This Job Is Not For You: The Application
We are looking for a new account/project manager to join us here at Sell! Towers. We are a small, nimble company so everyone has to be very good at what they do. We don't have time for average Joes. So we don't enter into this lightly. We're looking for someone with zero to two years experience as an account manager, project manager or similar. Other than that we just want the very best person. Everything you need to know about the kind of qualities we're looking for is here. Read that first. If you still think this job could be for you, the application form is below. Good luck.
My Favourite Writing #2: Drayton Bird
As our regular reader will know, it’s our belief that regardless of strategy, creativity and the creative crafts ultimately make the difference between great advertising and not-so-great advertising. And none more so than great writing. Regardless of media or technology, great writing is still the most powerful tool available to the marketer and advertiser. So we've been asking people who’s opinions we respect to tell us their favourite three pieces of advertising writing. And thankfully most of them didn't tell us to fuck off. We’re running them as an irregular series, today's is #2 with selections from Drayton Bird...
“There are so many pieces of advertising I admire that it’s hard to single out just three. However, these will have to do for a start. They are all beyond logic. Harvey Probber – ‘If your Harvey Probber chair wobbles, straighten your floor’ The Harvey Probber because I worked for that agency, PKL. It conveys in a heartbeat what a well-made chair means. Chivas – ‘Because’ The Chivas because it goes straight to the heart. Lennen & Mitchell – ‘Find the man!’ The Lennen & Mitchell because it expresses the great truth about this business. It is all about people. I once did a one hour speech to Ogilvy heads of office based on that ad.”
Thanks Drayton!
My Favourite Writing #1: Mark Denton
“There are so many pieces of advertising I admire that it’s hard to single out just three. However, these will have to do for a start. They are all beyond logic. Harvey Probber – ‘If your Harvey Probber chair wobbles, straighten your floor’ The Harvey Probber because I worked for that agency, PKL. It conveys in a heartbeat what a well-made chair means. Chivas – ‘Because’ The Chivas because it goes straight to the heart. Lennen & Mitchell – ‘Find the man!’ The Lennen & Mitchell because it expresses the great truth about this business. It is all about people. I once did a one hour speech to Ogilvy heads of office based on that ad.”
Thanks Drayton!
My Favourite Writing #1: Mark Denton
Marketing and communication in 2011. How to cut through the crap. #11
SO HERE WE ARE IN 2011. Never has there been a more competitive time to be in the business of marketing. There have never been more ways of spending budgets. There has never been more pressure on budgets. Or, come to that, more theories about what you should and shouldn’t be doing. What is clear is that whilst many are waffling on about this trend and that development, some are simply getting on with doing things that get results. We are some of those people. And this is some of how we do it.
PART 11: HALVE YOUR PRODUCTION BUDGET
Wait just a god-damn minute.
That’s like the opposite of what we just said here.
But bear with us for a moment.
If your work is stuck in a rut, a good way to inspire a new way of thinking about a problem is to break people out of their conventional paths.
Drastically cutting a production budget is just one way to do this.
Suddenly people can’t rely on clever effects, or famous faces.
The problem has to be solved with guile and wit.
Don't just use it as an excuse to cheap out though.
We will know.
PART 1: CREATIVITY & CRAFT ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER
PART 2: THE BEST COMMUNICATION IS STILL ABOUT PEOPLE
PART 3: FOCUS YOUR COMMUNICATION ON CHANGING BEHAVIOUR, NOT JUST CHANGING ATTITUDE.
PART 4: BE DIFFERENT IN THE CATEGORY
PART 5: DON'T SPEND ALL YOUR TIME & MONEY TALKING TO FANS OF YOUR BRAND
PART 6: BE IMPATIENT & AMBITIOUS WITH YOUR TARGETS
PART 7: REPETITION. REPETITION. REPETITION.
PART 8: BE WARY OF THOSE PROFESSING ABOUT "THE FUTURE OF ADVERTISING"
PART 9: DONE WELL, TV IS STILL THE SHORT CUT TO SUCCESS
PART 10: DON'T SCRIMP ON YOUR PRODUCTION BUDGET
PART 11: HALVE YOUR PRODUCTION BUDGET
Wait just a god-damn minute.
That’s like the opposite of what we just said here.
But bear with us for a moment.
