Karaoke @ Catch Your Limit: Starring Jeff

Check out this chin rendition of Seal's Kissed By A Rose. Make sure to watch the full video for all the special effects. Take note of the simulated frozen precipitation and roses. Special thanks to Jeff for this opportunity, Kristen for her filming and Courtney for her chin. Now sit back, relax and enjoy the snow!

So What's Next?

What do Tim Couch, Courtney Brown, Ryan Leaf, and Yatil Green have in common? No, not that they match up from material to the most recognizable color of that item, but rather that they were flops. Which kind you ask? Well, in celebration of this upcoming weekend, we have the NFL Draft. All those people rather flopped because of injuries, or simply performing at a level that was considerable lower than expected in the NFL.

Nowadays, the number one overall pick in the NFL Draft has more than high expectations. They have high priced contracts. Basically, the player that gets chosen as the number one pick overall, at least in the past few years, has received a contract that surpasses 20 million dollars. How ridiculous is that? That means that before that "rookie" even steps on the practice field, before he moves to his new city, before he has returned to the accompanying table where his family and friends are sitting upon obtaining his jersey during the NFL Draft, he (which will probably be Matthew Stafford this year) will be have made more money than some make in their entire life...TWICE!!

I might as well say that I like Michael Crabtree, a future wide receiver that will hopefully succeed. In addition, Aaron Curry looks pretty solid. But I'm not Mel Kiper and honestly, there's way too much coverage in this for someone not to get bored a bit. Enjoy Saturday and if you watch, look for some of those FSU players too!

Creative Strategy...the musical

A great way to end our beloved Creative Strategy 1 class...

Thanks to everyone at Catch Your Limit for a great semester! 

and to Courtney, Jonny, and Michela for sharing their musical skills

-Erin Fragetta

Around the World

So last Saturday I went over to the H Grove for a fraternity party and it wasn't any cliche toga party, but the annual Around the World Party. A couple of fraternities have Around the World as their theme but this year, this particular one went all out and really paid attention to detail to make this a success. This is better than Epcot and you don't even need a passport!

Highlights of the trip:

Jamaica - cool accents mon!

Brazil - the cool tiki hut and Portuguese music

Mexico - enjoy margaritas, cervezas, pina coladas, and chips n salsa. Ole!

Japan - sake bomb!!!! 

Germany - techno and blacklights and of course, the Berlin Wall.

....And my all-time favorite "vacation" of the night:

Antarctica - complete with ice luge, fog machine, Happy Feet on the flat screen and a Christmas tree. Ridiculous, I know.

Proof that College kids are creative...

FINALLY!

and by that, i don't mean "FINALLY... class is over..." i mean, "FINALLY... we get a raunchy ad in the US."

Thank you for this JWT New York!

Last blog of the semester

So this semester has been and complete whirl wind it seems. I am definitely ready for summer! As hard as this semester has been it has also been one of the best semester of my college career. I really had the chance to get to know some of the people in my classes and I just feel like everyone has this great amount of energy and talent. I've also noticed that we all seem to have great work ethics even if we do wait to the last minute to do things, and good since of humor. From dancing to Greese Lightning, to writing and 30+ page media plan, I've worked hard but I've also had a good time. I've learned some very valuable lessons this semester. I've learned how to be a better presenter, I've learned not to wait to the last minute to do everything, I've learned how to chill out take a break and have some fun. I've also learned that communication is so important to creativity. If everyone is not on the same page something is bound to be missing because someone missed the memo. That is what I plan to improve on, I need to learn how to communicate more effectively. I've also learned that patience, and tolerence are extremely significant. In the wee hours of an all-nighter people can really start to wear on your nerves. You have to be patient and tolerent and realize your group memebers are probably feeling the same way you are. Overall there is a great deal of lessons I will take away from this semester and use in the future.

Here is a site about how to pull an all-nighter, another lesson I learned this semester.
http://www.wikihow.com/Pull-an-All-Nighter

Human Nests

I remember the good old days when making a nest of blankets on the floor to sleep in was perfectly normal(okay maybe only to me), but now that we're grown nesting is seen as abnormal. I think it would be totally fabulous to live in a nest, or at least nap in one!

So imagine my excitement when I stumbled upon this fabulous artist and his naturally shaped nests. Patrick Dougherty does some really amazing work. His installations are evocative of nests and trees, looking more like shelters made by animals or formed by nature rather than by a sculptor.

Here are some of my favorite pictures!

Meow

I know we've all seen tons of these stupid cat videos. I don't know if it is just the bawls, but this one is hilarious at 3:30am in UCC... 

Pixar FTW

I'm a huge Pixar fan, so I find this very true. I think they're great story tellers and really care about what they do. Maybe you'll agree. 

Creative Destruction...

www.wreckthisjournal.com

This is a book my sister and I found at bookstore over winter break. It is a journal that, as the title implies, is intended to be wrecked.

 Each page is filled with prompts on how to destroy the book. The author created it to encourage people to break the rules and go beyond what is considered right and perfect and to just feel free to express themselves and get a little messy. 

People have taken it kinda seriously and have been posting their creative destructions on Flickr and YouTube. 

