1. Background Review

Historical Background

The Hospital for Sick Children, founded in 1875, is a world-renowned children’s hospital in Toronto. Next to the government, SickKids Foundation is the largest funding agency in child health care, research and education in Canada.

It is a teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto, and it is home to the world’s second largest hospital-based pediatric research facility. Philanthropy is a critical source of funding for SickKids that is separate and distinct from government and granting agencies.

Current Situation

SickKids Foundation like many larger charitable organizations is in its competitive stage of its life cycle. Some charities’ objectives are to raise as much money as possible, simply because that’s their purpose, while SickKids must raise funds to support the hospital, its research, and interconnected foundations such as Meagan’s Walk and the Herbie Fund.

Marketing Objectives

• To increase donor market share in Ontario by 2% within the 2010 fiscal year from 8.7% – 10.7% by increasing the amount of donations from current donors and by obtaining new, younger donors.

• To raise $500,000 in donations for the Herbie Fund throughout Canada (except Quebec).

Advertising Objectives

• To increase the “Foundation’s” awareness level for the need for increased donations to help the hospital (kids, research, equipment, ect)

• To build awareness about the Herbie Fund from 15% to 25% throughout Canada (except Quebec) with emphasis on Atlantic, Prairies and British Columbia.

1. Media Objectives

Media Target

The target market for the Sick Kids Campaign 2010 are Adults 25-49. According to PMB 2008, of all the people who donate to Canadian hospitals in the last 12 months, 31% of them are Men and Women age 35-49 and 14% are aged 25-34 indexing at 105 and 81 respectively.

This target has been chosen in order to reach current donors (Adults 35-49), who are the main contributors to the foundation and simultaneously target young adults (25-49) that will probably be utilizing/experiencing SickKids hospital in the future and will become the primary donors.

Geographic Market Coverage

Advertising efforts will be run Nationally. The main advertising messages regarding the “Foundation” and its need for donations will be communicated in Ontario only (Priority Market). While the Herbie Fund will be promoted in larger cities in the Atlantic, Prairies and British Columbia regions (Secondary Market).

The primary donor to SickKids is someone with a “connection point”, or relationship with the hospital. And the SickKids hospital is very much an Ontario based service, with less instances of people utilizing its capabilities the out of the primary region. Thus all/most advertising for the “Foundation” will be done in Ontario. Since the Herbie Fund is an organization that has multinational uses, donors in other regions don’t need the same “connection points” to feel the need to donate (much like other charities: Plan & World Vision). Quebec will not be targeted at all, due to its low numbers in both BDI & CDI.

Timing

Advertising will run continuously throughout the year to remind donors of the constant need. There will also be special support and emphasis on the holiday seasons (Halloween, Christmas, Valentines Day, ect) from both media and creative.

The rationale is that healthy people are perfectly capable of enjoying these holidays with friends, family. And they celebrate by going out and purchasing gifts for others and themselves, and generally feel more giving and cheerful. SickKids will capitalize on the guilt factor in our creative during those peak seasons, to showcase the fact that not everyone is able to enjoy the season in the same way. This coupled with the season’s generosity will lead to higher levels of donations.

Weight Levels and Goals

Frequency will be emphasized over Reach & Continuity. Ontario will have an ideal Reach of 80% and a frequency of 4, and will be the priority market. The Atlantic, Prairies and British Columbia will have a Reach of 40% and a Frequency of 2 and will be considered the secondary market.

Frequency was chosen as the more important aspect because the SickKids brand is asking for its target market to take the time to understand the ads and make reasonable decisions based on the advertising messages. And while other brands can communicate their messages with one or two viewings, SickKids requires a consistent reminder to entice donors. In more populated zones such as Ontario, Reach and Frequency are rather easy to achieve, although expensive. In smaller markets, the same Reach & Frequency is harder to achieve without over saturation, but is cheaper to achieve. In both Primary and Secondary Targets the motto is “under promise and over deliver”, as goals for both are likely to be met and be exceeded.

Creative Considerations

Must communicate the constant need for donations to improve the hospital/equipment/research to the Ontario market. Communicate the goals and need for money for the Herbie Fund to the Atlantic/Prairies/British Columbia markets.

Regardless as to which goal/message is being communicate, SickKids works best with strong visuals to help exemplify the copy, which means TV and Magazines are the leading candidates. Newspaper isn’t a primary choice due to its poor image quality. Radio might be able to be used as a support arm of the campaign.

Other Considerations

In the Creative there must always be a mention/link to the donation website, as well as a phone number to call in order to donate. In terms of the Herbie Fund, there must be the Herbie website, phone number and the website for the SickKids Foundation.

Direct Mail can coincide with either the peak season emphasis, or as an accompaniment to the reminder ads throughout the year.

Stop Being an Agency and Start Being an Agent of Change by Wayne Arnold

Ten years ago the chairman of MIT’s Media Lab, Nicholas Negroponte, commented that any company that describes itself as an “agency” is doomed. He’s right. Agencies — as middlemen between media owners and brand owners — are today merely commoditized suppliers and not the creative business partners our predecessors once were. Agencies, simply, are not as important as we used to be.

In the 1960s, so the story goes, British miller Rank Hovis McDougall approached advertising agency J. Walter Thompson with a problem: surplus flour. In those days agencies had ideas about the base material of their clients’ companies. They added value to the raw stuff of their businesses. They created brands out of those ideas. What emerged from JWT was one of Britain’s best-loved brands for decades, Mr. Kipling Cakes, which has since created value of about £2 billion. Around the same time here in the U.S., Mary Wells created an exciting new way to travel, Braniff, out of a dull gray airline (“the end of the plain plane”), spurring 15 years of rapid business expansion.

Then, agencies were often larger organizations because they needed a whole raft of specialists: product-development teams, package design, interior design, sales promotion, in-store marketing, direct marketing and PR. When agencies began making money primarily from TV advertising, the less-profitable disciplines were pushed out, and with them went much of agencies’ ability to formulate and execute business-changing ideas.

Today, as the CEOs of large companies wonder how to grow their businesses, where do they turn for ideas? Not to advertising agencies but to management consultancies and the consulting arms of big accountancy firms.

So what can agencies do to once again become creative business partners?

The Concise Oxford English Dictionary includes two subtly different definitions of the word “agent”: “a person or company that acts as a broker and provides a specified service” and “a person or thing that exerts power or produces an effect.” Transforming current, commoditized agencies from the first definition into the second — making them agents of change — is what matters to me here.

Sometimes you have to look to the past to take stock of the present and change for the future. There is no doubt in my mind that, just as in Mary Wells’ day, what will help agencies survive these tricky times are ideas — brilliant, business-focused ideas.

Being an agent of change means looking at “business issues.” So for me, the real starting point of a campaign is not the client brief but the company report, because in those first few pages is every brief you’re going to need for the next three to five years. How a company operates is far more revealing than what a brand is doing and saying.

If you think of yourself as an agent of change, then the ideas you have for your clients start to look very different indeed. For example, if a pharma client wants to get closer to the medical industry, we don’t give them an idea for an ad. We give them nurses and a training program which enables a nurse to do 95% of what a doctor can do in half the training time. Now that’s delivering real value and long-term sustainable brand credit.

