’m helping. Even when I give these students a short list of tangible action items (Mike K. would be proud), there’s still no inspiring going on. And when I boil it down to one thing—it’s all about forming relationships—it somehow feels both too narrow and broad.

Plus, there’s lots of recommendations and information out there on this subject already—on the web, in-person, from industry experts and insiders, from your parents. There are books on cover letters and blog posts claiming they’re a waste of time. There are resume services and professional networking sites and job posting sites.

In a lot of ways, I feel like it has gotten so easy (with the amount of options and ideas out there) that it is almost impossible for these students to find direction and focus. And in a lot of ways, I feel like the singular and uncompromising focus on being a “planner” is part of the problem. I, like many I know in planning departments, not only weren’t sure they wanted to work in advertising but also had no idea what planning was/that it existed. I mean, these wannabe-planners have already been to school become planners, so how do you suggest they may be better suited for an account or creative position? Or a job outside of advertising? The easy answer is: I don’t. But I do seed the idea that you can be strategic in just about any career you choose.

And I do believe in the J-O-B and forming relationships (vs. networking) advice, and I cannot overemphasize the importance of embracing “Junior.” That doesn’t mean accepting shit work or buying into the “paying of dues.” Fuck that. It means bringing enthusiasm and fresh perspective to projects. There’s nothing worse than the student that’s already jaded about advertising and trying to relate to me on that level. I love this shit and when I don’t it’s because of people’s complacency or egos. If you’re genuinely looking to learn AND teach (through work ethic), you’re already a step ahead of many of your counterparts.

Another thing that will keep you ahead of your entry-level job competition: doing what some would call “little things” in an interesting way. Honestly, doing them - period - puts you in a small elite group. I may not provide the silver bullet to getting a job when you come in, but I always provide my contact info and an open invitation to get in touch. And what do you think happens every time? The same thing that happened last week. I get an email saying, “I’m sure your inbox is filled with emails after our visit, but I wanted to drop you a note to thank you for hosting our me and my classmates…” or something similar from…3 out of 20 students. Really? Come on, you can do better than that. I don’t need appreciation or hand-written notes, but even after all these times, I still expect the next group will take me up on my offer to start communicating - especially if they’re dying to get into planning like they claim.

But I digress. The third paragraph was going to say this:

So instead (rather than write up advice - oops, my bad), what I’ve decided to do is share something that I’ve kept stashed deep down in folders on my hard drive. Something I’ve saved and shuttle from computer to computer. Something that, quite frankly, makes me cringe when watching it. It’s not embarrassing as much as it’s painful. But as painful as it is to see, hear, know is now out there for judgment, I think it’s important for those looking to get hired as well as those hiring.

It’s the video I submitted at 21 years old to be given the chance to participate in “Account Executive Survivor” at a boutique NYC ad agency called DiMassimo (now DiMassimo Goldstein). It’s the start of my journey through advertising. Things to note: I lived and worked in the agency for a week with 7 other people. I came in second place. I wasn’t hired to be an account exec; rather, I was hired as a copywriter/new biz person/receptionist for $27.5K. I took this ambiguous position that I just as easily could have viewed as beneath a Georgetown grad in title and pay. And perhaps most importantly, an agency (Mark and Lee) took a chance on hiring me WITHOUT PREVIOUS ADVERTISING EXPERIENCE, invested in my development and allowed me to find my place in this [insert adjective here] industry.

Okay, no more delaying the inevitable. (Sorry for the crappy quality - I don’t have the original videocassette tape.)

That’s the last time I watch it…and hopefully the last time you do as well.

Ads, Brands, and ESPN: A Presentation

2009-02-19T14:35:32Z

I just returned to the office from giving a guest lecture at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business. The audience was first-year students in Professor Ansari’s Marketing class, which is part of their core curriculum. That means, they have to be there whether or not they give two hoots about this fuzzy stuff. And at 9AM, at that. However, I must give credit to the class - they were surprisingly awake and engaged from the get-go, and they asked very smart questions. All A’s, I say. (Unfortunately, I have no power to do such a thing.) So thank you to them, Prof Ansari, W+K, and ESPN - nothing makes up for lack of new thinking better than some “This is SportsCenter” spots. Thanks to the blogosphere and plannersphere, from whom I’ve learned (and stolen) much to make this presentation. And thanks to my parents, who as educators themselves, have instilled the importance of, and inspired the passion for, teaching. (Yes, I know it’s only a presentation, not an acceptance speech for an award show.) Enjoy and please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments or on SlideShare. I’d like that.

