Wow, it's been over a year since a blog has been posted on this World Famous Creative Strategy blog! So much as happened. Catch Your Limit is doing great and Tom and I are now spending the majority of our time in Richmond, VA in our cool new office space. Because we're here we can't be @ FSU, so we gave up our teaching gig. Perhaps we'll check into VCU or UVA opportunities here in the near future.

If you're still on the subscription list to this blog and you're getting this message, reach out to us. Let us know where you're at and what you're up to. Many of you stay in touch with us via facebook and that's great. Or, revitalize the blog! Nothing says it has to be a blog for a class - it can grow with us all ... a way to stay connected through an experience that each and every one of you contributed to making World Famous!

A client of ours shared this letter from Pixar about feeling creatively drained and I thought that you could relate: http://thenextweb.com/shareables/2011/09/08/feeling-creatively-drained-let-this-letter-from-pixar-inspire-you/?awesm=tnw.to_1Ak8h

Best wishes!

Melissa ><((">

Hello Students and welcome back!

While you all were away this summer ( some of you have graduated long before this ), Luke Sullivan, author of our favorite book and your textbook Hey Whipple Squeeze This, wrote a blog about washing a pig. He featured some of our photos from our experiences washing a pig! If you didn't see it, check this out http://blog.ideacity.com/creativity-is-like-washing-a-pig-gsdm# 

Have a great semester!!

Scott

Bittersweet

For months, the FSU Arrowhead Advertising Team has been building a campaign for the 2010 NSAC client, State Farm Insurance. There's been tears, sweat, relationship break-ups, sleep deprivation and laughs. This has been one of the most stressful and challenging moments of my college career, but it has also been the best. Everyone on the team is so talented and passionate about advertising--they've all inspired me to push the limit and do more than I ever expected of myself. Each and every person on this team has been such a privilege to work with and I will truly miss them. 

On Friday, April 30th, Arrowhead drove to Tampa to compete in the annual NSAC competition. University of Miami definitely brought it to the table, making it that much more nerve-wracking. Luckily for FSU, our never-ending nights in the Ad Lab paid off! I am proud to announce that FSU won the following awards:

+ 1st Place at Districts

+ Best Research

+ Best Strategy

+ Best Creative

+ Best Q & A

I'd like to recognize and congratulate all of the Arrowhead members for being such amazing people. We will miss our seniors so much (in bold)! You've meant more to this team then you realize. A special thanks to:

+ Jonny Arcila

+ Emily Asqueri

+ Nicole Brooker

+ Arielle Calderon

+ Courtney Connell

+ Maria Correa

+ Jesse Damiani

+ Danielle Delph

+ Michela Fleury

+ Alysse Goodwiller

+ Courtney Griffin

+ Christina Morgan

+ Gala Pazos

+ Sydney Perlman

+ Alexis Perricone

+ Jordan Rich

I love you all so much and I look forward to hearing about your future successes! 

Can I just say...

I am going to miss this class so much.

I loved every second of it.

EVRY SINGLE SECOND

goodbye CSI. You've change my life.

-Matthew Michael Ramage

Need a good laugh?

Hey everyone!

Congrats on being done! I just wanted to share this website I stumbled upon today. It's 30 hilarious print ads...I got a good laugh and think you would too! Check it out to take a break from finals :)

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1kNqTz/spyrestudios.com/hilarious-print-ads/

The Future Looks Bright according to Lynnette

Hi CSI! I hope that you all have taken a few deep breaths, gotten some rest and celebrated after doing an awesome job this semester. We are all so proud of you! I wanted you to know that Lynnette blogged about you - you inspired her ... take a look:

http://blog.mindspotinc.com

5 Annoying Comments Your Mom Makes

"Where did you buy that shirt?"

This most likely means: "That top isn't flattering — I wish you'd wear something else." "She's softening a negative point with vague phrasing," explains Tannen. But there's something deeper she probably won't own up to: When she homes in on your looks, your mom is also thinking about herself. "She assumes your appearance is a reflection on her," says Tannen, "so she wants to help you become someone she's happy with." Tell her you know she has great advice, but you have to express your own style.