Agents of change recognize that brilliant ideas can come from anywhere, and increasingly it’s not from agencies. In 2008, the second-most highly awarded group in The Big Won, an annual survey of the world’s best advertising as measured by the quantity and quality of awards won, was “in-house,” prompting a German newspaper to call in exasperation saying, “We can’t find this agency ‘In-House’ anywhere.”

At Profero we’ve put our money where my mouth is by opening Factory Shanghai, an experimental mash-up of Andy Warhol’s Factory, my agency’s office space and a Soho-House-style entertainment experience. It is our vision of the future of facilitation, collaboration and innovation. In one example of looking for ideas from outside the client-agency complex, we brought an international brand owner to meet a lingerie designer who makes blue movies in her spare time and an engineer who created a disco powered by the energy of the dancers. Stop dancing and the music goes off. The brand owner didn’t leave with a new ad concept. Instead he walked away with ideas for a clothing line; a new music track; priceless inspiration; and, most importantly for us, a transformed perception of what our business can deliver.

The most significant difference between the ideas that transformed businesses in the past and those that will in the future is digital — the biggest single agent of change today, tomorrow and for the foreseeable future. Why? Because digital is fundamentally bringing companies’ core values and products closer to their consumers in both positive and negative ways like never before.

Agents of change embrace the digital revolution. Ours is not the first industry to get turned inside out — the transformation of the music business being one of the most significant and well documented — but out of adversity comes opportunity. Digital impacts everything, from sales and marketing to distribution to customer service, and I believe it’s the biggest single lever agencies can use to create business changing ideas and regain credibility as creative business partners.

When Chrysalis ended the recording contract of big-in-the-’80s rock group Marillion, the band used thousands of e-mail addresses they had been collecting at gigs and the band’s website to ask their fans if they’d pay upfront for a new album. The fans obliged and, by maintaining their publishing rights, the band made a tidy profit. They did the same thing when it came to touring. Fans told them where to tour and so they pre-sold tickets to finance gigs. Now the very people who fired Marillion want their advice. I think we can guess where their leader singer told them to go.

We talk to clients about how they should change their structures, align with their value, fulfill their promises — even change their premises. And we tell them they have to change how they think about communications and media, too.

And that’s what’s so exciting at the moment. The world is turning upside down, creating amazing opportunities for those nimble enough or those who have the vision to change. These companies will go back to being creative business partners to clients once again. That’s where we are headed. I hope to see you there sometime in the future.

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Here’s Mine

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1. “Stop being an agency and start being an agent of change” is the title on an article written by Wayne Arnold and posted on the front page of adage.com. The author explains his theory that traditional Advertising agencies as we know them today are going to become a thing of the past, much like bellbottom pants and David Bowie. When the concept of “full service” agencies dawned on society, it was to help rather unknown companies to become brands. The example given was JWT’s work on Mr. Kipling Cakes in Britain, creating everything from the name, product, package and advertising, which had evolved from no more than a surplus of flour. Back then, the ideology that products were more then just a part of a company, that they were part of a culture and brand had not yet truly surfaced. And Ad agencies had free reign in creating their clients products into something the mass audience could appreciate by utilizing a more diverse set of tools within the agency. Fast forward to the 2000’s, and to get the same effect the client would have to work with an agency to do the advertising and media buys, management consultancies to reorganize the company, designs to help their office fit a certain culture and perhaps a brand or PR specialist. And Arnold theorizes that in order for Advertising agencies to stay relevant to clients and the marketing professional in general, we will have to redefine our goals and do more then just be a middle man for the client’s company and the media companies.

2. A) For clients I see a future in which they realize that Advertising agencies as they stand today aren’t a necessity, and in some forms are nothing more than a hindrance to their corporate goals and profitability. Clients like Coke and Sony spend so much of their company’s profits in order to help build and maintain their brands, for little more then a few creative ideas and someone buying their media space. And I lend the reason for our survival (traditional “full service” Ad agencies) in the hands of the older, more traditional CEO’s of these brands who resort to the safety of conventional marketing.

However I envision a day when someone from my generation, who has been bred from birth to think outside of the box and to strive for a more counter-culture and technological future, inherits these older, multiple million dollars international brands. All it takes is one young gun to stand back and say “I don’t need you”. Picture what it would mean if the CEO of Coke decided that he would hire his own formerly freelance team to permanently work for him: to create in-house ads to be sent to his own team of media planners and buyers. And then logically other major brands would follow suit, leaving Advertising agencies to sit around scratching at their heads at what to do next.

2. B) From the Ad agency perspective we are going to require a quick 180 to stay on top of the game and head in a different direction. Most companies already have genre defining brands, and we are becoming less and less useful. Companies either have to deal with the complications associated with having a gigantic AOR like DDB or JWT just to deal with approval times that rival molasses and conflicts of interest like conflicting clients. Or they have to shop each aspect of their needs to different boutiques such as Zig and MediaExperts and deal with different complications such as lack of communications and integration. Both of these business models has sufficed thus far, but the evolution of the interactive/digital age, and growing outcries from consumers has started to turn the industry on its head. The music world has drastically had to change the way it’s operated just to stay alive, doing everything from offering pay-what-you-want music, to models such as iTunes. And while they have attempted to stay with trends, we Advertising people have done little more then add Interactive aspects to Clients campaigns. That’s why I do believe in trying to find someway to redefine what it is to be a “full service”.

3. I believe that agencies will have to find a middle ground between the two in terms of size and execution, and have the larger agencies under the same family name to merge from being more then just partners via “bloodline” and into a consolidated entity (DDB-OMD for example). Having smaller sized companies (40-50 people in varying specialties) on fewer accounts (4-5 large clients) would possibly lead to faster implementation and execution in the client’s culture and brand. A few agencies do this, most don’t.

We need to offer everything under one room that the clients could possibly need (even if on retainer) such as PR specialists and product designers. No longer should we tell clients “you will have to change your product’s design to fit this market, now let’s find you a brand specialist.”

We should already have one on hand, and skip that step entirely. Hopefully a model such as this would lead to more focused creative, better campaign integration on all aspects from Interactive to Direct Mail, quicker approvals on both sides, on strategy media and finally happier clients. And as long as an agency can keep everything in check, effective and flexible under one roof, the clients shouldn’t need to shop their brands around every year or two to find a new direction. We should be able to accommodate them without fuss, which would mean the end of rapid fire Shortlists and changes in AOR’s, and would mean better job stability in an unstable job environment as clients should be able to stay with a single agency for a decade without finding a reason to change. People don’t commonly buy houses or cars with the possibility of trading them within a year, there are contracts and leases in place. The question is; why don’t we have long term agreements with clients, to keep them with us for years down the road as we build trust, their brand and the stability of the agency.