GBS: Ads, Brands, and ESPN

View more presentations from elgaffney. (tags: branding brands)

(Note: Many of the slides contain hyperlinks to videos. Also, I have no idea why that clip art heart shape would upload properly. But I’m done trying since it’s not relevant to the pres. Plus, it’s only getting further away from Valentine’s Day.)

UPDATE: Many people have told me they need the VO with this or even the notes, and unfortunately I don’t think there’s a way to upload it with them. But in the absence of each, I must clear up just one misconception - I’m not feeling that State Farm spot creatively or strategically. Of course I understand that it was just to get the NFL sponsorship across; however, I used this slide to make the point that advertising is not the end game - that it must serve the brand, connect to your memories of the brand, etc. In hindsight, that was probably not the best example or title of that slide for those reading it. Thank you, Clay, for bringing it to my attention considering I got the idea to use when he and an ex-colleague bashed it on the same day.)

Really, Seth

2009-02-10T20:56:09Z

Every so often, I like to tout the accomplishments of people with whom I share a name - first or last. It becomes a sort of bitter celebration and serves as a motivational tool for me to get my act together. Well, not necessarily my act as in part of a play or even comedy sketch because that’s where Seth Myers comes in with this silly new SNL segment:

Other Seth (Gray), I fully expect a comment here.

Dear Recruiters

2009-01-28T20:37:05Z

If you’re calling or emailing me about a job and you don’t mention the password, “SWEATER!”, then don’t expect me to return your message.

I do not want to seem ungrateful, especially in this tough time. I feel fortunate to have attracted your interest. I appreciate that you (at least a one or two of you) want to understand my needs first - before telling me about the search you’re conducting for “award-winning agency with blue-chip clients.” And I even appreciate that you’re being upfront about “finding me on LinkedIn.”

It’s just that doing a search for planners/strategists on LinkedIn and blanketing us with half-assed “this could be a great opportunity for you…or if not, can your recommend a friend or colleague” messages, is lazy and insincere. Yes, I’m easy to find, and I don’t want to change that - though if you had checked a little farther down the page, I’m not open to being contacted about career opportunities or job inquiries. But I’m also pretty easy to find things out about, including hopefully (for you) a connection to make the introduction. While you weren’t looking at my contact preferences, you also seemed to miss the link to My Blog (that’s here). Admittedly it ain’t the most professional place; yet, you can learn more about me/how I write/what I think about/etc. than on that template page that you didn’t even bother really reading anyway.

Unlike Chris Mortensen, I don’t feel like it’s a privilege to chat with me. However, I do expect some level of working for it. I do expect you to care enough about knowing with whom you’re about to make unsolicited contact to do a little bit of research. Shit, this blog is the first result for a Google search of my name. I do more digging about people I may end up meeting through friends that than you have for a person you’re about to ask to consider making a major life change. Sure, maybe I’m a little weird but that’s just weak sauce.

In case you are wondering, I’m not looking for a new gig. I know, you “don’t care” since it’s about my future career path and potential. Sarcasm aside, I’ve worked with recruiters in the past and had fantastic experiences. I understand this may be a difficult time for you. But I do not believe desperate times call for desperate measures. I even hear what Paul is saying in his recent article in AdAge, “What to Do When a Headhunter Calls,” about recruiters vs. ’senders.’

But in response to his advice (and final sentence), “Answer the phone”…

Sure. Now, what’s the password?

—
Eliminated passwords/passphrases:
- “Plethora”: It’s not inconceivable that you would start the conversation off by telling me about the plethora of opportunities you have available.
- “My Little Buttercup” (or “Rrrrraped de horses”): I’m not looking for a lawsuit.
- “Invisible Swordsman”: No fun, and I thought this (below) was a little too complicated…

Make a Personal and Presidential Statement

2009-01-14T19:31:23Z

A cool new application from Paste Magazine called Obamicon.Me. (Probably a better name than Faireysize Me.) Just as Logobama helped bring individuals into the election period, this allows people to express themselves in the days leading up to following the swearing in of our President-elect using the iconic Shepard Fairey poster and a very interesting, easy-to-use interface. So in anticipation of next Tuesday, I wanted to make a few extremely politically-charged statements.

Enjoy, but also be on alert.

A Good Idea If You’re In London

2009-01-13T21:42:39Z

Hit up the Good Ideas Salon put on by PSFK.

Check out the speaker list and get your tickets over at the site linked above. I’d be pumped to see the Dopplr dude and “Ruby Pseudo” for sure. But what I think will be interesting more than any one individual is the percentage of people with the title, “Founder,” who will be talking. Get your learn on from those with experience launching ideas. That’s valuable in this climate, especially. And Piers has done it up right with conferences in the past as well as the recent morning salons here in NYC.