"Are you really that hungry?"

Four words: Put down the doughnut. Okay, this one's pretty obvious. "Unless she harps on your diet, this comment slipped out before she could censor it," explains Tannen. Her maternal instincts kicked in, and she's watching out for you. Let her know that while you know she has your well-being in mind, these statements make you uncomfortable.

"It's nothing. I don't want to bother you."

Your mom craves attention…but doesn't want to ask for it. She's used to being the caretaker, so swapping places can be awkward for her, Tannen explains. To strengthen your bond, focus on her now, and follow up later. "This will show her that she can trust you to pick up on all of her hints," says Tannen.

"Marsha's daughter got into grad school."

"Your mom hopes when you hear of your peers' progress, you'll be inspired," observes Tannen. But she's also in a compare-athon. "She likes to brag too," says Tannen. So give her updates. If her friend's daughter got into grad school, mention your recent kudos at work.

"He's fun, but do you ever see him settling down?"

Your mom thinks your bartender boyfriend is nice but not husband material. "This is awkward," says Tannen. "You're both adults." But still, she can't exactly talk to you like a friend and say "Dump him." Also, "your mom is of a different generation," says Tannen. She assumes that you're hoping he's marriage-worthy. Reassure her that you're having a good time but aren't going to elope with him to Vegas.

The eagle has landed.

So it's 4:25 am and I am still working on this project. It's been a very difficult road, but I have faith that our team will pull through tomorrow. I wish everyone the best of luck and I know you will all have amazing campaigns!

By the way, due to the conflicting schedule of the Creative party, you will not be able to see ad team present. However, if you're interested you may want to consider going Thursday morning or afternoon during one of Solomon's classes (9:30 am or 12:30 pm). He's already done teaching, so you may be able to just sit and watch. If you're interested in Arrowhead, it would be a great thing for you to see our wonderful presenters!

Good luck to all and have a great summer!

Midnight Thirty.

Yet another midnight thirty at the stadium. Tomorrow is the day. I'm excited, nervous, happy, freaked out, sick to my stomach, and anxious. We have spent HOURS in this stadium, spoken to the police twice, and gotten screamed at by some bitter hospitality lady. Though this project has completely consumed my last month in Tallahassee, I have enjoyed every grueling minute. My group has worked as a well oiled machine, each person excelling at their function perfectly. Despite the plethora of personalities (most clashing) we have, we have worked well together, getting everything that needed to be done, done, and still having time for random leather fringed jacket photo shoots. No matter what grade we get, or if we win, we all know that we went above and beyond and created a kick ass campaign. Thank you to all my group members for making CRE8 as amazing as it is.

lions and tigers and cops..oh my

Right now it is 12:26 on Wed morning...our presentations are in just a few hours and I know everyone has been practicing their little tushes off!! How do I know, because for the past few evenings we have all run into each other on the second floor of UCB--and we all have our own funny stories to share.


Tonight, around 11:15, my group was practicing in the presentation room when we heard a knock on the door. We opened it up and two police men were standing outside. She explained to us that every time we opened and closed a door a silent alarm wen toff alerting the police that their were intruders in the building. We tore down the paper which blocked the glass window, giving a glimpse into our room and begged (but not really) trying to convince these officers that we were simply students trying to get a good grade in our creative strategy class. They asked us what time we were leaving, and we told them another group would be coming in at midnight. The police offer began to laugh. She was on our side after all. She totally understood what was going on but asked us to please leave by 1 am. We apologized for the inconvenience and she made a silly face and told us she totally understood.


I know others of you have had funny encounters while practicing your presentations. (Post your story if it's good enough for the blog!)

Closure.

It is an interesting time, the end of the academic year. One class moves up as one moves on. Life moves on. Many of you guys will be seniors next year. Finals are coming up. It is possibly one of the most stressful times of the year. However, I think that some reflection is appropriate. With the end so close we can see it rapidly approaching, it is important to not only focus on the present, but to take some time to reflect on the past as well.