New ways to destroy the book are imagined all the time, and the author shares a few of them on the website to keep the journal and it's destroyer's creativity alive...

Fun :)

Adventures in the Octagon Dome Room

We're still in UCC just chillin...I mean working.I think its so funny how easy it is to spend all night working up here and not even really notice the time passing. It's like Ann said the other day the last nights before projects are due are like giant not fun sleep overs. Anyway good luck on presentations to all and to all a good morning!

Night before presentations

So it has been 15 minutes since Allison last blogged. I just got really sad that this could possibly be my last blog in creative strategy... tear :( AND currently Katlyn and Heather are entertaining us with the macarana. ( Where did that go? what a wondeful dance) . I think everyone is going a little braindead currently. But I am suppppper excited for the presentations tomorrow ! YIPPEEE!

Turn My Swag On

We needed a stress relieving break while preparing for our presentations. And we drank ALOT of BAWLSSSSSSSSS. 

j on a boat

so it is after midnight and team TANGENT is still working on our Bawls presentation for tomorrow. we are all getting pretty tired but still managing to have some fun. this class has been really cool and I have definitely learned a lot of new things throughout this semester... especially tonight in particular.
1. procrastination is never the answer.
2. ellen likes to make fun of people.
3. eric has a temper. kate makes him mad.
4. arlen and heather are ballerinas.
5. nicole enjoys saying "taste it".
6. we lost sydney...?
7. jonny and matt are phenomenal dancers
8. i am the only one in our class who Jeff DIDN'T friend on facebook

looking forward to tomorrow (or actually, today) and to see everyone's presentations.
-Allison

p.s. we're all going to look really good in our 9:30AM class tomorrow

number one name!

So Jamie showed me this video the other day after long hours of working on media planning project and just thought it was really funny how the number one name on the list was Courtney! Thought I'd share it with everyone! Some of the names are pretty creative however not very realistic!






On a more serious note..

While taking a break from preparing for tomorrow, we went to subway to get some food. On the Lays chips it shows a picture of the new packaging that is going to be coming out soon so that it does not cause any confusion. I thought it was a good idea that they decided to do this with all the label and packaging changes that has been going on with other products like gatorade and tropicana and some of them having a negative effect while others have a good effect of change. We'll have to wait and see for the Lays! (I couldn't find a picture of the new packaging that is going to be released)

Countdown to 1 Billion Apps

From a Bizarre holiday app to an online grocery store, iphone apps store has endless options. 

Apple is hosting a contest for the best apps on the way to reaching 1 billion apps.

 Want to record your sleep stream? There's an app. Are you a wine enthusiast? Share your enthusiasm. 

Go to iTunes Apps store and think of the craziest app you can create. After all, we are all creative. :)

Jonny....I mean Joey Fatone......

I figured everyone could use a good laugh after all this BAWLS non-sense

my grandma

So my grandma is pretty random and she sent me this.

http://soonereyo.blip.tv/#2024446
oh and i thought this was creative

happy earth day!

April 22 is international earth day!

This year The Green Generation will make its debut. This campaign supports "green collar jobs" aka careers in renewable energy sources (wind, water and solar) and a new global climate agreement. The core principles of the organization are:
1. A carbon-free future based on renewable energy that will end our common dependency on fossil fuels, including coal.
2. An individual’s commitment to responsible, sustainable consumption.
3. Creation of a new green economy that lifts people out of poverty by creating millions of quality green jobs and transforms the global education system into a green one.

Earth Day: a Hallmark holiday for hippies :)

go long!

My Business Organization teacher showed this video in class today. Although its probably bad humor, you know its always funny when someone gets hurt. I'm glad this lady isn't my mom. Check it out.

http://www.keepbusy.net/play.php?id=little-girl-vs-big-ball

My Page Is Up!

Well a couple of weeks ago I blogged about a job i was offered for a website, examiner.com, to write about automobile topics focused around the Miami area. Well, I've been really busy since I got hired so the site isn't too full yet, but I've got 4 articles up and more in the works. Do me a solid and comment on, subscribe to, or periodically check out my site, and if you have any suggestions or questions, please shoot them my way! thanks in advance guys!

http://www.examiner.com/x-7650-Miami-Autos-Examiner

FSU Ghost Ride

There was a potentially viral video shot on FSU campus. I guess it has been up for 2 years now, but it defintiely deserves more recognition!! If you are fans of boys dancing on cars, casper, people in trunks, or people dancing beside cars while's its going w/o a driver... this is the video for you!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LISMOlKwPk

Schools out for the Summer!

This past semester has been really crazy having all of my core advertising classes at the same time, but I did learn a lot about presenting and the advertising world as a whole. Creativity really does come to you over time, and definitely can't be forced. I have learned that this semester! I have loved every minute of this class and am sad for it to be over. Although, I am excited for my internship this summer in Washington DC at Arnold. I hope I can apply what I have learned in this class to my internship and be able to build upon it. Good luck to everyone tomorrow, and I am estactic to see everyone's campaign!!!!! :)

Consideration

This semester we were grouped into teams of ten. This is way too many if the object is to achieve optimal communication and collaboration between the members.
It is extremely difficult to coordinate meetings with ten people, and it is necessary to have everyone there in order for everyone to feel like a part of the process.
With too large of groups, it is almost impossible to delegate projects as effectively and communication is present between some members but not others.

