So anyway…

When you’re a copywriter, you’re responsible for every word on the page or on the screen. Big agencies have proofreaders, but still, you have to think about everything that’s there, and everything that’s not there. Even a single word can change the customer experience. Case in point. I recently bought tickets to see Rod Stewart for $20. I know! Sweet, right? Continue reading “Rod Stewart for 20 Bucks!”

If you look at my resume, you’ll see that most of my full-time stops at places have lasted for years. I’ve been fortunate enough to have worked with some great people who have become great friends. Heck, more than that. They’ve become family. Now, I realize that’s not a unique experience. You spend a lot of time with the people you work with, and you either grow close or you hate each other. This is a story of both.

Continue reading “In Praise of the Touchy-Feely Crap”

When you work with someone for nearly two decades, you have a lot of stories. At least four or five, anyway. Here’s another one about Joe, and oddly enough, lunch and an Asian restaurateur. And if you think I’m picking on Asians, relax. I’m half-Chinese, so it’s okay. Well, 38% anyway, according to my DNA profile on ancestry.com. On behalf of 38% of the billions of people who look like me, I give you permission to engage in good-natured observations of Asians. This story doesn’t really have anything to do with Asians, actually. There just happens to be one in it. Make that one and a half. It doesn’t really have anything to do with advertising, either. Just lunch in an advertising agency. In fact, you won’t learn a single profitable thing from this story, but maybe you’ll get a laugh heading into your weekend. Continue reading “No Substitute for Chopsticks”

My son got a new phone recently. A Samsung S9. (UPDATE: Here’s his review.) And it only served to confirm what I’ve been slowly admitting to myself for a long time now: I’m no longer a fan of Apple. In fact, it’s not only that I think others make better products than Apple (which they do). It’s that I actually hate Apple. Continue reading “Dear Apple: I Hate You”

I realize Christmas is over (I hope you all had a good one), but I still have retail on my mind. First, a quick lesson on retail advertising, then a story about when I worked retail at Tower Records. Continue reading “The Best Retail Job Ever: Tower Records”

As you know, I am a professional Question Asker. I realize, though, that the talent of getting to the heart of the issue is not the sole purview of ad people. I would think teachers excel at this, as do most parents. So today’s post, frankly, is telling you nothing you didn’t already know. But as my faithful subscribers know (if you don’t subscribe, you are a source of sadness to me), my primary goal here is to brighten your day heading into the weekend. Sort of a happiness head start. So here’s one from the Reeves family archives about trying to get past the obvious. Continue reading “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year: School Plays”

I mentioned a couple of posts ago how advertising is one-on-one communication. And how your goal is to connect with your audience on an emotional level so you can begin to establish a relationship. But there is such a thing as being an annoying brand. Continue reading ““Oh hi Joe””

Preamble: I couldn’t make the title of this post a hot link, so please enjoy this link to my pop culture reference. On to our regularly scheduled post.

I had a quick little confirmation in my belief in the power of branding the other day. Continue reading “¿Quien es mas macho?”

As I’ve threatened for some time, I’m finally getting around to writing my post on how to write a headline. This isn’t one of my typical humor pieces. This is a real overview of how to do it, intended for the beginning copywriter. By the end of it, you’ll be an expert and I’ll be out of a job. But I’m a giver, so for all of you who got an A in English class and always think, “I could totally do that”, I’m pulling back the curtain. Continue reading “How to Write a Headline (Seriously)”

Gosh, I have so many things to be thankful for, I don’t where to start. Continue reading “Happy Thanksgiving!”