9.30.2008

Naming exercises

Bobby Pin - women's fashion line inspired by men's clothing

Gutter - used book store

Snail - stationary store

Strapped - a line of cheap bookbags and messenger bags

Bit Mobile - a line of super energy-efficient scooters

9th Level - hot sauce

Core - juice with extra vitamins added in

Adam Wasn't Worth It - feminine products

I've been doing naming assignments like this all day today and part of yesterday. I think I could be tapped out. 


9.29.2008

My kitten-inspired products

I have a kitten named Wall-e. He's a handful. Nobody warned me of all the various adjustments I would need to make to have Wall-e around. I think there should be a line of products to deal with these unexpected kitten needs.

I suppose I couldn't really name this line after my kitten, since his name is a little popular. I'll call it Cabitat Collection - Products to help you co-habitate with your kitten. You'll have to excuse the cute names, but cat-lovers are okay with cuteness associated with cats.

Cattop
Keyboard protector for your laptop so you can work while your cat investigates. It would be a clear, sturdy plastic cover that your hands could slip underneath. This way you could type while your cat sat on the glass part. How to keep the kitten from pawing that the cursor... I'm going to have to keep thinking.

Paws Out
Gates in varying and expandable sizes to put under cabinets to block out certain sections from access, like behind the dishwasher. In front of washers/dryers to keep cats from going behind them. Under beds to keep cats from staging attacks. Beside and under refrigerators and other furniture to keep cats from disappearing behind them.

Pet Ping
Okay, I hate the bell around my kitten's collar, but it's necessary because things get very quiet sometimes and you know he's doing something bad. What I'd rather have is something similar to a key finder. When I want find Wall-e, I hit it and it beeps. No annoying bell when it's not necessary.


Kitchen products:
Furry Freeze Out
Is there some sort of sound that cats don't like and humans can't hear? Can we put one on a sensor so that it sounds every time the fridge is open? At the very least, there needs to be some kind of motion sensor in the fridge in case I ever shut my cat in by accident.

Cat Counter Down
A 6"- 1' lip to put around your counter, making it inaccessible to the kitten when it's up. It would fold down when you needed access to your counter. (Tape doesn't work on the surface, bubble wrap is not the deterrent some claim it to be and I don't want to shock him.)


Bathroom products:
Feline Faucet
You can cover your toilet, but not your sink. I propose a sliding sheet, like you'd see on a child's window in a car, that you can slide over your sink while not in use, suction cupping to the bottom.

Tabby tub toys
My cat loves playing in the tub, but he needs toys that don't stop moving and that he can't get out. Something weighted would work. And it has to be able to roll.


Other products I need are an industrial strength fitted sheet to put on the bottom of the mattress pad. He likes to claw his way in. And some way to get him to stop chewing wires. And some way to get him to stop attacking the curtains. Sigh. Good thing I love this cat.

9.26.2008

Buttoned up.



In honor of the debate, I made some buttons for friends. I think you can tell who I am voting for.

Posted by ShoZu

9.25.2008

Apps

So I found an application for my iPhone that lets me take photos wherever I am then blog them. Very awesome. Look for new posts related to this new app soon.

Posted by ShoZu

Test picture.


Posted by ShoZu

9.24.2008

Talkin' bout dialogue

A mother (M) tries to ask her daughter (D) if she's having sex.

M: Hey, sit down with me for a minute.

D: Okay?

M: How was your day?

D: Fine.

M: You want a snack? I can whip us up a pizza.

D: No.

M: We have chips.

D: No. Can I go?

M: In just a minute. How are things with Jeremy?

D: Fine. Why? I know you hate him.

M: What? I don't hate him.

D: Whatever. You don't even say like hi when he comes over.

M: I do. Besides, he's practically a mute. He could say hello too, you know.

D: Why would he? He knows you hate him.

M: I told you, I don't hate him. I barely even know the boy.

D: K, so whatever. Can I go now?