With no disrespect to him, but perhaps Arnold doesn’t know what he’s talking about, and is just creating more doom and gloom just like people used to say that newspaper and radio weren’t going to be around anymore either. And perhaps Arnold is just trying to bring attention to his agency (Profero) in order to gain some insider buzz and some new clients. But it’s an interesting idea, and something that agencies need to keep their eye on, in order to not be caught with their pants down when the time comes that one of the spending giants decides they don’t need traditional agencies. I’ve always planned in my future, that once I was a big enough name in the Advertising industry and enough money that I would have my own Media focused agency. But where’s the risk in that? Perhaps, and only perhaps, if it hasn’t already been done I’ll follow through on this Agents of Change ideology before anyone else in Canada can. After all, we are taught in class that the trick to getting a job after an internship is to make yourself indispensable. Why aren’t Advertising agencies doing the same?

Unrestricted content after 12 AM

Through our team’s research we discovered a variety of arguments for our cause, though we encountered an unknown factor imbedding our research. Because of the wide variety of content available on the internet, it has become increasingly difficult to do simple research on any content. A decade ago internet searches were filled with relevant topics, such as studies and research. However because of the vast amounts of data on the web, the top results are no longer the most relevant information but the most popular. This leads to blogs and Wikipedia pages, which more often then not has absolutely no relevance to the topic inquired about. So instead of relevant research connected together through studies and people, information is broken into pieces across a dozen web pages, very little of which is credible. So other then the research found through hours of searching, this little anecdote was discovered.

In relation to the actual debate topic, of whether or not content should be unrestricted after midnight there was a variety of material available. However finding Canadian content was a bit trickier than expected. Certain examples applied to America only, and could only be used as precedent as in law.

However we knew that any arguments used in that vain could be dissected apart by one intelligent audience member willing to point out that what applies in the U.S doesn’t necessarily apply here (as in law) so we decided to leave such content out. The content we did decide to use revolves around: the Watershed Hour, proper parenting, and the CAB Code of Ethics. In this report we will also outline possible arguments we decided to use in retaliation to possible arguments from the other team.

Freedoms: As we’ll point out during our opening statement, these restrictions imposed upon our industry does more then just stop adult content advertising from airing. It affects the freedoms of three different branches. We see viewers as independent people with the full capacity to make decisions for themselves, and this means they can choose what to and what not to watch. If someone doesn’t want to view a certain television show and the advertising accompanying it, then they don’t have to. There shouldn’t be regulations governing those who are willing to make rational decisions for themselves. Not being able to advertise unrestricted hurts advertisers and their clients as well. It may be debatable that content that requires nudity to sell is trash, but shouldn’t that be determined by the agency/client and the results of the campaign? We advertisers speak highly about reaching consumers with the appropriate message, and so what if the target market is reached best with breast?

It’s only fair that clients are able to reach their consumers with the best possible message that suits their brand and campaign.

And lastly, this hurts the broadcasters themselves. Lack of advertising dollars is being felt across all industries in all countries, Serious Satellite Radio in the States recently filed for bankruptcy protection, as did Winnipeg’s own Canwest Global, a company that owns Toronto’s National Post and 11 television stations. There is even talk amongst broadcasting regulators of allowing more commercial television time in order to reap in some extra advertising dollars to add some blood to a dying industry. And these regulations are only impeding possible advertisers from spending their otherwise immobile ad dollars.

Watershed Hour: This is a term coined by broadcasters, and in its literal sense means a body of land that separates two streams of water into different rivers. In broadcasting terms, it defines the time in which family content separates from adult content. There are two bodies which primarily govern broadcasting, the CBSC Ontario Regional Council and the Canadian Association of Broadcasters. This time zone was a primary component from the 1993 Violence Code which the CAB (an organization such as the ASC) self imposed. This is the time in which no programming containing violence meant for adults can be shown, however since then it has been used to govern all programming meant for adults. This Watershed Hour concept is applied in more places then just in Canada (often with another name): in New Zealand its 8:30, in France its 10:30, and in Great Britain, Australia, South Africa and Canada that time is 9 PM.

This Watershed Hour may not be a term that everyone knows, but anyone with common sense knows that there is a time when children should no longer be watching television unsupervised, and anyone watching does such at their own discretion.

Our team has utilized this as a comeback against any comment the opposing team makes relating to trying to protect viewers, be they adults or children.

No one is forced to watch any type of programming, therefore viewing content is the responsibility of the viewer. Adult oriented advertising will never be viewed by those unwilling to view it. Broadcasters aren’t going to allow inappropriate ads to be shown during unrelated programming. There won’t be Viagra commercials running during reruns of Sabrina the Teenaged Witch. There probably will be an ad for a local sex store running during the G Spot on Showcase Friday evening. Adult ads will target adult audiences, during content that relates to the same category and which targets the same audience.

Code of Ethics: The CAB governs itself under many of the rules that the ASC does, in order to protect viewers from content in which is deemed inappropriate.

However they have much more leeway then we advertisers do, because they have updated the rules in which they play under. Broadcasters understand that if viewers wanted to find adult content it’s only an internet search away, and they aren’t protecting anyone.

This has opened the doors for boundary content pushing programming like never before. Showcase has aired such programming as Queer as Folk, L Word, Weeds, and graphically sexual shows such as Kink, Web Dreams and Sin Cities all within the time block of 9 PM to 12 AM.

City TV has aired Sex TV, Naked News and True Blue softcore porn, albeit slightly later (earliest 11:30, latest 1 AM). Such brazen broadcasters understand adult content is needed for adult audiences, and they abide by the Code of a looser Code of Ethics then we are restricted by.

Our team’s argument is that advertisers should be allowed to run ads at the discretion of the companies broadcasting it. We’ve never argued that every broadcasters is required to air adult content ads, we just want the ability to if broadcasters agree that the ad fits with the content of their programming and demographic. Not to mention, our proposed timeslot is 3 hours after such programming as Kink has depicted dominatrix’s spanking their male and female slaves…at 9 PM…

Parenting:  Nearly all of our group’s arguments falls back on the responsibility of parent’s to raise their own children. Broadcasters aren’t paid to come into your home and stop kid from watching anything.

For example, if a parent doesn’t want their children to watch Family Guy, then they don’t allow them too. It’s is unreasonable to expect broadcasters to simply not air programming simply because someone doesn’t want to watch it. And the same should go for advertising.

Everyone knows that adults need a minimum of eight hours of sleep in the day to properly function, both mentally and physically. Nearly every study found, including the one we chose to quote at sleepforkids.org, says children need 10 to 11 hours of sleep. Factor in that kids need to be in school at 9 AM, and need an average of an hour and a half to get up, shower, eat, get dressed and travel, kids need to be in bed by 9:30 PM.

If parents abide by this scientifically proven timing, they are still allowing their children to stay up half an hour into the Watershed Hour, exposing them to programming they may be unsuitable for their age group, which has absolutely nothing to do with advertisers. And if parents allow their children to stay up until 12 AM, then the parents are at fault.

They are not only exposing their children too highly influential programming, but the parents are now a detriment to their children’s health and education. And again, this is hardly the fault of advertisers wanting t reach their target market.

Arguments: One of the arguments that the opposing team could present is the fact that if we allowed sexual content (which we’re sure will be their only focus) to air unrestricted, it would open Pandora’s Box to other forms of unregulated content such as drugs, pharmaceuticals and food.