For me, it's been an interesting semester - year even - to say the least. I had the great opportunity to work with some of you directly, and to the whomever I didn't have the opportunity to personally work with, perhaps our paths may cross sometime in the near future. To Catch Your Limit, your teaching style and enthusiasm take direct responsibility for pushing me into Advertising; you're all doing something right. To all of you who have internships over the summer, I wish you the best of luck as well.

I would hope to keep in touch with everyone. With that, I'll leave you all with one quote; may your adventures lead you far and wide:

...let us step out into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.
- Albus Dumbledore

How NOT to do Viral Marketing

On April 19th, a man in New Zealand was promoting Splinter Cell Conviction, a new video game. The marketing agency that hired him had him covered in bandages with a fake weapon into a popular area of Auckland. Over two dozen people saw it, thought it was real, and called the cops! The cops then proceeded to draw their REAL guns on the man for the safety of everyone. How dumb could this marketing agency be? When there is so much crime, terrorism, and just bad-natured people in our world, how could the marketing agency think regular people wouldn't take this seriously? If you ever work on a campaign that requires a lot of viral marketing...DON'T DO THIS!!

$$

I'm sure many of you are on a budget and always wonder where you money goes and how you spend it so fast. Well I found an interesting article that tells you about The 12 Biggest Ripoffs in America.

Many of the things on the list I already knew about, but some of them surprised me. Hope you enjoy and learn how to stop getting ripped off!!

The End.

I was unsure about what to write about for my last blog, until Stumble Upon showed me the way. I could spend a long time just stumbling to different websites (we all could), but what shocked me is that I found the perfect material to blog about on my first click. Anyways, on to the real stuff. This post I stumbled upon is about the 11 craziest Thai television ads. I almost kept clicking until I watched one, and thought it was hilarious. It amazed me how the humor still appealed to me even through cultural differences. Go ahead and take a break from studying or working on our big project and watch a few of these ads. Here is a teaser,



and here is the link to the full post! Take a minute and enjoy some of these funny/outrageous ads!

http://www.cnngo.com/bangkok/play/10-crazy-commercials-hit-thai-tvs-decade-985994?TrackID=obpaid

My stress-relief list

Ever since we've come down to crunch time with finals week, I've been having to discover new and creative ways to not lose my mind.

Over the weekend, I spent every night huddled over my computer till the early hours, trying to squeeze in a semester of French into my brain while still leaving room for geology, Hispanic Marketing, Creative Strategy, and Hospitality Management. Finally, I reached my breaking point.

If I didn't take some emergency "me" time, I was going to flip. So, in typical Brock fashion, I broke out my pen, and made a list of things I was going to do before I continued working. I just thought I'd share this list, so all of you hard working creatives can use my secrets of mental relaxation. Take notes.

1) Flea Market

This is my ace in the hole. Tallahassee's flea market is one of the best around, and with about 5$, anyone can find something that awakens your inner child. Don't believe me? Here's just a few of the things me and my friends have bought (for ridiculously cheap) in the last few months when we needed a quick getaway: Crossbow (real, not a toy), incense from Jamaica, old video games, crazy looking knives, air-soft AK47s, and more. Plus, the beer is cheap and the locals are... colorful. Check it out the next time you're feeling stressed.

2)Omegle.com

Pretty much everyone has used one of these websites by now, but it's still one of my favorite places to get rid of writers' block. It's an anonymous chat room, where you can meet a complete stranger from anywhere in the world, and they'll never know who you are. To an ad major, this means 'free focus group'. Bounce some ideas, have some interesting conversation, you'll be surprised how quickly it clears your mind. Disclaimer: there are a lot of pervs out there. Beware.

3)Campus Walk

Finally, my favorite stress-reliever. During a school day, if you're near campus, just go walk around campus and find a classroom to sit in on. At FSU, there are plenty of classrooms large enough that you will blend in. Sit through the class, don't worry about taking notes, and just absorb the information. It's a great way to clear your mind from what you've been working on, and is single-handedly responsible for getting me through last semester's finals.

Finally, just take a deep breath. It's just a class. Good luck on your projects everyone!

FRENCH NAVY!!

This is what is getting me through these last weeks of school.