M: No, wait. You never answered my question, how are things going?

D: I said fine.

M: Right, fine. Are you two serious?

D: We're not getting married or anything. God, I'm only 15. Are we done?

M: No. I have to ask you something.

D: You just asked something.

M: But I didn't get the answer I wanted.

D: You want us to get married? I thought you hated him.

M: I don't... Just, look, are you and Jeremy having sex or not?

D: Ew, God, Mom. Even if we were, which we're not, why would I tell you? You're like my mom. Ugh, disgusting. I'm going now.

M: Take the chips when you go.




A girl (G) hinting to her boyfriend (B) that she wants him to propose.

G: Do you think my finger's fat?

B: Huh, what'd you say?

G: My finger. Does it look fat?

B: Why? Did you jam it?

G: No. But it's like a size 9.

B: Fingers don't have sizes.

G: Yeah they do. Like that's the size ring someone would buy for me if they wanted to. A size nine.

B: Huh. Didn't know rings had sizes.

G: Yeah. And mine is a size nine. In case anyone was wondering.

B: That's nice.

G: Also if someone were to ask, I'd tell them to get platinum.

B: Uh huh.

G: So yeah, platinum. Size nine. And round. Don't you thing round diamonds are the best?

B: What?

G: Round diamonds.

B: Aren't diamonds shaped like diamonds?

G: No, some are round. And platinum. And size nine.

B: Oh yeah? That's awesome, baby.

9.23.2008

Giving a voice to voices

I've heard some unique voices lately and I wanted to see how accurately I could write a description of them.

Girl at brunch
Her voice sounded like she thought so fast, the words couldn't keep up. They kept tripping over her front teeth on their way out.

Friend
Her voice has one pitch, the sound one makes when they see a spider and leap onto a chair to get away.

Friend
His voice is deep and slow, like watching water slide slowly from one end of a bottle to another. He takes long pauses then casually continues, using words that have far more gravity than their delivery implies.

Relative
Her voice has a drawl that appears on every third word or so, as if to remind you where she's from and the politeness she's accustomed to.

Friend
His voice is deep and throaty, like an exhale from a long drag on a cigarette.





Crawler comments

So normally I would not post comments from crawlers on my blog. But my last somewhat atrocious personal trainer blog got a comment that turned out to be a gym ad. I found it humorous and wondered about its effectiveness. Maybe if it wasn't so boring and long and fake, it could actually work.

9.22.2008

Gym buddy

I have my first appointment with a personal trainer on Wednesday. Basically, I feel that any time I spend in the gym, which I hate, should be used to my advantage. And it's free with membership.

But I started to think on the way home today of how a personal trainer could advertise him or herself.

Weighted business cards - See how wussy you are? You think paper feels heavy. (Those wouldn't be the exact words, but the sentiment.)

Since most people don't have pockets at the gym, business bracelets may be in order. Paper bracelets with a plastic cover would work - think hospital.

The locker room gives plenty of opportunity. There are standard locker magnets or locks for lockers. Maybe there are special lockers reserved for your clients only.

The scale is also a great place for a trainer to step in and say it's about toning, not weight. Set realistic goals. The ad could be on the wall behind the scale or on the scale itself (as long as it didn't add weight.) Perhaps the ad could SAY it added weight. Hey, this ad adds 1lb. Look at all the progress you're making. Get back to it. Isn't that what a personal trainer does, makes you feel better and pushes you harder?

The benches in the locker room look a lot like weight benches. You could advertise there with a "spotter" message.

Water bottle labels on free water bottles.

Almost all the weight equipment has space on it. Though I am not sure how okay the management would be with that.

As a personal trainer, you could offer some perks. For example, a stockpile of better gym towels than the gym provides. 

You could also create playlists for your clients who are going out of town, for them to use at hotel gyms. Easy workouts for when the trainer isn't there, and time them with your voice.

Provide access to YouTube videos showing you doing at-home exercises.