Additionally, members do not become connected to one another the way they do in smaller groups of four to six. In effect cliques and factions can form which is counter-productive.
This sort of connection helps all members of the group actively consider the effect their words and actions have on one another.

-Beatrice

Goal Change

For a long time I knew I wanted to go into advertising, but I didn't think I would fit in at the "typical" ad agency. I always pictured an agency as a big office in New York or Chicago, where I'd be stuck walking around in heels in a world of black and gray, stuffed in a cubicle next to tons of people I don't like. Thankfully, this semester (especially in this class)has helped clear a few things up for me.

1: Stuffy offices like the ones I described do exist, but they make up only a small percentage of the agencies out there.

2: Big agencies work well with big budgets, but that doesn't mean they get the big clients. Now I can look forward to whatever size agency I choose, and even the small-sized agency I imagine creating myself in the future.

3: People in agencies are just like us, and by that I mean they're not any one way. They aren't all snooty or boring or crazy. Agencies have individual "personalities" themselves, but there are many to choose from, and each person making up the agency is different. Overall I've enjoyed working with the people in this class, so it's comforting to know that we're all out there together, whether or not we ever end up being co-workers.


In the beginning of the semester I set a goal for myself to build and run a website that did promotions for local musicians, mostly because I assumed working with bands was the only way I could get away with avoiding heels and having a job in a relaxed environment. When it came to actually starting up the website, however, I imagined interviewing the unorganized and smelly musicians my boyfriend records in his studio, and I hated the idea. I do need a schedule, no matter how strict, and I need to work with people who shower... again, I'm making generalizations, but my point is that I realized I can get what I want out of a job no matter where I end up. I still want to work in a laid-back atmosphere, but, as it turns out, I don't mind wearing heels every now and then after all!

Thank you, my creative friends, for an exciting semester. I look forward to seeing all of our presentations tomorrow!

Jalapen(accent over the "n")o

At the beginning of Creative 1 we were all asked to make three creative goals, and work towards attaining them by the end of the semester. One of mine was to buy a product I had never tried before each time I go to the grocery store. So far so good. I switched on and off from brand names to not. Vegetables to Jimmy Dean Biscuits. Avacados to Chalula garlic chili hot sauce extravaganza, ect. Right now, I am eating a bag of Snyder's jalapen(accent over the "n")o Pretzels. WOW. I mean I always like spicy foods, but this has the perfect spice to taste ratio. Let me giv you an example: Tabasco-too much spice, not enough flavor. Louisiana Hot Sauce-too much flavor, not enough spice. Anyway, my point is, that after realizing the possibilities of the jalapen(accent over the "n")o integration into common foods, not usually associated with jalapen(accent over the "n")o, I was astonished. I say, give me a jalapen(accent over the "n")o drink. I say, give me jalapen(accent over the "n")o candy. BRING IT ON.

As many paid bloggers and lawyers now in the US!

http://www.businessinsider.com/henry-blodget-us-now-has-more-paid-bloggers-than-lawyers-2009-4

Some startling numbers pumped out by the Bureau of Labor Statistics: The U.S. now has almost as many paid bloggers as lawyers. It now seems that what people have been doing for a hobby can now be done for big bucks. Demographically, bloggers are well educated, and have above average incomes. It takes about 100,000 unique visitors a month to generate an income of $75,000 a year. Bloggers can get $75 to $200 for a good post, and some even serve as "spokesbloggers" -- paid by advertisers to blog about products.As bloggers have increased in numbers, the number of journalists has significantly declined. In Washington alone, there are now 79% fewer DC-based employees of major newspapers than there were just few years ago.

I am going to have to agree with Toni...

ClamJam2010 is ready to rock and roll! It has been a long and draining semester! And as ready as I am for a break, I am a bit sad it is coming to a close. This semester, I took my final advertising classes (well, with the exception of comm for business which, let's be honest, doesn't really count) and I am so NOT ready for the fun to end! I will definitely miss this class. I have had so much fun, but also learned so much, especially when it comes to presenting. I have always loved theatre, but I used to hate public speaking. But between Creative Strategy and Arrowhead, I have learned that there is a way to find a balance. To explore your creativity through public speaking. And I absolutely love it. Our class is just so talented and it has really made me push myself further to exceed expectations. I am so happy to have had the opportunity to learn about creativity and I will miss everything that made it something I always looked forward to.

Go robot go!

A very creative person living in New York City decided to test the kindness of strangers. He designed a little robot that could only move forwards and let him loose in Central Park. The only direction the robot had was a flag attached to his head with his destination (the other side of the park) written on it. The rest was left up to New Yorkers. This clever designer was looking to see if people would stop to help this seemingly aimless robot reach his destination. The results were heartwarming :) read the article and watch the cute video below...

http://www.stumbleupon.com/toolbar/#topic=Science/Tech&url=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.tweenbots.com%252F

As the Class Comes to a Close..