And that being able to show content unregulated would change not only the broadcasting industry, but all industries. Suddenly brands such as Viagra will not only be able to tell consumers who they are and what they do, but will be able to shown them. This SHOULD be their main argument, because it’s very hard to defend against because it’s right. And the ripples that it would create is larger then the surface topic at hand. Our only defense to this is the fact that we aren’t forcing broadcasters to air anything. They can deem what they believe is appropriate while we focus on governing false advertising, all the while these new freedoms will help all of our industries thrive through more informative advertising.

Another argument they will probably present because it’s the easier one to think of: is what about the mindset of children who sneak up past their bedtime, or the people who don’t want to view such content. Our argument to that is the fact that society and its laws have always been skewed towards the well being of the masses, not the individuals. And while it is important to ensure the satisfaction of as many people as possible, it’s a feat that’s impossible.

They haven’t outlawed alcohol simply because teenagers are able to bribe, or obtain fake IDs. How come adult content is nearly illegal simply because there are a few kids whom may or may not stay up past their bedtime?

Strategy: Our underlying strategy is simply a tactic of war from centuries, and that is to find a way to get under their skin. After witnessing one group’s presentation, and the frustrated reactions of one female student when her team was losing, made her and her teammates lose their heads and start talking back with arguments with no validity. And we believe by presenting our superior arguments, not only professionally (which has yet to be done in class), but in a way that embarrasses their side we might be able to fluster their team and make it that much easier for victory.

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The scene takes place at the Carmichael house in the richer part of Toronto.

The family is having a lavish party with dozens of invited guests.

The various children of the attending have been sent off to play, anywhere but around the house where they could possible break Derrick’s sports memorabilia and Sara’s cabbage patch kids.

The invited are only the top of the tier like the Carmichaels, among them: the enchanting Ella O’Hara who is swiftly becoming best friends with Sara, Alexis Crawford and Cody O’Neil, Anthony Peterson who is Sara’s psychiatrist who was invited from their last therapy session, and Phyllis Noble who was brought along with Alexis as a friend.

Scene starts out with the majority of the party already hanging out and drinking, when Ella knocks at the door.

*Sara Carmichael rushes to the door, Derrick unenthusiastically not far behind *

-Sara: “Ella!”

-Ella: “Sara, darling!”

*Both girls engage in deep hug, followed by French cheek pecks*

-Ella: “…Derrick…” *Ella says smugly as she turns to him*

-Derrick: “Hello Ella, nice to see you as always…” *he says dryly, smirking a bit as they stare off*

*After a brief awkward pause Sara hooks arms with Ella and pulls her into the droning party and over to meet Alexis and Cody, drudgingly Derrick hauls himself with them*

-Sara: “Ella, I’d like you to meet Alex, she’s a “buddy” *Ella says with bunny fingers* of Derrick’s friend Cody over here…”

*Ella and Alexis shake hands as Derrick comes up from behind, leaning on Cody as they watch on*

-Sara: “I’m so sorry, but what exactly do you do again?”

-Cody: “Oh, I’m a marine biologist.”

-Ella: “Oh really? Are you any good?” *she asks flirtatiously, causing Cody to laugh like a young boy*

*Both Sara and Alexis notice it, Sara wants to draw her friend from him by hooking Ella’s arm again while Alexis wants to get her voice in*

-Alexis: “He’s the best of the best, and making quite a lot of money doing it if I must say.”

-Derrick: “And he also happens to be my number one fan, isn’t that right, Code?”

-Cody: “Yep, he was the best linebacker in the States or Canada he was *he says unsurely as he nods nervously*

-Derrick: “Damn skippy I am! I’m goddamn icon…”

*Derrick stands heroically with head held high*

-Sara: “My baby’s an icon…”

*Derrick blows Sara a kiss, who blows one back with her hand. Ella huffs*

-Ella: “How many people are at this shindig?”

-Derrick: “In the house right now? Pfft, 20 odd something.”

-Sara: “We just can’t keep track of everybody.”

-Derrick: “We have more to come of course, some of the old team are dropping by. Chances say they are already going to be wasted.”

*Ella grimaces*

-Ella: “Isn’t that pleasant?”

*Derrick and Ella stare off for another second to illustrate the bad blood between the two over Sara*

-Cody: *Coughs to clear his throat* So, Derrick, how did the deal go with Nike?”

-Derrick: “Unfortunately those bastards don’t know an opportunity when they see one…* Derrick says as he turns to Cody and Alexis, leaving the girls behind him*

But the thing I have going with Gatorade is fan-fucking-tastic!”

*Ella groans out and goes to say something but Sara quickly stops her*

-Alexis: “Is that right?”

-Derrick: *With a laugh* I mean think about the merchandising possibilities! I could write a tell-all book, I could have a made for TV movie!”

*Ella goes to make fun of Derrick but again is stopped by Sara, they talk low so they can’t hear*

-Ella: “He is an imbecile!”

-Sara: “Come on now, Ella. Give him a chance and don’t cause a scene…”

*Still not aware…and still talking…*

-Derrick: “I could come out with my own rap CD!”

*Cody and Alexis force out chuckles as Sara decides to speak up for her husband*

-Sara: “My hubby has always wanted to have a doll created in his likeness.”

*Derrick turns with an annoyed look on his face*

-Derrick: “It’s an action figure! Your porcelain clown dolls is one thing, GI Joe toys are another!”

*Sara puts her hand up to block his face as her mouth drops open*

-Sara: “What…ever, Rick!”

-Ella: “Chill out, Ricky.”

-Derrick: “It’s Derrick, Derrick Carmichael!”

*Simultaneously*

-Sara: “Whatever!”

-Ella: “Whatever!”

*Both girls laugh as Derrick retreats*

-Sara: “OK, let me introduce you to some of the others.”

*Sara looks around and spots Anthony and Phyllis who were talking quietly together in the background*

-Sara: “Hey Anthony, come over here a second and meet my friend, and bring what’s-her-face with you!”

*The two take a moment before heading over, at the same time Alexis has grabbed Cody’s hand and started pulling*

-Alexis: “Lets get the hell out of this situation before it gets weirder…”

-Cody: “Um, sure Alex, let me just tell Derrick…”

-Alexis: “Don’t bother, he’s to busy talking about himself to notice.”

*Before heading off Cody taps Derrick on the shoulder anyway, pissing off his partner Alexis*

-Cody: “I’m just stepping away for a bit.”

-Derrick: “I’ll be here, Code”

*The two bump fists as the cops head off together, Alexis clearly mad at Cody. On the walk past Alexis tries to grab Phyllis’s arm to get her away from the Carmichaels, but Sara sees it a quickly springs into action, grabbing Phyllis’s other arm and pulls her into the huddle of dementia*

-Sara: “I am so sorry, I can’t recall your name.”

-Phyllis: “That’s OK, nobody can ever remember my name, I’m used to it by now. It’s Phyllis, Phyllis Noble.”

-Sara: “Right…” *She says slowly, not remembering the woman at all*

-Ella: “So Phyllis, honey, how do you know the Carmichaels?”