Sign on the way out saying, "Just one more rep."

I'm laughing more than anything on this series of ideas. Oh well.

9.19.2008

The power of words.

Let's see what words the news organizations are using about the financial situation. Keep in mind, this is just in the parts they are showing without clicking on the stories.

NY Times
Pain
Vice
Tighter
Crimping
Bailout
Turmoil
Toxic
Crisis

CNN
Crisis
Bailout
Cost
Lifelines

LA Times
Bad
Rescue
Bailout

USA Today
Rescue
Crisis

Washington Post
Depression-Era
Rescue
Massive
Restore
Forges
Crisis
Risks

MS NBC
Crisis
Toxic
Worst
Emergency
Turmoil

C-SPAN
Vulnerable
Bad
Instability
Turmoil
Uncertainty
Emergency

NPR
Bad
Gigantic
Massive
Rescue


When it comes to the stock market, I'll admit having a limited knowledge of economics. I have no idea how serious this situation actually is. But it's the feeling I get when I read these words that worries me. Even when they are interspersed at random, it leaves me feeling panicky and uncertain.

The media plays a huge role in forming the national mindset. Is it our responsibility to restore confidence? Probably not. But I do feel like sensationalizing the story, even through something as simple as word choice, isn't right either. In a media-smothered country, is it more important to sell papers/get more hits online or is there a way to use this power to improve conditions?

I'm not only talking about the stock market, but so many other social, political and economic issues as well. Let's go beyond raising awareness and start thinking about actions. What do our words cause people to do? And can we live with those consequences?


And, for your amusement, the Fox News Headline: "Gov't in Full-Court Press to Solve Financial Crisis"



9.18.2008

Mantra

My best friend is applying to graduate school. Of course, since she is my best friend and I write for a living, I've agreed to help her with her "personal statement."

It was interesting initially for me just to see the differences in our styles of writing. You can tell she is an English major with a master's in literature. And you can tell I am a storyteller who writes for the masses. For example, she used this phrase, "my students expressed the sentiment that," which I quickly marked out and replaced with "my students felt that."

I've really loved doing it, as much as I've loved helping other friends with cover letters and personal statements in the past. I think it's because I enjoy writing mantras and mission statements. I like to use action words and pretend like I'm writing a speech that Obama will read at his victory party. That's the type of voice I often hear in my head.

I've also wondered if there's a market for this kind of work and how ethical that is. Send me your cover letter or personal statement and a check, I'll fix it up and send it back. The fee would increase with success. For example, I'd charge a $100 base price and my bonuses would include $25 additional for each interview and $75 for a job offer. If you want to tweak your cover letter or personal statement for a different school or job, $5-10 per version.

Anyway, while I'm all about being an entrepreneur, this blog is supposed to be all about something else. Maybe this blog needs a mission statement.


I am a writer and these are my ideas. Advertising, literature and observations come together here, like they do in my work and in my life. I am not asking for your sympathy or your patience. I am asking for your judgement. I present my thoughts to you with courage and with fear. I am a writer and these are my ideas. Read and see.

Overheard at Panera

"Anyway, he said another woman is pregnant in his class."

"Is it you?"



9.16.2008

The Spirit of Advertising

Can someone who isn't dead be a ghost? For example, when you move to a new place, can a part of you still haunt the old one? It's an interesting idea and really goes along well with philosophy and theories of time. But that's not really what this blog is about. What can I do with the idea of a ghostly presence of a living person?

Let's use it in an ad for a vacation spot, maybe Hawaii.


A woman is on the phone with the hotel manager and she whispers: "I want a new room."

The manager's voice says: "Oh? What seems to be the problem?"

The woman practically hisses into the phone, hysterical. "There's a ghost. Of someone who was here before me."

The woman turns around and we see an apparition of another woman behind her, lounging on the porch hammock with a magazine. The apparition waves. The woman's eyes widen and she turns back to the phone. "She waved at me."