This semester has been pretty steady until this last week before finals. Everything seems to be due either this week or last week. I am on project overload. But, as this class comes to an end, we will go out with a BANG with our pitches to Hoby and Sabrina. I know our group, as well as many others, are working until the very last minute to make it perfect. We all want to win. After the last group presents, we should all go celebrate the hardwork we have put in the last few weeks! Good luck to all the other group, but we all know who the group winner will be... ClamJam 2010 babyyyy!!!

Wife Swap

As cheesy as the show is, Wife Swap is one of my favorites.  Especially the episode I saw most recently where a health conscious mom gets swapped to live with a family who only eats fried foods.  The plot thickens when the new wife throws away Curtis' bacon. Watch and see what happens.

Tear It

Just been looking for a good billboard to use for our BAWLS background and I have come across some pretty cool ones. I hope that I see more of these types in real person, because that is yet to happen. I see so many of these amazing promotions online but so few in real life. Maybe they just don't jump out to me or their just not there.

I somehow stumbled upon a website that is all about shoelaces. It is a whole website dedicated to tell people and show with a piture different ways to lace up your shoes. To be exact, it lists 33 different ways to lace up your shoes and the benefits of each different style. If you are really into shoes that have laces or think that is really random and want to look the link is below!
http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/lacingmethods.htm

MCJ

Erin's Party

After almost 12 hours in the lab, you get delirious and this is what happens...

                                                

Grease Lightning

When you're up for hours preparing for a presentation sometimes you just need to break free and let loose. This is exactly what happens:

                                                    

Toms Shoes

Hey guys,

I first heard about this company in a hospitality class I took last semester and I forgot about it until now:

In 2006 an American traveler, Blake Mycoskie, befriended children in Argentina and found they had no shoes to protect their feet. Wanting to help, he created a company that would match every pair of shoes sold with a pair given to a child in need. One for One. Blake returned to Argentina with a group of family, friends and staff later that year with 10,000 pairs of shoes made possible by caring TOMS customers.

A boy wearing toms!

this week when you need a break from the projects...

GO TO MORPHTHING.COM!!!! I know we're all crazy busy with all these projects, but this may give you some comedic relief. This website morphs two images of faces together. They have a bunch of pre-loaded images of celebrities and other faces, or you can upload and other picture and crop it on the site. Its pretty quick, and you'll love the results. Here's an exxample of Britney Spears and Harry Potter...

IN CASE OF VAMPIRE

This is a cool ad for Trueblood, a show about vampires on HBO. It's non-traditional, appearing on the fence around a construction site, although I'm not sure what significance that has (I've never seen the show). The ad is also interactive, inviting consumers to stab a vampire's heart with the complementary wooden stakes (snap here).

MTV's "College Life"

So MTV has a new show, "College Life," which is supposed to be a documentary style show about four college freshmen. I haven't seen it yet, but I really want to see what it's all about, and how "real" it actually is. From the previews, it seems like the typical freshmen experience.

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ace of cakes aka my roomate!

So I don't know if you all watch the show ace of cakes but its basically the best show ever. It is so fascinating watching these chefs make cakes that look like almost anything. They use this stuff called fondant which is basically like edible plaster to make the most amazing creations. So me and my roommate always watch this show after we go out (it's on Food Network late night) and we always mess around and say that we will actually make these cakes. I never thought she would actually do it, (because I only said I would do it because I was under the influence) but she actually did! Here are two of her creations so far. The green one was for our friend who had surgery and the other was for my sororities Relay for Life bake sale.
All I can say is I can't wait for my birthday! I told her I wanted a life sized Edward Cullen cake, and I really hope she can pull it off.

TRAVELZOO!

I am obsessed with traveling, and I already know some of you all are too. Here is my new found love: TravelZoo.com! It will search for flights simultaneously on Orbitz, Travelocity, and many individual airline websites in order to simplify your travel search. BUT the best feature of this website is the TravelZoo Top 20. When you first go to this page, a list of 20 AMAZING travel deals will be listed on the right. However, you may also subscribe to the Top 20 Newsletter and get this list sent to you once a week via e-mail. It's serisouly some of the sweetest deals I've ever seen. Go take a look...this week my favorite deal is the Ireland trip: 6 nights in a Ritz Carlton suite just outside of Dublin, roundtrip airfare, a rental car with unlimited mileage, and a pint of Guiness for $699!!!!!! CAUTION: this site will make you want to spend $ easily on trips you didn't exaclty have planned but are totally wanting to go on when you see the ridiculous deals...BE CAREFUL! :)

Surprise

I am always surprised at how surprised I get watching presentations and presenters.

Even though I have learned to expect the unexpected, something amazing always comes when and where you least expect it.

Never underestimate your competition.

Remember ... it's all about content, style and format.

It's all about surprising your prospect and surprising yourself.

Good luck next Wednesday. I can't wait for you to surprise me!

Speaking of surprises, click here for one that left me absolutely speechless, with tears rolling down my cheeks.

Join me in giving a Standing O to Susan Boyle, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Music that makes you dumb?

So I was listening to the radio today and heard Ryan Seacrest mention something interesting... We all love music because it has a way of affecting us. Well now there's research that shows how music affects our brains in the long term and over time, some songs can actually make us dumber! So which songs are responsible for those lousy test grades? Among the offenders: Bootylicious - Destinys Child and Lollipop - Lil wayne. Shocking, I know. 