-Phyllis: “Well, I don’t. I’m friends with Alexis from work, and she wanted me to get out of my apartment for the day and invited me here.”

-Sara: “Oh, then you don’t know anybody do you?”

-Derrick: “…Poor thing…” *mockingly*

-Phyllis: “That’s alright, I’ve been talking with this gentleman about Freudian theories for the longest while.”

*Anthony perks up as Derrick, Sara and Ella all go blank and can’t think of anything to say about it, morons do that*

-Anthony: “Freud the infamous psychiatric specialist. Albeit his theories have mostly been eradicated in today’s highly educated society, some still are engraved in the proverbial books.”

*A brief pause while the others try to figure out what was just said, before simultaneously…*

-Sara: “Oh yeah!”

-Ella: “For sure!”

-Derrick: “I knew that!”

*The medically educated shoot each other a glance as they roll their eyes*

-Ella: “So who is this wonderful guy here?”

-Derrick: “He’s Sara’s friend.”

-Anthony: Extending his hand to shake, which Ella delicately does “My name is Anthony Peterson, I’m Sara’s psychiatrist…”

*However he is interrupted by a high, shrill laugh by the nervous Sara who quickly gets in front of him for almost a half hug as she taps him on the cheek in almost a slap*

-Sara: “Anthony has such a droll sense of humour! Half the time I have no clue what he is talking about!”

-Derrick: “Sara, chill the hell out alright, you’re making the party awkward.”

*Sara cuts in front of everybody just to point her finger in her husband’s face*

-Sara: “Shut up…Randy! I’m talking here!”

*Derrick turns squinting as he scratches his head*

-Derrick: “Randy?”

-Anthony: “Listen Sara, I think we should have an impromptu session because obviously you need to do some talking.”

-Sara: “I don’t have to do anything Tony!”

*Sara was clearly becoming distraught, which made her worse*

-Phyllis: “Maybe you should Sara, I’ve heard that Mr. Peterson here is one of the best.”

-Sara: “Shut up Mary Ann, nobody was talking to you. And what did I tell you about shutting up to Daniel?!”

*Sara points at her husband again angrily, which surprises him because he didn’t even say anything*

-Ella: “Alrighty then, I think I’m going to go talk to the lovely couple over here” *Ella heads off towards Alexis and Cody who were sitting together by the side. Phyllis was still silently standing by the others before heading off on her own*

-Derrick: “Sara, you can have one of your fits ‘cause I’m going for a walk.”

*Derrick heads off to the side as Sara flips him the middle finger*

-Sara: “Fuck you, Bobby!”

-Anthony: “Alright Sara, calm down and leave Derrick alone.”

*The two walk over to the couch, which Sara lays down on like the bench at the psychiatrist’s, while Anthony takes a seat. The other party goers are all talking at the side of the stage, while Derrick walks around the side by himself*

-Anthony: “Sara, how have you been feeling lately?”

-Sara: “I’ve been feeling fine Anthony, its everybody else around me that’s screwed up.”

-Anthony: “How so?”

-Sara: “Take for instance a few weeks ago on the 24^th. I threw a birthday party for our youngest son Adam. I go through all this trouble to hire a clown and some wolverine guy, and invited all the friends and parents…but everyone doesn’t appreciate it because it wasn’t the same day as his actual birthday…”

*Meanwhile in the background Derrick thinks he’s by himself, posing, and even starting to mimic playing football*

-Anthony: “Well when was Adam’s birthday?”

-Sara: “The 13^th…of November…”

-Anthony: “I take it Derrick thought this was odd that you did this? Did he say anything?”

-Sara: “He didn’t say anything! He gave me one of those looks and didn’t even care about it or me…I don’t know why I even bother anymore.”

-Anthony: “What do you think was driving him away in the first place?”

*Derrick has gone full out in his game, throwing the imaginary ball to himself and catching it”

-Sara: “His god damn sports, and football. He just can’t accept the fact that he isn’t a pro athlete anymore, and that he isn’t on the cover of Sports Illustrated.”

*At the end of this last bit the two go quiet as Derrick finishes his game, doing an end zone dance. Just a bit after Ella walks up, barely catching Derrick.*

-Ella: “Hello, Derrick, could I talk to you for a moment?”

-Derrick: *Trying to compose himself* “Um, sure, what do you want?”

-Ella: “I want to know more about your relationship with Sara.”

-Derrick: “Our relationship is none of your business. If you’ll excuse me I have other guests to attend to.”

-Ella: “Just give me a moment, I just want to know why you two are together. I see you guys fighting constantly, just to make up after until the next fight.”

-Derrick: “Hey, that’s just the way we are together. And so what if we fight, making up is the best part anyhow.”

-Ella: “So you’re only attracted to her physically?”

-Derrick: “I only accept the best of the best, I have to be number one, and having the hottest wife is part of being in the top echelon.”

-Ella: “Oh, echelon, now Derrick’s speaking at a 12^th grade level…” *she says to herself, which he chooses to ignore*

-Derrick: “I have to have the beautiful-est wife, that’s just the alpha male nature. And she is the sexiest, I mean, have you seen her ass?”

-Ella: *turning a bit away dreamily* “Yes I have…”

*Again and awkward pause between the two at the comment as the attention turns to the other side of the stage———à*

-Anthony: “Sara, have you told Derrick the truth yet?”

-Sara: “Of course I haven’t, and I don’t plan to. Either he takes off leaving me a small fortune, or we stay together until we die miserable old people.”

-Anthony: “Do you think it’s healthy for you to keep this in?”

-Sara: “Like that conversation would go over great. ‘Oh Derrick, we are having my famous warm banana soup for dinner again, and by the way, I’ve been acting crazy to get your goddamn attention!’”

-Anthony: “I’m sure if you spoke to him rationally about the way your feeling, he’ll understand.”

*Back on the other side ß———-*

-Derrick: “I just don’t understand! And I don’t think I ever will. And to be honest, I don’t really care anymore.”

-Ella: “You don’t care about your wife? A wonderful woman who somebody else would be lucky to have?”

-Derrick: “Don’t get me started, Ella. It was once great, we were the it couple, now there is nothing but the sex. She is a firecracker in bed!”

-Ella: “I’ll bet she is.”

-Derrick: “What does any of this matter to you anyhow?”

*———-à*

-Sara: “I used to act like this to get him to notice me again, but now I kind of just want him to leave and never come back. Hell, he can take the kids with him for all I care.”

-Anthony: “Sara, this isn’t a healthy mind frame that you’re in right now. Everything you do is dedicated to getting Derrick to notice you. You introduce yourself as Mrs. Derrick Carmichael. If you’ll just talk to him like I tell you that you should…”

-Sara: “I don’t want you to tell me to do anything! The only reason I came to see you in the first place was because Derrick thought I need some professional help.”

*Sara has now sit up and is prepared to walk away, but remains seated after some thinking <———–*

-Ella: “It doesn’t really matter to me, I just know someone…who might be interested in her…” *Ella has started rubbing the tip of her toes against the ground as she shyly looked at her feet. Derrick’s attention shot up like a shark in bloody water*

-Derrick: “What’s his name?”

-Ella: “Whose name?”