"Listen, ma'am," the manager says, "I know a nice doctor who works in the city..."

The woman hangs up. She looks at the apparition who waves again, before turning to wave at someone else, another apparition drinking a fruity drink on a lounge chair.

The voice over says something to the effect of, "Once you've been to Hawaii, a part of you never wants to leave." 



This isn't my usual process when working on ads. I usually start with the product and strategy, then create a concept and see what media fits that best. This is an interesting way to work however, for a blog.


9.15.2008

Non-Fiction-to-Fiction

What follows is a totally fictionalized look into the life of a woman in my town who walks down the street yelling. It's a short glimpse.



Today she woke up and thought it was yesterday. Or the same day it had been for the last eleven years. Wednesday. The day she had to meet the bus in town. God-awful things could happen to her nephew before he found her tiny house, well-hidden by wild tangles of bushes and weeds.

She moved slowly toward the edge of the bed. First her right leg, then her left, then her hips and chest and head and over and over until she was there. She felt around the cement floor for her cane and when she had it, she pushed her top half up with it, letting her legs fall off the bed into a sitting position. Then she heaved until she finally stood facing the wardrobe.

It took a full thirty minutes to get into her flowered dress. Another ten to pull up her hose and lace up her orthopedic black sneakers. She hobbled toward the door then, taking her floppy hat off the hall tree and placing it over her matted hair. It would have to do.

She took one deep breath before she went onto her doorstep, cane first, and began the long walk to town.  She was sure that the devil lived between her house and the bus station. She felt his heat rising up from the sidewalk and heard his voice on the air stirred up by passing cars.

"You git on from here now, ya hear?" she yelled.

"You won' git me t'day, no sir," she muttered. "The Lord's got me t'day."

"The Lord's got me t'day," she bellowed, flailing out her cane.

As she passed, people on the street snickered. To her, it sounded like fire licking toward the edge of her dress. "Go on now, Satan, you Hell fire, you won' hurt me again," she yelled.

And quieter, "You won' git him this time. No sir, not this time."

9.12.2008

Thinking

When I get a project that I can't get my mind off of, I go into some type of zone. I stare into space. I don't talk much. My eyes seem wider. Sometimes this lasts for a day, sometimes an hour. I feel that way now. It's similar to the way I feel when I take medicine that's too strong. Like my body is somehow out of my control. As long as good work comes out of it, I suppose it's okay.

9.11.2008

Punctuation. CAPITALIZATION

I saw a Wal-Mart ad the other night and noticed the change for the first time. Now it's Walmart. Young, friendly, forget the Waltons. I began to wonder what other dramatic changes one could make with punctuation and capitalization. Maybe change businesses entirely.

Victoria's "Secret" - Girdles

Block Buster - Construction supplies

Apple Bees - Children's clothing

Blackberry - Fruit smoothies

RoleX - Adult films

Puma! - Safari tours

Maxwell's House - Men's clothing

Win DOWs - Financial services

So NY - Travel magazine

Ups - Energy drink

Amazon Com - Airline service

Charm-in - Hairspray

CarNation - Rental cars

Virgin? - Pregnancy tests


9.09.2008

"Keep those balls in the air"*

Last night I was watching football, against my will, when my boyfriend asked what the line that indicated the first down was called. My friend responded, "The Budweiser Line." I countered that it would make more sense for Sharpie to sponsor it.

I took sports marketing in college. But I haven't thought about it in awhile. What companies could sponsor what things in sports that aren't already taken?