Now which songs can make you smarter? Classical music, such as Beethoven. Imagine dancing to Moonlight Sonata at the clubs.

Marketing hits an all time low

I stumbled across this blurb about a new marketing strategy that could only be called "public shaming". It's an ad for a group called Fitness First and when someone sits down on a bench to wait for a bus, it flashes their weight in big red numbers for all to see. This took place in the Netherlands, so maybe this type of stuff is justified in a country where they dip their french fries into mayonnaise...?

Ice Drums

2 great things, Ice and Drums... combine them, and you get some pretty awesome music. Take a look at the link below. This is how it worked, they covered the whole room in huge ice blocks, and then took a few of them and drilled and carved them until they formed drums and tambourine's. My question is why don't they break when you hit them? It is surprising that ice makes that type of noise. Its pretty awesome. Follow the link and there are two videos, one showing how the drums were made, and another that shows them being played.

http://www.adverbox.com/icehotel/

McDonalds Rap

I've seen the original video of this:

but I haven't seen that people are replicating it in Hong Kong:

In the United States or any other country, its a cool and new way to order!

Ringling

Last weekend I went to the Ringling Museum in Sarasota for an art class and I figured while I was there why not check out Ca' d'Zan, the Ringling's house. I think that this house is the epitome of creativity. There's basically a little bit of anything and everythign inside this house like multicolored window panes, a tower, furniture from all sorts of historical people and unique architectural style. I think that part of this hose can be credited to the circus and that Ringlings owned, traveling the world and taking inspiration from different unique cultures. Even the name of the house Ca' d'Zan (which means house of John) was creative. If you haven't gone yet you should go to the museum. It's not the kind of place where you go and have to be quiet, they have a huge outdoor area, cicrcus museums, an art museum and, of course, the Ca' d'Zan.

The HOTTEST Coldspot...

Have you ever gone to a bar where instead of checking your coat into coat check, you are paying for a coat at the coat check?  When I was in Barcelona over spring break I encountered a bar that started off in New Zealand known as an Ice Bar.  When you first get to ICE BAR Barcelona, you find yourself entering a smaller bar on the beach. Little do you know that once you go inside what looks like this smaller bar, you have to pay the coat check 15 Euro in order to receive an extremely large coat as well as gloves before you enter the real part of this unusual bar.  This Ice Bar is an average of -5 degrees Celsius; fortunately you can warm up with a cocktail or take a break back upstairs on the beach.  Everything inside of this bar is made of ice, even your cocktail glasses are frozen over with ice.  At least you know your drink will NOT get warm.  A group of us went and we had an incredible time! If you ever have the chance to go to an ice bar, from previous experience I am telling you to definitely GO! The only one they have in the states is in Las Vegas at The Mandalay (yeah I made my dad go into it when I was just there two weeks ago-- he found it unique and also did not want to leave.  Maybe he didn't want to leave because he did just pay $30 to get in there... Guess the Euro was low when I was in Barcelona).  Check it out online at http://www.icebcn.net/2008/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

Oh and obviously I wanted to steal that army heavy coat... they caught me.

Controversy in Quiznos Land

I'm not sure if anyone has seen this new commercial aired by Quiznos but it's causing a lot of commotion on blogs across the internet. Quiznos has always been quite edgy when it comes to their commercials, often crossing conventional borders. (If you can remember the Quiznos rats then you'll know what I mean) In their latest commercials, they are going after a demographic that stays up late, aka the college market. College students love humor, so one would think that this idea would work. However, the commercial also has a bit of sexual humor....check it out

Legit Bawls Experience

I rarely work late into the night and usually watching a movie right now trying to go to sleep. I am actually working on numerous projects late into the night so I figured I would give BAWLS its first real test run. Of course of drank them before, but this is the first time I truly am using it for energy and to aid my focus abilities. I can solemnly say that I am extremely on point right now, even enough to remember to blog while typing a script for another class. It doesn't make me jittery like other energy drinks, but has allowed me to zero in on the task at hand and not stray to Facebook or ESPN.com to check the Tampa Bay Bucs new 2009 schedule. It is great to know the product we have been doing so much work for is legitally a great product and holds true to its promise. FIN, time to get back to my other products.

Great Job Arrowhead!

So tonight the ad club held a meeting so we could see what our ad team has been up to all semester long ( probably longer). They did an amazing presentation this evening and incorporated some of the great presentation techniques that we have been learning. Sure there were things to improve on here and there, but overall WOW! The message they came up with I feel is perfect for this campaign and all the the non-traditional advertising techniques were truly innovative and research based. I think sometimes we forget that what separates great ideas from good ideas is solid research backing you up and they had it all. Seeing this presentation has made me so excited about the field I will be entering into shortly. Not to mention it has motivated me to help create an amazing presentation for our final project. Its also inspiring and slightly intimidating know that the people in our class are so outstanding. I feel honored to be considered on the same level and to participate in a program that is so difficult to get into. Not to mention how difficult it can be to stay in. So tonight I just wanted to say congratulations on an awesome presentation and good luck this weekend. Also thanks for inspiring me to bring it.