-Derrick: “The guy’s name, the one who wants my wife!”

*Ella’s shocked, she didn’t expect being interrogated about a guy that doesn’t exist, so she makes it up*

-Ella: “…I can’t tell you his name, but he’s really handsome. And he’s a soccer player from Rome. Jealous?”

*——————-à*

-Sara: “I do love him, I just don’t love the way he treats me sometimes. Before all this he just didn’t give me any attention. He would flirt with other woman, and would be nice to me out of duty. Now that I’ve begun to act out, he’s callous towards me.”

-Anthony: “What did you think would happen is he truly believed you were psychotic beyond the point of no return? Did you think he would be by your side day and night tending to your every need?”

-Sara: “I don’t know, perhaps. Anything’s possible with him.”

*Sara has her head down, looking at the ground by her feet*

-Anthony: “Except changing his core personality. If Derrick’s always been this way, my educated guess says he’ll stay that way. You have to decide to either have a talk with him to sort things out, or leave him.”

-Sara: “I don’t know if I can.”

*Sara looks up with a look of depression on her face, ß—————-*

-Derrick: “Sorry, Ella but I’m not the jealous type. I’m the competitive type.

I like a challenge and I don’t give up until I get it.”

*At this point Derrick has started checking Ella out, now starting to turn on the charm as she slowly starts walking around, he follows softly on her trail with a cocky smile*

-Ella: “So we know what type you are, but who are you?”

-Derrick: “I am a god, not thee God in which ever form you may believe in, but I am someone fit to sit beside him on his throne of malice and majesty. I’m a hero to millions of fans…the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be…”

-Ella: “Somebody has a gigantic ego.”

-Derrick: “I have something else that’s gigantic.”

*They continue to play their cat and mouse chase, —————à*

-Anthony: “What can’t you do?”

-Sara: “Either, I just don’t have the strength to make that big of a decision. That’s why I wanted him to choose, to stay or go.”

-Anthony: “When something is important to you to the degree that this evidently is, then you have to take matters into your own hands.”

-Sara: “If I choose to leave him then what am I going to do? I choose divorce then I get nothing in the settlement as says the pre-nup. I guess I’d stay with my sister in Cali. But is having him not love me the way he used to worse than not having him love me at all?”

*Sara starts coming to a realization, Ella stops walking and Derrick stops not for from her, her rubs his finger over her arm, she pulls away ß————*

-Ella: “You’re an animal, you know that Derrick Carmichael?”

-Derrick: “Woof…”

-Ella: “And you’re a brute.”

-Derrick: “I’ve been called worse.”

*Derrick has started walking up to her until they are nearly face to face*

-Ella: “What exactly are your intentions with this? Where do you see this going, you’re a married man to one of my best friends.”

-Derrick: “I see this going the same way I’ve had situations like this go before, leading all the way to a scenic hotel room one late night…”

-Ella: “Don’t you think that would affect your wife, Sara?”

-Derrick: “I love Sara, but an animal like me, an alpha male, has needs. And what she doesn’t know doesn’t hurt her.”

*Ella leans towards Derrick with a grin, but just before they can touch her smile is gone as he palms collides with Derrick’s face with a brutal slap!*

-Ella: “You can go to hell.”

*Ella walks away as Derrick rubs his sore face, cracking a tiny smile*

-Ella: *She stops and groans in disgust* “I’d tell Sara what type of person you really are, but it’d hurt her to much…”

*Ella walks off stage, and after a brief moment Derrick heads in the other direction à*

-Anthony: “What are you planning on doing?”

-Sara: “Nothing. Derrick loves me and I love him. As sad as it is to see what we used to be, it’s sadder to see what we could be without each other. I’m going to stay with him until the end.”

*Anthony chuckles to himself and shakes his head, not liking the fact she didn’t make a rational choice in the end even after he tried to help her*

-Sara: “I’d like to thank you for coming, and for all your help. I’ll be in next Thursday for one of my mock sessions where we can drink tea and talk about the weather as Derrick pays for your bill. But for now I bid you so long…I have a party to attend to…”

*Sara walks off after a quick, cold hug and heads toward the last few guests to the back of the stage, as Anthony lays down on the couch and closes his eyes to end the scene*

Foremost the session seemed like a large advertisement for R/GA itself, where they talked about how they were changing and becoming the first people to be successful in a new world. It seemed like they were trying to gain new clients from people in the audience above trying to inform attendees about the ways of making changes to an agency to face a daunting future.

Secondly, when Greenback said “more has changed in the past nine months then the past nine years” referring to both technology and the agency structure, it clicked in my head how fast I’ll have to adapt in the workplace. There have been so many abrupt changes that many of the older advertisers are dramatically failing in this new environment. And while this may be a good event for me now, in the future I’ll have to face the same type of challenge with the next generation and technological advances.

Finally the most important thing I took away from the session was the concept of platforms above campaigns. They broke it down like this: campaigns are short lived communications to send a message, programs (such as Optimum Cards) help build relationships over time, while platforms are totally interactive (usually on the web) in which there is a constant reason for people to come back and associate with the brand.

And this concept is one of the more helpful things I’ve taken away from New York.

“Legacy Media” (Magazines) consisted of Audrey Siegal (EVP, Targetcast TCM), Myrna Blyth (Betty Confidential), Donna Campanella (Avon Products), Mark Ford (Time INC) & David Steinhardt (Idealliance)

All of the “legacy media” have had drops in sales, advertising in magazines dropped 21% last year according to TNS. But at the same time all three are having hour long sessions telling people how they are alive and well. It seems to me like “The Way Forward’s R/GA, they are using the Advertising Week platform as self promotion. It’s like saying “hey, we’re fine over here, please keep spending money!”.

But they did have a few good ideas, for one there is no such thing as a magazine publisher in the new age, everyone is a media company. There is no magazine editor, they have to be content editors. They must have something different for all realms (print & web) that not only suits the brand but still allows sales of magazine content.

Finally, they mentioned that now is the best time to shift a brand’s goals and the way it presents itself. During the rough times a brand can revolutionize itself without many people causing an uproar. And this same theory applies not only to magazines, but agencies as well.

“Forbes Economic Summit” consisted of none other then Steve Forbes.

This session was somewhat entertaining, however had nearly nothing to do with Advertising Week at all. It was a history of recent economics. Forbes even said it himself in the last 5 minutes of the presentation (no exaggeration) “and how all of this relates to advertising…” And that was literally the first time he even said the “A” word. And quite honestly, I don’t remember what he said. I don’t know if that’s bad form for him or me.

I did learn a little lesson on how Americans screwed up the entire world’s economy, but I understood very little of it. He went on about junk mortgages, the Federal Reserve, commodities and lending standards. Forbes even knew few understood/cared, as he repeatedly joked that “this is where people fall asleep/get lost”. It was the wrong presentation for the wrong audience and most of us knew it.

He’s Republican. That’s its own lesson. Many of his views were completely biased because of his political agenda. He went on about how raising taxes for things like healthcare does nothing but hurt society. That the next generation doesn’t have to pay taxes now to give senior citizens free healthcare because seniors are the ones with money. Correction, Steve Forbes and some other seniors have money, not everyone. For the last half of the presentation I couldn’t get past his gleaming political agendas to even listen to his irrelevant speech. Bad form Forbes.