Are Athletes Not Enough for Gatorade?

2009-01-06T23:50:48Z

I’m honestly not trying to drink the Hate-orade (I know too easy), but I really don’t understand this move. Why would Gatorade do this campaign? What was its objective? To gain urban credibility? To launch a new bottle with the Big “G”? Why does Pepsi Company just seem to think think a refresh is in order across the board? Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for experimentation on the design and advertising tip. But I just don’t see this one at all. And that’s even as a big fan of the JabbaWockeeZ (big enough at least not to have to look it up to spell it) and spoken word poetry (on Saturday nights past you couldn’t find me at the club, you could find me watching Def Poetry Jam on HBO on my couch…I wasn’t a grouch/ I was awaiting De La Hoya / Because even though I’m an Irish Jew I look Latino / Ja Rule baby!). I put it out to Twitter and got pretty much all negativos:

Here’s the pillar spot, which incorporates athletes at least (and comments are split 50/50)…

And three others.

Happy Holidays

2008-12-24T20:36:14Z

Dear reader (not to be confused with Dear Leader), thanks so much for spending some time with my words and pictures, but mostly words, this year. It was a fun one. Hope your holiday is filled with lots of happiness…however you derive it.

Image via the awesome Age

When Everything Comes Together for Worse

2008-12-23T17:21:54Z

Has anyone else had the distinctly awkward pleasure of witnessing a crowd of people respond to this Louis Vuitton advertisement at the movies?

There are so things I’d like to say this experience, but I’m trying to wrap things up) get out of here for the holidays. Thus, I want to make just one clear point: Sometimes when it makes perfect sense, you really lose. And sometimes when it makes no sense, you really win. And sometimes when it fits exactly or doesn’t fit at all, you actually tie.

Crystal clear?

No. Okay, well, here’s some advice for Louis V and other advertisers out there. Just because you make a cinematic ad (style and message), it doesn’t mean it’s right for the cinema (media). Furthermore, just because you think your target is “sophisticated and upscale,” it doesn’t make people at “more artsy theaters” the appropriate audience for your advertising. In fact, I’m really having trouble thinking of any theater or movie it would “work” for. Going to see a movie is social; it brings people (from diverse backgrounds) together for shared entertainment. (Not to sound like the speech given at every Oscars ceremony) Even someone who is compelled by the “journey” story (or even enjoys its music selection), is not going to do so in a crowd of strangers. Especially at this economically-difficult time, I can’t think of anyone who would self-identify as a fan of that brand.

I have been meaning to write this since seeing Slumdog Millionaire on Saturday night at the Angelika (highly recommended by the way) when after 4 indie previews were followed by the ad embedded above. It was met with an “Are you serious?” moment of silence, followed by a barrage of laughter and conversations (at least in rows near me) about the ridiculousness of LV’s communications. I can’t imagine the reaction would be any different elsewhere, so it’s crazy to think they’ve been running these since at least this May.

In fact, I would argue they actually disrupted my journey into a movie-going mindset (suspending disbelief, being open to being moved, etc.) with this unbelievably silly and self-important move.

Please tell me I’m not alone.

Inbox of Immaturity is Back…Kinda

2008-12-19T15:29:20Z

Sure, it’s nice to have a handful of time-wasting links in one place; however, I started to find that by the time I posted them the links were old news. Therefore, I think I’m going to resurrect the Inbox of Immaturity on Twitter.

But given it’s a snowy Friday morning, I figured I’d give you a couple cozy videos. Plus, I wanted to ask (in an accusatory way): How have none of my “friends” told me that these exist? Natalie and Rashida. Come on. Sure, there’s funnier stuff on the site but seriously. My favorite of the three:

As for one of the best series of videos on FoD, Zach G. is back with his third installment of “Between Two Ferns.” This time with John Hamm. So you know, it gets a little inappropriate at times but the “Websites” part is classic.

And Boom Goes The Holiday Party

2008-12-15T17:18:50Z

You irresponsible motherfuckers.

Advertising. While holiday parties are being canceled, scaled back, etc., it reminds me of all the other holiday parties I’ve been to in my 6 years in the biz. Every year some of the geezers (original MadMen) of the industry and even some of the old guys (30-40 year-old’s, that is) talk about parties past. The wild times without worries or inhibitions. The excess. The skinny dipping. The drugs.