Fishsticks

I have always been a fan of South Park, but lately the writers of the show have been really impressing me. Although their shows are ridiculous and often times outrageous they sometimes produce some really clever stuff. Their latest episode titled "Fishsticks" is an episode about a joke that was formed during the disabled character Jimmy's creative process while Cartman sat in the room doing nothing. He comes up with a joke that plays on the word and it becomes the funniest joke in America. The only person who doesn't get it is Kanye West and they make fun of him perfectly. I highly recommend watching the episode on Hulu or on demand. 

Dont you need a break?

I read about this place in a magazine, it is called "Sarahs Smash Shack". It is in San Diego California, but I defintiely wish there was one closer! basically, you can go in and buy plates, glasses, etc. Anything that is breakable, and smash it against the wall. You can buy singles or packages of stuff to break. They give you protective clothing to wear so you cant get hurt. "Sometimes you need a break"

Oh and the nice part, all the broken pieces get donated to local artists to use for their work =)

here is the website if you want to check it out:
http://www.smashshack.com/

Bo Obama!

The Obama family now has their first dog! Bo Obama was introduced to the press. I normally wouldn't care about this stuff but it happens to be the same dog my cousins have who I grew up with. Except MUCH cuter. I actually was terrfied of their dog when I first met it. I was expecting them to come home from the pound with a cute little "puppy". Instead they showed up with a huge black curly haired beast! I still to this day am sorta scared of him and his bark makes my heart jump.

Apparently there was some controversy because Obama promised to adopt one from the humane society but didn't. Oh well. I think he donated some amount of money or something. Regardless it's a cute puppy, I believe it's a portoguise water dog. I wonder if they swim?

The Pump, Pump, Pump of Adrenalin!

We've been right where you are now ... cranking out strategy and creativity in preparation of a looming deadline.

And, this deadline may be the most intense you've experienced so far. Your first real clients flying in, your first real campaign competition and your first time creating like this.

The good news ... there's only one first time!
The good news ... only one week and this whole glorious experience will be a memory as you prepare for all of your other final exams.
The good news ... you all are going to do great!

Just a couple of things to remember at this stage in your project:

• Work smarter. Not harder. - Don't waste time on things that aren't going to matter. At the same time, the devil's in the details. If you have to spend more than an hour or so, you may want to run it past someone on the Catch Your Limit team to make sure you're spending your time wisely because you will run out!
• Make time to practice. - Remember to make time for your presenters to practice. How many times? Until it's right! Practice until everyone feels comfortable. Remember, my advice in the beginning of the semester. This is one of the only times that you have an entire team of consultants at your fingertips. Do you really want to risk them seeing everything when it matters? Or would you like us to see your presentation and help you fine-tune it and avoid mistakes prior to the big day with the client there
• Remember that this is a learning experience. - We don't expect you to be perfect. We expect you to have learned a lot this semester and incorporated what you learned into this presentation. Over the next few days, continue to learn from your team, learn from this experience and get better and better in the future.
• Everyone is pulling for you! - We love you. The client will love you. Don't fear the presentation. Know that you're presenting to a group that is going to cheer you on and be your greatest champions. And, Sabrinia has been in your shoes, too! It wasn't that long ago that she was presenting to win!
• Have fun! - If you are stressing and your team is breaking down, don't think twice and call us. We help teams - that's what we do. That's what we're here for. We're here for this moment ... when it counts. Stress can be good and stress can be bad. If you're having bad stress, it's not helping your creativity ... call us!

As you know, Tom and I are traveling. However, we know how to help you via phone or we can schedule a time to get together when we're back in town. And, you know that our Catch Your Limit crew is there to help as well. Reach out to us ... please! You have our emails, our office phone number and our cell phone numbers ... there's no excuse! We want to hear from you.

Our adrenalin is pumping, too!

ART CAR!

Ok, this isn't advertising related, but it's definitely creative. This is a car from one of the online BMW enthusiast forums. No lie, if i still had a white or silver car, I'd be all over this idea. The guy has been cranking out artwork in sharpie pens for years, and decided to take it to the next level...yes, these were all made by hand with sharpie pens and markers, right on the hood and trunk of his car. Baller status, me thinks...

Friendship Bracelets

I think all of us as children loved the idea of friendship bracelets! Something you and your friends wore as a token of your love for one another. Usually I would think of this as a childish thing, but the other day I discovered that I still really like the idea. Maybe not so much as 'you're my friend, you're not my friend' sort of thing, as much as I like when people hand-make things for other people. Or for instance, my roommate made all of our friends friendship bracelets, and they're absolutely adorable. I think more people should start hand-making things for their friends for birthdays or any other events, because it is so much more meaningful than something that can simply be bought at a store. 

One more thing, you can look up the videos for how to make these bracelets on YouTube!!

Cool T mobile Ad

I love seeing new creative ads. This is one of my current favorites. I love how it looks so casual and not planned at all. The End is the best part...I love the tag line "Lifes for Sharing."

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ3d3KigPQM

Are you the one for her?