“New Media Mix” featuring Scott Howe (Vice President, Microsoft) & Mike Benson (Vice President, ABC Studios).

This didn’t have a whole lot of information to take away, but it was highly entertaining. It made me realize you can talk about very little, be good at it, and leave people thinking you’ve said a lot. Howe spoke in fortune cookies, with very little to say of any importance. One slide said that there will be fewer ads, more experiences, another said that advanced software frees creative thinking. Nothing revolutionary but until you sit back and try to remember what you’ve learned, you’ll realize you haven’t learnt anything new at all.

Benson spent nearly all of his stage time talking about a new show ABC has called Flashforward. This was entertaining, but kind of irrelevant to the topic at hand. The one food piece of Advertising he spoke about, was how we should reach our target. He gave the example that your target market may be women aged 25-40, but there are a dozen different types of women in that demographic and in the new age you need a separate way to reach every one of them. This is the age of personalization and we must learn to individualize advertisements.

Howe gave three tips that everyone should know. 1) Everything matters. If you have a central theme, you must find a way to convey it in 30 different ways to cover every aspect. 2) 2 becomes 3.The former model used to be only creative vs media (accounts as the mushy middle), but now to be successful analysts must have equal share of voice when it comes to decision making. 3) Choose friends wisely. No agency can do everything, and will eventually need help from someone.

“Google’s Social Media, Social Change” featuring Peggy Conlon (CEO, Ad Council), Suzie Reider (Director of Sales & Marketing, Google), Benjamin Goldhirsh (Chairman, GOOD), Scott Harrison (President, charity:water), Nick Law (Chief Executive Officer R/GA) & Steve Grove (Head of News/Politics, Youtube).

First thing I got was that Google is freaking popular. This was the most pack session I’ve seen at Ad Week. There were four times more people in line then there were seats for. I’m guessing either Ad Week overbooked people, or everyone decided to door crash in hopes of sitting in. People were sitting on the steps and on stage, breaking dozens of fire laws I’m sure. And all of that just because Google’s name was attached.

One of the success stories was about teenaged dating abuse which was a co-project between the Ad Council and R/GA. Thatsnotcool.com garned over 18 million views over its campaign, much of it done through promotion from Google. Everything involved in the campaign was done through donated media, to the tune of 25 million dollars. Which goes to show a lot can be done fro very little money if the right people know how to do it. New websites for social causes was mentioned by Harrison such as Socialvibe.com & causecast.com which can help agencies get the attention their clients deserve.

The major breakthrough was from charity:water, which used only social media to help raise awareness and donations. $20 donated online helps build clean water wells in southern Africa, all of which was tracked by GPS to be viewed online. Google donated front page web space, helping attract 100,000 unique visits in a single day. On a separate occasion American Idol gave away $1 million dollars of ad space to charity:water, which then became donations of $10,000 from viewers. And while charities such as WWF and Humane Society spend hundreds of thousands on advertising budgets, some charities can utilize social media to spend virtually nothing to gain just as much.

“Social Networking 2.0” consisted of Robin Domeniconi (Vice President of Ad Sales, Microsoft), Erin Matts (Chief Digital Officer, OMD), Marty Collins (Group Marketing Manager, Windows 7 of Microsoft) & Stephen Kim (General Manager of Global Creative Solutions, Microsoft).

Microsoft blew me away. They had so many amazing things at this year’s Advertising Week (not that I’ve seen them before mind you). But wow. First was the realization of the power of charisma from Scott Howe, then the innovative tracking bracelets combined with the Loft party. And after the biggest idea of Advertising Week (more on that later), I felt like I should buy Microsoft shares.

The talk between Domeniconi and Matts brought up a few intriguing thoughts. “It took television 13 years to reach 50 million viewers, but it took Facebook 9 months to reach 100 million users. For companies going viral isn’t enough, they must know how to reach their consumers. You must know when to get into the conversation (social media and interactive) otherwise you’ll always be reacting from it”. Collins brought up the point “that social media should be more then a part of a campaign, but a regular source of information and feedback from customers”. These few thoughts forces you wonder how every brand can properly utilize the internet to its full advantage without coming off forced. What I am thinking, is what happens when every brand does figure out how to have such interactions with its consumers, then what will brands have to do to stand out from the ever evolving pack?

Finally Kim revealed a brand new piece of program that’s still in beta testing with the codename of Looking Glass. This software allows an agency/company to look up any brand name (and words I suppose), and it will then sift through all possible data sources to compile them into usable information. Every video, image or mention on the web with the brand’s name tagged will be available for viewing from one central hub. Every mention counted, and when it was last discussed which will help judge product relevance to consumers better then any focus group or PMB report. The troublesome posters that are creating a lot of bad press will be able to be tracked in order to help fend off future calamities. Everything can be placed into pie charts and graphs in order to present in meetings. Variable and be added and subtracted to help better fit elements into a campaign. This was just a demonstration of a beta program, which is years away from being released. But when it does, in this interactive driven world I know it will have the biggest ripple in the advertising ocean.

“Microsoft Loft Party” attendees were anybody with a Microsoft bracelet.

I went to two days of this party (since I didn’t know that AT&T had one as well), and learnt very little. Honestly it was all about chatting people up and having free drinks. Stacey and I spoke to a videogame developer from the iPhone, oddly the brother of the Vice President of Euro RSCG, and multiple representatives from Microsoft who were discussing their technology.

Adam Lambert “Mad World” ~ This is the best rendition of Gary Jule’s song that I’ve ever heard. It could be that I’m sick of hearing the actual version, I even got to like the Tears for Fears version better. Lambert hits a unique and unexpected crescendo at the end of the song that absolutely sets it apart.

Beethoven “Moonlight Sonata” ~ Absolutely breath taking. I’ve used this song to help me sleep during restless nights countless times. This is one of the songs that peaked my interest in classical works.

Curtis Mayfield “Pusherman” ~ This classic makes the listen feel gangster by proxy. And anyone who likes such smooth songs like “Lowrider” has to give this a try.

Eminem “Hailie’s Song” ~ One of the few songs that Eminem raps about something real, and even tries to sing for those who may care. He talks about how much he loves, and cares for his daughter, which shows a hidden side of a man constantly caught in controversy and scrutiny.

Fort Minor “Remember The Name” ~ Another rap song with utterly nothing unique about it other then me really liking it.

Immortal Technique “Dance With the Devil” & “You Never Know” ~ I think Technique is one of the best rappers I’ve ever heard lyrically. The only problem he has is that none of his work is typically mainstream. And without that hook that the average listener needs to sing along with, very few but hardcore fans will know of his better work. Listen to both of these songs, and I guarantee you’ll get the chills.

Ink Spots “I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire” ~ I first heard this song on the critically acclaimed videogame Fallout 3, and have since grown in love with it. I do like quite a few older songs. Perhaps it’s because it has a fresh new appeal to me. I’ve noticed that I tend to grow attached to songs that I’ve heard when I was invested in other brands. Few examples; if I hadn’t heard the original version of Mad World in the Gears of War commercial I doubt I’d give Lambert’s version a chance. In K’s Choice below, I first heard it during an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I like the song on its own, but it forces me to remember the Buffy brand as well, making the emotional connection stronger then me just liking the song.