If your work is stuck in a rut, a good way to inspire a new way of thinking about a problem is to break people out of their conventional paths.
Drastically cutting a production budget is just one way to do this.
Suddenly people can’t rely on clever effects, or famous faces.
The problem has to be solved with guile and wit.
Don't just use it as an excuse to cheap out though.
We will know.
PART 1: CREATIVITY & CRAFT ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER
PART 2: THE BEST COMMUNICATION IS STILL ABOUT PEOPLE
PART 3: FOCUS YOUR COMMUNICATION ON CHANGING BEHAVIOUR, NOT JUST CHANGING ATTITUDE.
PART 4: BE DIFFERENT IN THE CATEGORY
PART 5: DON'T SPEND ALL YOUR TIME & MONEY TALKING TO FANS OF YOUR BRAND
PART 6: BE IMPATIENT & AMBITIOUS WITH YOUR TARGETS
PART 7: REPETITION. REPETITION. REPETITION.
PART 8: BE WARY OF THOSE PROFESSING ABOUT "THE FUTURE OF ADVERTISING"
PART 9: DONE WELL, TV IS STILL THE SHORT CUT TO SUCCESS
PART 10: DON'T SCRIMP ON YOUR PRODUCTION BUDGET
Material Theft
Seems us advertising types aren't the only ones who get a little sensitive when material gets ripped off. The nicking of jokes without proper credit is an even bigger sin apparently.
If you've not caught wind of Cheggers-gate, here's a very eloquent and entertaining perspective from Ed Byrne about the whole thing. You can read it here
If you can't be arsed, it's at least worth watching Stewart Lee hammer Joe Pasquale on the same subject. This was also featured on Ed's blog piece. Thanks, Ed. Credit where credit's due and all that.
If you've not caught wind of Cheggers-gate, here's a very eloquent and entertaining perspective from Ed Byrne about the whole thing. You can read it here
If you can't be arsed, it's at least worth watching Stewart Lee hammer Joe Pasquale on the same subject. This was also featured on Ed's blog piece. Thanks, Ed. Credit where credit's due and all that.
Wouldn't You Rather Be Doing Something?
Are you single. Are you interesting? Have you ever felt that trying to meet someone has become more a chore than a pleasure? Or that meeting people for a blind date or from a dating site is a bit like being interviewed hard for job that you don't even know if you want? Or that normal dating sites aren't for people like you, but for boring people with hair by Angie and clothes made out of beige?
Well that was the thinking that led our good mate and Sell! Sell! co-conspirator Matt Janes to set up a new site called Doing Something. The idea is to put the fun back into meeting people. It helps you meet interesting people (like you), and find and choose fun things to do together. The idea being that doing something is fun, takes the pressure off the situation, and makes it easy to be yourselves. Rather than sitting in a pub examining each other's family history or personality defects.
It's a fun idea, and we like it because it's based on real human truths. Have a look around the site here. Also, because Matt is a friend of the Sell!, and because he wants lots of interesting people to join up (as a reader of the Sell! Blog that means you, obviously) he is offering our readers three months free membership. Just enter the code biscuits when you sign up.
Well that was the thinking that led our good mate and Sell! Sell! co-conspirator Matt Janes to set up a new site called Doing Something. The idea is to put the fun back into meeting people. It helps you meet interesting people (like you), and find and choose fun things to do together. The idea being that doing something is fun, takes the pressure off the situation, and makes it easy to be yourselves. Rather than sitting in a pub examining each other's family history or personality defects.
It's a fun idea, and we like it because it's based on real human truths. Have a look around the site here. Also, because Matt is a friend of the Sell!, and because he wants lots of interesting people to join up (as a reader of the Sell! Blog that means you, obviously) he is offering our readers three months free membership. Just enter the code biscuits when you sign up.
Marketing and communication in 2011. How to cut through the crap. #10
SO HERE WE ARE IN 2011. Never has there been a more competitive time to be in the business of marketing. There have never been more ways of spending budgets. There has never been more pressure on budgets. Or, come to that, more theories about what you should and shouldn’t be doing. What is clear is that whilst many are waffling on about this trend and that development, some are simply getting on with doing things that get results. We are some of those people. And this is some of how we do it.