Stop Manipulating Me (Stop manipulating me. Stop manipulating me...)

Let me begin by saying that Final Flesh is certainly not a film for everyone, or even most. Vernon Chatman, whom you may know as co-creator of production company PFFR, as well as co-creator of surrealist/absurdist comedy shows such as Xavier Renegade Angel and Wondershowzen, has created what some will consider a masterpiece, and others will consider pure filth, and will swear to never revisit the experience for a few eternities.

Basically, the premise is that Chatman had stumbled upon some porn companies who are willing to act out their client's fantasies and send them the video. He then wrote an absurdly cerebral, somewhat existential, satirical script and hired 4 of these companies to act them out, under the guise that his script actually caters to his particular fetish, though be aware that there is no actual sex in the film (though there are heavy sexual overtones). The video comes as recorded, with no presence or direction whatsoever by Chatman aside from what was written on the script, and perhaps some minor post editing. As the actors have no idea as to the purpose of the film, besides what they assume is to bring satisfaction to some guy with very oddly particular tastes, they attempt, with varying degrees of amateurish earnestness, to follow the script to a T. The result is one of the most uniquely hilarious 71 minutes you may experience in your life, which Salvador Dali would doubtlessly be proud of. Peculiar moments include lines such as "I wanted to use his blood to oil the machinery of capitalism", shaking meat in a jar until it turns into milk, and showering in tears of both children and corrupt politicians.

I cannot guarantee you will enjoy Final Flesh quite as much as I did (or at all), but I can guarantee that you will never quite see anything like it (nor will most anyone you come across. This film is as obscure as they come). Fans of Wondershowzen and Xavier should pick up on Chatman's unique sense of humor and social commentary throughout the film, which, from personal experience, can prove to be quite rewarding when watching this film, especially for the first time (as was the case for me last night). It certainly was a more cohesive experience than I had expected, having a semblance of a plot, as well as recurring elements and themes touching from religion to human nature. So if you've got a taste for surreal and thought provoking pseudo-comedies, you may want to take a trip to Amazon.com and invest in what will surely be an eccentric addition to any home movie library.

Cultural Beer

Most of you have probably not heard of Brahma, one of the most popular beers in Brazil. However, Brahma is owned by InBev, who also owns Budweiser. Anyways, my post isn't about who owns who in the beer world. It's about how Brahma has began marketing itself around the world. But it hasn't taken the traditional approach - Brahma is leveraging Brazilian culture to help market it around the world. On their website, they talk about different aspects of Brazilian culture from beaches, to soccer, to capoeira (a Brazilian martial art/dance). The coolest thing about their website isn't the videos that bring me back to my home country. It's their drum circle page. Users can turn on their webcam and literally play the drums on the screen. Not only is it entertaining and unique, but it also makes Brazilians think of Brahma when listening to typical music. It's awesome, check it out: http://www.brahma.com/

Now I can say I have won a Rock Band Competition...

Check!

Thats me checking it off the bucket list. I can now say that I have won a Rock Band competition. After many years of practice in my living room, it is all paying off. This past Sunday, I competed in a Rock Band contest benefitting CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate Association). So, don't jude me, I was all for the kids. CASA does a lot of work with children from abusive homes. They make sure these children don't get lost in the system and allows them to have a voice when they feel like no one is listening. For more information about how to get involved with this cause and how to become a volunteer for CASA, visit www.casaforchildren.org.

DID YOU KNOW?

A list of interesting facts:


If you sneeze too hard, you can fracture a rib.

If you try to suppress a sneeze, you can rupture a blood vessel in your head or neck and die.

If you keep your eyes open by force when you sneeze, you might pop an eyeball out.

Rats multiply so quickly that in 18 months, two rats could have over a million descendants.

Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear by 700 times.

In every episode of Seinfeld there is a Superman somewhere.

The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.

Thirty-five percent of the people who use personal ads for dating are already married.

A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.

23% of all photocopier faults worldwide are caused by people sitting on them and photocopying their butts.

In the course of an average lifetime you will, while sleeping, eat 70 assorted insects and 10 spiders.

Most lipstick contains fish scales.