Johnny Cash “Hurt” ~ This has always been a song that I enjoyed hearing on TV or on the radio. But it was cemented as a personal favourite when I heard it played during a memorial video to the late, great wrestling legend Eddie Guerrero. As mentioned in the above post, this is yet another example of how the right song associated with the right brand can do wonders for both sides. I will always remember Eddie when I hear this song (and by proxy the WWE), and since the video the song is now a personal favourite.

K’s Choice “Virgin State of Mind” ~ Buffy the Vampire Slayer always had live performances in its earlier seasons, and this was one of the few that were any good at all. To be honest, I don’t remember the episode or condition to which I first heard it. But I still associate the lead’s lyrics with the Buffy brand.

Muse “Time is Running Out” & “Uprising” ~ I first heard this band in their live debut in North America at their performance on the 2009 MVA’s. And they are one of the best bands I’ve heard in a long while. They sound better live, when usually it’s the live performances that let fans down. And they sound like Queen, which is always a plus.

Nonpoint “In the Air Tonight” ~ This is the rock cover of Phil Collin’s hit song. Unfortunately it didn’t get the fame it deserves since it was featured on the dreadful Miami Vice remake flick. But this band makes so many awesome songs that it was hard for me to pick a favourite; “What a Day”, “Alive and Kicking”, “Bullet with a Name on it”, Hide and Seek” & “Yours Signs”.

Old Dirty Bastard and Black Ke “Thirsty” ~ This is one of two songs off the Blade soundtrack that I love. Honestly I could do without ODB on this song, because it’s Black’s vocals that make the song haunting. The other is The RZA’s “Fatal” for anyone interested.

Our Lady of Peace “Not Enough” ~ I’m starting to tire of saying how being connected to a brand impacts a songs emotional connection. Yes, OLP is a legendary Canadian band by itself, but I was never such a fan that I’d search for their music. However, after seeing a Youtube tribute to the TV show Supernatural featuring this song, I actively sought songs of theirs that were unknown to me.

Portis Head “Numb”, “Roads”, “All Mine”, “Fun for Me”, “Glorybox”, “Only You” ~ By the grand number of songs beside this band’s name, I’m sure you can tell how much I like their work. The lead singer’s voice is so unique, that unlike most artists nowadays dominating the airways, I could tell Portis Head from a hundred different samples. This is acid-jazz at its best.

Renata Tebaldi “O Mio Babino Caro” ~ Breathtaking.

Smashing Pumpkins “The Beginning Is The End Is The Beginning” ~ Watchemen trailer anyone? This was the perfect companion to the geekdom that was the movie Watchmen. It was originally created for the brutally sub-par flick Batman & Robin. However was reused for another superhero flick (which in my opinion was equally as sub-par).

Honarable mentions: Atmosphere “Fuck you Lucy”, Drake “Best I ever had”, Five for Fighting “Superman”, Flyleaf vs the Legion of Doom “I’m so sick”, Ghost of the Robot “Dangerous”, Insane Clown Possie “Boogie woogie wu”, Lil Wayne “I feel like dying”, K’naan “If rap gets jealous”, Matthew Good Band “Weapon”, Moby “Extreme ways”, New Found Glory “Back that ass up”, Nine Inch Nails “Everyday is exactly the same”. Peter Gabrielle “Big time”, Portal “Still alive”, Rammstein “Du hast (English Version)”, Remy Zero “Save me” & “Perfect Memory”, Scapegoat Wax “Aisle 10” & “Blood Sweet”, Shep and the Limelites “Daddy’s home”, Shinedown “Heroes”, Akira Yamaoka “Room of angel”, Soundgarden “Fell on black days”, Sum 41 “Scottie Doesn’t know”, Swollen Members feat Everlast “Put me on”, The Beatles “Twist and shout”, The Black Keys “Heavy soul”, The Contours “Do you love me”.

So I’m definitely hyped up to do the tourist thing in one of the best cities in the world. I hope to do a lot of traveling in my future before I die a ripe old age of forty. On my destination hit list: Japan, Ireland, England and the Galapagos Islands (Tokyo, Dublin & London respectively).

But for New York I’ve got my Itinerary already prepared in true Media style in order to capitalize on what might be a once in a life time event. Everything is planned out practically as possible by time, cost and place. I’ve gotten routes and hours of operation as well beside each event. Such anal retentive plans would probably be absurd to anyone who hasn’t designed Blocking Charts and Cost Details, but in the Media mindset it makes perfect sense. Some of the tourist events I’m planning on are; the Staten Island boat ride with the Ellis Island view, the World Trade Center site, Coney Island in Brooklyn, Central Park Loeb Boat Rentals and the Park Zoo, Metropolitan Museum. Then the little things such as the Rockefeller Center, Times Square, the Bowery, Chinatown (just to see if it rivals ours) in between.

This isn’t even to mention the actual Advertising Week events I’m attending (which I’ll give a full report on when I get back); “The Way Forward”, “Legacy Media”, “Forbes Economic Summit”, “New Media Mix”, “Future in 4D”, “Social Media, Social Change” & “Social Networking 2.0”. If you’ve noticed most of everything is future focused, from the economic climate to the impacts of the digital age. I believe learning as much as possible about Interactive is the most important addition to my career. Considering I want to change the face of Advertising as it stands, the first thing is I need to learn how I’m going to do that…

I haven’t always wanted to go into Advertising, I kinda wanted to do everything but that when I was growing up. First job I ever wanted to have was to be a Superhero, I still wouldn’t mind, but imagine how crushed I was when I realized that wouldn’t be coming true. That became Cop and Veterinarian in elementary school, in high school it was Chef, Videogame Designer, Lawyer and finally Director. But after careful consideration of factors such as money and time, I decided that Advertising would be the only career which I could retire in, and that wouldn’t fire me just because I didn’t want to be mainstream.

I’m technically blogging because it was part of an assignment, though I’m sure if I have the time I’d be posting entries quite often. Simply because I always have random thoughts traveling at blistering speeds in my head, and it makes sense that I try to get some of those ideas out to anybody who’ll listen. Please, if you’re skittish or defensive please don’t even start reading my blog. I’m brutally honest and swear like a sailor when I get passionate about a topic. I don’t see words like “fuck” as a lack of vocabulary or intelligence (and you shouldn’t either), but as a way to communicate a general feeling such as annoyance or anger.

What I’ll be blogging about will probably be pretty random, from the conditions of our crumbling society, to the my theories (and assignments) about Advertising. For anyone reading this in the future, wondering if I’m a worthy intern, I’ll try to keep posts about irrelevant rants to a minimum, or at least make them easier to spot and ignore.

I encourage comments from anyone who happens to stumble across my humble little blog, from support to scathing criticisms. Just please leave your name at the bottom, because anonymity in the World Wide Web is like a bully behind a mask. It’s just pathetic.

~ Cyle J