PART 10: DON'T SCRIMP ON YOUR PRODUCTION BUDGET
Yes, we just said that.
We know, we know. Everyone is telling you that everything can be done cheaper.
But that’s because generally they care mainly about just getting your business.
Rather than making your business as successful as possible.
It’s true that as technology develops, it’s becoming possible to make things much more quickly and more cheaply than ever before.
This is great on one hand because that means the barriers to creating great stuff are lower.
But one side effect is that it encourages some people to look for big savings in all aspects of production.
Which is okay. Everyone wants to get a good deal.
But not all savings are positive savings.
The difference between successful and unsuccessful work often hinges on how well it is executed.
This is the inconvenient truth of marketing.
You can have exactly the right message, in exactly the right channel, but if no one noticed, you might as well have said nothing.
Think about all the campaigns, ads and communication over the last couple of years that you’ve been most impressed with.
Most probably, they were executed very well.
They stood out above their competitors, not only because they were right, but because of how they were put together, finished and crafted.
You can’t achieve that if you price good people or processes out of your productions.
Savings in the wrong places can seem like good value in the short term, but are poor value in the long-term.
Look for savings in the right places, but encourage the best possible outcomes by being prepared to pay for the things that make the big difference.
It will help you to stand out in the marketplace more than almost anything else.
PART 1: CREATIVITY & CRAFT ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER
PART 2: THE BEST COMMUNICATION IS STILL ABOUT PEOPLE
PART 3: FOCUS YOUR COMMUNICATION ON CHANGING BEHAVIOUR, NOT JUST CHANGING ATTITUDE.
PART 4: BE DIFFERENT IN THE CATEGORY
PART 5: DON'T SPEND ALL YOUR TIME & MONEY TALKING TO FANS OF YOUR BRAND
PART 6: BE IMPATIENT & AMBITIOUS WITH YOUR TARGETS
PART 7: REPETITION. REPETITION. REPETITION.
PART 8: BE WARY OF THOSE PROFESSING ABOUT "THE FUTURE OF ADVERTISING"
PART 9: DONE WELL, TV IS STILL THE SHORT CUT TO SUCCESS
PART 10: DON'T SCRIMP ON YOUR PRODUCTION BUDGET
Yes, we just said that.
We know, we know. Everyone is telling you that everything can be done cheaper.
But that’s because generally they care mainly about just getting your business.
Rather than making your business as successful as possible.
It’s true that as technology develops, it’s becoming possible to make things much more quickly and more cheaply than ever before.
This is great on one hand because that means the barriers to creating great stuff are lower.
But one side effect is that it encourages some people to look for big savings in all aspects of production.
Which is okay. Everyone wants to get a good deal.
But not all savings are positive savings.
The difference between successful and unsuccessful work often hinges on how well it is executed.
This is the inconvenient truth of marketing.
You can have exactly the right message, in exactly the right channel, but if no one noticed, you might as well have said nothing.
Think about all the campaigns, ads and communication over the last couple of years that you’ve been most impressed with.
Most probably, they were executed very well.
They stood out above their competitors, not only because they were right, but because of how they were put together, finished and crafted.
You can’t achieve that if you price good people or processes out of your productions.
Savings in the wrong places can seem like good value in the short term, but are poor value in the long-term.
Look for savings in the right places, but encourage the best possible outcomes by being prepared to pay for the things that make the big difference.
It will help you to stand out in the marketplace more than almost anything else.
PART 1: CREATIVITY & CRAFT ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER
PART 2: THE BEST COMMUNICATION IS STILL ABOUT PEOPLE
PART 3: FOCUS YOUR COMMUNICATION ON CHANGING BEHAVIOUR, NOT JUST CHANGING ATTITUDE.
PART 4: BE DIFFERENT IN THE CATEGORY
PART 5: DON'T SPEND ALL YOUR TIME & MONEY TALKING TO FANS OF YOUR BRAND
PART 6: BE IMPATIENT & AMBITIOUS WITH YOUR TARGETS
PART 7: REPETITION. REPETITION. REPETITION.
PART 8: BE WARY OF THOSE PROFESSING ABOUT "THE FUTURE OF ADVERTISING"
PART 9: DONE WELL, TV IS STILL THE SHORT CUT TO SUCCESS
This Job Is Not For You
We're looking for someone to be an account/project manager at Sell! Towers.
