Comments, please

Hi, I’m Whit, and I’m a comment junkie. I live for comments. Comments are evidence that people are listening. Comments are testimony that you’ve made someone, somewhere think about something enough that they feel compelled to agree or disagree with you. Comments beget more comments. I only post status updates on Facebook when I think they’re funny, thought-provoking, or controversial enough to generate comments. I plan to approach this blog the same way, so for my inaugural submission, I’m taking a shotgun approach to hedge my bets. Here’s a quick snapshot of all the things I thought about using as a subject, condensed to soundbyte-length. My “stream of consciousness” blog, if you will. Let’s see what gets some chatter going out there.

• Rochester is an ad community in dire need of a softball tournament, a battle of the bands, something – anything – to remind us that a community is exactly what we are. Seeing each other at the ADDY show and the occasional RAF social event isn’t enough. We need more. Friendly competition is good. Bragging rights are even better. This really needs to happen. I can put a softball, bowling, badminton, or water polo team together if you can. Okay, water polo might be tough, but you get the idea.
• Too many clients are mistaking social marketing websites for free places to park their logos instead of opportunities to give their brands meaning and bring them to life. From what I can tell, too many agencies nationwide are failing to educate and inspire them to think otherwise. Prove me wrong. Please.
• Any creative who says he or she hasn’t looked through creative annuals for inspiration is either a liar or a fool. Any account, production, PR, or media person who says they’ve never looked through a creative annual is probably telling the truth and is definitely not giving themselves an important tool for success.
• Rochester is without a doubt the most jingle happy community I have ever lived in. Professionally produced jingles don’t bother me; they’re effective as hell. Half-assed TV or radio station-produced jingles do. Got a favorite (or least favorite) jingle?
• Admit it, Fucillo Hyundai ads have made you laugh out loud at least once, even if you hate yourself for doing so. Say what you want – the spots may be stupid, but the guy selling more Hyundais than anyone else in the country is not.
• Local students who are aspiring art directors – get a copywriter to write the ads in your book. Aspiring copywriters – get an art director to art direct your book. All the kids coming out of programs like VCU and Miami Ad School do, and the difference shows.
• TV and the art of doing broadcast are not dead. You just have to go online to see what’s being done.
• iPhones are sweet. iPhone apps are sweet. iPhone apps that do something which is already programmed into my iPhone are stupid. Skype for iPhone? Why wouldn’t I just text you?
• I actually think I like GM’s new tagline, “May the best car win.” Big and bold, just like they want to be. Hope they can live up to it.
• Just noticed that America’s Funniest Videos is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Why is this show still on TV? Haven’t we already seen the funniest videos from America (or anywhere else in the world for that matter) on YouTube?
• There’s a new iPhone knockoff called the “myPhone”. Really? myPhone? That’s the best they could do? Reminds me of Cleo McDowell in “Coming to America”: “They got the Big Mac … I got the Big Mick.”
• There’s some fantastic work getting done in Rochester. Let’s do more.

Comments?