I’m just getting back from London and being in the advertising biz, I couldn’t help but notice how advertising driven the city of London is. It was pretty amazing to see and I thought I’d share my observations.
Over the weekend I got the sudden urge to purge. No, not all the junk mail piling up around the home office. Nor the collection of Meatloaf and Ice-T CD’s (hey, sounds like dinner) gathering dust in a bin in the basement. It was my thick bristly mop of hair that needed removal to make room for things like bike helmets, baseball caps, and other warm weather accoutrements. So I got out the DIY clippers, put on attachment #1 and went to town. When I walked into the agency Monday morning a few ounces lighter, I was surprised to see I wasn’t the only one upon whom the Spring Equinox had worked its magic. There were many a thick beard tightly trimmed, or completely shaved off. It was as if somewhere in the deepest reaches of our human DNA, we had all responded to an evolutionary edict. Sunshine….gggrrr……warmth….grrrrrr……must..grrr…shed..grrr…hair.
How does the song go? We’re nothing but mammals, something something Discovery Chanel?
Throughout its 107-year history De’Longhi has brought great design to the masses. Long before there was Target, there was Treviso, the city in northern Italy where both Benetton and De’Longhi originated. It is here that a team of designers create products that express De’Longhi’s dedication to function, style and innovation.
Over the course of the last year we’ve been working in partnership with De’Longhi to reintroduce their brand to the U.S. market. High points have included the creation of a new Web site, a fourth quarter campaign in 08 targeting major metro areas and the creation of their first U.S. TV spot in nearly a decade.
Now, for the first time in the company’s history, we’ve invited designers from varying disciplines from around the globe to partner with De’Longhi. Their art has been laser-etched onto an extremely limited run of Perfecta espresso machines to create the first edition De’Longhi Artista Series.
Participating designers include: Nicole Miller, Mike Perry, Michele Toffalori, Maria Vittoria Benatti, Jonathan Calugi, Mario Hugo, Damien Correll and Kristina Collantes.
The rare machines will be auctioned to the public online, with proceeds benefiting Oxfam America, an international relief and development organization dedicated to the fight against poverty and social injustice.
More information on the De’Longhi Artista Series can be found here.
It is a rainy day here in Philly. Who would have thought that the pitter-patter of rain drops could be a call to bring honor to your family. Defeat the rain once and for all with the Ninja Umbrella. For sale here.
Over the last 3-4 months I’ve found myself more interested in watching a documentary than a movie. All in all, I feel that I get more out of an information driven story than 90 minutes of punching and/or crying. It’s hard to argue that watching John-Claude in Kickboxer, Seth McDermott in Airborne, and Roddy Piper in They Live isn’t an awesome experience; however, watching a dude tightrope walk across the Twin Towers is much cooler if not mesmerizing. That said, here are some of the better documentaries I’ve seen over the past few months (or even year) that I recommend for everyone to view.
What’s more American than steroids? Not much! Remember, “if you’re not first, you’re last” here in America and this documentary has the facts to prove it. This film takes an in depth look at Steroid use in America and the affects they have on sports, the youth of America, and users. Recommended for any gym rat, athlete, or avid sports fan.
There is a chance you are already drunk this St. Patrick’s Day and for that awesomeness you can thank the Irish.
But you might also be wearing shamrock-shaped sunglasses. The frat guy next to you might be sporting a t-shirt that is two-sizes too small emblazoned with a solicitation to kiss his blarney stones. And worse yet, watery St. Louis beer spiked with food coloring might fill every pitcher in sight. And for these transgressions, you can blame poor brand management.
It started slowly, you see. A Shamrock Shake here, a bowl of Lucky Charms there. Irish Spring’s scent may very well be magnificent but its single-note brand is fairly odious. But the real damage came when Bennigan’s took a sacred place—the Irish pub—and replaced any bit of comfort and soul with menu items like “Guinness® Glazed Popcorn Shrimp,” “Top O’ The Morning Tuna” and “Thrice Broiled Remains of My Ancestors’ Dignity.”
The Irish pub concept became such a hit that it spawned an entire industry of seemingly more “authentic” Irish pubs than Bennigan’s. Led by the creatively named Irish Pub Company, any Tom, Dick, or Kieran could open a pub with the proper architecture (choose from five basic styles!) and some basic rules, outlined in this Slate column:
“The concept outlines some simple steps to achieve ‘Irishness’: You’ll want to add Irish music, traditional grub, and ‘bric-a-brac’ such as reproductions of antique spinning wheels, cast irons, and flagons.” It’s so easy, a functioning alcoholic could do it!
While this inauthentic quest for authenticity at least had some element of respect for Irish culture, the Irish brand took a real hit when tchotchke flingers discovered a simple formula: shamrock +/- leprechaun multiplied by dimwitted reference to drinking = straight cash homey!
The Irish have endured quite a bit. Famines. Centuries of poverty. The British and their tireless wanker-dom. Colin Farrell. Can we at least keep our pride? We don’t ask for much. A simple glass of whiskey, a healthy dose of self deprecation, and passive-aggressive family gatherings typically will keep us comfortable. We really require little more–maybe triple digit SPF sunscreen in the warmer months. That’s all.
So drink up, my Irish and non-Irish friends. Wear some green and listen to the Pogues, even. But take off that stupid fecking shirt.