This job is not for everyone.
In fact it's probably not for you.
You see, advertising creates a lot of people these days who are content to be the cogs of process.
We don't have any need for cogs of process.
We find processes boring and time-consuming.
They get in the way of doing stuff.
What we like is action.
So we're looking for someone who likes to make things happen.
And has the energy and force of personality to actually do it.
Someone with up to two years experience as a project manager or account manager, but no more.
We don't want bad habits.
We need someone who will pick up the phone and make things happen.
Not send an email and leave the responsibility in someone else's lap.
We need someone who knows what makes advertising great rather than okay.
Who has opinion.
And isn't afraid to voice that opinion.
Someone who is happy to never take the easy way out.
Because we never do.
We always do what we think is right to achieve what the client wants to achieve.
So we need someone who knows the difference between what someone wants, and what someone needs.
Who is already thinking one step ahead and how to get the right solution bought.
A person who is equally happy dealing with kings and with peasants.
Who won't be intimidated by strong characters.
But most of all, someone who we actually want to be part of our day.
Who knows how to laugh.
And make others laugh.
Is interested
And interesting.
Who is a person.
Not an ad drone.
These kinds of people don't grow on trees.
Or on other kinds of plants.
We know that.
In the next few days we'll be posting up an application form.
If you think this job is for you, keep your eye out for it.
But trust us, it probably isn't.
This job is not for everyone.
In fact it's probably not for you.
You see, advertising creates a lot of people these days who are content to be the cogs of process.
We don't have any need for cogs of process.
We find processes boring and time-consuming.
They get in the way of doing stuff.
What we like is action.
So we're looking for someone who likes to make things happen.
And has the energy and force of personality to actually do it.
Someone with up to two years experience as a project manager or account manager, but no more.
We don't want bad habits.
We need someone who will pick up the phone and make things happen.
Not send an email and leave the responsibility in someone else's lap.
We need someone who knows what makes advertising great rather than okay.
Who has opinion.
And isn't afraid to voice that opinion.
Someone who is happy to never take the easy way out.
Because we never do.
We always do what we think is right to achieve what the client wants to achieve.
So we need someone who knows the difference between what someone wants, and what someone needs.
Who is already thinking one step ahead and how to get the right solution bought.
A person who is equally happy dealing with kings and with peasants.
Who won't be intimidated by strong characters.
But most of all, someone who we actually want to be part of our day.
Who knows how to laugh.
And make others laugh.
Is interested
And interesting.
Who is a person.
Not an ad drone.
These kinds of people don't grow on trees.
Or on other kinds of plants.
We know that.
In the next few days we'll be posting up an application form.
If you think this job is for you, keep your eye out for it.
But trust us, it probably isn't.
Donate Now
Do not buy this poster.
Do not download the app.
Do not go to our clever website and fuck around.
Just go to redcross.org.uk/japantsunami
and donate what you can afford.
Here's why, in case you were wondering:
The Japanese Red Cross has 115 response teams working on the ground now, as they have been since the disaster began, providing first aid and emergency healthcare, as well as distributing relief items. The teams are made up of more than 730 staff, including doctors and nurses.
The costs of the relief effort, and of rebuilding the homes and lives of those affected, will be immense. Donations to the British Red Cross will be used towards helping the Japanese people recover from this devastating natural disaster over the coming months and years.
My Favourite Writing #1: Mark Denton
As our regular reader will know, it’s our belief that regardless of strategy, creativity and the creative crafts ultimately make the difference between great advertising and not-so-great advertising. And none more so than great writing. Regardless of media or technology, great writing is still the most powerful tool available to the marketer and advertiser. So we've been asking people who’s opinions we respect to tell us their favourite three pieces of advertising writing. And thankfully most of them didn't tell us to fuck off. We’re going to run them as an irregular series, starting today with selections from Mark Denton...
Smirnoff – ‘Accountancy was my life until I discovered Smirnoff.’ “This was one of a popular poster campaign that included great lines like, ‘I thought the Kama Sutra was an Indian restaurant until I discovered Smirnoff’. But more importantly inspired some even more creative graffiti, my favourite being, ‘I thought Wan King was the capital of China until I discovered Smirnoff’.”