The Axe Body Spray 3rd Base Play - Replay of any action on 3rd base

The E*Trade Coin Toss - If it's heads, everyone at the game gets $10 to invest

Weber Tailgate Pre-show - Interviewing tailgaters to see their best innovations and hear their stories

Purrell Port-o-Potty - With free samples

IKEA Bleacher Section - Cheaper seats in the front, made by IKEA, making better seats affordable

Honda Soccer Mom Parking Service - Special valet for Honda minivan drivers at sporting events

ADT Goalie Play of the Day - Replay of the soccer goalie's best moves

Facebook Jumbotron - Shows your face and your name




*Arrested Development

9.08.2008

Songs for sale

As a music lover, I get a little angry when my favorite artists show up in odd television ads. For example, what does Stephen Malkmus have to do with Sears? And how about Led Zeppelin and Cadillac? And Bob Dylan for Victoria's Secret? My job here today is to see if I can think of any matches between song and client that would be either good or humorous enough to be considered good. I want each to make the song really important.

Don't Stop Believin' - Journey
A diet company like Slim-fast - the commercial features a woman drinking a Slim-fast a day and looking at the scale. She's on the street walking right past pastry stores. In the last scene, she shakes out a pair of jean, puts them on and fastens them. Clearly from the 80s, they're acid wash and skinny leg. (pair this with the Journey live video and you've got a hit). Slim-fast could have a contest to go along with this. Provide a photo of yourself in a pair of pants in the 80s. Then fit into them again.


I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry - Hank Williams
For ESPN, targeted to people who move away from their college town or state and can't get their favorite games on television. The ad would feature a guy having flashbacks to old times, at games, at bars with tons of other team fans. He'd stare into bar windows and see teams in different colors cheering, then turn away, downtrodden. Then, when all hope is lost, he'd get a gazillion ESPNs so he can watch again.


Ageless Beauty - Stars
An ad for converse. It features a pair of converse as they slowly wear out. They're used in sports, in different seasons so you can tell it takes a long time. They get dirty, they get doodled on, they get new laces, the sole starts coming off, they get a hole and eventually, they have to be retired. They are carried through the house but pass the trash and go to a shoe rack to join worn out Converse in increasing sizes.


Hustler - Simian Mobile Disco
Twizzler commercial featuring a young child switching out lunch items for Twizzlers. In one scene he's offering the Twizzler owner a paper bag with the words: "Secret Surprise!' on it. It turns out to be a muffin. In another scene, he offers a juice box, which turns out to be empty. By the end, he is cruising down the hall, with Twizzlers in his back pocket like the hustler he is.


Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying - Belle and Sebastian
This would be for Orbitz or a similar company. The commercial would feature very bored people, in the dregs of life and an Orbitz vacation would be their way out. Orbitz would then add something to their site called "Get me away from here, I'm dying" that people could click on for impromptu vacations to spice up their lives.


That's it for now. Perhaps a Part 2 in a later blog.



9.05.2008

Rainy Days

As we brace for a big storm, I ponder the things that are going to sell like crazy. Bread, water, candles, batteries, flashlights - all things that people probably already have a set brand for or will buy the cheapest kind available. (Nature's Own, cheapest, cheapest, cheapest of Energizer v. Duracell, Magnalite, in case you were wondering.)

But what about umbrellas? What differentiates them? There's Totes, of course, which is probably the only brand name I know. But when I think of them, I don't think of innovation. I think of tiny, wussy umbrellas that fit in my purse then inevitably find their way below the seats in my car. What do I really want in an umbrella?

First of all, I want one that's not going to be difficult to carry around but provides protection that I would not refer to as "dinky." Secondly, I want it to dry quickly. Third, I want it to look awesome and unique. This is an accessory, after all.

So the umbrella needs to be super compact, yet powerful. Like Mighty Mouse. Is there a way it could fold into a flat rectangle and slip into a sleeve? Could it fit in my pocket? Is there a way to attach it to my belt loop or carry it over my shoulder? Perhaps there is an attachment that goes into my pocket and makes an extra pocket on the outside. Like an add-on pouch.

Or maybe we should reverse the situation. Maybe the umbrella could be a consolidator and carry your other things. Imagine an umbrella where the inside has a zipper pocket that hangs down and a little clip for keys. You'd put your wallet and phone and lipstick or whatever in the pocket and go. When you got inside, you'd carry your umbrella like you normally would and your stuff would still be tucked inside the closed version.

