The last few weeks have been filled with fourteen-hour days working on a new business pitch (we didn’t get it), pre-production for a massive Gatorade shoot I’ll be leaving for in early January, an add-on print shoot that de-evolved into a stop-drop-and-roll process, a full-on agency presentation, an agency holiday party (which I passed on), a fussy baby at home and about a million other things, the algebra of which left X minus infinity for blogging time.
Even today, when the agency closed at 2:00 PM, I’m waiting around for client feedback on a pressing job. There’s never a dull moment in the ad jungle.
Things are looking up, though.
In January, look for me to start posting a blow-by-blow of what it’s like to sweat through a two million dollar film production outside the country.
I promise not to gloat (too much).
In the meantime, I hope you all have a happy, safe and prosperous Holiday and New Year and I hope to catch you all visiting my little corner of the ad jungle after Dick Clark goes to bed.
Been a little out of pocket lately; working on a new business pitch that’s been keeping me at the office at all hours of the day and night. In the meantime, the She Monkey commented on the video, below, so I guess I’ll have to follow suit at some point.
After you’ve watched the video, think about the bonuses: 1) no cost, 2) super romantic (so you’ll probably get lucky) and, 3) it increases the effects of the anniversary champagne.
Sit down, brace yourself, or do what it is you would otherwise do when you’re about to receive shocking news.
Ready? Good.
Psssst. The Holidays are upon us.
Awww. C’mon. Think that was a letdown? Well, let me make it up to you.
This Holiday Greetings video was emailed to me today and it’s too good to be left languishing under the tree in my in-box, so enjoy. It’s a 2005 effort from TBWA\Vancouver.
Following in Russ Davies’ footsteps, a few of us gathered last week for a Coffee morning, lunch with barely any coffee™ (now trademarked by Paul McEnany– your royalty payment is on its way).
Paul did a terrific job talking about what we did (talk) and with whom (ad, marketing and PR bloggers) and whatnot, so just go visit Hee-Haw Marketing, already, and read all about it.
A good time was had by all. Let’s do it again soon.
In between becoming a dad, locking myself out of my own blog, moving offices, and working on producing five different television spots and a smattering of radio, I somehow managed– along with our Executive Producer, John Costello– to wind up in print. As in newsprint.
It is there this quote will forever be immortalized: “They bring their ideas, we bring our ideas, we sit around, we brainstorm [and] we come up with a mash-up of ideas from both camps. But once they’re on the page we just turn them loose, because we’re not going to buy a dog and then start barking ourselves.”
Ok. So Adverb is an ad blog. It’s here that I talk about, um, ads and ad people and all the other things you’d expect to find in an ad blog. Oh. Almost forgot.
I talk about monkeys, too. You can’t go wrong with monkeys.
But now I have a new daughter and I can already tell it will be difficult to keep Adverb from becoming a babyblog.
I must… resist… the temptation.
Fortunately, the Wee Monkey is a genius and, after I discussed my concerns about Adverb with her, she leapt at the chance to design and run her own blog.
So problem solved; she’ll have her space, I’ll have mine. Even better, a friend of ours has registered “weemonkey.com” and my little girl will eventually be able to mirror her site there.
Until then, you can keep up with the comings and goings (and the poo-ings) of the Wee Monkey over at her new blog, “Carson’s Crib,” located at carson.macksimpson.com (you can also find an icon at the bottom of Adverb’s right-hand sidebar that points to her blog).
The three of us are home and finally out from behind the hospital’s godforsaken firewall which means, of course, photos. So here they are:
The She Monkey went through labor like an old pro. Badda-boom, badda-bing, she’s having a baby. I, on the other hand, didn’t fare as well. In fact, this is the first view the Wee Monkey had of me. Still, no matter what kind of face I make, I can’t seem to scare the pretty off the Wee Monkey. Even when I play music and she decides to stick out her tongue and rock, she’s still pretty damned cute.
6:45 A.M. : The Wee Monkey was due on the 28th and she’s doing her best to make sure the trains run on time. The She Monkey and I arrived at the hospital this morning at one o’clock with her contractions coming two minutes apart. It’s been a waiting game ever since, though, but progress is being made. I found the Wee Monkey’s horoscope for today:
Scorpio October 23 - November 21, Daily Overview for October 28, 2006: A longed-for achievement finally comes to fruition, much to your deep satisfaction. You’re quiet — if not to say mysterious — about the news. Share it with some loved ones; they’re just as happy for you.
Check back; The hospital has wireless access and I’ll update as I can.
8:45 A.M. : So… very… close. I think we’re on-tap for the “big push” in about a half an hour.
10:45 A.M. : The Wee Monkey arrived at 10:04 and weighed 6 pounds, 7 ounces. She’s already asked for the keys to the Bronco. The She Monkey is doing fine; she was a real pro. I’ll upload pics once I’m able to get out from behind the hospital’s firewall.
2:45 P.M. : We’re in our room; everyone’s fine. The Wee Monkey is already eating us out of house and home, and we haven’t even left the hospital. The She Monkey and I have been able to nap a little– it was a pretty long night and we’re both tired.
I think this will be the last update of the day as we both try to follow the Wee Monkey’s example: eat, sleep, eat, sleep.
Friday was a half-day for us (though we somehow managed to cram a full day’s efforts into it) because today is our last day in our old space. For the past couple of weeks, we’ve been packing things away into orange tubs that will be moved to our new offices over the weekend. The creative pit cubicles were broken down earlier in the week, leaving our floor looking like a bookmaking boiler room. Not everyone was happy with their temporary workspace, but we made due as best we could. Not even my office was spared. On Monday, we’ll reconvene at our new offices in a skyscraper situated in the middle of downtown and begin unpacking it all. Fun stuff.
Speaking of downtown, I said I don’t do shows… but I definitely do bars. Our friends over at Frames Per Second threw a happy hour for us on Thursday night at the Ghostbar atop the W Hotel near downtown. This is a bar that’s trying really, really hard (if you know what I mean), but I do have to admit the views were stunning. A good time was had by all and I’d like to thank the Frames Crew for thinking of us.
My two teams have several television productions in the pipeline at various stages of pre-production. We have new work going into test for 7-Eleven, client approval on two Gatorade concepts to be shot out of the country in December, internal approval on several Pizza Hut concepts to be shot that same month (and also out of the country), client script approval on three Interstate Batteries spots to be recorded in early November and we began directors’ calls today for a November Chiquita shoot (possibly out of the country). We also have a big package of spots to shoot for Sierra Mist but, because of the increasing weight of our workload, my team is transitioning off the account in favor of giving others a crack at it.
And there’s still no sighting of the Wee Monkey. The She Monkey’s due date is (gulp) tomorrow, so it should be literally any day now. With my schedule, I expect the Wee Monkey’s first words to be, “Where’s Daddy off to now?”
Today, the short-term answer is, “To the front porch for a nice, relaxing drink.” Have a good weekend, everyone.
EMT-Man: makethelogobigger isn't really correct. The protocol changes every year based on your level of certification, and whether you are working on...
michel: Glad to hear you, know you have been busy!!! Enjoy the Pubs and see ya when you get back!!!
Believe it or not, both Adverb and I live.
Sit down, brace yourself, or do what it is you would otherwise do when you’re about to receive shocking news.
Ok. So Adverb is an ad blog. It’s here that I talk about, um, ads and ad people and all the other things you’d expect to find in an ad blog. Oh. Almost forgot.