Economist – ‘Somebody mentions Jordan. You think of a Middle Eastern country with a 3.3% growth rate.’ “Quite simply, I laughed out loud when I saw this poster. It’s my favourite headline of all time.”
Citroen – ‘In 9 years it’s only had one break in transmission.’ “This was a press ad for Citroen CX Estates. Quite nice headline, but the impressive bit was the copy. Richard Cook was obviously sensitive about the credits on the ad, so he wrote the copy in a way that included a hidden message. Each sentence started with an initial that when isolated and bunched together spelt out, R I C H A R D C O O K W R O T E T H I S. The credits in the D&AD annual of that year credit copywriters Richard Cook and Harvey Flinder.”
Here's a little more information about the Citroen ad from Mark:
"I've got a bit more info on the Richard Cook story from Dennis Lewis who was at Colmans at the time of the incident.
The story goes that Richard wrote an ad that that got into the D&AD annual but he didn't get a credit for it.
So the next decent ad he wrote he made sure he wouldn't get shafted again.
Dennis and his copywriter Steve Hooper were in on the joke, as was Richard's Art Director who had to adjust the paragraphs in a supportive fashion every time there was a copy change.
Apparently Richard confessed when it got into the D&AD annual and was bollocked by the Colmans management. No one can remember if the client ever found out."
Thanks very much Mark.
Smirnoff – ‘Accountancy was my life until I discovered Smirnoff.’ “This was one of a popular poster campaign that included great lines like, ‘I thought the Kama Sutra was an Indian restaurant until I discovered Smirnoff’. But more importantly inspired some even more creative graffiti, my favourite being, ‘I thought Wan King was the capital of China until I discovered Smirnoff’.”
Economist – ‘Somebody mentions Jordan. You think of a Middle Eastern country with a 3.3% growth rate.’ “Quite simply, I laughed out loud when I saw this poster. It’s my favourite headline of all time.”
Citroen – ‘In 9 years it’s only had one break in transmission.’ “This was a press ad for Citroen CX Estates. Quite nice headline, but the impressive bit was the copy. Richard Cook was obviously sensitive about the credits on the ad, so he wrote the copy in a way that included a hidden message. Each sentence started with an initial that when isolated and bunched together spelt out, R I C H A R D C O O K W R O T E T H I S. The credits in the D&AD annual of that year credit copywriters Richard Cook and Harvey Flinder.”
Here's a little more information about the Citroen ad from Mark:
"I've got a bit more info on the Richard Cook story from Dennis Lewis who was at Colmans at the time of the incident.
The story goes that Richard wrote an ad that that got into the D&AD annual but he didn't get a credit for it.
So the next decent ad he wrote he made sure he wouldn't get shafted again.
Dennis and his copywriter Steve Hooper were in on the joke, as was Richard's Art Director who had to adjust the paragraphs in a supportive fashion every time there was a copy change.
Apparently Richard confessed when it got into the D&AD annual and was bollocked by the Colmans management. No one can remember if the client ever found out."
Thanks very much Mark.
The Movie Title Stills Collection
Happy Birthday Delicious Blog
One of our favourite blogs is three years old this week. The Delicious blog is one of the best design/ephemera/interesting stuff blogs out there in our humble opinion. The Reference Box is particularly good, and recently hit the magic 100 of interesting pieces of design and print. It's well worth checking out if you don't already. Keep up the good work!
Some Work In Progress
We had a fun shoot on Friday, making some TV commercials which shall be revealed shortly. Lederhosen, snake charmers and cow milking all played a part. Some spy pics...
Marketing and communication in 2011. How to cut through the crap. #9
SO HERE WE ARE IN 2011. Never has there been a more competitive time to be in the business of marketing. There have never been more ways of spending budgets. There has never been more pressure on budgets. Or, come to that, more theories about what you should and shouldn’t be doing. What is clear is that whilst many are waffling on about this trend and that development, some are simply getting on with doing things that get results. We are some of those people. And this is some of how we do it.
PART 9: DONE WELL, TV IS STILL THE SHORT CUT TO SUCCESS
It might be unfashionable for a creative agency to say it.
After all, a metaphorical torrent of words have been spoken and written over the last few years about digital, emerging media channels, conversation versus interruption, and other such buzzword-ridden tomfoolery.