No. I don’t want the drugs. But we didn’t get our good ‘ole days or our dot-com boom. People my age came in at the bust, enjoyed a few normal years, and now have to deal with this crazy recession.

So. Realize this: We don’t want to hear about your stinkin’ glory day holiday events. And realize what we’re thinking on the other days when you tell us to pay our dues: “Why? We’re already paying for the mess you’ve made.”

What we’d actually prefer to do is roll up our sleeves and get to solving the problem. What we don’t want to do is roll up our sleeves and do the bullshit work while you get to “take a stab” at solving it.

You taught us this top-down model. AAE to AD eventually. A good idea can come from anywhere in the creative department. You value our understanding of “the digital life” enough to hear our explanation of how we use social networks but not enough to put us in the room with the potential client, to whom you’re selling that understanding.

And not just in the ad industry. You taught my Banking friends that it’s normal to work 90 hours a week, be unhealthy but filthy rich. You taught the Asset Managers to manage relationships, you’ll take care of the investments. You taught my friends in Fashion to sell on shows, showrooms, and parties. You taught those working for Magazines and Newspapers to worry about content, not the medium/delivery mechanism. You taught new Teachers to stick to the curriculum and focus on preparing students for standardized tests if they want tenure. That this is just the way it is; that we should just deal with it. We fell in line and look what happened.

You taught us to respect our elders. We say, “Earn it.”

It’s time for new ways.

[This rant was inspired by this fantastic post by Charles Frith, a responsible "old" guy in advertising (which there are many others including Gen Gifted on right sidebar), who used the word "party" in the title of his post. My title inspired by this.]

Why Deal With New Year’s Eve?

2008-12-10T23:13:03Z

Come out and get drunk the night before.

As Noah said (and the copy above suggests), it’s pretty simple. Be able to get in (for free), afford drinks, and find an open cab at the end of the night in New York City. It’s the New Year’s Eve-Eve Party without promoters’ names on the top of post-sized cards in Helvetica font…much to the dismay of Eric. I’ll be there, and so will these two clowns.

SNL Digital Short…

2008-12-07T16:39:04Z

Or quick. (You’ll get it when you watch the clip below. You may not find it funny. But you’ll get it.)

This video makes me want to start the Inbox of Immaturity back up again. Last night’s SNL was solid on the whole with John Malkovich as host. The Huffington Post has a handful of the best stuff, but this is the one that people will no doubt be looking for on a Lazy Sunday. (See what I did there.) It’s unfortunate that the title of this short is visible because part of its hilariousness is in the shock value. However, I won’t spoil any more surprises like cameos. Oh, just watch already:

Also, I know the sponsor of SNL’s videos change, but I have to mention when I grabbed this one’s embed code of this “Extra Fruit Sensations” gum. Amazing.

B-fore You Go to B-School, Consider This

2008-12-04T17:00:48Z

Here’s an interesting idea that seemed worth a post rather than just a delicious bookmark. Seth Godin is offering an alternative to Business School - spend 6 months in his office. It’s an “apprenticeship/not-internship/graduate school/charm school track-changing opportunity.” Yes, apprenticeship slash grad school…and not the other way around. And yes, that Zoolander reference probably wouldn’t fly in an application to his program or any of the prestigious universities from which he may steal talent. More probable than getting the MBA-seeking to reconsider, he’s created something motivating for the entrepreneurial path-changer. The idea is great, the timing is even better, and the price is best—it’s free. If I hadn’t found something real and if I wasn’t so into keeping it real here at W+K NY, I’d definitely give it some serious consideration.

UPDATE: My buddy, who is likely headed to a top ranked business school next Fall, passed on this site to get prospective B-schoolers take on Other Seth’s offer. Also, note to planners, the Business Week Business School forums are usually filled with great opinions, emotion, and insight. Last note, my friend did not want a “shout-out” on the blog because he’s “trying to stay as much under the radar online as possible until this whole silly business school process is over…interviews and such.” Now there’s a new, FREE perspective for us bloggers.

Giving Thanks Early

2008-11-26T12:37:35Z

If you’re having trouble finding something to be thankful for in these rough times, meet Capucha—a reminder that children are the world’s greatest storytellers.

I know this is making the rounds through some other NY agencies right now, but in case you haven’t seen it, it will make your Wednesday morning. I initially thought this and the Shiba Inu puppy cams popularity must be an attempt to escape our economic realities (addicted to cute); however, Capuchine has been going strong for two years.

Once upon a time… from Capucha on Vimeo.

Just so you know, I can’t wait for next October. My birthday party will be old school, let’s go to the movies to see Where The Wild Things Are?