Now to the drying quickly. Nothing sucks worse than to get inside all nice and dry only to smack yourself in the leg with a wet umbrella. There's got to be some better repellant on these things. Nicer establishments, like Nordstrom, offer umbrella sleeves at the door. And if you really trust someone, you could always leave it beside the door to wait for you - hmmm... umbrella locks? You'd have to have something to lock it to, but malls could most certainly do that. Could you check your umbrella for free?

Back to the umbrellas solving their own problem. Could umbrellas come with a little matching drying towel? Or a bigger bag to put them in, because let me just say, you still get soaked trying to wrap a wet umbrella and shove it in a tiny bag. Maybe a disposable layer for the top of the umbrella, but that's not very environmental. This is a problem best left to the scientist. And I'm not the only one complaining, another girl I know mentioned the same issue today.

Design... What a neat shape. You'd think there would be more available. I've seen different shapes like the bubble umbrella or the golf size one, but those are hardly revolutions. Neither are the sections of color or the occasional polka dots. This is my safe place, my shelter and I think there's a lot of space here to do something more. What could be written inside there to make you feel happier and warmer during a storm? What else could that pole be made of or shaped like? Could there be a mobile in there or would that make a mess?

The outside is clearly a blank canvas. I admit, I have seen a few things but nothing ultra-simple and hip. Could you make an umbrella where you could change out the top to match your day?

What other additions could make an umbrella better? A beeping feature if it senses rain so you don't leave it in your car. Or just a simple scale of percent chance so you can look and see before you go. A way to connect your phone to the handle, so you'll have at least one hand free. A censor for your car so your door will unlock when the umbrella comes toward it, eliminating the need to search for keys and locks in the rain. I'm sure my bubble would feel more complete with music, can I use my iPod without it getting too wet?

There are probably a million ways an umbrella could be better. And an umbrella company could take the lead.

9.03.2008

Cha-ching

Today, as I was buying a budget application on iTunes, I thought of an idea for an ad. It seems like all I do now is spend money and worry about it. So what if everything a person touched made a cash register sound? Or a dropping coins sound? Maybe it's everything they see, even cars going by.

I think this could work with:
A site like Monster where people are looking for higher paying jobs.
A political ad about the economy.
An ad for Wal-mart about saving money. Perhaps the items at Wal-mart could make a softer noise?


On a similar note, what about an ad for a real-estate company, encouraging people to buy instead of rent? Run it at the end of every month, right before rent is due. A couple sits in their living room and writes a check for rent. They put it in the envelope, address it, add a stamp and take it outside to the mailbox. They then take a match and drop it into the mailbox and walk away.

9.02.2008

Barack the Brand

Obama has made himself into an incredibly successful brand. It's what he needs to win the election in a country with a media-saturated population. And I think we can all learn from it.

With the tagline, "Change we can believe in," the Obama brand is young and mobile. It's red, white and blue with authority. When he speaks, his voice and tone make him sound like he's delivering a sermon to people who are desperate and hungry for salvation. He makes his audience want more, practically yearn for it, by promising to deliver. He's moving us to action.

If Obama is a brand, he's definitely not an established one. So what are we buying? It has to be his ideals and his "brand promise." We have nothing else to go on. It's an incredibly successful launch of a new product. And how many consumer brands do the same? How many advertisements do we see and say, "I want to be a part of that"?


9.01.2008

Books and Taglines

What organizations could some of the book titles on my shelf be taglines for?


Major League Soccer. A Farewell to Arms.

Rock Band. The Unstrung Harp.

GQ. About a Boy.

Eddie Bauer. Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim.

Wikipedia. The World According to Garp.

Big & Tall. The Great Gatsby.

Bic. The Fountainhead.

The Melting Pot. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Swatch. A Clockwork Orange.

Huggies. The House at Pooh Corner.