As I was riding to work today, I was listening to the radio and didn't have a hand to change the station when they were talking or when there was a commercial. I was eating while driving since I was running late. But anyways, when I was listening to one of the stations this morning (don't remember which one) they were talking about recent gossip or whatever. And one thing that stuck in my mind was they played a clip of this parody of the eHarmony commercials. Lindsay Lohan was telling her life and what she was looking for in a partner. They mentioned that it was on funnyordie.com, so I thought I'd check it out. It's pretty creative and what she says in her profile is pretty funny. It's directed and shot just like a eHarmony commercial you'd see on Tv. Check it out!

Lindsay Lohan's eHarmony Profile from Lindsay Lohan

Cluttered and Outplayed. Advertisments usually get clicked because people are sick of commericals and they're just tired of seeing them. Advertisements usually have a negative connotation associated with them today and because of this most people don't like taking the time look at or even read advertisements. However, not all advertisements are bad and some companies have taken the time to design some very clever advertising campaigns.

What does it take to be creative in this world? With so much competition, clutter, distractions, and creative blocks that we run into, what can we rely on to get us out of the maze? I came across a website that gave 10 ways to become more creative, and I thought I would pass along the wisdom:

10 Ways to Boost Your Creativity

By Julie Plenty


1. Look after yourself. Sleep well/Eat well/meditate/do what you enjoy and do it more often (if it is life enhancing!). Creativity is reduced when your senses are dulled.

2. Do something different. We do so much on auto — the route we take to work, newspaper we read, TV programmes we routinely watch. Vary one element of your regular routine for a while. If feasible, take a different route to work, read a different newspaper (especially one you would never read!).

3. Be curious about your world around you. It always amazes me when people don't see what's around them. See the area you live/work in as a tourist would. How would you explore it if you were a tourist?

4. Read a book on something you previously had no interest in. ...and see if you can create interest whilst reading it. It is my belief that no topic is boring or uninteresting if it is enthusiastically and creatively presented. You know what you like — or you like what you know?

5. Do something childlike once in a while....and you don't have to have the children there as an "excuse" to do it. Sit and play on swings/draw/paint "silly" pictures — have fun. Children are incredibly creative and as adults we could learn a lot about how they view the world.

6. Create/prepare quiet time for yourself every day. Not to do anything (unless it relaxes you), but just to clear and refresh your mind. We are human beings, not doings. There are times when our crowded schedule and minds don't allow space and time for the creative to be welcomed in. Einstein liked to go sailing in the afternoons after working in the morning. Okay, most of us don't have this opportunity, but you get the point.

7. Ask "what if" questions. Just for fun and see where the answers take you. What if that building could talk, what would it say, what stories would it tell?

8. We often make assumptions....about the people we work with (especially if we don't like them!) Try treating someone you don't particularly like at work as if you liked them (yeah I know...) What would you say, how would you act towards them?

9. Write and storyboard your life....as if it were a script you had to sell to a film company.

10. Talk to people you routinely ignore or dismiss. Imagine their lives from their point of view, they often have viewpoints which you may never have considered before and carry a small notebook with you to jot down new ideas / sensations / feelings as they come to mind.

big weekend!

This weekend, Arrowhead is going to NSAC Districts! I just can't believe the time has finally arrived. We have put in so much work this past semester and throughout the previous semester and now it is finally time for us to present everything we've done! This week, we will be presenting for Ad Club and several Comm classes. I am really excited to receive feedback! Since we are targeting the college market, listening to what our fellow students think of our campaign is extremely important. We all believe in our work, but it will be good to see if it can actually make a change. On Friday, we leave for Orlando. We set up, rehearse, review and get a good amount of sleep for Saturday, the big day! Is tough not to be nervous. There is a lot of pressure to do the best possible job presenting to ensure that our work is accurately represented. I think I am more nervous for Q&A though. When we are asked to explain and justify our strategy and executions, I want to make sure that the judges are given the best, most complete answers possible. I think after reviewing all the work over and over again, this shouldn't be terrifying. I have been looking forward to this weekend for many weeks now, and I cannot wait to come back to Tallahassee with a win!

Scrub a Dub Dub for the Turtles We Love

Buenos Dias!

My best friend is going to volunteer abroad this summer through an organization called student volunteers. She will be stationed in Costa Rica for four weeks and I am super pumped for her (I studied abroad there last summer).

Once she gets down there, all of her food, room and board, etc. are paid for. However, she is required to purchase her own plane ticket, insurance, etc.

To cover these expenses she will be having a car wash this Saturday at Tire Kingdom on Ocala (in the Publix plaza). It will go from 10:00AM-3:00PM.

Check it out on facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=74761836567

Thanks guys! She would really appreciate it :)

PS-
I will be there washing cars!!! WOOO!!

Unusual Friendships

I came across these pictures of "unusual friendships" of different animals. It is so cute, there are pictures of monkeys and cats hugging, squirrels and dogs cuddling, mooses and cats, they are such funny combinations. This will brighten up your day to scroll through some of these odd combinations of friends.

http://letsbefriends.blogspot.com/

Sex Sells...

This is the new commercial for lifestyles condoms. When I first saw it, I could not believe that the FCC let this slide. Granted, I have only seen the commercial after 9pm, and usually on MTV. It's pretty raunchy, but commercials targeted towards our generation seem to be heading that direction... the new series of Levis commercials is another example. Check it out!