But however compelling that may or may not be, the fact is that the power of television advertising is still the best short-cut to success for most consumer brands.
That’s not to say that other media can’t work really hard for you (they work very hard for some of our clients).
But TV still has the power to change fortunes more quickly than any other media or channel.
And the great thing is that these days, TV advertising is no longer the preserve of the big consumer brand.
Or the big budget.
With digital channels, online TV viewing platforms, and the ability to target and buy audiences very tightly, the barriers to entry have come down considerably.
This brings the most powerful communication medium of our age within the grasp of almost anybody with a marketing budget.
Over the past couple of years, we've helped some smaller brands make the leap into TV ourselves.
And we're happy to report that they've found the results, let's just say, rewarding.
Oh, and yes, we did say done well.
Much TV advertising just doesn’t make the most of the medium.
A lack of skill in execution makes a lot of TV advertising underperform, and feel underwhelming.
You need to make sure that you’re working with people who have the skill and talent to make the best use of the most powerful medium (and again, this comes back to the subject of Creativity and Craft).
And don't scrimp on production (more on that next time).
PART 1: CREATIVITY & CRAFT ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER
PART 2: THE BEST COMMUNICATION IS STILL ABOUT PEOPLE
PART 3: FOCUS YOUR COMMUNICATION ON CHANGING BEHAVIOUR, NOT JUST CHANGING ATTITUDE.
PART 4: BE DIFFERENT IN THE CATEGORY
PART 5: DON'T SPEND ALL YOUR TIME & MONEY TALKING TO FANS OF YOUR BRAND
PART 6: BE IMPATIENT & AMBITIOUS WITH YOUR TARGETS
PART 7: REPETITION. REPETITION. REPETITION.
PART 8: BE WARY OF THOSE PROFESSING ABOUT "THE FUTURE OF ADVERTISING"
PART 9: DONE WELL, TV IS STILL THE SHORT CUT TO SUCCESS
It might be unfashionable for a creative agency to say it.
After all, a metaphorical torrent of words have been spoken and written over the last few years about digital, emerging media channels, conversation versus interruption, and other such buzzword-ridden tomfoolery.
But however compelling that may or may not be, the fact is that the power of television advertising is still the best short-cut to success for most consumer brands.
That’s not to say that other media can’t work really hard for you (they work very hard for some of our clients).
But TV still has the power to change fortunes more quickly than any other media or channel.
And the great thing is that these days, TV advertising is no longer the preserve of the big consumer brand.
Or the big budget.
With digital channels, online TV viewing platforms, and the ability to target and buy audiences very tightly, the barriers to entry have come down considerably.
This brings the most powerful communication medium of our age within the grasp of almost anybody with a marketing budget.
Over the past couple of years, we've helped some smaller brands make the leap into TV ourselves.
And we're happy to report that they've found the results, let's just say, rewarding.
Oh, and yes, we did say done well.
Much TV advertising just doesn’t make the most of the medium.
A lack of skill in execution makes a lot of TV advertising underperform, and feel underwhelming.
You need to make sure that you’re working with people who have the skill and talent to make the best use of the most powerful medium (and again, this comes back to the subject of Creativity and Craft).
And don't scrimp on production (more on that next time).
PART 1: CREATIVITY & CRAFT ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER
PART 2: THE BEST COMMUNICATION IS STILL ABOUT PEOPLE
PART 3: FOCUS YOUR COMMUNICATION ON CHANGING BEHAVIOUR, NOT JUST CHANGING ATTITUDE.
PART 4: BE DIFFERENT IN THE CATEGORY
PART 5: DON'T SPEND ALL YOUR TIME & MONEY TALKING TO FANS OF YOUR BRAND
PART 6: BE IMPATIENT & AMBITIOUS WITH YOUR TARGETS
PART 7: REPETITION. REPETITION. REPETITION.
PART 8: BE WARY OF THOSE PROFESSING ABOUT "THE FUTURE OF ADVERTISING"
Bill Bernbach Said #27
Number 27 in our Bernbach series...
“Adapt your techniques to an idea, not an idea to your techniques.”
Read all of the previous Bernbach Said posts here.
“Adapt your techniques to an idea, not an idea to your techniques.”
Read all of the previous Bernbach Said posts here.