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Dan Deacon

After years of hearing my sister talk about seeing Dan Deacon perform in Baltimore I finally got the opportunity to see him live at club downunder over the weekend. I was prepared to see him in his underwear and have a crazy time, and that I did (except he was fully clothed at this show).

Ron Jon Split

For Easter weekend, I made the 7 hour venture to South Florida. When I say I, I mean I was the passenger and reading every billboard and car ad to help my boredom. 

After hours and hours of reading countless billboards that were clearly not designed by a Creative Strategy team, I saw the coolest advertisement I have seen south of New York. The Ron Jon surf shop had two billboards, one of the left side of the road and one on the right. 

Ron Jon made it look like the surfboard had split in two pieces, with the edges on both billboards cut impeccably to match the other. The left billboard said Ron and the right one said Jon. I thought it was brilliant and was by far the best billboard advertisement I have seen in so long. Even the driver commented on it, knowing nothing about advertising. 

Kudos to Ron Jon!

Trick or Treat

The digital grab box. It's the new viral. Anyone who runs into it can grab a widget or a banner and put it wherever they please. That said, I invite you to take one and do whatever you want with it! It's like Halloween...in April!
Although tempting, try not to use the "Schedule," "Video," "Retail Links," or "Press" widgets...I haven't worked those out yet. Everything else works, even the banners.

I was checking my email and my mom sent me a video of a really amazing commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GURvHJNmGrc

this is an image from the commercial

It is the Sony Bravia commercial and was beyond colorful and creative! Then i also found a little spoof of it and it was hilarious.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC65uIu0j-Y

and after all that i found a video that is commercial filmed in nyc with stop motion giant clay rabbits and other fun things. It took alot of time and thought but i give it an a+ in creativeness!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLUAbkRUvVQ

-Je

i'm a toys r us kid

ok first of all, whoever posted the 'widgets' post, needs to somehow control the sound. It took me a good 15 minutes to go through the entire blog page to find where the sound was coming from because it automatically plays when you're on the home page and I wanted to watch the other youtube videos without having extra sound effects. 

But anyway, we recently had some college recruiters from corporate at the R Us Company (Toys R Us, Babies R Us) come to my class and speak about their company and internship program and whatnot. Then they mentionedthat the Toys R Us in New York City was I believe the biggest Toys R Us in the U.S., complete with life-size Barbie dream house, Lego land and an indoor ferris wheel! I couldn't believe it so I booked a ticket to NYC the next day to go see it for myself. And lo and behold, there really is an indoor ferris wheel inside a Toys R Us in the Big Apple! (I really did go to the Toys R Us in NYC a couple of days after hearing about it, but not just to see it obviously. I was in Times Square anyway and had an interview across the street but had some time to kill). 

Sweet Stuff

Cool Ad

Tweet and be merry

Last night Ad Club had the pleasure of having Michael Calienes as a guest speaker. To put it simply, this guy gets it. He understands that the realm of social networking we all know and love is the newest thing in advertising and marketing. And even more importantly he understands that it is us who can shake up the advertising world.

Myself and a few other classmates have met with Michael on several occasions and talked about what opportunities exist for us while we are in school and before we set out into the real world. One of the issues that kept coming up was that we feel that some of our classes have little real world relevancy or that we don't get enough time to practice what we are actually learning before the semester ends. Michael hopes that in the near future we could get something similar to a student-run advertising agency going. I think this is a superb idea. We would get to experience real world projects, learn about things that are currently happening in advertising, and actually have something to put on resumes.

If you do not have a Twitter, I encourage you to get one and follow Michael Calienes. He's a super open guy and I am glad that I have had the chance to meet him, first on Twitter and finally in person :)

p.s. and check out that sweet photo he posted of us!!

"Reductio ad Absurdum"

A friend of mine posted this quote on Twitter:

"Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple – that's creativity. "-- Charles Mingus

I recently bought a book called "The Copywriter's Bible" (those of you at Ad Club last night may have seen it and know its awesomeness), and this quote reminded me of one of the copywriters in the book who is currently my hero, Neil French.

Neil French's tactic for creating great ads (aside from drinking wine, passing out, then waking up and writing down what he remembers) is "reductio ad absurdum." The simpler the ad, the more effective it will be. Quoting him from the book:

"I only have one rule and I recommend it to you. In any ad, most people will tell you, there is a minimum of four elements: headline, picture, copy, logo.[...] If you can do an ad that really works, using only one of those elements, you've got a winner. Two elements only, and it'll be pretty good. Three and it'll still look better than anything else in the paper. If you can't get below four, it's possible that the basic idea isn't strong enough, or you haven't expressed it well enough."

This guy has some of the coolest ads I've ever seen, so I'm going to try out his advice.

Check out his website: http://neilfrench.com/

MmMMmmMMMmmMmm..........

As we all know creativity is about anything and everything. It is sculpting something regular and making it extraordinary or non-tradtional. I was eating some cake last night and it led to me blogging about amazing cakes. We all see some cool cakes at publix but I found some really creative ones. Check 'em out!